Wisdom of the Trees - Part 1

Trees undeniably add value to property, sometimes up to 20% more. However, the condition of the tree could determine that value, and even cut into it with costs of maintenance. Working with an arborist is always a good idea, as they know exactly what to look for when it comes to healthy trees and tree surroundings. But just like it?EUR??,,????'???s a good idea to know a little about your car when drop it off at the mechanic, you should know a bit about tree health when purchasing them.

Quality of the Tree

Perhaps the first thing you should consider when you are picking up a tree from the nursery is the difference between a high-quality product and a low-quality product. Acquiring a high-quality product will not only help ensure a healthy tree in the future, but it can help to lessen the amount of maintenance that will be needed.

A high-quality tree will have an adequately-sized root ball. That means that your tree should have enough sound roots to encourage healthy growth. The tree truck should have no wounds from lawn mowers and other equipment. Incorrect pruning wounds should also be at a minimum. Finally, a high-quality tree should have a strong form with spread out, firmly-attached branches. Stems growing from the trunk should not be close together. When the trunk stems are too close together, healthy growth is inhibited as the tree gets larger.

A low-quality tree has roots that are crushed or circling in a small container or root ball. The trunk exhibits wounds from maintenance equipment or incorrect pruning. Also, the form of the tree is weak in that stems squeeze together, or branches squeeze against the trunk.

Root of the Problem

A tree acquires food from the soil and anchors itself into the ground using its expansive root system. Roots are generally ?EUR??,,????'??packaged?EUR??,,????'?? three ways.

• Bare roots with no soil, usually on smaller trees
• Roots in soil, wrapped in burlap or some other fabric. The root ball may also be encased in a wire basket.
• Roots and soil in a container

If purchasing a bare-rooted tree, make sure the ends of the roots are clean-cut. You will need to re-cut them if they are crushed, making straight cuts with sharp tools right before planting and watering the tree. Do not paint the ends.

When buying a root balled stock, make sure you can see the basal trunk flare, where the trunk spreads to connect to the roots. Root balls should be flat on top, and should be at least ten to twelve times the diameter of the trunk as measured six inches above the flare. A note of warning: roots in soil sold in round bags often have a lot of major woody roots cut or torn in the bagging process. You can examine the roots after placing the tree where it is going to be planted and carefully pulling off the fabric or cutting away the wire basket. Check the roots that are sticking out from the soil ball for crushing or tears. Too many of those injuries will result in severe growth problems. But if only a few roots are injured, use a sharp tool to cut away the broken portions. Be careful not to break the soil ball around the roots.

When purchasing trees in a container, remove the root ball from within and check the larger roots to see if they are turning or twisting in circles. This kind of growth can girdle and kill other roots. However, if only a few roots are twisting in this manner, cut them off with a sharp tool.

Finally, when buying a tree in either a container or a bag, make sure the trunk flare is obvious. The flare should not be too buried in containers or bags. Tree roots grow in the top two feet of soil, and if a trunk is buried too deeply, this could affect the efficiency of the roots.

Injured Trees

Inspect your tree for injuries before buying it. Fore example, a trunk wrap could hide insect injuries, incorrect pruning cuts, and wounds. Remove the wrap and check it out.

An incorrect pruning cut is a big problem. Cuts that remove or injure the swollen collar at the base of branches can initiate serious tree problems such as cankers, decay, and cracks. A proper cut is one that has not torn the bark, is not flush to the trunk, but that removes the weight of the branch. The branch collar is left on the tree, but not a stub. This allows a ring of tissue to grow around the cut. If the cut is flush to the trunk, the tissue may only form on the sides of the cut, causing cracks and/or long, dead streaks above and below the crack. That?EUR??,,????'???s right: trunk tissues will often die above and below flush-cut branches.

Form

It?EUR??,,????'???s important is get a well formed tree because as it grows, it adds girth that will need room for expansion.

When branches, or the stemming of the trunk, is squeezed together, the branch attachment becomes weak as they grow. Squeezing increases with size increase, causing cracks and dead spots underneath the branch attachment. This could lead to cracking or breaking in storms and wind. More than one branch squeezed together greatly increases this risk.

Sometimes, you want a tree with multiple trunks. Make sure the trunks are well-separated at the ground line.

When buying a young tree, check under the branch unions for small cracks. Although the cracks could exist for several years with no incident, they could become major breaking points for branches.

Should you decide to perform corrective pruning to enhance your tree, wait for a year after planting, and spread out the pruning over several years.

You?EUR??,,????'???re Only As Strong As Your Weakest Tree?EUR??,,????'???

As mentioned before, landscaped trees can increase the value of property by up to 20%. In determining the value of trees, professionals consider four general factors:

1. Tree size?EUR??,,????'??+big trees are usually older, and often very valuable. Trees that are too large to be replaced on a property should be evaluated by professionals, who use specialized appraisal formulas to find a tree?EUR??,,????'???s value.
2. Classification?EUR??,,????'??+the kind of tree planted in an area determines its chance of success. Trees that are more equipped for its hardiness zone and local conditions will require less maintenance, and will thrive much better. Species should be selected based on stability, adaptability, hardiness, and form.
3. Condition?EUR??,,????'??+The condition of a tree, in the way of injuries and health, will help determine the value of a tree.
4. Location?EUR??,,????'??+A tree in the yard has more worth than a tree in the forest. A single tree that serves as a focal point has more value than trees in a group.

Finally, it?EUR??,,????'???s important to realize that the top five causes of tree death are human caused. These include soil compaction, underwatering, vandalism, and, the number one cause of death, choosing the wrong tree. These human-induced maladies cause more deaths than all insect and disease-related deaths of landscaped trees combined.

Trees often exhibit shock upon being moved and replanted, and sometimes take years to bring back to normal. Take great care in pruning and rehabilitating a tree that is in shock, as it tends to be very vulnerable.

Trees live for several hundred years, and are literally investments. It is important to make sure that your trees are healthy from the beginning so that they can grow strongly into the generations of the future.

Source: www.treesaregood.com, The International Society of Arborists