Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 17, 1990 TAG: 9006180369
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: E1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: John Arbogast
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Bird holes are almost always lined up in a row if there are three or more together. Holes from boring insects will be scattered and usually are accompanied by sawdust.
The presence of pecking birds on a given tree does not indicate that there are borers (insects) in that tree. Birds repeat their pecking because they like the sound that they get. That's why birds have been known to peck on telephone poles, cedar houses and even metal gutters.
Also, bird pecking injury does not necessarily kill a tree. If the tree is well established and has fairly strong bark, the tree will grow around the holes. Sap may at times flow out of those openings, but that doesn't spell danger. Yellow-bellied sapsuckers will drill holes that can harm or kill young trees, however.
Once bird pecking injury has been found on a tree, there is nothing that needs to be done. If a tree is dying and lines of bird pecked holes are noticed, look for some other cause in the tree's environment that is responsible for the decline rather than the birds.
If birds are pecking on one of your trees, here are two suggestions on how to stop them:
Dangle several small mirrors hung on a string near the pecking spot. Wind will keep the mirrors moving and thus the birds will not get brave and stay there as they do when stationary scare devices are tried.
Erect bird netting (sold to keep birds out when placed over berry bushes) or other physical barrier to keep the birds away from the tree trunk.
Q: When we bought our house two years ago, it had a 3-year-old dogwood planted five feet from the house in a little inset place. I'm concerned that there is not enough room for its mature growth. Should we prune it at ground level and replace it with a smaller tree or shrub? There are five azaleas at the base of this dogwood and they are doing well. C.D., Roanoke
A: You are correct that there is not enough room for this dogwood's mature growth. You'll likely have to cut the dogwood down to remove it without injuring the azaleas. If a tree is needed to provide shade for those azaleas, look at a location a little farther out in the yard away from the house in which a tree will shade the azaleas from the hot afternoon sun. By using mulch and ground covers, you can still tie the new tree to the bed containing the azaleas if you wish to have this look like one continuous planting area. It doesn't sound like there is room where that dogwood is for a replacement tree or shrub.
Q: This past January I took three seeds from an orange that I was eating and stuck them in a pot of soil. They sprouted and I have transplanted them into their own pot. They are about 2 inches high. I would like to keep them for as long as possible and was wondering if you had any information on the care of these trees. F.R., Roanoke
A: Orange trees can be attractive, long-lived indoor potted plants. Of course, don't look for a bumper crop of oranges. Try to give the plants a cool, airy place where the night temperature is between 50 and 60 degrees F. Humidity should be at least 50 percent and the light should be strong direct sun in the morning. Do not let the soil get bone dry, but don't overwater or keep it soggy. Use standard soil mix, but mix in 50 percent sphagnum peat moss if repotting is required for pot-bound orange plants. The pot size should be a little bigger than the amount of roots, but should not be too big, which will make watering difficult. Wash the foliage occasionally with warm water to keep it free of dust. Watch for red spiders, a common pest on citrus plants indoors. Fertilize with a soluble house plant fertilizer once a month when new growth is being made.
by CNB