Another Storm, is it February again?
Storms like the latest one show us that there are changes in our environment and they are having an impact on our lives, as well as the lives of our trees. We have to adapt. In the Rocky Mountain Pine Beatle invasion 10 years ago small temperature fluctuations in early Spring and late Fall moved enough to take the MPB from a 2 year reproduction cycle to a 1 year cycle. Think about that. 2 times the population with minimal change.
Many people I spoke with over the last week lost important trees on their property and they asked me a common question, “Is the tree failure something we could have prevented”? That’s a tricky one… Prevented? No. Reduced the damage? Absolutely. Most of the trees with the greater damage had a lot of redundant branching. They had not been properly pruned for years. When a tree produces too many branches it becomes more of a hazard than anything else. First it is a valuable waste of very limited resources, the soils in our region offer to trees. The nutrient density is extremely low, and the pH makes the availability of what is there, so much more difficult to take up.
Water was non existent in the last year and the trees defenses are at an all time low. That only makes things more brittle and less pliable when something like this happens. Failure becomes the default over bending… If there’s anything I would recommend over the next year it would be to Prune out the canopies allowing for more wind movement, and minimizing surface area for Ice to accumulate on… That’s where we start.
Supplemental water is next and needs to be chlorine free or it too can be damaging. Get a chlorine filter for the hose and use it. They are about $45 online and will last you all season. Chlorine kills microbes (that’s why it’s in the water) and the tree needs those microbes to feed itself. Ever notice how green everything is after a good rainfall? There’s a difference. It’s the chlorine. How much is enough? Don’t just depend on your sprinkler system, it waters the Turf, not the trees. Put a hose between the trunk, and the outer edge of the canopy and let it run enough to make a big puddle.
From there we start to evaluate the basics like soil, feeding, and other factors. Feeding for the next few years can be an important addition. Most trees in the urban landscape have reduced soil volume and exist in a constant state of stress. The natural cycle of Death and Decay is gone. The Trees now rely on us for everything. Organic Feeding can assist with recovery by providing much needed nutrients vital to the recovery process. Do not turn to synthetic fertilizers, they will only magnify your problems. The Soil Biome needs to be restored with the correct microbial players for the healthiest long term solution.
Hormones also play a huge roll in how (and where) a tree grows. We can shut down certain parts of the tree when we need to. Ex: A tree can outgrow its space, so we shut down the “Woody” growth to contain it, while promoting leaf and root growth. If you have any tree that is as big as you would like it to be, or it’s size is becoming a hazard, it is a perfect candidate for controlled growth using hormones. On the other side, many trees lost branches and now need growth quickly. Hormones will get the tree back more efficiently than any other option. “Focused” feeding is the key term here.
Whenever a client hires us to care for their trees, I give them a list of things to do as well. Tree owners must be informed, and engaged to a certain degree, or the impact I have is limited. There is no easy shortcut to a healthy and thriving Tree. Time must be taken to assess the situation, build an remediation plan, and execute it.
We can help, just send me a request for service here… www.arboristjohn.com
John Walters