We have a lovely mature (10-15 years old) Camellia very close to the
boundary of our property near the house. Its around 10 foot tall now, Im
planning on pruning it back to 8ft after its flowered.

We are in a semi-detached house. The attached neighbours are planning a
single storey extension at the back. If the foundations go to the
boundary and cut off half the roots how likely is it that we will have
an ex-camellia? Is there anything we can do to save it?

Thankyou
SarahH

"SarahH" wrote in message
...
: We have a lovely mature (10-15 years old) Camellia very close to the
: boundary of our property near the house. Its around 10 foot tall now, Im
: planning on pruning it back to 8ft after its flowered.
:
: We are in a semi-detached house. The attached neighbours are planning a
: single storey extension at the back. If the foundations go to the
: boundary and cut off half the roots how likely is it that we will have
: an ex-camellia? Is there anything we can do to save it?
:
: Thankyou
: SarahH
:
I was in a similar situation, but we were having the extension built. I
moved mine but lost it. Probably because it was the wrong time of year to
move it, but I can't really remember as it was a long time ago.

We now have another to replace it and it is beautiful and about 7 ft tall.

K

On Mon, 17 Nov 2003 18:48:30 +0000, SarahH wrote:

We have a lovely mature (10-15 years old) Camellia very close to the
boundary of our property near the house. Its around 10 foot tall now, Im
planning on pruning it back to 8ft after its flowered.

We are in a semi-detached house. The attached neighbours are planning a
single storey extension at the back. If the foundations go to the
boundary and cut off half the roots how likely is it that we will have
an ex-camellia? Is there anything we can do to save it?

Thankyou
SarahH

I'm guessing your plant is not right *on* the boundary so it's going to
lose much less than half of its roots. Assuming also the extension isn't
so close that it will stop water reaching the plant and that the plant
won't be in full shade (they'll tolerate but not like, quite a lot of
shade)
Then I would just hope for the best. If you attempted to move it you would
almost certainly get more root loss than you will get by leaving it where
it is. Since it's going to lose some root then your planned pruning is more
likely to be beneficial than not.
For insurance and a treat - could you find room somewhere for another one?
15 quid isn't a lot for such a beautiful plant - and they grow quite
quickly.

Rod

"Rod" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 17 Nov 2003 18:48:30 +0000, SarahH wrote:

We have a lovely mature (10-15 years old) Camellia very close to the
boundary of our property near the house. Its around 10 foot tall now, Im
planning on pruning it back to 8ft after its flowered.

We are in a semi-detached house. The attached neighbours are planning a
single storey extension at the back. If the foundations go to the
boundary and cut off half the roots how likely is it that we will have
an ex-camellia? Is there anything we can do to save it?

Thankyou
SarahH

I'm guessing your plant is not right *on* the boundary so it's going to
lose much less than half of its roots. Assuming also the extension isn't
so close that it will stop water reaching the plant and that the plant
won't be in full shade (they'll tolerate but not like, quite a lot of
shade)
Then I would just hope for the best. If you attempted to move it you would
almost certainly get more root loss than you will get by leaving it where
it is. Since it's going to lose some root then your planned pruning is
more
likely to be beneficial than not.
For insurance and a treat - could you find room somewhere for another one?
15 quid isn't a lot for such a beautiful plant - and they grow quite
quickly.

Rod



Would there be a problem with contamination from the foundations which might
damage the tree through chemical rather than physical means?

--
Martin & Anna Sykes
( Remove x's when replying )
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~sykesm

In article ,
Martin Sykes wrote:
"Rod" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 17 Nov 2003 18:48:30 +0000, SarahH wrote:

We have a lovely mature (10-15 years old) Camellia very close to the
boundary of our property near the house. Its around 10 foot tall now, Im
planning on pruning it back to 8ft after its flowered.

Would there be a problem with contamination from the foundations which might
damage the tree through chemical rather than physical means?

Possibly, though modern mortars are not as alkaline as older ones,
because they leach less. However, if it shows signs of becoming
chloritic, I would use one of the soil treatments for alkaline
soil and see if that cures the problem.

I have to grow my camellia in a pot, but they don't mind that much.
It also gets NO direct sun, which they also don't mind :-) Of
course, it is the wrong variety for a pot. Tough. I wanted a
J.C. Williams, both for sentimental and aesthetic reasons, and
don't regret it.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Martin Sykes wrote:


Would there be a problem with contamination from the foundations which might
damage the tree through chemical rather than physical means?

Possibly tho as Nick says modern mortars are not as alkaline as old stuff and
Camellias are pretty tough.
What I should've added after a life observing builders at work and even for a while
practically had them living with us. There is only one way for builders and
gardens to co-exist and that is separated by a *very good* fence. I trust the ops
garden will be an absolute no go area for next door's builders and their mortar
droppings etc. If the 'perfect builder' is listening *I don't mean you* ;~))
------
Rod
http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Martin Sykes wrote:
"Rod" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 17 Nov 2003 18:48:30 +0000, SarahH wrote:

We have a lovely mature (10-15 years old) Camellia very close to the
boundary of our property near the house. Its around 10 foot tall now,
Im
planning on pruning it back to 8ft after its flowered.

Would there be a problem with contamination from the foundations which
might
damage the tree through chemical rather than physical means?

Possibly, though modern mortars are not as alkaline as older ones,
because they leach less. However, if it shows signs of becoming
chloritic, I would use one of the soil treatments for alkaline
soil and see if that cures the problem.

I have to grow my camellia in a pot, but they don't mind that much.
It also gets NO direct sun, which they also don't mind :-) Of
course, it is the wrong variety for a pot. Tough. I wanted a
J.C. Williams, both for sentimental and aesthetic reasons, and
don't regret it.

(1) What cultivars do you recommend for a pot?
(2) Will it survive a winter high up in Wensleydale?
(3) What size pot would be required?

Franz

The message
from "Martin Sykes" contains
these words:

Would there be a problem with contamination from the foundations which might
damage the tree through chemical rather than physical means?

Camellias (IIRC) like an acidic soil. The foundations might tend to make
it more alkaline, though not a lot.

You could put down some gypsum (calcium sulphate), acid peat or other
sulphates if it shows any signs of distress in the future.

--
Rusty Hinge http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm

Dark thoughts about the Wumpus concerto played with piano,
iron bar and two sledge hammers. (Wumpus, 15/11/03)

SarahH wrote in message ...
We have a lovely mature (10-15 years old) Camellia very close to the
boundary of our property near the house. Its around 10 foot tall now, Im
planning on pruning it back to 8ft after its flowered.

We are in a semi-detached house. The attached neighbours are planning a
single storey extension at the back. If the foundations go to the
boundary and cut off half the roots how likely is it that we will have
an ex-camellia? Is there anything we can do to save it?



This isn't based on any specific knowledge of cutting camellia roots, but if
the extension is only at the planning stage then you presumably have some
time before the brick hits the cam.

How about beginning to cut the roots now? Maybe you could cut
half-way along the boundary, severing some of the roots, and then in six
months' time cut along the other half of the boundary. The resulting trauma
might be only half as bad for the camellia.

--
Anton

In article ,
"Franz Heymann" writes:
|
| (1) What cultivars do you recommend for a pot?

Dunno.

| (2) Will it survive a winter high up in Wensleydale?

Dunno. They are fairly tough, but the flower buds are prone to
being frosted.

| (3) What size pot would be required?

I grow mine in about a 15" pot, and it seems happy.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 18 Nov 2003 08:35:32 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

~
~In article ,
~"Franz Heymann" writes:
~|
~| (1) What cultivars do you recommend for a pot?
~
~Dunno.
~
~| (2) Will it survive a winter high up in Wensleydale?
~
~Dunno. They are fairly tough, but the flower buds are prone to
~being frosted.
~
~| (3) What size pot would be required?
~
~I grow mine in about a 15" pot, and it seems happy.
~
I've got one in a 20" plastic pot and it's now up to 8' tall after 4
years. Currently covered with buds for next spring... Dunno about the
cultivar - it is a pink peony form. The only problem with them in pots
is their need for a considerable amount of rainwater in July/August or
they don't form enough buds for the next year. This year I had to
resort to using my rather alkaline tap water, mixed with ericaceous
liquid fertiliser as there was no rainwater left, but it seems to have
done ok.

Fleece is your friend with the frosts!

I personally love the formal doubles. I have got a tiny one from Marks
and Spencer of all places, which is scarlet - an Australian-raised
variety C. Japonica 'Roger Hall' and I'm hoping it has a few decent
flowers on next year. It's the same size the other one was when I got
it, so I have high hopes...

It doesn't get very badly frosted either. The trick is to have the
darker colours I think, as my Dad (edge Peak District in NE
Derbyshire, 130m above sea level) finds that his pale ones frazzle
before the buds have even opened.

The other thing he's found is that you can get away with chopping them
back quite severely. He cut back two elderly and unwieldy potted ones
to 6" stumps because they were outgrowing their situation (and the
pots are concrete so couldn't be shifted easily!) and they are
resprouting! So they got a stay of execution...

This might well be useful to the OP!


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
"Franz Heymann" writes:
|
| (1) What cultivars do you recommend for a pot?

Dunno.

| (2) Will it survive a winter high up in Wensleydale?

Dunno. They are fairly tough, but the flower buds are prone to
being frosted.

| (3) What size pot would be required?

I grow mine in about a 15" pot, and it seems happy.

I'll have a bash with a 15" pot, but I suspect the late frosts we get here
might put paid to the flowers.

The message
from "Franz Heymann" contains these words:

I'll have a bash with a 15" pot, but I suspect the late frosts we get here
might put paid to the flowers.

Make a jacket for it out of bubblewrap and cover it at night when frost
is forecast?

--
Rusty Hinge http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm

Dark thoughts about the Wumpus concerto played with piano,
iron bar and two sledge hammers. (Wumpus, 15/11/03)

"jane" wrote in message
...
On 18 Nov 2003 08:35:32 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

~
~In article ,
~"Franz Heymann" writes:
~|
~| (1) What cultivars do you recommend for a pot?
~
~Dunno.
~
~| (2) Will it survive a winter high up in Wensleydale?
~
~Dunno. They are fairly tough, but the flower buds are prone to
~being frosted.
~
~| (3) What size pot would be required?
~
~I grow mine in about a 15" pot, and it seems happy.
~
I've got one in a 20" plastic pot and it's now up to 8' tall after 4
years. Currently covered with buds for next spring... Dunno about the
cultivar - it is a pink peony form. The only problem with them in pots
is their need for a considerable amount of rainwater in July/August or
they don't form enough buds for the next year. This year I had to
resort to using my rather alkaline tap water, mixed with ericaceous
liquid fertiliser as there was no rainwater left, but it seems to have
done ok.

Fleece is your friend with the frosts!

I personally love the formal doubles. I have got a tiny one from Marks
and Spencer of all places, which is scarlet - an Australian-raised
variety C. Japonica 'Roger Hall' and I'm hoping it has a few decent
flowers on next year. It's the same size the other one was when I got
it, so I have high hopes...

It doesn't get very badly frosted either. The trick is to have the
darker colours I think, as my Dad (edge Peak District in NE
Derbyshire, 130m above sea level) finds that his pale ones frazzle
before the buds have even opened.

The other thing he's found is that you can get away with chopping them
back quite severely. He cut back two elderly and unwieldy potted ones
to 6" stumps because they were outgrowing their situation (and the
pots are concrete so couldn't be shifted easily!) and they are
resprouting! So they got a stay of execution...

This might well be useful to the OP!

I don't know about the OP, but it is valuable for me, as a Middlle Poster.

Franz

"Jaques d'Alltrades" wrote in message
...
The message
from "Franz Heymann" contains these
words:

I'll have a bash with a 15" pot, but I suspect the late frosts we get
here
might put paid to the flowers.

Make a jacket for it out of bubblewrap and cover it at night when frost
is forecast?

I will do just that, thanks

Franz