Anatomy of Future Tree Failure

Warning signs of tree failure in your own yard

As a International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist in Richmond, VA, I am constantly looking at trees.  Although my specialty is preventing future problems at planting time, it is impossible to predict what a tree will do 20, 30 or more years down the road.  

Trees provide countless benefits to the world around us.  Especially in the urban and suburban landscape, where we tend to remove more trees than we replace.  Keeping good care of the mature trees that we retain in these challenging environments becomes very important.  However, there are times when we must look at a situation objectively and weigh the risks against the benefits. 

During hurricane Isabel, I was working for a tree service in Fredericksburg, VA.  In the days after the storm, I witnessed what large trees are capable of doing to houses and other property.  No matter what the construction methods, a house is not much of an obstacle to a tree trying to touch the ground.

As a matter of fact, I have had a tree hit my own house, so I know what it is like to try to remediate the damage.  Once a tree puts holes in the roof, the rain is free to come in, leading to extensive headaches in the future.  

So how can we know what a tree will do?  Is it possible to predict tree failure?  

Let me start off by saying that all trees pose some type of risk.  There is always an element of risk that comes along with such a large block of wood towering overhead.  

Tree failures during normal weather can be predicted to some extent.  We can analyze the conditions of a tree and the ramifications of failure and provide a recommendation to either attempt to repair the tree or replace it.  However, during a storm event where winds can exceed 60 MPH, there is no way to predict failure.  All trees are fair game at this point, especially if the ground has been saturated by rain preceding the event (Isabel).

So what do you look for?  How do you know if a tree is going to fail soon?  

this tree has it all and then some….

This is an oak tree that I happened by in the Byrd Park area of Richmond the other day.  The first thing you will notice is the huge tear on the trunk from about 5-10' above the ground.  This was (probably) caused by a co-dominant stem breaking off.  A co-dominant stem is a branch of a tree that is close to the same size as the main trunk.  When a stem of this size rips off, a huge wound is left, leading to (most likely) inevitable infection by various pathogens, insect damage, and further decay.  Lower branches of a tree also serve to distribute wind forces on a tree.  With only branches at the top, the twisting forces are multiplied further down the trunk.

Here is a closer shot of the damage down low.  As you can see, the damaged has progressed from a simple branch break to decay and rot down low.  A nasty wound like this that cuts into the tree trunk itself is almost always going to develop decay.

If you look higher up in the tree there is another co-dominant situation.  This is not a major warning sign, however, as there is a branch-bark ridge at the junction of the branches.  A branch bark ridge indicated proper attachment.  If you see a high angle junction like this with bark that appears to be included in the junction, look out.  That is almost one of the worst things you can see.  This isn't the case here, but this situation is not ideal.   High-angle attachments like this are just not very strong.  As the angle approaches 90 degrees (straight out) from the trunk, the strength increases.

mmm, dead wood

This is the margin of the damaged area near the ground.  The fungus that you see is a fungus that attacks dead tissue, but can also expand into living tissue as well.  When you see this fungus, there is a good chance there is dead wood present, with active decay eating away strong wood.

uh oh…

This is a fungus (most likely ganoderma or armillaria) that attacks the root tissue and bases of trees.  These fungi are two  of the "Big Three" as defined by the ISA ( I am not a fungi expert, but I am sure it is one of the two.  The exact diagnosis is in my view irrelevant).  While this is alone is not a cause for immediate removal, the presence at the base of a heavily damaged tree is a major warning sign of future failure.

mmm, more dead wood…a veritable buffet

Here is an even closer shot of the damaged area at the base.  Not the greatest picture, but if you look close you can see small holes, and evidence of insect boring.  Insects will burrow inside of the damaged parts of trees, and wreak all sorts of havoc.  Whether they are bringing a fungus with them, or laying eggs that will hatch and tunnel around in the inner parts of the tree, the result is the same.  Decay is introduced directly into the innards of the tree.

enough already!

As if all this was not enough, if you look up, you can see that there have been at least two major limbs already removed from this tree by the city.  Why that happened I don't know, but I would suspect that they broke further out from the trunk.  The city tree department does not just cut limbs off for no reason.  This would be another warning sign that this tree is prone to limb breakage.

This tree is a smorgasbord of warning signs.  Most of these by themselves would not warrant major action, but simply awareness and future monitoring.  However, all of them put together, and in a public setting such as this, constitutes a major hazard in my opinion.

So the next time you are out in your yard, simply look at your trees.  If you see any of these warning signs, consult a certified arborist.  Maybe nothing needs to be done except future monitoring.  But take it from me, a large tree on top of your house is nothing you want to happen.  Replacing a hazard tree with a new tree is not the worst thing that can ever happen.

Jay

www.rvascapes.com

Rain Barrel Installation

Stormwater runoff is a major hot button issue these days.  Excess runoff can lead to pollution in the waterways, erosion, and a few other issues that we would rather not have to deal with.

Municipalities are beginning to charge a stormwater tax on homeowners.  Typically this tax can be reduced by installing features designed to capture and slow runoff.

Rain gardens are one method.  A rain garden is basically a depression in the ground that captures the water from downspouts or a swale.  The rain garden is planted with plants that can handle inundation followed by periods of dry.  We will cover the rain garden in a future post.

Rain barrels are probably the easiest method of dealing with excess runoff.  They also have the huge benefit of actually storing the water to be used during dry spells, further saving money and resources.

So, here is how to do it:

Step One:  Acquire a barrel.  There are many people selling barrels now.  They are fairly easy to find.  I am going to cover the installation of a pre-made rain barrel.  You may elect to make your own out of a pickle barrel or some other type, but for ease of operation I used a pre-made barrel that I purchased from h2oCollect.  The same barrel is also available at the shop at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.  If you are not in the Richmond area, you are on your own but I know you can do it!

Ivy barrel, pretty easy to come by 

These barrels cost $95 apiece.  Seems like a lot, but by the time you buy a barrel, buy all the parts you need, and actually assemble it, you may be thinking that the $95 wasn't so bad.  (I already know this. I have ran clinics on how to build your own.  Leaks and other faulty construction woes can easily happen.)  I don't want to talk you out of it, because I still do build my own sometimes, but this will certainly save you time, which is money after all as they say….

 make sure drainage is addressed first!

This particular site had a major drainage issue.  The water would come out of these downspouts and run back towards the house, causing a major puddle and would eventually leak into the basement.  While a barrel can certainly help with this, you really should fix the problem first.  Here I hooked up the downspouts to PVC pipe, and ran it away from the house.  PVC is a far better choice for downspouts than the black corrugated pipe you always see.  The water will move faster through this pipe, carrying any debris with it that could get stuck in the corrugations of the black pipe, leading to a clog.  Also, the small bit of water that remains in the corrugations is enough for tiger mosquitos to breed in.  

diverter

Unless your ground is drainage issue free, and slopes away from the house, and you have never had a moisture issue, I would recommend installing a diverter to get the water in the barrel. You can simply cut the downspout high, and install a flexible downspout that pours right into the top of the barrel, but I don't really like that, unless all the above statements are true.  Here is definitely needed a diverter.  The diverter will take some of the water that comes down the spout and put it through the tube on the right.  In the case of a deluge, a lot of water will still go continue past the diverter, which is why you need to address the drainage issues beforehand.  To install this type, simply cut out a 6" section of downspout.  The diverter needs to be at least 12" above the top of the barrel, so take into account the height of the barrel and the base.

you can barely see the diverter.  Unlike the finger in the picture….

Also, notice the incredible window box! hint hint…

Once the diverter is installed, you can barely see it.  Now is the time to mount the barrel.

thing of beauty

Here is the final product.  Notice how the barrel sits on a base.  This is to make it easier to access the water, and be able to drain all of it out.  The base is also there to provide a rock steady area for the barrel to sit on.  Never forget that this thing will weight about 400 pounds when full.  This base I made is just four cinder blocks carefully leveled with a flagstone paver on top.  If you noticed that the diverter pipe looks too long it is because it is.  I was not sure that this would be the final placement for the barrel, so I did not want to alter the pipe in case this client wanted the barrel further back in the bushes.  I will cut the pipe so that it goes straight down soon.  Not pictured are the overflow pipes, which will carry any overflow away from the house.  Another benefit of getting the pre-made system.

I hope this was some sort of help to you, and please contact me with any questions you may have.

Jay

www.rvascapes.com

jay@get-rvascapes.com

Gardening Above Ground #1 Window Box Made Easy

Do you live in the city with no yard, but a patio or balcony?  Do you live in an apartment where you cannot attach anything to your balcony?  This is for you.

Window Box Made Easy

I know there are plenty of options out there for pre-made window boxes.  Have you ever wanted to make your own?  Or maybe you have a odd size space that only a custom made box will fit in?

I have designed a window box that is easily built, and easy to adjust the size to your own needs.  You do not have to be a master carpenter to build this either.  Trust me, if I can make it, you can to.

All you need is access to a saw of some sort, a drill, and a way to nail small nails into something (I used a small air compressor and nailer.  If you don't have access to this, a hammer will work just as well)

I used cedar boards from the big box store.  I bought two different widths.  2" and 8" wide.  Both come in 8 foot lengths.  Cedar is really the only choice for this project, as it is naturally rot resistant and will last a long time.

this is enough for several

First thing to do is figure out how long you want your window/balcony box to be.  You will then cut three of the 8" boards to this length.  I put the bottom on the bench, then attached the front/back to that.  I did this so the seam would not be visible. Not that this matters, as there is trim applied later, but it did make it easier.  I used a nail gun to attach the front/back, but you could use a hammer and a nail, or even small screws.  Wood glue will give added grip.  A helper is definitely helpful.  Especially one that has all the tools you need…..

beginning to take shape

After the three pieces are attached, now is the time to slide the sides in place.  The way I assembled the box the sides were 7 1/4" wide.  Simply slide the sides into place, and attach.  Pay attention to the grain of the wood.  I cut the boards to the wrong grain orientation twice in a row.  Not that it really matters as I painted it anyway, and that could be considered a little OCD, but that's me.

So there is your basic window/balcony box.  It will do the job, but we can make it a little more visually appealing than this.

simplicity itself

This is where the 2" wide boards come into play, and some fancy measuring.  At least as fancy as it gets for this job.The idea is to wrap the top and bottom of the front and side edges with trim.  I extended the front trim past the edges so the sides would be flush, and no seams were visible from the front view.    After that, all that is left is to attach the verticals.

fancy indeed

For the vertical trim, I simply put the front piece flush with the horizontal trim as shown above.  Here is where the fancy part comes in.  I wanted to give the look of equal size trim on each face on the corner.  So I measured the difference on a trim piece, and cut a thin section.  When attached to the side, this gives the appearance of equal widths.  The vertical pieces are 4 1/4" here.  I would measure each one though, as the distance of the horizontals may change as you go (unless you attached them perfectly, which I am sure you will….)

finishing touches

After the box is assembled, you need to fill in all the gaps.  Unless you want a natural look.  I wanted to paint mine to match the house.  Use a wood filler, and fill in all the nail holes and gaps there are.  After the filler dries, use a sanding pad to sand it smooth.

third to last step!

Now it is time to paint.  I used spray paint for ease of operation, but a brush will probably be cheaper and better coating.

Second to last step:  DO NOT FORGET TO DRILL DRAIN HOLES!  Otherwise your plants will drown.

Last step:  Mount the box.  This will vary depending on your house/window material.  My house is brick, so I attached small pieces of a 2x4 to the brick, and then screwed the box to those.

Apartment folks:  Find some type of brackets, and simply hang them (probably on the inside) of your balcony railing.  No muss no fuss, just pick it up and take it with you at moving time!

Thanks and good luck. (not that you need it though…)

Jay

www.rvascapes.com

Challenging Gardening Laws #1

Let me begin by saying I am a college educated, extension agency trained, Virginia Certified Horticulturist, International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist, licensed Commercial Pesticide Applicator, Virginia Licensed Contractor and experienced horticulturist of 15 years.

Now that all that self aggrandizing is over with, I will tell you that I have been schooled in the "correct" way to do things for a long time.  I kind of did it backwards though.  I was in this field for a long time before I realized this is exactly what I wanted to do with my life.  It was that, coupled with a career ending layoff in a different field, that led me to getting serious about horticulture and pursuing higher education.

The benefit of that is that I have had unbiased observations of plant habits without the "intrusion" of ideas that can be contrary to the real life situations that we find ourselves in.

That being said, I will say that the extension agency is the best source of information out there.  Their recommended practices are backed up by extensive proven research under university conditions.  My professors at school were usually involved in the field as well, only teaching at night after a day's work. Be wary of random people on the internet (like me, I suppose…) that will tell you that there is only one proper way to do things, and you will face disaster if you vary from the course.

However, my own observations would say that there can be different sides to every story.

That is what this series will be all about.  I have seen a few things this year that run somewhat contrary to established practices that I learned.  I hope the take away lesson from these posts will be that you should try different things to figure out what works best in your own individual situation.  Be adventurous!  Don't be scared to try new things.


CASE #1
SPRING TURF FERTILIZATION

This may be the most "controversial" topic I will discuss here.  There is a huge doctrine dispute between commercial turf care and university research (extension agency) here.

Extension agency recommendations will tell you never to spring fertilize, as the turf will grow to fast for existing root mass leading to summer stress. Also, excess fertilizer applications lead to increased nutrient runoff into waterways.

Commercial lawn care companies and TV commercials will tell you that there is no such thing as a bad time to fertilize and have funny Scottish guys telling you that you are an inhumane beast if you starve your lawn to death in the spring.

Is there a middle ground?  There usually is in most cases.

Undoubtedly, the fall is the absolute best time for turf fertilization (of cool season grasses, such as fescue.  Warm season grasses, i.e. those that brown out in the winter get treated in the summer.) During this time, the plants shift focus and begin to move nutrients down into the roots, to be stored for upcoming spring growth.  When you fertilize at this time, much of the nutrients are absorbed into the roots, rather than triggering excessive top growth.

However…..

This is a picture taken in early spring of the lawn next to the Rose Garden at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, that I manage.  You will notice the definite border of light green and dark green grass.    

The reason for the difference is that there was a display taking up the middle part of the lawn, and the lawn crew could not fertilize under it.  

So, obviously, spring fertilization has it's benefits, at least in greening up.  When I did commercial lawn care many moons ago, I used to add in a little half-dose of nitrogen mixed in with the pre-emergent I applied.  

While there may be some slight disadvantages to adding nitrogen in the spring, as stated above, I believe the advantages outweigh the possible problems.  

The biggest advantage is growth.  The number one problem with turf is bare spots.  Weeds love bare spots.  If you have bare spots in the lawn, I guarantee it will be filled with something you don't want to be there, probably crabgrass in the summer and bittercress in the winter.  

The best preventer of weeds in a lawn is a dense, thick grass cover.  

I would rather add a little nitrogen here and there, and other products designed to make things grow, than constantly be using products that are designed to kill things.  

Now, don't go throwing nutrients at your lawn by the ton, because then you will certainly be causing more problems than you are solving.  

Get a soil sample, know what your soil needs, address any deficiencies first.  

Just don't be scared to add a little nitrogen in the spring.

My two cents on the situation.

Jay

Pallet Gardens

The other day, a client of mine called me up and asked if I could make her a pallet garden.  I was hesitant at first, as I had never made one before.  I decided we should form a partnership instead of hiring me to make it for her, so in case the project was not successful, there would be no foul.

I did some internet research, and spoke to a few friends who had attempted this type of project before.  I figured it would be a fun project to try, so we went for it.

The first step is acquiring a pallet.  This should not be too hard to accomplish.  I happened to have a few lying around from various stone and sod jobs that I have done.  You can probably find one at any big box store or nursery.  I am not sure exactly what they do with them when they are unloaded and stacked up, but I would be certain that they just dispose of them in some way.  They may even have to pay for the disposal, so they may be happy for you to take a few.  The better condition the pallet is in, the better of you will be.

The second step would be to buy some plants.  I was advised that the bigger the plant is, the better off the garden will be.  So I had 4" pots in mind.  I used primarily annual plants for this one, but next one I may use more perennials.  Succulents would probably work quite well.  In fact, that is the next project in the works.  So I went to the nursery, and picked out a bunch of plants that looked good together.  I ended up with a selection of coleus, begonias, a few hostas, and other annuals that would do well in the shade that this pallet would be in.

Now it is time for the hardware of the project.  First you will need a roll of landscape fabric to hold the soil in place.  Also known as weed barrier, this fabric will hold the soil, while allowing water to drain through.  You will also need a staple gun and many, many staples.  I used 3/8" staples that seemed to work.  The bigger the better in my opinion. Just do not go shorter than 3/8", or you risk them pulling out.

We then began assembly.  As you can see, the top and bottom boards are doubled up.  We removed those boards, and also removed every other board after that, making larger spaces for the plants and making the stapling easier.

As you can see, rather than simply packing the entire pallet with soil, we made individual pockets at each level.  This way, the soil is contained nicely.  I think if you had one unit, the water and soil would be apt to migrate down to the bottom, possibly collapsing the whole thing.

We used many staples to hold the fabric to the wood.  It was a little tricky, but my wonderful client did a tremendous job of getting the pockets sealed so no soil leaked out.  We actually got it right (I think, long term results will be the subject of a later post) the first time.

Another progress shot.  As we packed the plants in, we also packed potting soil all around.  I think this is the critical step.  If there are gaps and voids all around the plant's root balls, then they will not be able to put roots out, and more importantly will dry out very quick.  So make sure the pockets are pretty stuffed with soil.  

Here is the final product.  I was pretty surprised with how easy this actually was to make.  In the future, the plants should all fill in and really look like a garden.  Depending on the plants you select, the cost will come in anywhere from $100-$150 or so.  A few notes:  we wrapped the back of the pallet in a double layer of fabric to keep it neat and tidy.  This step should also help slow down evaporation.  If the pallet will be on a wall, I recommend a layer of heavy plastic also, to keep the wall from getting funky.  Water will make or break the success of this project.  I would be sure that the soil will want to dry out about every day.  I would plan on watering this once a day at least, more so if yours will be in direct sun.  Use a very light spray.  The mist setting on a selectable hose end sprayer is the best, as it will not wash out the soil.

This pallet and another one to be made will be the final touch to this yard project.  This yard was in fairly rough shape when I first saw it (sorry LK!).  Nothing but weeds throughout.  I added a gravel patio, raised vegetable beds, and pollinator friendly perennials throughout.  The pallets will hang on either side of the window on the blank white walls.  This will be the final touch to a wonderful transformation!

Questions and comments are always appreciated!

Thanks,

Jay

The Case Against Tree Staking

Staking is the last step of planting a tree, isn't it?   Many professional landscapers believe it, so how could it be wrong?

Trees need to move.  Trees react to stresses put upon them.  When a tree moves around, it knows that it needs to grow roots in order to stay upright and live.

The tree will also add wood to the lower part of the tree in order to strengthen itself against disturbance, thus creating a nice tapered trunk.

When a tree is shackled tightly to the ground, it does not move, so it will not feel the stresses placed upon it.  Without those stresses, there will not be any corrective growth, and the tree will be very slow to establish itself, thus needing more support. Get it...the more support you give, the more it needs (I could draw many correlations to parenting there, but you get the point..)

Adding insult to injury, most landscapers will move on and not return to remove the ties around the tree.  Ever seen this?

This is what happens.  This poor specimen is slowly choking on those green ties.  The bulges are where water and nutrients could not pass, and just caused growth there.  This tree will die.  Most likely this upcoming summer, when the upper crown will not be able to take up as much water as it needs.  

If this tree is lucky enough to survive a few more years, the next hurricane will cause this to break on that weak narrow point where the ties are.  Either way.....

If you must stake a tree down (poor root system, very loose soil, etc) then do the tree a favor and use wide strap like ties and not narrow wire.  Tie it loosely, as the idea is to enable it to move, but not far enough to tip over.  Then make sure to take them off the next year.

See you next time,

Jay

Spring has finally Sprung!

After this long, and arguably miserable winter, Spring has finally arrived.

I happened to come across my favorite spring blooming woodland wildflower (fairly narrow niche, I know...) Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot).

This native wildflower blooms now (late march/early april) with the distinctive white daisy-like flower. After the blooms fade, the seed pods develop.  When ripe, the pods pop open, expelling the seeds inside for many feet in all directions.  

The seeds are roundish, with a raised white band around the circumference.  It is believed that ants are fooled into thinking that it is a small worm, and they take the seeds down into their tunnels, in effect planting them.  

In its preferred location (well drained woodsy soil with dappled sun)  bloodroot will form dense colonies, providing nice early season interest.

Girdling Roots

With all this snow, ice, and very low temperatures we have been experiencing this winter, it is hard to imagine that spring will ever come.

Don't worry. It will.

And when milder weather approaches, gardeners will flock to the nurseries like people rushing to the grocery store to buy milk and bread before a snow storm, buying anything and everything that is in bloom at that time.

There is nothing wrong with that.  After a long winter's slumber, there is nothing better than getting out there and planting a few new shrubs and trees that we have been thinking about, or simply catch our eye.

But one word of caution here:  be a careful consumer.

The nurseries know that they will face an onslaught of customers as soon as spring hits.  They will have everything with flowers on it out for sale.  In their rush to market their plants, some not-so-good specimens will make the cut and get put out for sale.  I know this because I see it, and also because I used to work at a nursery where they grew their own trees and shrubs, dug them themselves, and sold them.  I would see a sub-par specimen, and question it.  "Don't worry...it will sell. If it is blooming, it will sell."

True enough, but what happens later?  In that example I am referring to, the problem was co-dominant stems, which I will discuss in a later post, but there is another huge problem in the industry, Stem Girdling Roots.

In container grown trees and shrubs, the roots grow outward, then hit the container wall.  There is nowhere else to go but around.  And around. And around.  And when the nursery decides to step up the pot from a one gallon to a three gallon, they usually will not break up the circling roots and just throw soil around the root ball.

These circling roots then get hidden from view.  If you pop out that three gallon rootball, you will probably see soil with fine roots throughout, and not the circling mess underneath.  And then it goes to a five gallon, seven gallon, 15 gallon, etc.

Eventually, those circling roots will grow around the trunk of the tree, cutting off the circulation throughout.

You can also get a girdling root situation if you pile mulch up around the tree and shrub trunks.  The tree will put roots out into the mulch, and these roots will grow over top of the existing roots, eventually cutting off their circulation.  You all have seen this at shopping centers and malls.  Just look for the "mulch volcano" trees with gaps up and down the line to see what the long term effects are.

Here is an example:

I bought this red bud from my local nursery as part of a lot for a clients yard.  This was part of a larger delivery.  If I had selected the plants myself, this one would have stayed at the nursery.  See that root going around the trunk?  Imagine when the trunk and root have grown for 10 more years?  Problem.  I decided to have a look further.

You can see the root wrapping around the trunk, but there is also a good sized root that has been growing down the sides of the container.  That is not necessarily very bad, but should be addressed also.

Here I have cut the stem girdling root off at the trunk, and also cut off the downward growing portion of that larger root.  Problem solved.  This would have been better off rejected, but these issues can be dealt with.

The problem is that these issues would not make themselves apparent for 10-15 years.  At that point there is really nothing that can be done.

So when you looking for plants, a little inspection goes a long way.  I also recommend washing the soil off of the containerized root balls.  Rough them up.  Do anything you can to inspect the roots.  Do not just pop them in the ground out of the pot.  You will do yourself and the plant a great deal of good.