Ask the Experts

TREE BARK DAMAGE AND CARE

Question: My dog treed a squirrel and in the process of pawing at the tree trunk to get to the varmint, he knocked the bark off the tree. The tree is a silver maple. Will this harm the tree and, if so, what can I do?

Answer: This is not the first time I have received this question. Bark on a tree is like our skin. Its purpose is to protect the layers underneath. The outer layer of bark is the dead, thick, woody tissue that protects the inner bark. The inner bark is the live tissue, called the cambium, where the xylem and phloem are located. Hopefully, your dog pawed off some of the protective outer bark layers. The concern would be if he dug deep into the tree, causing damage to the inner bark.

In most cases, dogs only knock off some of the outer layers, so really no harm is done. The goal will be to keep your dog from doing additional damage to the live tissue. If you have concerns, you might wrap the trunk loosely with something like chicken wire to prevent the claws from digging into the bark.

TREE CAVITY, DECAY HAS ALREADY BEGUN

Question: I noticed my old locust tree has a hole in the trunk where several branches come together. It is about six inches deep. I dug out a mass of dirt-looking material. What can I do to stop this hole from getting bigger and keep my tree healthy?

Answer: A hole in a tree, or a hole in a tooth, is called a cavity. Tree cavities happen when the protective bark layer is damaged and moisture seeps in. This allows wood-rotting fungi to grow and starts the decay process. Like cavities in our teeth, prevention is the best form of treatment. Keeping the bark layers intact reduces tree cavities.

Once the decay sets in, there are no products to stop the process. Aging strawberry plants or no bed renovation can challenge fruit yield.

Nature will take over. As for what to do, your actions are limited. It is often impossible to keep the area dry to slow rotting as water tends to collect in these cavities. Years ago, they recommended filling the cavity with concrete thinking that it would stop the decay. Instead, the research found this trapped moisture and humidity, speeding up rot and decay. Concrete in trees complicated removal as saws and concrete don’t mix. Cavity fills like this are no longer recommended.

Watch the tree for increased rot. When it affects the safety of the tree and your property, then it is time to remove it. There are some suggestions to clean the wound and fill the cavity with expandable foam. While it may not stop the process, it could reduce moisture retention and slow the decay. The same issues as a concrete-fill still happen. The only difference is a saw can cut through the foam.

GROWING STRAWBERRIES A CHALLENGE WITH AGING PLANTS, BED NEGLECT

Question: I enjoy growing strawberries, but the last few years the harvest has not been that great. The patch is in full sun, has pretty good soil, is watered and has a lot of foliage. But few berries develop and if they do, they are small. What can I do to improve the yield?

Starting a vegetable garden? Consider a soil test first.

Answer: Homegrown strawberries taste marvelous. Two issues could affect your strawberries. The first issue is the age of the planting. Strawberry plantings tend to lose productivity after about 5 years. Research has shown as the plant’s vigor decreases, disease pressure increases and the yield and quality of fruit decline. It is recommended to start a new patch in a new location.

The second issue is the lack of proper bed renovation. Because strawberries produce new plants from the runners, the area often becomes overgrown and crowded. This reduces sun penetration as well as too many plants competing for water and nutrients. The result is fewer and smaller berries. After harvest in early June, it is time to renovate the bed. That means removing as many as half or twothirds of the plants. Create rows of plants about a foot wide at most. Each row should be two or three feet apart. This opens a bare soil area where the new plants run, root and produce next year’s crop.

Renovation results in younger, productive plants and since they get more sunlight, you are rewarded with larger berries. K-State Extension has an excellent fact sheet on strawberry care. Just search strawberries K-State Extension MF598 in your search engine to find this resource. FUSSY FRUIT TREE

Question: I grew up with an apricot tree. Since moving to the Kansas City area, I see hardly any apricot trees. Can I grow one here?

Answer: Apricots are finicky fruit trees for our area. The tree will grow, but the problem is the onset of the fruit. Apricots have a short winter dormancy period, which means they break bud and flower very early in the season. Once in flower, they have little protection from a late spring freeze and the developing fruit is wiped out.

I grew up in southern Kansas where we had apricot trees. We might get a crop every five years. This far north, the odds might be even lower. The goal is to find a variety requiring more chilling hours, which blooms later. Look for these varieties: Moorpark, Golcot, Harglow, or Wilson Delicious.

GOOD CASE FOR SOIL TESTING

Question: We moved into a 100-year-old home. I want to start a vegetable garden. I have heard lead can be an issue with older homes. Is there a way to check for lead levels before starting a vegetable garden?

Answer: Lead is a potential issue around older homes because of years of coating in lead-based paint. The paint chipped off the home over the years and accumulated in the soil. Lead-based paint was banned in 1978. Lead and other heavy metals can be an issue in soils at manufacturing sites or fossil fuels were stored on farmsteads. Soils with high lead levels can cause health issues with dust inhalation or vegetable uptake.

Extension on both sides of the state line can test for heavy metals. The results will provide levels and whether it is safe to garden in this soil or if remediation is required. There is a small fee for this testing. If you are concerned about the safety of your soil, contact your local County Extension office.

DENNIS PATTON Horticulture Agent

Dennis Patton is the horticulture agent for Johnson County K-State Research and Extension. For free information fact sheets, visit www.johnson.ksu.edu, or call the Extension office at 913-715-7000.