Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Monday - May 18, 2009
From: Spicewood, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Transplants, Watering, Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Failure to thrive of Cherokee sedge in Spicewood, TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I have several Cherokee sedges, just planted in March. Three of them are doing fine, but the rest look like they're dying. Some are right next to one that is doing great. Any ideas?ANSWER:
From our webpage on Carex cherokeensis (Cherokee sedge):
"Native Habitat: Abundant in sandy loam in woodlands in East, Southeast, and North Central Texas. Needs good drainage." That doesn't sound much like southeastern Burnet County, does it? The webpage also goes on to say the Cherokee sedge needs wet or moist soil and part shade, and will fare better with extra water in drier months.
Now, as to why three of your sedges are doing okay and the rest are not, with the above comments in mind, we really can't say. There is always the possibility that there were better root systems on the ones doing well, and the root systems of the others have been unable to take up the water they needed. Or maybe the ones that are doing badly are in too much sun (we consider full sun to be 6 or more hours of sun a day), or too little (shade is less than 2 hours of sun a day) when it is specified they need part shade (2 to 6 hours of sun). We suspect transplant shock, since they have not been in the ground very long. If roots were damaged or allowed to dry out before the plant got into the ground, then it could very well be suffering from transplant shock. Our suggestion is to trim back 1/4 to 1/3 of the upper part of the sick plants, in order to cut down on water loss from the plants. Then, make sure they are getting plenty of water, but that the water is not standing on their roots. And if they are in too much sun, as we go into the hotter, drier months in Central Texas, they may need even more water.
More Watering Questions
Shade trees for Spring TX
August 17, 2011 - Dear Mr.Pants, our west-facing backyard in Spring, Tx, is unbearable in this Summer's heat. Neither us nor the neighbors has any backyard trees established yet, as the subdivision is pretty new. C...
view the full question and answer
Yucca rostrata needs some help in Austin, TX.
September 16, 2013 - We planted an expensive 5-6 foot Yucca rostrata last fall. It bloomed beautifully in the spring. We installed an irrigation link to water the recently planted areas with succulents, viburnums, spart...
view the full question and answer
Watering Houseplants with Soapy Water
August 22, 2011 - I accidentally watered my house plants with a container that had a some dishsoap in it. Will they be okay? One of the plants is a 20yr old cactus, with small roots.
view the full question and answer
Survival of bluebonnets in extreme heat from Tioga TX
September 03, 2011 - Is there anything I can do for my bluebonnet patch in this extreme drought for the rest of the summer and fall? Should I have watered this summer? I had a good show and think seeding was fairly normal...
view the full question and answer
Will chlorinated pool water affect the soil in a vegetable garden?
May 22, 2009 - For the first time I'm going to plant a vegetable garden, and I have an area cleared. My swimming pool cover came off over the winter, and the pool water is a dark green to look at, but looks clear w...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |