Five things to know about the PMC for July 15, 2021

This week’s update is going to be brief. Things have been pretty uneventful and everything is about as caught up as they can be. One reason for that is that we have been spending the time necessary to make it happen, which does cut into the time for reports and updates.

Sales

Over 50 orders have been received and entered for the upcoming year with more to do. One order was a sizable order for live stakes which is good because the cutting blocks are producing more than ever.

Root Pruning

The second round of root pruning has been completed. There has been some wilting of plants afterwards but nothing out of the ordinary. The trick is to get irrigation started as soon as possible afterwards. The third round of root pruning will begin in a couple of weeks.

Seed Collecting

Seed collection is ongoing with Serviceberry tapering off and Red Flowering Currant beginning.

Irrigation

The irrigation system is working properly. An increasing majority of the plants growing are becoming established so they need less water. Nonetheless, soil moisture needs to be monitored so that they do not get to the permanent wilting point, which is possible in the sandy soil present at the PMC.

Upcoming

One important activity that begins in early November is getting the ground ready for fall seedbeds. The barley cover crop that has been growing needs to be worked into the soil and the soil prepped for seed planting. Other activities include keeping up incoming orders, seed collecting, another round of root pruning, and root wrenching.

Root wrenching is a practice that reduces soil compaction in the seedling beds. It uses the root pruner with a larger, heavier blade that is angled more. The blade goes underneath the roots and fluffs up the soil.

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Jim Brown, WACD PMC Nursery Manager
https://wacdpmc.org/about-us