Skin Reactions

[BoundBrook]

I recently went into my back yard to do a little cleaning up and weeding in my garden. I grabbed one of my plants and pulled it to one side so I could clean up the weeds from under it. In minutes my hands were red and tingling. Then they started itching like mad. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/eek2.gif[/img] They got really red immediately. As they swelled slightly they turned white with teeny tiny red spots. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70394-bawlout.gif[/img]

It itched like crazy! [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70392-silly.gif[/img] I washed my hands for a good 5 minutes b/c the cold water felt so good and helped relive the itching. Now I am online trying to research if anyone else has ever had this reaction to this plant. It's called Salix integra and is the willow family. I have not been able to find any information about people having reactions to the plant. I know this is very random but have any of you ever heard this before?

My second question is this. In some of my online research I see photos where people have pruned this shrub into a tree. Can someone tell me how and when to do that?

Here is an image from the web showing it as a tree:



Here is what mine looks like. It is starting to take over. I have never pruned a plant like this before. Any advice is appreciated!











[img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70371-jump.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70371-jump.gif[/img] Oh, and while I was out there I snapped a pic of one of my lillies. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70371-jump.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70371-jump.gif[/img]

[BoundBrook]

Re: Skin Reactions

Here is what I found. Does this make sense?

RECOMMENDED PRUNING REGIME:

The aim of pruning is to encourage a pleasant shape, plenty of young, pink leaves and new red stems in winter.

The most foolproof method of pruning this tree is to remove about a third of the stems each year back to the central grafted bud, or the point at which the main stem of the leafy part meets the top of the trunk.<span style="color: #CC0000"> (Could someone please explain this to me?) </span>

By doing this you will encourage the formation of new shoots, and therefore pink leaves and red stems, without removing the whole of the top growth which could weaken the plant.

[jaith]

Re: Skin Reactions

boundie....i googled salix integra allergic reaction & came up with a description of an article that said there has been reported skin rashes.....however, i couldn't open the link or get any more info....

hope ya washed up good & burning went away....don't want ya looking like those cheap walmart flipflop feet [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crybaby.gif[/img]

[jaith]

Re: Skin Reactions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BoundBrook</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Here is what I found. Does this make sense?

RECOMMENDED PRUNING REGIME:

The aim of pruning is to encourage a pleasant shape, plenty of young, pink leaves and new red stems in winter.

The most foolproof method of pruning this tree is to remove about a third of the stems each year back to the central grafted bud, or the point at which the main stem of the leafy part meets the top of the trunk.<span style="color: #CC0000"> (Could someone please explain this to me?) </span>

By doing this you will encourage the formation of new shoots, and therefore pink leaves and red stems, without removing the whole of the top growth which could weaken the plant.







</div></div>

my understanding is that the stem & leaf part of this bush is attached onto some other hardier root & trunk system...if ya look close (mind ya burning & itching), you can see where this is.....if you have 24 stems of growth, ya should cut out 8 of them.....i dunno how this keeps the whole thing from getting too tall, but i'm no gardener, i'm a beancounter...

[mountaingal]

Re: Skin Reactions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BoundBrook</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Here is what I found. Does this make sense?

RECOMMENDED PRUNING REGIME:

The aim of pruning is to encourage a pleasant shape, plenty of young, pink leaves and new red stems in winter.

The most foolproof method of pruning this tree is to remove about a third of the stems each year back to the central grafted bud, or the point at which the main stem of the leafy part meets the top of the trunk.<span style="color: #CC0000"> (Could someone please explain this to me?) </span>

By doing this you will encourage the formation of new shoots, and therefore pink leaves and red stems, without removing the whole of the top growth which could weaken the plant.







</div></div>
long story short, to get the tree look, the plant has to be grafted onto a trunk, and then pruned to manage its growth while on top of the trunk.

don't quote me on this, but if you want a tree shaped plant, you have to dig out the one you have and get a grafted one to replace it.

lovely lily, BB. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]