Dead Dogwood

[Rahnefan]

Well shucks. One of my dogwoods didn't bloom or produce any leaves yet, so I'm thinking she's dead, Jim. No idea why. 2nd one in 7 years, too.

Any suggestions on what to do with it, how to put it to good use? What would you do? Cut it down and use the wood for a prop, or keep it up for now and make a tree prop? It's only about 15' or so high.

[nixie]

I'm sorry about the loss of the tree. As for it's future use, I don't think you could go wrong either way. If it has some really interesting shaped limbs, it would make for some interesting props, particularly with your twisted nature theme. On the other hand, a dead tree prop has tons of potential too (I see skulls or shrunken pumpkin heads, an owl, lanterns with candles...but that's just me) I have a huge branch that fell off one of my maple trees this winter that I can't part with, and two dead topiary shrubs that gave to my daughter who is taking over my parents' haunt. I think nature gives us some of the best haunting materials.

[Joiseygal]

Sorry to hear your tree didn't bloom. I have one tree and plant that I bought last year discounted from Home Depot that doesn't have leaves yet, so I think they are dead. I'm not that disappointed because they were cheap. Nixie had some great ideas. I am trying to grow some bushes/shrubs in my graveyard area. I figure I could have it as a nice garden setting during the summer and than during Halloween it will block the other props that I don't want shown in the graveyard. Also it will give me privacy. Anyway do we have a thread just for gardening? I would love to see what kind of gardens and get advice from people on here? I figure we have so many talented people with props that they only can be just as talented at gardening. Oh and Rahnefan why don't you just leave it dead this year for your haunt?

[Sickie Ickie]

Why not start one Joiseygal?

As for here with dead trees, we are not allowed to have them on out property. If we don't removed them the town comes and removes them and charges us for what they did. (sigh)

[Rahnefan]

why don't you just leave it dead this year for your haunt?

I'd do that and perhaps nail a corpse to it upside down or something, but my planned haunt is more likely to be just a creepy basement, with only a few outside props. I've not even made a single headstone.

[RoxyBlue]

Rahn, before you do anything, try doing a little scrape of the bark and see if thre is any green under it. We have a smoke bush (now a large tree) that has yet to put out any leaves and that was the advice the tree guy gave us at the nursery this past weekend. Sometimes trees just leaf out really late.

Of course, it may have been hit by that fungus disease (dogwood anthracnose) that has been slowly taking out wild dogwoods. Bummer, too, because it's such a pretty tree.

[Spooky1]

We have had boring insects hit trees (red bud and a plum tree) the last two years . If you see little tubes of saw dust sticking out of the trunk, you'll want to remove the tree and dispose of it. You won't want keep the wood because you'll be keeping the bugs too, which will then hatch and look for another victim.

[Rahnefan]

Wow, good to know (late leafing + bugs). Thank you. This dogwood blooms every year though, it's gorgeous, and its twin has bloomed/leafed out already. I'll look for bug evidence.