As an Extensional Specialist working on urban and community forestry issues, I am frequently asked to respond to questions about tree damage after storms. One standard bit of advice I give is to be wary of ‘door knockers’ or ‘storm chasers’; individuals that descend like locusts upon storm-ravaged areas with pick-up trucks and chainsaws offering to clean up storm damage. Sometimes these are just honest folks trying make a buck but there are also less scrupulous folks in the mix that are clearly exploiting the misfortune of others. … Continue reading this article “A different kind of storm chaser”
Category: What About the Trees
Superstorm Sandy aftermath: A modest proposal
Initial estimates from insurers indicate that Superstorm Sandy may be the second costliest storm in US history. A large portion of the damage attributable to Sandy and several of the deaths associated with the storm were due to falling trees. In many cases the winds were severe enough to topple healthy trees, but I’m sure many GP blog readers share my frustration in looking at storm-related tree damage photos and seeing obvious defects that a professional arborist would have readily spotted.… Continue reading this article “Superstorm Sandy aftermath: A modest proposal”
What to do with storm damaged trees?
For those of you whose trees suffered storm damage this week, the ISA (International Society for Arboriculture) has an online article that may be of use.
If any of you have photos or questions regarding tree damage, please comment below. Photos can be sent to me (lindacs followed by @wsu.edu).
Why it’s important to prune tree roots before planting
This week I discovered that one of our center’s landscape trees is ready to bite the dust. I was sad – but also happy. It’s a wonderful teaching moment and if the tree has to give up its life to save others, I guess that’s okay.
As the video will show you, this Japanese maple was planted some years ago with a root circling the trunk. As both the trunk and root have developed in girth, we’ve reached a point where the trunk is constricted and the weight of the tree is splitting this V-shaped specimen down the middle just like a turkey wishbone. … Continue reading this article “Why it’s important to prune tree roots before planting”
Point of view: tree fouls out
A few weeks ago the Seattle Times ran a story about a tree whose existence is straining a long-term neighborly relationship. The feud’s between former Mariners first baseman John Olerud and his neighbor Bruce Baker, both of whom live in the Clyde Hill area (a bit north of Bill Gates’ place in Medina). Baker owns a Chinese pine (red or white, I’m not sure, but I’m guessing red based on the photos) which interferes with Olerud’s view of Lake Washington and the Seattle skyline.… Continue reading this article “Point of view: tree fouls out”
Maybe an early demise is better?
Yesterday I gave a presentation at an Urban Forestry symposium here in Seattle. One of the sidebar conversations I had came from a urban forester who had (to my mind, anyway) a different way of looking at urban street trees. I’ve bemoaned for years that our trees die far too young – we plant species that should live for decades or even centuries, only to watch them fail and die in a fraction of that time. … Continue reading this article “Maybe an early demise is better?”
Snow – should it stay or should it go?
It’s snowing here in Seattle – always a fun event, especially when we’re expecting up to 10 or more inches. I know…many of you laugh at our “big” snow, but the hilliness of Seattle makes driving in snow an adventure. (In fact, I’m supposed to be flying out tomorrow for a Connecticut presentation, and my flight’s already been cancelled and rebooked. Sigh.)
But what about the plants? This time of year people often ask whether they should leave the snow on their trees and shrubs.… Continue reading this article “Snow – should it stay or should it go?”
What I did on my Christmas vacation
The week between Christmas and New Years’ is usually pretty laid back around here. But not this time! Along with 22 volunteers, 3 family members, and 1 graduate student, I spent that week putting in 80 trees for a long-term experiment.
My long-suffering family and I installing the last of the 80 trees on the fourth day of hell.
My intrepid graduate student Cindy Riskin obtained 40 B&B Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) and 40 containerized mugo pine (Pinus mugo). … Continue reading this article “What I did on my Christmas vacation”
Opening up a can of roots (or worms as the case may be)
Blog reader Alan Haigh asked if we could start a discussion about tree planting recommendations. He sent along these guidelines from the Colorado State Master Gardener Program.
While I’m glad to see that the consensus now seems to be that burlap, wire, twine etc. do not belong in the planting hole, there’s still plenty of issues to contest. Here are just a few that I found on my first read:
1) Not mulching over the root ball;
2) Assuming that all B&B trees are “field grown,” which I *know* is incorrect for so very, very many B&B trees;
3) Not including the root-washing technique for B&B, which is not only research-based but is actively promoted through the International Society for Arboriculture’s workshops (see this posting for instance). … Continue reading this article “Opening up a can of roots (or worms as the case may be)”
An unusual company
This week I’m in Charlotte, NC as a guest of Bartlett Tree Experts. In addition to providing tree services, this company also maintains the Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories and Arboretum. The latter includes over 300 acres of tree collections and ongoing research trials. Here’s a sampling of the tree research we had a chance to observe:
Demonstration espalier pruning…
…and pleaching
Comparison of root barrier materials. This area was covered with a sidewalk for a number of years and then exposed to observe tree rooting patterns. … Continue reading this article “An unusual company”