Trees and Power Lines At Odds

A local news story recently detailed the plight of homeowners in Lenexa whose trees are being removed or transplanted to accommodate overhead power lines. You can read the full article here Lenexa neighbors fight to save trees.

This brings up a common issue - trees and power lines don't mix. Local electric companies, largely for safety reasons, often prune or remove trees that interfere with their lines. At times, trees pruned to avoid coming into contact with power lines can look unsightly.

The best way to prevent these issues altogether is to avoid planting trees near power lines.

• Small trees, like crabapples and dogwoods, should be planted at least 20 feet from power lines.
• Medium trees, like American Holly and Lacebark Elm should be planted at least 35 feet from a power line.
• Large trees like red maples, Ginko, oaks and pines should be planted 45 feet from power lines.

Of course, if the tree is already planted too close to a line, this is not an option. In these cases, it is best to hire a professional tree company to prune the tree regularly to keep it from growing into the line. Arborists you hire will be more sensitive to the aesthetics of the tree than a company hired by the electric company.

Volunteer Trees Are Stubborn

I went for a walk on Monday to enjoy the nice weather. I was thrilled to see several saucer magnolias in bloom, and several freshly mowed lawns. The rain last week has landscapes green and thriving.

Unfortunately, the rain also encourages the growth of volunteer or "weed" trees. When these pop up in the lawn, you can just mow over them. Eventually, they will stop springing back to life.

Volunteers next to your house, deck or fence line are a little more tricky. Sure, you can cut them down, but that is usually not enough to knock these plants back. Your best bet is to cut the tree as close to the ground as possible, then use a brush control product to keep the plant from reviving. (A little goes a long way.)

Eastern Red Cedars commonly come up as volunteers in our area. This one has been thriving in our side yard for a couple of years. As you can see, they grow fast!

Spring Thunderstorms Can Be Tough On Trees

We've had a few thunderstorms pass through the area lately. Most of these storms have been accompanied by lots of thunder, lightening, rain and high winds. When it comes to our trees, the high winds are the most damaging.

Thankfully, this branch didn't cause much damage when it fell.
Imagine if the tree had been closer to the house!

Pruning dead or broken limbs out of your trees as soon as you notice them can prevent damage during storms. (We have customers call frequently who have had limbs fall on their cars, houses, driveways and sidewalks.) Removing these limbs in advance of storms gives you control of when and where these limbs fall.

If you are at a loss when it comes to what pruning your trees need to help protect them from storm damage, give Ryan Lawn & Tree a call or visit Trees Are Good to find a certified arborist in your area.

Dead Limbs in Your Trees?

If it has been awhile since you have had your trees pruned, have a professional arborist out to look them over before winter.

An arborist can recommend pruning to keep your home safe from falling and/or breaking limbs during winter storms.

When it comes to large tree pruning, it is better to be proactive than to react to an emergency down the line.

Visit Trees Are Good to find a certified arborist in your area. You can also request an estimate from Ryan Lawn & Tree.

Shrub Pruning How To Day 3

Finally, prune for height. Prune top growth by cutting the stem back to a leaflet or stem. (This prevents “stubs” which make the plant look funny.) The goal is for the top growth to be pruned to essentially the same height. Step back frequently to make sure the shrub looks the way you want it.

The first shrub you prune may not look perfect, but after two or three pruning cycles, you will get the hang of it. Hand pruning may be more tedious than the hedge pruners we talked about, but the overall result and health of the plant will be much improved by taking a little extra time to do the job right.

Day 1 Day 2

Shrub Pruning How To Day 2

The first step to pruning is to evaluate the shrub. Are you pruning it just because it is getting too big for the space, or do you have other concerns (unhealthy stems, thick, crowded growth at the base)?

The first cuts are to remove any dead branches. Cut these at the point where they are attached to the rest of the plant. Next, prune branches that are too close to the ground (any that are laying on or touching the ground). Again, prune these where they attach to the rest of the shrub, deep in the plant. Also remove any irregular branches.

Take a step back and see how the shrub looks at this point. Remember, a properly pruned shrub is one you can’t tell you’ve pruned.

Day 1

Shrub Pruning How To Day 1

Photo from Mid City Nursery

This week, I thought I would go over some shrub pruning tips. Pruning can be an art – it takes a lot and time and effort to prune a plant in to a chess piece or loveable animal – but for us mere mortals, a few basic steps in the right direction is all we need.

Let’s start with shrub pruning. Shrubs, usually, are pruned more often than large trees and, with a few guidelines; most homeowners will learn the knack without much effort. Bear in mind, when shrubs are pruned well, they look like they haven’t been pruned at all.

You won’t need a lot of different tools to prune shrubs effectively. A pair of hand pruners (I prefer Felco hand pruners) will cut any branch up to 3/4 inches in diameter.

Sycamore

This is Tom, getting ready to push the offending limb out of the tree.

This should give you a good idea of the size of limbs we are talking about.
He has the base of it in his hand.

The Sycamore tree in our front yard has been giving my husband fits this year. He has had to remove several broken limbs, and each storm seems to knock a few out as well.

We are both hoping this is just a stage. The tree is getting older, and I am crossing my fingers that this is not the beginning of the end. I think at a certain point, trees have given all they've got and they enter the last phase of their lives--the one where they shed branches like crazy and are generally a menace.

I think the Sycamore should be able to give us several more years of enjoyment.

Have you ever had to remove a tree because it had reached the end of its road? When did you make the decision to cut it down?

Severe Pruning...4 Months Later

This is what the spirea looks like today. I couldn't remember which shrub I took a picture of, so I included pictures of two spirea that were both rejuvenation pruned. You can see that one has grown more than the other, but they are both healthy and thriving.

Severe Shrub Pruning

This spring, my husband pruned the spirea in our front bed drastically. This is what it looked like when he was finished:

See those tiny, short branches sticking up? That is what our spirea looked like immediately after pruning.

Rejuvenation pruning (the official name for this practice) can help large, unruly shrubs get back in shape. Shrubs that have grown together, or have simply outgrown their space, may benefit from drastic pruning.

Not all shrubs respond well to this type of pruning, be sure to research your specific situation before taking the plunge and pruning your shrubs to almost nothing.

Deadheading Roses

My roses need some deadheading! I started this project at the beginning of the week so I can encourage more blooms. If you need to deadhead your roses, look for the first set of 5 leaves beneath the spent bloom to make your cut. (You may need to look down the cane a little ways to find a set of 5 leaves. There are often a few sets of 3 leaves right below the bloom.) Cut at a 45 degree angle slightly above the set of 5 leaves using a bypass pruner. If cane boring insects are a problem, seal the cut with elmer's glue.

I didn't get this project finished. I remember I had some trouble with these roses earlier in the year and thought cane boring insects may be to blame. I think I will get some elmer's glue to seal the pruning cuts before I continue!

Oak Leaf Hydrangea

I really like the foliage of my oak leaf hydrangea. I have three of these shrubs growing in my landscape bed in back. They will hide my neighbor's fence as they grow (and provide a nice backdrop to my perennials). Oak leaf hydrangeas can grow 6-8 feet tall by about 4-6 feet wide. The location is somewhat protected because there is a large pin oak in my backyard that lends itself to providing shade and protection to my garden area below.

Even though this plant is often grown for its oak-leafed shaped foliage, when it gets flowers it is an extra special treat. I snapped this picture of one of its blooms. (It is about a foot long!) Bloom time is important when pruning flowering shrubs. This hydrangea blooms on new wood, so I remove last year's flowers in the early spring before it leafs out. (That way I can enjoy them over the winter!)

I highly recommend this shrub for your garden or landscape bed if you have the space. It is a favorite of mine.

Clematis

My husband bought this clematis last year. It did pretty well last summer, but this year it has really taken off.

Pruning clematis can be tricky, but this article from Clematis Nursery is thorough and easy to follow.

The best part of our clematis, is that it is one of our "cheap" plants. We buy just as many flowers at the local hardware store as we do at more specialized nurseries, and the clematis was one such purchase. (My grandma can't BELIEVE we do this--she is a very gifted gardener with extensive flower beds.)

You'll notice the clematis is actually climbing a telephone pole. I am not sure what a landscape designer would think about that. I consider my current landscape a field trial of sorts. I plant things I think I may like and experiment with pairings, placement, etc. Someday, I will have a well-thought out landscape. For now, I am just enjoying playing in the dirt and trying things out.

Rose Cane Borers

I've been concerned about my roses (the same ones that had aphids earlier in the year). I noticed some of the stems wilting and turning brown. I got out my felco hand pruner and cut out the dead branches. They are pictured above.

Upon closer examination, I noticed the center of the cane was hollow (see above). I think I am seeing the evidence left behind by a rose cane borer. I did a little research and the best defense to this pest is careful monitoring. Prune out affected branches as soon as they are noticed. You need to prune down past where the cane is hollow, then seal off the pruning cut with a drop of Elmer's glue. Some experts recommended putting a drop of food coloring in the glue so you can keep track of the cuts that you've sealed as you prune your roses. I think I will try it! I'll let you know how it goes.

Thinning Burning Bush

This is a burning bush that we got from someone last year. They were removing it from their landscape, so my husband brought it home and we planted it in the back yard. It is actually quite an old specimen. You can tell from the large stems that is has.

Since it has had time to become established, I decided to try to thin it before the leaves come out. (My before picture is shown above. The after picture is shown below.)

I wanted to thin it for two reasons: First, burning bush are known for getting spider mites (at least here in the midwest) during our hot summer months. Thinning them can increase air circulation and may help reduce the degree of infestation.

My second purpose for thinning it is to try to generate more new, younger growth. I will see how the shrub responds to this pruning. If it responds well, I will try to remove more of the old stems next season. Large, overgrown shrubs can be rejuvenated this way without loosing the overall size of the shrub. (Remove about 1/3 of the oldest canes or stems each season.) I'll let you know how is responds.

Tree Topping IS NOT Proper Pruning

A topped tree is easy to spot. The tree’s natural shape is destroyed when it is topped. Many people believe topping is okay. Some people want their tree topped because they are afraid of storm damage. In reality, the fast growing, extremely long and weakly attached shoots resulting from topping are more susceptible to breakage and storm damage. The wounds from topping a tree actually reduce the lifespan of the tree and that tree can become a hazard and cause property damage, making it a liability instead of an asset to your landscape.

If you have trees that need to be pruned, please select your arborist carefully. Look for someone who is educated and knows the industry standard. At Ryan Lawn & Tree, we have many ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) Certified Arborists on staff all year round. ISA Arborists adhere to industry standards and need to keep up on current industry practices and techniques to keep their certification.

Choose your Arborist wisely. You trees will thank you.