What's the adelgid situation where you are?

It's widespread here, but there's still lots of T. canadensis alive, relative to 20 minutes south of me in the Smokies. As I first observed in 2015, the more sun a tree gets, the better shape it seems to be in. Now the forest service is starting to do something they're calling "sunlighting", if I remember correctly, where they thin trees around high priority hemlocks. Apparently, the increased sun helps them to sustain themselves even with adelgid infestation. Increased photosynthesis and so on, makes sense. Hopefully that along with all the other measures they're taking will help keep these lovely trees around. I'm right on the western edge of T. caroliniana's native range, but I've never seen one that I know of.

Kyle,

here's a couple of hits from google search. I have no experience with either company nor did I follow through to see if these are actually available.

http://www.whiteriversource.com/tsuga.html (bottom of page).

http://b-and-t-world-seeds.com/cartall.asp?species=Tsuga%20caroliniana&sref=400566

My tree cones every year and there are usually seedlings in the moss around it. If I can remember I'll have a look and see if the cones are still closed, I doubt it though.

Awesome, thanks Ken. How big is your tree? Obviously fair size if it cones. Where did you get it?

Well this is weird. Two Kyles from TN looking for the same thing at the same time.

I have T. Caroliniana seeds in my ebay cart. Would rather have plants though. I've tried and failed with plants a couple of times over the years but lost them due to my own cultural practices I think. I ain't giving up though. For me it's a 'to die for' tree.

Kenns, I will gladly pay for some seedlings. Or if anyone knows a source please let me know. All I've been able to find are wholesale. :(

Some kind of adelgid-eater was released near here, in the Harford County Tsuga forests which are probably the southernmost along the eastern seaboard. I treated my big trees with imidocloprid back in 2008, but even that should have worn off by now. I wonder if the biological control is working in this area, because I haven't seen any re-infestation.

Unfortunately or not, both of my trees are on their way out for other reasons.

David, Harford is in which state and are you referring to caroliniana or can.?

Davidrt, what I observe here is the infestations come and go. However, they're reoccurring quick enough that the survivors are continuing to decline. Occasionally I see some hemlocks that are very isolated from other trees and those look reasonably good.

There's only one Harford County, in northeastern MD. Oh btw assume it is T. canadensis that occurs in MD - I was addressing the matter of adelgid biological control and not seed availability.

Kyle mid-tn 7a

Where are you? We may be close. I'll extend the same offer to you as the other Kyle. I've got seedlings, and if you're close and up for a drive you're welcome, as is the other Kyle, to come and get some. Gratis of course.

Do I call you Ken? I live near Nashville. You mentioned Warren Co. What state? I might be up for a trip.

You can call me anything you like, just don't call me late for supper LOL.

Yes, I'm Ken, there's another Ken also, in MI.

I'm in Cannon County, between the Boro and Mville. I worked in Nashville for 22 years, back in the days when the trip could be made in less than an hour. Now, not so much, but still an easy drive, especially on a weekend.

Lol. I'll be da...uh. Darned. I live a few miles away. Near Bradyville Pike. I'll pm latèr today. I know it's cliché but what a small world.

I'm east of 53 south, about a mile from the Cannon-Warren line, seven miles from the Woodbury McD's.

Don't see option for pm. Can you email me? quercusnut@gmail.com

My email is messed up. I'll contact you when I get it straightened out.

Cool. I'm free today. Too bad this site doesn't have pm. Or if it does I sure couldn't find it.

There's a strange twist to it: a person has to be following you, for you to PM them. I think that's the way it works.

I did follow him. Still can't find pm option. Does he have to follow back? And I have tried both mobile and desktop.

edit: oops. Early morning brain cramp.

The person you want to PM must have it enabled in their profile before you will see the Message button.

Gotcha. Thanks.

I've enabled messaging but don't see where anything changed. It may be a browser thing, I use Firefox.

I followed you, Ken. I think you need to follow me for it to work. We'll see I guess. Did you get your email working?

I believe I'm following you. No email.

I see you have a greenhouse, I've got a small pithouse. Along with being a tree nut, I'm a tropical nut and somewhat of a zone pusher. Like you, I've got acreage.

Since we live fairly close, if you'd like to visit maybe we can meet somewhere on 'neutral' ground. I'm retired, only obligations are getting a grandson to and from school, my weekends are usually free.

Bingo. Sent pm.

I don't have a greenhouse. But a pretty big indoor plant room.

Sent you a PM. Your indoor plant room looks great, brings back memories of when I was a kid and had a setup in my parent's basement.

I once read a post by you, Kyle, and halfway through realized it wasn't one of my own.

Did you purchase the seed off eBay?

Not yet. Planning to hook up with Ken at some point. He has seedlings.

Ken, I will be glad to pay you for them. Left you my phone # in pm.

How to express what I saw yesterday at Ken's? My mind is still boggled.
Of course the aforementioned Carolina Hemlocks which were perfect! Huge sourwoods, tree-like rhododendrons, Mountain Laurels, Azaleas, Pieris. All mature and beautiful with self-sown seedlings and plants from them all sprinkled around his amazing property.
Camellias in bloom, mature Stewartias, Halesias and numerous species and varieties of Magnolia both deciduous and evergreen.
There are underground fed springs and a creek lined with Christmas ferns and Mountain Laurel.
Hardy palms in perfect condition next to his house.
Self-sown American Hollies are everywhere throughout his property.
And the Oaks! Which is my favorite plant of all. He has a perfect evergreen Quercus virginiana. And numerous other species and varieties.
I can't put it all in this single post.
But I have saved the most incredible for last. The Bald Cypresses which are many!
With knees!
(I am kicking myself repeatedly for not taking more pictures)

A few of his many rhodies naturally mulched with fallen Bald Cypress leaves:

A mature Sourwood:

Wow, sounds like my reaction to visiting Dave in Nova's garden around the Thanksgiving holiday. Was waiting for the right opportunity to mention it. He has a fine and inspiring collection of rare hollies and BLEs. Also has 2 large, fully trunked Trachys! They are some of the only remaining outdoor ones in the DC area that I know about. The polar vortex winters finished off several. I think he gave them a bit of protection ;-) Will post some pictures later to a more BLE-oriented thread LOL.

It's great to meet local serious horticulturalists, since our hobby is such an uncommon and let's not kid ourselves, lonely one, outside a few small hotbeds like the Bay Area and the PNW.

Awesome post, Kyle, and awesome property, Ken. Envious of you both. Especially that Quercus virginiana.

At the risk of sounding like a silly little girl I'll add more. It was almost like a religious experience. I actually did drop to my knees at least once. Just ask him if you don't believe me.
A Janet Blair rhododendron that was over my head. Many more Dexter hybrids he's probably forgotten the names of.
Another thing that blew me away was a perfectly evergreen Berberis julianae with brilliant fiery red leaves among the deep green ones. And it reseeds.
I had stupidly poo-pooed Barberrys. Now I have to have this one.
Also I had written off Mahonia bealei. Until I saw his perfectly proportioned and gorgeous specimen. And it self-sows in many places. Gotta have it now.
The big hardy Brugmansias in his front yard! He says they have yellow blossoms. Going to make a spot for it somewhere near my Banana. Never considered them before. Can't wait!
Ken has more experience and knowledge of plants and plant people in his head than I have in my pinkie finger.
His acreage is world class. Plus he is the nicest guy you could hope to meet. Extremely generous and self-effacing.
I'll probably think of more to add.
Thanks, Ken.

"At the risk of sounding like a silly little girl"

You don't. It's great that you shared with us.

I have experienced similar "transport of the spirit and the senses"* a few times related to horticultural matters. Most recently when driving from Ferntree Gully, Victoria into the Dandenongs towards the Australian National Rhododendron Gardens in Olinda. My heart leapt as the scenery continued to unfold. An observant plant nut could know it was going to be good, as on the way, I kept seeing nicer and nicer specimens of huge, flawless elepidotes along with scads of other warm temperate and subtropical plants: palms and trees ferns of course, but also huge Tropaeolum vines, flowering gingers and callas, etc. etc. The anticipation became so great I could feel it in my stomach. As I titled my trip report thread, it really was as though heaven was a place on Earth! Just google image search "Dandenongs". You'll see what I mean.

Then of course you get to the gardens, with scenes like this:

* - Baudelaire, roughly translated

Going somewhat (or maybe very) OT, but Ken, do you cover your Brugs with leaves or something? Issue I had with them is even when they did survive winter, they regrow so slowly I barely had a blooming plant by the end of Sept.

Also wonder what the elevation is there...I doubt most Dexter hybrids would be happy growing < 1000' in TN? Am I correct?

Maybe we need to just start a new "Share your garden visit" thread, cause I'm overdue to discuss visiting Dave in NoVA LOL.

Cut it out Kyle, you're embarrassing me LOL. I had a great time with you, it was enjoyable talking with someone who loves plants like I do, and calls them by their Latin names!

Dave, my brugs get no protection. I used to dig them with a big ball, cut them back to about six feet, and over winter them in my pit house. In March they would start into growth, I'd lug them out and plant them in late April, and they'd have their first blooms in late May early June. That got old real fast. In '13 I left them out. When the vortex was forecast I racked up a bunch of pine straw and threw it over the crowns, they sailed through the winter and have ever since. New growth usually appears in early April, is fairly frost hardy but sometimes gets nipped, and as weather warms they take off. Once frost danger is over I start on a weekly liquid fert regimen, five gallons per plant. Starting in late June early July I water two to three times weekly if no more than one inch of rain occurs. Blooms start sometime in June and continue til freeze. Blooming is mostly in monthly flushes, with each increasing til the Oct flush, which is the largest. Yellows are hardiest and best doers around here, but I've seen whites and pinks. I wouldn't call them common, but some are growing them. My yellows are Charles Grimaldi and Dr Suess.

As far as the rhodies, my oldest are about 32 years. They are in a smallish valley with alluvial soils rather than the typical clay. I've got a few on well draining fairly steep clay slopes. They are under high deciduous shade. Soil was not amended when they were planted, and the native soil here ranges from acid to strongly so, one spot tested at a pH of 4. Lots of native oxydendrum, kalmia, and deciduous azaleas. I don't have all that many, mostly Dexter's, a few Leach's and Gable's, a few species, and some ironclads. They all grow well, better than my collection in CT. I left around 200 hybrids and species behind when I moved here. This is not a typical rhody growing area of TN, that is more to the east. My elevation is 1140 feet ASL. Most of the members of the Tennessee Valley chapter of the ARS live in the Chattanooga area, some have extensive collections.

Short of visiting the Sino-Himalaya, I'd love to get to Pukeiti, but that won't happen lol.

Thanks, that was an interesting read. I bet the soil and elevation are making a big difference with the rhodies. And your overall longer growing season with the Brugs. Spring is probably much chillier here.