The Leaf & Feather Farm

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WISH I HAD A VIDEO OF THEIR MARICOPA TREE EXPERT. Among 100 Acacia trees, I have four “runts” all in a row that won’t grow. I also have a bigger one that turned yellow, then orange, then started to lose its leaves.

I brought a clipping from the orange-colored tree and Before I spoke, he said I wasn’t watering it enough. I then told him I had 100 trees and Only This One turned orange. He kept saying I needed to give more water. I kept reminding him that all the other trees are fine and they’re all on the same automatic drip line. After I told him about the four side-by-side trees, I asked if the soil could be contaminated there.

“You’re not giving them enough water!” The guy kept getting more angry and said I was arguing with him. I mentioned I’d fertilized these five trees after they gave problems. He said I put too much fertilizer on them and that trees don’t need fertilizer, only water. I told him I’d said I didn’t start fertilizing them until AFTER turning orange and after a year of not growing. He got angrier.

I told him it seemed strange to me that trees would never benefit from the right amount of fertilizer—he insisted they only need water.

I told him that a year ago, he had told me to give three gallons per day. He said he would never advise anyone to give so little water—they needed four gallons a day. He said this without asking my trees size. With the water I’ve given, most are seven feet tall, some taller, but 4 are 15 inches and haven’t grown since I planted them 3 yrs ago. I’d watered them based on HIS previous recommendation, AND he’d told me how to water them when they got bigger. He’d also previously told me a symptom of TOO MUCH water was The Trees Turning Yellow. SO, he should’ve suggested I was giving too much water to the one tree.

He also insisted trees need the same amount of water all year long. This seems absurd considering Arizona’s temperature variations AND other tree experts say to water less in winter to harden them.

He said he didn’t know what was wrong with me because all his other customers love him. He finally got so mad he walked away. I’m certain I was calm while talking to him.

He never asked about a bad dripper, which is a common problem with them. Nor did he ask about insects or ground squirrels, which can eat roots and harm water absorption.

I later FOUND THE REAL REASON for the tree turning orange—a tie-string, holding it to a pole; the tree had grown too tight. IT WASN’T A LACK OF WATER.

I wonder if I hit some emotional insecurity in this guy when I reminded him only 5% have a problem. Instead of saying, “Oops, I didn’t catch that point,” he got stubborn. I feel he has some knowledge, is confident to the point of being cocky, and is a bit emotionally unstable. If you go to him, be sure to smile a lot, thank him frequently, but you don’t need to talk to him. I can tell you now; you’re just not giving your plants enough water.