Australian and New Zealand Gardening: TEA ROOM # 28, 0 by Stake

Stake wrote:
G'Day All, I like those happy, cheery & helpful messages, goodonya.
Re copper. Copper is toxic to all plants except the copper sprays in carefully measured doses. Some years ago a nurseryman I know was trying to grow grafted grapes where the graft was held together by a staple until the union was complete. One batch of thousands that was done copper staples were used and it killed the lot. Tree roots won't grow around copper pipe because when the growing tip of the root touches the pipe it is killed the rest of the plant is not affected as no copper is absorbed. You are probably aware of the application of Copper Sulphate (Bluestone) to control Algae,Fungi, mosses and weeds in glass/poly houses and on footpaths, all plants of course.
Photo is Old Man Cactus flower, this plant only flowerd the once and a big cactus blew over in a storm and broke the old man, although some of the pieces regrew there has been no more flowers.
Regards Brian

This message was edited Feb 14, 2009 11:06 PM