Red Osier Dogwood

[Bureaucrat]

Has anyone grown these? I'm wondering on the high/low estimates for growth in the first year. I'm getting tiny plugs from Itasca Greenhouse.

[Dotch]

Yup, planted in '98 or '99, started out here as 12" - 18" whips and probably grew a foot per year where they were well cared for and somewhat less than that where they weren't. They've reached 8' - 10' in most of the windbreak and need to be worked over. Now we have red osier dogwood plants all over the place although they are easy to control. Good wildlife shrub and are doing a bang up job of stopping snow tonight.

[Bureaucrat]

Good stuff. Many thanks.

I ordered 250 of them for this spring. Nice to know they can reach 2 fee in a couple years. Then I won't have tend as much once they can reach their own sunlight.

[Dotch]

You're very welcome. They're pretty bulletproof. Even the bunnies couldn't kill them here. Hope they work out for you as well as they have for us. Forgot to mention, Mrs. Cheviot likes using red osier dogwood in Christmas/winter arrangements. She's given away some too. Something about the bright red twigs contrasting with the other stuff women like to put in there. Lacking the decorating gene, I haven't a clue as to what she's talking about.

[Bureaucrat]

I'm hoping mine will provide a ton of winter browse in a few years. Trying to put some cover on our ground. Select cut regen isn't happening very fast. I'm taking the opportunity to get some more desirable natives going before the pulp tree monoculture gets fired up again.

[LABS4ME]

Don't 'tube' them... My buddy didn't listen to me and put tubes on the dogwoods. Lost close to half over the first two years... I pulled the tubes and they are now flourishing. They cook in the tubes... They also do not flush out into shrubs when tubed. They do not mind being pruned by rabbits... In fact it's good for them and makes them fuller healthier plants.

Get some oak and evergreens going in your aspen regrowth! That's HUGE for deer.

Good Luck!

Ken

[hockeybc69]

Don't overlook doing some of your own dogwood cuttings if you have any easily available.

I have a ton growing within 100ft of my house and last spring went out and cut a few hundred and plugged them around sloughs at our land.

[minky]

Good info, I will look into these shrubs.

Do deer, turkey or grouse ( the buds) feed on them?

[LABS4ME]

yes... Most woods have a naturally occuring dense population of Grey Dogwood. Turkeys and grouse love those berries!!! Good deer browse also. Plant some Serviceberry along the trails for the grouse and turkeys. The berries ripen in June, but are great food for the game birds. If you are lucky enough to get some berries before the birds, makes great jam too.

Good Luck!

Ken

[Bureaucrat]

I have a big concern about the dogwoods. I'll go tubeless on your recommendation for a couple reasons:

1. I have 25 siberian crab apple to tube

2. I have 6 american mountainash to tube

Not sure how many tubes I have, but planting and tubing and matting and watering etc takes time. I'll chance it on the dogwoods if you think they'll survive. I've got 250 reds, and 25 grays coming.

I put in 6 serviceberries last year in tubes. Not sure if they made it. The seedlings were depressingly small when I got them. After the ticks and other work, I didn't get to check them well after planting. I imagine I may have to get them outta tubes before too long as they may not fare well in them either.

[rundrave]

I planted a 200ft row at 3ft apart that runs east/west, and another 150ft row 3ft apart that runs north/south back in spring of 2012. I had small 6" bare roots that I got from my conservation district and planted them all myself.

I used a garden tractor with a 48" rear tine tiller and tilled everything up. Then I got the fabric barrier and staples down. Then cut slits and planted the bare roots.

They are doing awesome and only lost a few from my dogs pi33ing on them, that's the only thing that will kill them that I have found. We have had 2 summers back to back that have been pretty dry and these things just keep growing and look awesome. I love the red color in the winter with the snow. I also have 2 rows of black hills spruce that I staggered in separate rows 3 years ago that haven't done as well with the really really wet weather of 2010, and then extreme drought years that followed. I am going to try to get some more mature trees moved in this year as my tree rows are looking really spotty with the ones that didn't make it.

But man those dog woods have been a great addition to my property. I cant wait for them to get even bigger especially if we actually get some rain this year.

[LABS4ME]

If you want to tube the serviceberries, maybe cut the tube in half so it can get out and growing. 2 for 1 on tubes then! Serviceberries can be grown as small trees also... they do not have to be shrub form. The key would be to 'force' the plant to rapidly grow one stem up and out the top of the tube as soon as possible...

The dogwoods will benefit from matting and mulch... but you will be fine without the tubes. They like a soil that stays on the moist side. Doesn't have to be wet... just moist.

Mark... we are probably going to do some willow cutting ourselves to connect two major willow runs. Think it will be a great travel corridor and is defintely the 'go to' winter cover for the pheasants.

Good Luck!

Ken

[landscaper]

I planted a 200ft row at 3ft apart that runs east/west, and another 150ft row 3ft apart that runs north/south back in spring of 2012. I had small 6" bare roots that I got from my conservation district and planted them all myself.

I used a garden tractor with a 48" rear tine tiller and tilled everything up. Then I got the fabric barrier and staples down. Then cut slits and planted the bare roots.

They are doing awesome and only lost a few from my dogs pi33ing on them, that's the only thing that will kill them that I have found. We have had 2 summers back to back that have been pretty dry and these things just keep growing and look awesome. I love the red color in the winter with the snow. I also have 2 rows of black hills spruce that I staggered in separate rows 3 years ago that haven't done as well with the really really wet weather of 2010, and then extreme drought years that followed. I am going to try to get some more mature trees moved in this year as my tree rows are looking really spotty with the ones that didn't make it.

But man those dog woods have been a great addition to my property. I cant wait for them to get even bigger especially if we actually get some rain this year.

Rundrave……………..

Are the dogwoods on the outside….or are the spruce on the outside….like the outside row.

thank you

[rundrave]

the dog woods I planted are closest to my home so I guess inside

the back of my property faces the south. I basically have a rural highway, the ditch, and 2 rows of spruce trees and then the dog woods and then huge back yard and my house.

The other row I have that runs north to south is just a single row of dogwoods for now, I am hoping to add another row of mature spruce to the outside of those and replace some of my other trees that haven't survived.

some of the spruce trees were already on the property when I bought it, that was only reason I did the rows the way I did. I am not sure if makes a difference we really wanted to be able to see the red on the dog woods so its great having them on the inside rows.

[landscaper]

Thanks for the reply!

I will look into when it comes to planting mine.

[Mr. Wizard]

Are the dogwoods invasive? I'd like to plant some near the shoreline to protect near the house but want the rest of the 1500' of shoreline to remain natural. Also don't want them to start invading into the forest. Any recommendations on other shrubs?

[LandDr]

Wiz...I wouldn't consider ROD to be invasive but they do send out root runners like most shrubs. But those runners would be easily controlled by mowing or spraying if needed.

ROD and various willow species are great for shoreland protection. We have some 12-18" bareroot stock available for spring for $1.30 each in bundles of 25 if interested. I think we will also have some plug stock for about $1 as well.

Great project!

[mrjigger]

I got a few red dogwood seedlings from my local SWCD.

Do I need to put a fence around these to keep deer off them for a few years?

Thanks

[fivebucks]

I rooted a bunch of cuttings last year but did not protect them and the rabbits and deer got every one of them. This year they get a fence but it is practical as this is a small area I will be planting them in until they get established.