Anybody with a yard is going to realize that the grass needs to be mowed, but is the same true of anybody who has trees on their property? Are they going to understand that proper tree care is equally essential to maximize the health of those quiet giants?
Oftentimes, when homeowners do think of tree care, they think of aggressive pruning, which can be more harmful than doing nothing at all.
Some experienced tree care professionals with The Groundskeeper, Tucson, Ariz., talked about the dangers of improper tree care …
Jay Powell, manager – Severely topped trees will probably never regain their natural form.
Paula Smith, certified arborist – Topping is one of the leading causes of tree mortality. Most of this kind of damage to trees is done by well-meaning but misguided or untrained people. For those who don’t know, topping is the term used for the improper cutting of major branches of a tree. This not only leaves unsightly stubs, but leaves the tree vulnerable. Topping is done without regard for the tree’s defense system, its natural growth habit, or its ability to recover.
Robert Sagasta, supervisor – A tree should only be pruned if there is a problem that requires the tree to be reshaped. If the tree has crossed or rubbing branches, or if it interferes with utility lines, buildings or walkways, it needs to be pruned. The same is true if a tree has diseased or broken branches.
Scott Rowan, certified arborist – When the decision is made to prune, it’s important to have someone who knows what he or she is doing tackle the job.
Powell – Anyone can get on a ladder with a chain saw and top a tree, but it takes training and skill to properly prune. People think they are saving money using unskilled labor, but it really costs more.
Smith – Removing too much of the tree’s canopy upsets the crown-to-root ratio and can seriously affect the tree’s food supply. Topping not only cuts off most of the tree’s food making potential, it also severely depletes the tree’s stored reserves. The tree faces slow starvation.
Powell – The new growth that occurs looks full and lush, but the structure is weak, which makes branches a hazard as they get heavier. That kind of new foliage grows quickly, too. The tree will be as big as it was before topping in no time – but weaker.
Smith – On the other hand, good pruning is invisible. A 20-year-old tree has developed 20 years worth of branches, trunk and roots. It needs these "factories" to produce and store enough food to stay tree healthy.
Robert – And while a tree can be pruned almost any time of year, chopping it back in hot weather is the worst blow you can strike.
The author is Editor of Lawn & Landscape magazine.
| How To Kill A Tree |
Here are the top 10 ways to kill a tree, according to a survey of professional arborists: - Courtesy, National Arbor Day Foundation |
| Water & Mulch |
Proper tree care consists of much more than regular pruning. Paying attention to the amount of irrigation a tree receives and the area it stands in can go a long way toward extending the tree’s life. Most shade trees never get watered by the homeowner. Few people think to water mature trees like they do a garden or the lawn. In most cases, that is okay. However, trees will require watering during any extended drought to keep them from becoming too stressed. And all shade trees less than five years old should be treated just like flowers and watered whenever the flowers need watering. If you use an above-ground sprinkling system, water the tree slowly and deeply. Water should penetrate down at least 1 foot. Mulch is equally important, because shade trees hate living in turf. Trees with grass underneath them, right up to the trunk, will always be in stress because the grass beats the tree out for nutrients. Shade trees are happy when they have some kind of mulch under their limbs, out as far from the trunk as the homeowner can tolerate aesthetically. Mulch keeps down weeds, reduces water loss from evaporation, and keeps the soil warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Mulch can either be a live material, such as pachysandra or vinca, or an organic mixture with materials like wood chips. Organic mulches should be applied between 2 and 4 inches deep. - Courtesy Technic Tool Corporation |
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