Trees and Shrubs Jeremy Weber

Butte-Silver Bow Extension Agent Spring 2012 Master Gardener

Powell County

Outline Why we plant trees

Aesthetic, psychological, economic benefits Environmental benefits, energy savings

How we plant trees Planning Green side goes up

Take care of your trees, stupid! Pruning

Why We Plant Trees

Visual Characteristics (The Stuff Your Neighbors Notice) Bark Flowers Branch Habit Foliage Fruit and Seed Seasonal interest

Why We Plant Trees

PSYCHOLOGICAL Greenscape reduces stress and ADHD symptoms

Arbor Day Foundation: More urban trees correlated with lower crime rates

ECONOMIC Pride of place

Tree care = Grant funding Reduce stormwater load

People enter stores more frequently and spend more in commercial districts with more trees

Why We Plant Trees

Environmental Reduced stormwater

runoff Improved water

quality Erosion control Air quality (filter

particulate matter, reduce carbon)

Why We Plant Trees

Energy Savings – reduce heating/cooling costs Shade buildings, cool by transpiration in summer Windbreak in winter

Visual Characteristics (The stuff your neighbors notice)

Bark Flowers Branch Habit Foliage Fruit and Seed Seasonal Interest

Bark

The outer covering of the trunk and branches of a tree, usually corky, papery or leathery.

Flowers

Branch Habit

Branch = a natural subdivision of a plant stem

Foliage

Fruit and Seed

Fruit = the fully developed ovary of a flower, containing one or more seeds

Seasonal Interest

Uses in the Landscape

Frame Background Corner Plantings Screen Shade

Windbreak Specimen Traffic

Direction Stopping

Corner Plantings

Screen

Shade

Windbreak

Specimen

The center of attention A focal point Used sparingly

Traffic

Plan Well – BEFORE You Plant

“Know What’s Below”

It’s the law

Plan Ahead

Anticipate Problems

Plan Ahead

Like a puppy…

…consider the size of the mature tree.

Plants should be placed one-half of their mature

spread and height from existing physical items

Or the mature size ÷2 = the distance to plant

away from buildings, houses, etc.

Right Tree, Right Place!

Right Tree, Right Place!

Right Tree, Right Place!

Trees have many shapes to fit (or not fit) many spaces

Understanding Roots

About 85% of a

tree’s roots are

within the top

18 inches of soil

(75% in top 8” – 10”)

Understanding Roots

Roots can spread 2 X

the height of the tree

in one direction from

the trunk

(or 1 ½ - 3 X the

dripline)

Planting

Planting = The act of placing plants (or plant parts) in the soil to encourage them to grow

Key phrase: “Go wide, not deep”

Types of Planting Stock

Bare Root Handle in dormant

condition Best for deciduous

plants PROTECT ROOTS

FROM DRYING! Keep wrapped and

moist Inspect and remove

damaged roots Best planted in

spring

Containerized

Pot of plastic or metal

Should have well-developed root system in container

Keep well watered in container

Can plant throughout growing season

Balled – and – Burlapped

Best if dormant, but in leaf OK Keep soil ball

moist Protect foliage

from wind Spring/Fall best

planting time –okay in summer

How large should the root ball be?

Rule of Thumb #1: 10” – 12”of root ball for each 1” of trunk diameter

Measured at 6” to 12” off the ground

Example: 4” diam. trunk = 3 ½’ – 4’ root ball

Rule of Thumb #2: A tree takes one year to establish for each inch of

trunk diameter

How to Plant: Find the Root Flare The root flare

(trunk flare, root crown) should be visible at the surface

The place where the top-most root originates from the trunk will be just below this point

How to Plant: The Planting Hole Should be 2-3 X wider

than the spread of roots but no deeper.

Roots should rest on undisturbed soil (to avoid settling)

Replace soil and gently tamp.

WATER IT IN!

How to Plant

Let professionals handle the big ones

Planting B

lueprint

How to Plant

How to Plant – Mulching

Place 2-3 inches around tree.

Do not mound the mulch against the trunk.

Do not use solid black plastic under landscape rock or mulch – limits air and water to roots

How to Plant – Mulching

Right WRONG!

How to Plant – Tree Wrap

Sometimes applied to trees with thin bark to protect against sunscald and frost crack

Apply when the leaves drop in fall

Remove when leaves appear in spring

How to Plant – Root Pruning Girdling Roots

Pruning

Why do we prune trees?

Pruning

Removes dead, diseased, and broken branches

Pruning

Stimulates fruit and flower development

Pruning

Decreases danger of personal injury and property damage

Pruning

When to prune? If a tree or shrub flowers before the end of June,

prune immediately after flowering. Flower buds form after flowering Pruning done before flowering removes buds

If the tree or shrub flowers after June 30, prune during dormancy or immediately before the new growth starts. Flower buds form beginning in early spring

Pruning

When to prune? Evergreens can be

pruned any time of year when the wood is not frozen, but fall is best

Pruning

Every pruning cut is a wound Wounds allow infestation/infection/rot

TREES DON’T HEAL. THEY SEAL.

Compartmentalization Of Decay In Trees = CODIT

Pruning

Prune only deciduous trees at planting (minimal pruning)

At about 2 years: establish good branch spacing

Goal: develop strong scaffold branch system Select wide crotch angles, branches spaced well

around tree and vertically

Pruning

Establish alternate and radial branching early

Pruning

Do NOT remove the central leader

Pruning

Remove branches with a narrow crotch

Optimal attachment angle is 45º - 90º

Adapted from USDA Forest Service

Pruning

In short, do not leave stubs.

Pruning

Formal Hedges

Planting

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Pruning

Topiary

Know when to call a professional

Know when to quit

What not to do

Don’t leave

tree wrap on too long

This is damage from borers harbored under the wrap during the growing season

What not to do

What not to do

What not to do

No root flare: planted too deep

How to Fix It

This tree was 8” too deep in the

root ball The top of the root ball was removed, and the tree was planted at the proper depth.

What not to do Pollarding Topping

What not to do

What not to do

Lion-tailing

What not to do

Resources

International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) www.isa-arbor.com

National Arbor Day Foundation www.arborday.org