How do I water my new trees?

Believe it or not, there is more to watering a tree than simply spraying it with a hose once in a while.  Properly watering a tree will ensure that the tree establishes well at its new location, developing strong, deep roots that will sustain it through periods of drought as it matures.  Please note that this article will not deal with how to properly plant a tree, although how the tree is planted does influence how water enters into the root zone. 

First of all, you need to know what type of soil you have.  In central Ohio, heavy clay soils are most common, and almost guaranteed if you live in a newer housing development where the soil structure is far from normal due to common construction practices.  If you happen to have a sandier soil than commonly found in Ohio, you will need to adjust your watering accordingly.

A few things to keep in mind:
1. Roots grow where there is water and oxygen
2. Roots, and therefore trees, do best when moisture levels remain constant.  Moisture does not mean saturation.
3. When you water a tree, water will infiltrate the soil, percolating through the soil profile as it drains through.  This drainage is essential for proper oxygen levels to remain in the soil.

Newly planted trees lost a large part of their root zone when they were dug at the nursery to bring them to your landscape.  Because of this, maintaining proper moisture levels is essential.  As we want to encourage deep root growth, we need to get the water down to the bottom of the root ball.  To do this, slow watering is required to allow the water to soak into the soil without running off. 

The method I prefer is using a soaker hose looped around the root zone of the tree.  I monitor moisture levels every couple of days and run the soaker hose for a couple of hours if needed. More for larger trees. In cooler weather, such as spring and fall, watering will be less frequent.  In hot, dry summer weather, watering will be more frequent.  I hesitate to tell folks to water "every 2-3 days" or "once per week" because I don't want to add water when it is not needed.  Such rules of thumb are not necessarily bad, because at least regular watering takes place, but monitoring moisture has worked well for me.

Run your soaker hose until you are sure the soil is saturated.  Then do not water until the soil begins to feel dry to the touch.  Don't wait until it is bone dry before you water again, just seek to maintain decent moisture.  The cycle we want to maintain is one of saturation, drainage and beginning to dry out before beginning the cycle again.

Why not water a little bit every day?  Isn't this the same?  The answer is no.  Watering a little each day only waters the surface roots.  The tree will survive, but may not establish roots down deep where it can find moisture during droughts once it has established and you will probably not be watering daily.  For this reason I do not recommend counting on a lawn sprinkler system to sufficiently water a new tree.  Go with the soaker hose method or use those green bags and make sure you fill them as needed.

You should water as described for the first three seasons, and then as needed after that.  It is easy to forget to begin watering in the spring.  Some springs are drier than others, so don't forget to start checking moisture early.  I also continue watering in the fall after the leaves have dropped (if the tree is deciduous) because there is a period of root growth between leaf drop and true dormancy that I want to help along as much as possible.  A tree going into winter dormancy under drought stress will not make it through the winter very well.

Remember: slow, deep, infrequent watering does the trick.  Allow the soil to drain and begin to dry before watering again.  If your site is poorly drained, keep in mind the bottom of the root ball will dry more slowly than the top.  We do not want to keep the roots waterlogged as this will kill the tree. 
Generally, if there has been 1"- 1.5" of rain per week you will not have to water unless your tree is planted in a place where water runs off too quickly to infiltrate the soil.

Remember, you can always call the office and ask for the Certified Arborist who serves your area if you have any further questions about planting or watering.

Thanks and good luck!

Your friendly neighborhood arborist,

José Fernández

Asian Longhorned Beetle.

 

In August of 2012, Joe Russell, TJ Nagel and José Fernández were able to make the trip down to Cincinnati to hear Joe Boggs,  entomologist and OSU Extension Educator in the Cincinnati area, give a talk on Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB).  Following are some quick facts from lecture notes and from www.beetlebusters.info presented as FAQs:

1.       Where does ALB come from, and is it in Ohio?

ALB is native to eastern Asia, specifically to China and the Koreas.  Interestingly, it was introduced to Japan, but was successfully eradicated.

ALB was first reported in Ohio on June 17^th, 2011 in southwestern Ohio, Clermont County.  Based on DNA testing, this infestation came from Asia, and is unrelated to other infestations in the United States.  We do not know how it came to Ohio.

2.       How long has ALB been in North America?

ALB has been in North America since 1996, where it was discovered in Brooklyn, NY.

3.       What areas are quarantined in Ohio, and what does this mean?

Regulated materials, including firewood, stumps, roots, branches, debris and other material –living, dead, cut, or fallen- from all hardwood species, nursery stock and logs of ALB host trees cannot be moved out of a regulated (quarantined) area.  The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) has established three regulated areas within Clermont County and will continue to update the status of these areas as needed. 

4.       What trees are at risk?

Very good hosts, in order of pest favor, are all maples, horse chestnut, elm, and willow.  However, the beetle will attack 13 different genera of trees, including all species within the genera.  Some other common trees that are vulnerable are birch, sycamore, poplar, mimosa, and hackberry.

5.       General eradication (at the forest level) of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) was a goal that proved to be expensive and sometimes unachievable.  How can we say ALB can be contained and eradicated?

EAB and ALB are very different beetles, both in their rate of reproduction, ability or desire to spread and feeding habits, among other things.  To be considered eradicated, no beetles can be found within a period of three years in a zone that was previously infested.  This requirement has been met in Chicago, IL, Hudson County, NJ, and Islip, NY.  Currently, there are other locations in NY and NJ that are undergoing eradication, as well as Massachusetts and Ohio.

As for EAB, eradication on a large scale is not practical, but there are several proven methods that arborists use to successfully protect individual Ash trees from infestation, even where pest pressure is very high.

6.       What does the beetle look like?  What do I do if I think I found one?

I found the Chinese name for ALB to be a good way to remember how it looks.  In China, ALB is called “Starry Night Beetle”, because it is black with irregular white spots on its back.  It has very long, black and white banded antennae, and is a large beetle, measuring 1 to 1 ½ inches long.  Another way to spot the beetle is by their activity.  Look for perfectly round, nearly dime-sized exit holes in trees, with noticeable amounts of sawdust (frass) built up on the limbs or on the ground.  Limbs weakened by the large exit holes can break readily in a windstorm as well.

If you spot one, call Russell Tree Experts for one of our arborists to come out and make an inspection, or go to beetlebusters.info for more information.

7.       Can ALB be controlled without destroying the tree?

Due to lack of space, I cannot go into details here.  It may be controlled, but there is difficulty due to the different feeding habits in each developmental stage.  Currently, a tree found with ALB will be cut down and destroyed.  The beetle is considered to be one of the most destructive and costly invasive species ever to enter the United States.

 

Forest Service Report to congress:

http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/budget/requests/DDBR428_Emerald_Ash_Borer_report_to_Congress.pdf

 

APHIS Fact Sheet:

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/plant_health/2011/fs_ohio_regulated_area.pdf

 

                

 

    

  

 

Brace rods to support a cracked tree trunk (2004-2013)

The first two photos are of me back in 2004 installing brace rods to support the main trunk of the tree where it was very much split apart. (For you climbers out there, don't judge me too harshly on the Blake's Hitch!  I hadn't graduated to my Lockjack yet.) You can't really tell from the photos, but the split was there, and there was active movement.  I installed two support cables in the upper canopy, and then installed three brace rods to stabilize the crotch union. 

Unfortunately, the tree was a very large... Ash.

Earlier this year I went to  my friend's house for a fish fry and took the third picture.  What I was happy to see was that the crack had actually begun to close over!  What hurt was that all that is left of this 90' Ash was pretty much what you see in the photo.  The canopy has been totally removed as the tree was stone dead due to Emerald Ash Borer.

Arborist: José Fernández

Forest Pansy Redbud

Saw the nicest Forest Pansy Redbud I've seen yet.  Normally I don't recommend this cultivar as it can be persnickety, but this one apparently loves where it is and is doing great! 

Arborist: Jose Fernandez

Boxwood Leafminer

This year's new generation of Boxwood leafminer is now actively feeding.

These larvae are technically maggots that will emerge as tiny flies next spring.  They can't be sprayed because they feed within the leaf cuticle, but a soil drench with a systemic insecticide will take care of these.
Arborist: Jose Fernandez

Imprelis damage on pines and spruces?

I’ve recently responded to several clients who needed an ISA Certified Arborist to evaluate their trees for Imprelis damage.  In cases like this, it is easy to walk up to a tree such as a  White Pine or a spruce, see the familiar symptoms of Imprelis damage from a distance and make the conclusion that Imprelis was the culprit causing the dead, curled stems at the top of the canopy. 

This is a prime example of having to set aside preconceived ideas about what may be wrong with a tree.  First, the thought of Imprelis has been introduced by the client, which tells me that Imprelis has been in use at the property.  Second, the tree in question is a tree known to be susceptible to Imprelis damage. Third, as I approach the tree the symptoms look like Imprelis.  As an arborist, I have to slow down, set aside the preconceptions, and look closely at the tree, as White Pine Weevil (WPW) is another common problem to pines and spruces that causes symptoms somewhat similar to those caused by Imprelis.

During the past two weeks, I have had the above scenario play out in 3-4 instances, enough times that I thought it worthwhile to write about.  Though the symptoms and the host trees are similar, there are some differences worth pointing out:

1.       With Imprelis damage, the affected tips are usually spread throughout the canopy.  With WPW usually only one stem (sometimes more) will be affected, and this will almost always be the top stem in the tree. However, I have seen trees lightly damaged by Imprelis that showed symptoms on only one or two stems, and those were in the top of the tree as well.

2.       Imprelis typically causes unnatural swelling of buds and stems. Not so with WPW.

3.       WPW can  cause a distinctive sap flow which can be seen from the ground if present.

4.       If the culprit is WPW, careful inspection will reveal exit holes coming from the damaged stem of the tree. If it is possible to prune the dead tip out to make a close inspection,  signs of WPW will be  unmistakable if that is the culprit.

I have seen one spruce with light Imprelis damage that also  had WPW.  This needed to be taken into account so both problems could be addressed in the diagnosis.

Moral of the story?  Approach every tree, every client, every person, with a blank slate.  It is easy to look at trees and people with preconceived notions getting in the way of an accurate and fair appraisal, and people, like trees, do not respond well to incorrect treatment.

Your friendly neighborhood arborist,

 José F.

Safety Training Days

Joe shows the crews how to safely lower an injured climber.

We've decided to make the last Friday of every month, 'Safety Training Day' here at Russell Tree Experts. Our first session was a huge hit and we're really looking forward to the next.  On these special training days, we schedule no tree service or plant health care work (sorry) and invite the crews and office staff to participate, observe and learn from their peers. The day is followed up with a cook out and feast for all!

This month our focus was on Aerial Rescue. Tree work is still one of the most dangerous jobs in Ohio according to the BWC, and we take that classification very seriously.  Aerial Rescue techniques are often overlooked in basic tree work training, which is why we decided to make it our top priority this month.

We went through a basic flow-chart of what to do: 1. is there an electrical hazard present  2. call 911 3. secure the area / prepare for EMS 4. prepare first aid 5. perform the rescue 6. does the victim have a pulse, are they conscious 6. secure victim in place and await EMS

TJ reaches the ground to many helping hands ready to assist the injured climber.

Each of our crew members (12 total) took a turn rescuing 'Gary' from an unfortunate situation. We went through several realistic scenarios in which a climber could quickly become injured. Such incidences included: making indirect/direct contact with a power line,  a massive chainsaw cut to the thigh, being knocked unconscious by a falling limb and even being attacked by a swarm of bees. Every case is very different and as a result each rescue plan was unique. It hit home very quickly that the climber attempting to make the rescue could easily become a second victim if plans and precautions are not considered before hand.



Rod reaches the injured climber and begins to evaluate the situation.

I'm proud to announce that everyone was able to get Gary down in under 7 minutes. That is truly remarkable! True that 7 minutes would feel like a lifetime if you were bleeding uncontrollably, however if one were to wait for EMS to perform an Aerial Rescue it could take HOURS for the climber to reach the ground as they are not typically trained in this area. Our crews worked lightning fast and it was great to see everyone cheering the next climber on. Great work guys!

 





The crew unhooks Gary so the paramedics can take over.

Everyone learned so much and I think it was humbling for all to see just how quickly a normal day can become life threatening. Practicing over and over helped to eliminate the 'panic' that can easily set in. Staying calm, and sticking to the plan is the best strategy to get the climber on the ground quickly.



Special Thanks to the Marysville Fire Dept.
for loaning us Gary for the day!