Posts Tagged ‘pruning’

1. It’s time to prune Oaks – especially Live Oaks and Red Oaks.  To avoid the chance of your trees contracting Oak Wilt disease, necessary pruning should be done before February 1, 1995.  The risky and inappropriate time for Oak pruning is February 1 through June 15.  (According to Texas Forest Service).
2. For the best root development, aerification is the key.  Our deep root invigoration process helps considerably with aeration as well as providing your trees with the nutrients required for good growth in our soils.  Fertilization and inspection programs are available.
3. Turf grass and Trees …….. As most of you know, it is extremely difficult to have both beautiful, healthy trees  and a wonderful lawn.  These two types of plants are inherently incompatible.

Trees originated in forests with rich, fertile soils and surface layers covered with decomposing leaves and other organic material.  Yet in many of our landscapes we attempt to grow trees in compacted, disturbed soils with aggressive turf grass competition over the entire root zone.  This competition with grass along with the absence of a humus layer, restricts the development of the absorbing fine roots.  Further, mowing and weed management also lead to tree problems; mechanical bark damage from line trimmers and mowers, as well as the use of herbicides, can cause severe damage to trees whose roots are within the treated area.  Although herbicides that can cause tree damage have precautionary statements on their labels, most applicators do not realize that tree roots extend 2-3 times the branch system.  Therefore, herbicide injury is a frequent occurrence.  Trees cause problems for the grass.  Excessive shade limits photosynthesis and the subsequent production of carbohydrates necessary for turf growth.  Most turf grasses do well in full sun, may tolerate partial shade, and barely survive in heavy shade.

SOLUTIONS:

The most effective strategy to improve conditions for trees is to maintain large, mulched areas around them.  Eliminate grass and use mulch.  A shade tolerant ground cover such as Vinca, English Ivy, Moneywort, or others, can then be introduced into the mulched area, if desired.

For small trees the mulch area should extend to the drip line.  Dramatic growth response can be expected because the mulch improves aeration in the upper portions of the soil, improves water retention and moderates soil temperatures, further, as the mulch decomposes, nutrients become available to the tree.

Tree-Turf conflicts will always be with us, however, beautiful landscapes are attainable if we use the right plants in locations and environments in which they are best suited.

Although the deciduous trees have lost their leaves for the winter and we humans consider the trees to be dormant, physiologically the tree is very active.  New roots are being developed and the tree is preparing itself for the upcoming spring.  It is important to note that photosynthesis may have stopped when the leaves drop, however, respiration does not.  Respiration is the process where food manufactured in the leaves is burned with oxygen obtained through the roots to provide the energy necessary for growth.

What’s the point?  The past several winters have been extremely wet with the soil saturated for long periods of time resulting in low oxygen levels in the soil and consequently a low rate of respiration.  Many of our tree species which prefer a dry site (Texas Red Oak, Chinquapin Oak, etc.) have experienced some problems related to weakened root systems that I believe to be caused by the excess water and low oxygen levels in the soil.

What can I do?  Although no person can control the weather, each of us can control the use of our irrigation system.  Our clay soil should be allowed to cycle through wet and dry periods.  Prior to irrigation check the soil at a depth of 6 to 8 inches.  If it crumbles, it is time to irrigate.  If it packs into a wet clay ball suitable for making pottery, no irrigation is necessary.  Allowing the soil to dry increases the oxygen content and then the respiration rate.  You will have healthier, stronger plants able to withstand our hot Texas summers, if you irrigate less frequently, but thoroughly saturate the root zone when you do irrigate.  The benefits are stronger roots, healthier plants and a lower water bill.

The dormant season is an excellent time for tree pruning.  Live Oaks and Red Oaks should be pruned at this time or in the heat of summer to cut down on the risk of Oak Wilt disease.  Live Oaks and Red Oaks should not be pruned in the spring.

If you have any questions concerning the health of your trees, please call us.  One of our Certified Arborists will be happy to answer your questions.

Over pruning is one of the worst and most common mistakes in tree maintenance. Why is it so common? There is a general lack of understanding about how a tree functions or a lack of current information about tree health. Unfortunately, myths often guide tree pruning.

I want my grass to grow better. Can you really thin my tree?

I want to remove most of the lower limbs, to see my house better.

Myths to Avoid

• “Remove one-third of the top growth when transplanting to offset root loss”
• “Prune heavily to offset construction injury or soil compaction”
• “Prune heavily to help the turf grow”

Except in very rare circumstances, there is no valid reason to over prune a tree. The Tree Care Industry Association’s (TCIA) standards for tree care specify that no more than 20-30% of the foliage should be removed in any year. Over pruning has a detrimental effect on tree health, structural integrity, and aesthetic value.

Dangers of Over Pruning

1. Large or Profuse Cuts Lead to Decay - Any cut made on a tree is a wound that must be healed. The fewer cuts made the better. Smaller cuts throughout the tree’s life are better than large cuts that should have been made many years ago when the tree was small. One large poorly made cut or too many cuts in the wrong places can ruin a tree for life.
2. Reduced Food Production - The foliage is what actually produces food for the plant. Fertilizer is not tree food. It is absorbed through the roots and contributes elements that a tree’s foliage needs to produce food through photosynthesis. Removing a large amount of the foliage significantly reduces the tree’s ability to produce food. This creates an unhealthy and unbalanced condition in most instances. It actually stunts the growth of the tree in many cases. Food storage is reduced in any year the tree is over-pruned and the loss is compounded if over-pruning is done year after year.
3. Sunscald and Interior Sprouting - Any significant reduction in crown thickness will generally cause profuse interior sprouting and allow excessive sunlight penetration through the remaining canopy and onto the bark. If too much foliage is removed, it creates an imbalance in the roots to foliage ratio, so the tree reacts by using stored food to regrow its foliage. In proper pruning, the tree reacts by producing mostly tip growth. If improperly pruned, the tree reacts by producing mostly interior growth with very little tip growth. This is especially true with trees that have sunlight sensitive bark such as Red Oak. If a Red Oak’s bark is normally in a shaded area and it is suddenly exposed to full sun, the bark and cambium layer directly under the bark can burn along the length that is exposed to full sun (sunscald). This in turn creates other unhealthy conditions that affect health and longevity. Exposure to full sun can cause interior sprouting in an attempt to protect the bark! Sometimes it saves the bark and cambium from sunscald if the sprouts can grow quickly enough to shade the limb and if they are not constantly removed.
4. Increased Annual Maintenance Costs - Since over pruning creates excessive sprouting, constant pruning is required to maintain the aesthetic qualities of the tree. Constant pruning means a higher maintenance budget. Good pruning practices reduce the need for constant attention and reduce expenditures for tree maintenance.
5. Increased Risk of Wind Damage - Trees with high canopies encounter higher wind stresses, especially when raised beyond what would be considered a balanced height. The proper canopy to trunk ratio is 2/3 canopy to 1/3 trunk. If a tree is located close to a street, alley or walkway, the limbs must be maintained at an appropriate height. In these instances, there is no alternative. Excessive raising of low limbs increases the stress load on the trunk and roots. As long as both are strong, this may not be a problem, but if either the trunk or roots contain decayed, damaged, or weak areas, these problems could result in the trunk breaking or the tree falling over.
6. Reduced Limb Strength Leading to Breakage - In the same manner, individual limbs are subject to higher stresses if too much of its foliage and lateral growth have been removed. Trees that contain long limbs with foliage only on the tips will be more likely to break than limbs that contain many smaller, outward growing limbs and an even amount of foliage. The even amount of outward growth and foliage help distribute the stress load from high winds along the entire length of the limb instead of concentrating it at the tip.

In summary, over pruning causes:

• Excessive wounds that must be healed
• Reduced food storage
• Increased interior sprouting
• Decreased tip growth
• Increased end weight on limbs
• Increased chances of sunscald/sun injury
• Increased maintenance expense
• Increased chances of wind or ice damage
• AN UGLY TREE!

By: Steve Houser

In order to know how to properly prune any plant, a basic understanding of the characteristics and growth habit of the plant in our area is required. A Crepe Myrtle is not quite like any other local plant in how it grows, and is therefore not like others when considering how they can be pruned. A Crepe Myrtle is an ornamental plant that blooms profusely throughout most of the growing season. They can grow to over 25’ tall, are very hard wooded and the small twigs or old seed pods do not produce new growth in the spring (like most plants). Tip growth normally dies back approximately 7-12 inches in the winter months. If a Crepe Myrtle is not tip pruned by spring, the new growth will emerge approximately 7-12 inches from the old seed pods. This leaves dead tips as it emerges in the spring. Since Crepe Myrtles are rapid growers, the new growth will rapidly obscure the view of the dead tips within a few months. The dead tips are of no great consequence to the overall health of the plant. Aesthetically, the dead tip is not attractive for the first few months of the growing season. They are also known for producing root sprouts that grow upward from the outward growing roots or near the root collar (or root crown).

The three factors that must be considered in the pruning of Crepe Myrtles are health, aesthetics and cost or time to maintain the desired condition.

Crepe Myrtles are hardy plants that can sustain moderate freeze damage or severe reductions in size (even to the ground level) and in most cases, still grow back. Crepes that are planted north of our area can encounter freeze damage to the top growth, but are like an annual in that they can grow back from their roots. From a pure health prospective, they should be maintained in the same fashion as a shade tree by removing crossing limbs and canes (if practical), removing root sprouts, structural pruning, and basic deadwood removal. This type of pruning can be done anytime of the year and is the most beneficial to the long term health and longevity of the plant

From an aesthetic point of view, tip pruning of Crepes can be utilized to make them more attractive. Proper tip pruning should be accomplished in late January thru March, but not after the new shoots have emerged in the spring. Current research shows that tip pruning (or heavy pruning) at other times of the year, may increase the odds of freeze damage. Tip pruning should be to approximate pencil size twigs and in a rounded form. Some Crepes may end up columnar in shape, but in any event, the top growth should not be cut flat because it encourages all the blooms to be at one height. Severe cutting back is not attractive, reduces food storage, encourages poor branching structure and should be avoided. Since all Crepe Myrtles will have dead tips in the spring, removal of pencil size twigs avoids viewing the dead portion and is more aesthetically pleasing. The best show of flowers can be obtained by constantly removing the spent seed pods (dead heading) throughout the growing season, although it can be very time consuming.

The amount of time (or cost) required to achieve a positive effect is much less for small (or medium) size Crepe Myrtles. Large or tall Crepes can be structurally pruned as noted above, however, tip pruning can be very time consuming (or costly) and is not of much benefit to the overall health. Severely cutting back the trunks will reduce the amount of time (or cost) to maintain them, but it is not what is best for the plants structure or health.

In summary, if you are concerned about only health, prune it like a small shade tree. If you are concerned with the aesthetics, prune it like a small shade tree and also tip prune. If you really want show, prune the seed pods as they die. Each step beyond leaving them alone involves more time and cost. What is right for you depends on your personal preference, the characteristics of the plant, the site and of course, and the budget.