Basic Tree Care

1. Basic Tree Care • Kris Thomas • City Of Dalton Certified Arborist ISA SO-5760A

3. A Tree Is…

5. A Tree Is The Sum Of It’s Parts Roots Stems Leaves Reproductive Organs

6. The Roots

9. STEMS

12. LEAVES

14. Reproductive Organs

15. ANGIOSPERMS

16. GYMNOSPERMS

17. Living Systems Die in Three Ways • Depletion of Energy(infection, starvation) • Dysfunction of parts and processes (genetics, toxins, poisons) • Mechanical disruption of parts & processes

18. Take Care To Understand Take care to understand the world from a Tree’s perspective. They rely on us.

19. We Get Critters Munching On Our Trees

20. Section Two Soils

21. Soil

22. Soil Is Made Of Three Parts • Gaseous – The Soil Air • Liquid – Percent Water • Solid – The Soil Minerals and Organic Matter

23. The Soil Air • Pore space comprises 30 to 50 percent of soil volume. The quantity of air is governed by the amount of liquid in the pore space.Ordinarily air comprises 20 percent of the pore space in well tilled soil. • Oxygen and Nitrogen are two of the main components of soil air a tree needs for survival

24. Roots And Microorganisms Respire • They continually take in O2 and emit CO2. • Poorly aereated soils restrict gas exchange and O2 supply decreases and CO2 supply increases. • City street trees with root areas between sidewalks and curbs face poor aeration and high CO2 levels

25. Natural Aeration Provided By : • Cappillary and gravitational movement of water. • Changes in temperature and barometric pressure. • Addition of Organic Matter or Sand • Addition of Lime. • Channels left by decaying roots. • Earthworms.

26. Trees that Survive Low Aeration • Bald Cypress • Pond Cypress • Willows • River Birch • Sycamore • Hackberry • Swamp White Oak • Water Oak

27. Trees that Do Not Survive Low Aeration • Sugar Maple • Redbud • Yellowwood • Dogwood • Hawthorn • Colorado Spruce • Red Oak • Apple and Crabapple

28. Poor Aeration Causes Pests • Phythoptera cinnamomi or root rot is caused by the inability to drain the pore space of soil. • Causes shallow rooting. • Decreases the ability to absorb nutrients.A deficiency of Oxygen and excess CO2 reduce permeability of roots to water thus limiting mineral absorption

29. Soil Water • Water is an essential part of cell protoplasm • Exists in the soil in three states Hygroscopic, Capillary, and Free Water. • Hygroscopic a thin film of water covers soil particle, in equilibrium with air. • Cappillary- Water exists as heavier film attracted to the particle by it’s own surface tension.Stronger than gravitational pull. • Free Water- Is the water table. Deadly to roots.

30. Influence of soil On Nutrient Availability • Sand, Silt, and Clay. • Organic matter • Cations + and Anions – • Cations : Hydrogen, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, and Sodium. Anions : Hydroxyl, Phosphate, Nitrate, Sulfate, and Chloride.

32. Soil Volume • Ideally a tree needs 2 cubic feet of soil for each square foot of mature canopy. • To plan for a successful tree lifetime 60+ years we should provide at least 400 cubic feet of soil • In development stockpile the site soil and reuse.

33. Structural Soils and Other Solutions • Cornell Soil 60% limestone gravel 40% soil • Silva Cells • Lineal planting areas • Root Barriers • Root Trenches

34. Improving Soil For Established Trees

35. Vertimulching

40. Other Soil Improvement Methods • Air Spading • Growth Regulators • Radial Trenching • Mulch • Compost

41. Section Three Transplanting Trees

42. Three Forms Of Nursery Stock • Balled And Burlapped • Bareroot • Containerized

44. Handle With Care