I know a few folks out there are starting to believe that I’m just an apologist for the nursery industry. While it’s true most of the nursery people with whom I work are hard-working folks trying to do their best to run a successful business and produce a quality crop, there are certainly some issues out there and I’ve got my share of pet peeves. One of the things really that chafes my heiney is what I refer to as “Carrot-top” syndrome in eastern white pine (Pinus strobus). … Continue reading this article “Carrot-top syndrome in white pine”
How on Earth Did I Land This Gig?!
Linda referred to my recent absence from the blog – but it was in the name of education, I swear!
Cocos nucifera, the iconic coconut palm. My office for the past two weeks. Or a Corona advertisement. You pick.
This study abroad to the Dominican Republic sent Virginia Tech students (mostly biology and natural resources majors) to the Punta Cana Ecological Foundation for the entire semester, with faculty rotating in for two-week stints on topics from ornithology to geography.… Continue reading this article “How on Earth Did I Land This Gig?!”
Mysterious tree failure exposed!
end about the tree failure question! Many of you zoned in on an important point visible in the two photos I shared. The tree’s base was obviously quite narrow where the trunk broke, and with the tree’s vase-like architecture this led to breakage. But why was the base so narrow?
Again, several of you thought about root issues, such as a restricted root zone, or possible damage to the lower trunk. Actually, it’s a combination of root and trunk issues, as this last photo shows:
What we have is a large circling root (you can see it at the soil surface to the left and right of the trunk) that has girdled the trunk completely and prevented it from growing in diameter. … Continue reading this article “Mysterious tree failure exposed!”
Mysterious tree failure…
Here is this week’s plant puzzler. This mature tree just fell over one summer day. There had not been any significant wind, the soil was well-irrigated (but not overly wet), there had been no construction work or other root-zone disruption. There were no significant pest or disease problems. I’ve posted two photos from different angles, and will show one more photo on Monday. Why do you think the tree failed?
Seattle Chainsaw Massacre
In the spirit of the season I’m including some photos from our neighbor’s willow tree that failed a few years ago. The failure wasn’t unexpected, given the age of the tree and the lack of crown care it received. What’s truly scary is the “tree service” that came out to deal with the problem. Low bid wins again!
(And yes, I’ll post a puzzler as well. Two for one today!)
Here’s the willow after the crown collapsed
Rickety ladder + chainsaw = suspense!… Continue reading this article “Seattle Chainsaw Massacre”
Something Scary!
It’s almost Halloween! How about a scary picture….I think I’ll call this one revenge of the mummies (Thanks to Dave Hansen for this picture).
Graft and corruption
It’s election season – but that’s not why I’m doing a blog on “graft and corruption.” Instead, let me back up and explain that today I gave a seminar on diagnosing urban tree death. One of my points to the group was the importance of knowing the history of a site – what species were selected, how trees were planted, whether there had been any major construction activity, etc. I thought I’d continue the importance of site history into today’s posting.… Continue reading this article “Graft and corruption”
Should I boycott cypress mulch?
It’s hard to think of mulch as a controversial topic but, as with most things these days, we find people on both sides of an issue. And, as with most things these days, some of opinions are based on substance, others are not. In the southern U.S. some environmental groups are advocating a boycott of cypress mulch.
Cypress mulch is derived from baldcypress and pond cypress, which grow in ecologically sensitive wetlands in the Southeast. Cypress wood is highly valued for is natural decay resistance. … Continue reading this article “Should I boycott cypress mulch?”
Epicormic mystery solved!
Good morning (at least it is in my time zone)! And welcome to those of you who found us through Blotanical or another blog site. We love seeing the increased participation on our blog.
Since I am a teacher at heart, I was glad to see so much thoughtful discussion over the weekend. Many of you suggested that pruning for vehicular traffic was the trigger for this growth, and it’s true that removing large limbs or heading back branches will result in vigorous epicormic growth. … Continue reading this article “Epicormic mystery solved!”
Quiz time!
One of the things we Garden Professors can do is give tests! And the nice thing is you don’t get penalized for being wrong. So this will be my inaugural Plant Puzzler.
Below is a photo of a tree with epicormic shoots on its two lower branches. Epicormic shoots are vigorous, upright branches that have more of a juvenile than mature appearance. They often appear when a plant has been stressed, perhaps by overpruning, or maybe the roots were damaged by construction:
So here is your test question. … Continue reading this article “Quiz time!”