Plum & Pomegranate Trees
Gardening Question From Chris:
We moved here from WI and I am trying to acclimate myself to gardening in CA. Our major problem is the plum and pomegranate trees that are planted under artificial turf in the back yard. The leaves are curling, browning and dying and the fruit is drying up. I have asked at the local garden store and first I was told they were underwatered and then that they were overwatered and then not watered correctly. I have tried to water them thoroughly weekly and really don’t know what to do?!
Answer From Pat:
Artificial turf can have some very negative consequences on trees and fruit trees do better with mulch over their roots so you can care for them properly. I have seen artificial turf look great when installed over mounded soil under shade trees, such as paperbark tree (Melaleuca quinquinervia) even with flower beds under the trees. There is a very professional-looking home landscape on a corner in Laguna Beach with three paperbark trees arranged in a triangle and the lawn in the middle and flower beds filled with impatiens under the tree trunks around the outside. But when companies dig away the ground to install artificial grass under existing trees, they often cut through feeder roots, thus harming the trees. This is especially true of fruit trees. Also the heat of artificial turf can burn tender surface roots. I don’t blame you for feeling frustrated by this! I would too in your shoes. (Perhaps the former owners installed the turf to give the house “Street Appeal” so it would sell more easily.)
I am not sure what to advise since it sounds as if you will either have to sacrifice the trees or the grass. If you don’t care about having fruit trees but favor the ease of artificial turf, I would remove the two fruit trees and replace them with some “cast iron” trees such as multi-trunk paperbark trees (Melaleuca quinquinervia). These trees have tough, invasive roots and they can take anything. On the other hand if you like the trees and don’t want to yank them out, then I would either get rid of all the artificial turf or at least cut a large circle of it out around the base of each tree and fill this area with mulch.
