Trees and Shrubs Jeremy Weber Butte-Silver Bow County MSU Extension Agent Spring 2012
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)
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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 welldeveloped 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 Blueprint
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 Year 2
Planting
Year 1
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
Montana State University Extension Jeremy Weber Extension Agent Butte-Silver Bow County 305 W Mercury St. Butte, MT 59701 (406) 723-0217 jweber@montana.edu