Kirk, Probably the best way to identify the discolored mulch is to contact your local agriculture extension office. They are helpful in identifying such; plus it should not cost you anything to get the tests! You can find them listed in the government section of the phone book (or look on the internet). As a side, I noticed mulch adjacent to the trunk of the tree; you might want to pull back the mulch away from the tree around 2-3" not allowing contact and keep mulch to about 3" deep. Steve Springer
________________________________ From: [email protected] on behalf of Kirk Johnson Sent: Sun 8/30/2009 8:03 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [ENTS] asking for advice I've attached a couple photos of the base of a young white pine I planted in my yard last spring (2008). It might be hard to see, but if you look close there is what appears to be a green stain ringing the mulch around the tree. I only noticed this today when I was weeding in that part of the yard, so I don't know exactly how long it has been there. Could this be the residue of some kind of liquid poison? It doesn't smell like anything in particular (no chemical smell that I can detect). I ask because I have had two white pines of similar age/size die suddenly in the last year in my yard. Also, a person in the neighborhood has made a number of snide comments to me over the years about the number of trees I've planted in my yard. I've collected several pieces of mulch with the greenish stain and put them in a small Tupperware container in the fridge. I don't know where I'd take them to get them tested though. Any suggestions welcome. If this white pine dies suddenly in the near future, I will basically have my suspicions confirmed. Thank you, Kirk Johnson --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
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