Planting in Groups

Larry Ryan, forester and founder of Ryan Lawn & Tree is a big proponent of mimicking Mother Nature in our residential landscapes. One of his favorite ways to implement this, is by encouraging homeowners to plant trees in groups, just like you see them in natural forests. We recently removed a single Ash tree at our office and replaced it with a group of four evergreens:


As the trees grow and fill in the space, we will have a little piece of the forest right outside our office door.

What have you done to mimic Mother Nature in your landscape?

Falling Sycamore Leaves

Yesterday, I came home to this:


A smattering of crinkly Sycamore leaves on my lawn. This happens every time we have a cool, wet spring. One of our foresters calls it "Wet Weather Disease." It's technical name is Sycamore Anthracnose.

Are you raking leaves in May, too?

Sick Sycamore

Tom pruning our Sycamore last spring.

If you have a sycamore tree in your yard that is dropping its leaves, it may be suffering from anthracnose. This is an aesthetic disease, and won't affect the health of your tree. However, as a Sycamore owner, I know first-hand how annoying it is to clean up after these trees, especially when "fall" comes twice a year.

Ryan Lawn & Tree can treat Sycamores in August to lessen the affects of anthracnose in following years. The treatment is good for two years, although you may have some leaf and twig drop the first year.

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 is Back...and so are Allergies.

My husband and I spent most of Friday night and Saturday outdoors. As Tom was planting his vegetables, I looked up and swirling in the wind were seeds, petals, pollen and other signs that Spring had arrived and was getting down to business.

The next morning, I walked out to my car and it was COVERED in yellow pollen. I am not sure which tree is the culprit, but I am amazed at the amount of pollen it produced.


Now, I know all you allergy sufferers out there are hurting. What do you do to alleviate your allergy symptoms? Leave a comment below or E-mail tara patty at ryan lawn dot com.

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.

Improper Planting Causes Girdling Roots

Yesterday, we discussed proper tree planting techniques. I also posed a question about this picture:

What is going on here? The answer is a Girdling Root. When trees are planted too deep, it is common for one root (or roots) to wrap around the trunk of the tree. As the root grows, it slowly girdles the tree, causing decline.

You may notice a girdling root because it causes leaves to drop from the tree at odd time. Girdling roots can also cause on side of the trunk to be flat, like in the picture below:

After big storms, have you seen giant trees that have simply fallen over? Many times this is because the fallen tree had been living with a girdling root.

What do you do if you think you have a tree with a girdling root? Call an ISA Certified Arborist. (We have almost 20 at Ryan Lawn & Tree.) Depending on the age and size of the tree, it may be possible to reverse the damage done by the offending root.

Spring is a Great Time to Plant Trees & Shrubs

Improper planting caused this common tree problem.
Do you know what it is? Read tomorrow for the answer.

As you would expect, spring is a wonderful time to add new trees and shrubs to your landscape. What you may not know, is improper planting is one of the biggest reasons urban trees fail.

If you are considering planting a tree, follow these steps to ensure improper planting does not cause you trouble down the road:

1. Choose a quality specimen from the nursery. The main root originating from the trunk should be no more than 1inch below the soil line. The root ball should be moist.
   
   
2. Measure the root ball height from ground to the first (top) root. This is the planting depth. Dig the hole 3 times the root ball width. This will loosen the soil for faster rooting. Leave the sides of the hole rough, not smooth.
   
   
3. Place the tree in the center of the planting hole and recheck planting depth. Adjust as needed. Make sure the tree is straight from 2-3 directions. Remove as much burlap, wire, twine as possible.
   
   
4. Stake newly planted trees only in areas where high winds are common. Remove any stake within 8-12 months.
   
   
5. Fertilize your trees after planting. If you have questions, contact an arborist at Ryan Lawn & Tree
   

Questions, Comments, Tips?

As we get geared up for spring and lawn season, I wanted to remind you all that I welcome your questions, comments, tips and tricks regarding all things lawn, tree, gardening, etc.

I would love to hear some of your thoughts on these subjects. Moreover, I would LOVE to see pictures of what you are doing. Remember Rachel's backyard improvement project?

I think we can all benefit from hearing from the rest of the group (and seeing your triumphs!).

My Christmas Tree

We went with a Fraser Fir:



Send me pictures of your decorated tree! tara patty at ryan lawn dot com.

Crown Reduction on Bradford Pears

Bradford Pears are notoriously weak-wooded trees. High winds can split the trees in half easily, and with winter storms around the corner, prized pears should be pruned to avoid this fate.

Ryan Lawn & Tree recommends crown reductions to keep pears in check. This involves drastically reducing the canopy weight of the tree so that it is not so top heavy. We pruned the Bradford Pear above this fall. You can definitely tell it has been pruned, but it looks great and should be good to go this winter.

Douglas Fir

Photo from Taylors Trees

Larry Ryan pointed out that I forgot a species during my Christmas Tree series. He was talking about Douglas Fir, a species native to the west coast.

The branches are spreading and drooping in its natural shape, and have dark green to blue green needles. (Most of the Douglas Firs on the lots that are conical have been pruned that way...this may result in a compact tree that is more difficult to decorate.)

You can buy Douglas Firs that haven't been pruned, if you prefer. Heartland Nursery has them in stock.

Christmas Tree Review
Fraser Fir
Scotch Pine
Eastern Red Cedar
Blue Spruce
White Pine

Christmas Trees Day 4 - Colorado Blue Spruce

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Are you headed out to get your Christmas Tree? This week I am showcasing a few of the favorites.

Today's variety is the Colorado Blue Spruce, Christmas Tree of the Presidents (seriously, one was planted in 1978 as the official living White House Lawn Christmas tree). Because they can be bought balled and burlapped, and then planted after the holidays, Blue Spruce have enjoyed an increase in popularity as a Christmas tree species.

Photo from Balsam Creek Lane Tree Farm

The tree is symmetrical with attractive dark green to powdery blue foliage. (The needles take on a silver hue depending on the tree.) Needle retention is among the best for the spruces. Once planted, blue spruces are slow growing, though they are long lived.

BONUS tree.

Photo from Delaware Christmas Tree Growers Association

I would be remiss if I did not tell you Tom's favorite tree (and, as a result, the species we decorate from year to year) - the Eastern White Pine. White Pine needles are long, soft and range in color from bluish-green to silvery green. Needle retention is good to excellent, but the trees' flexible branches make heavy ornaments a no-go. The tree has little to no aroma, which may result in fewer allergy problems for humans. (They are very lovely.)

Frasir Fir
Scotch Pine
Eastern Redcedar

Christmas Trees Day 3 - Eastern Red Cedar

Happy Thanksgiving! Now that the turkey has been carved, Christmas tree sales will be ramping up. If you are planning on decorating a live tree this year, there are many varieties available for purchase. I am showcasing a few this week. Today's variety is the Eastern Redcedar.

Photo from Eastern NC Christmas Tree Growers' Association

The Eastern Redcedar is not a true cedar, but rather a juniper. The branches of young trees are compact and form a pyramidal crown. The fragrant leaves are a dark shiny green, although sharp and prickly.

Due to their natural, conical shape and ready supply, Eastern Redcedars were the most popular Christmas tree in the South prior to the availability of plantation grown Christmas trees. Redcedars remain a regional favorite in the South today, although they are mainly available only at cut and carry tree farms.

Fraser Fir
Scotch Pine

Christmas Trees Day 2 - Scotch (Scots) Pine

Thanksgiving is upon us, which means Christmas tree sales will be ramping up in the near future. If you are planning on decorating a live tree this year, there are many varieties available for purchase. This week I am showcasing a few of the favorites.

Photo from Mathisen Tree Farms

Scotch Pines are native to Asia and Europe and were brought to North America by European settlers. They have been cultivated in the eastern United States and Canada. The tree can grow at many different elevations under many different conditions and as a result has been widely planted. (The trees do not perform as well in North America as they do in their native habitats, however.)

Scotch Pines have dark green foliage and stiff branches, making them ideal for both light and heavy ornaments. The species boasts excellent needle retention, even when dry and has no problem holding its needles for the 3-4 week Christmas cycle. It is probably the most commonly used Christmas Tree in the United States.

Fraser Fir

Christmas Trees Day 1 - Fraser Fir

Thanksgiving is Thursday, which means Christmas tree sales will be ramping up in the near future. If you are planning on decorating a live* tree this year, there are many varieties available for purchase. I will spend the rest of the week showcasing a few.

The most popular variety is the Fraser Fir. This jewel of the southern Appalachian Mountains is named for John Fraser (1750-1811), a Scot botanist who explored the area in the late 18th century. The trees closely resemble Balsam Firs, although they grow in distinct geographical areas that do not overlap - this leads arborists to believe they were once a single species.

Photo from Green Acres

Fraser Firs are uniformly pyramidal and have flattened, dark green needles. These characteristics, combined with the Fraser's compact form, pleasant scent and ship-ability make it the most popular Christmas tree species. (It requires 7-10 years in the field to produce a 6-7 foot tree.) The tree has excellent needle retention.

*The trees are not actually alive, so why do we refer to them as "live" trees?

Acorn Production Varies From Year to Year

Have acorns been raining down from your Oak tree this year? I was visiting a friend's house the other day, and acorns seemed to be raining down from their tree. Every few seconds you could hear one drop.

Acorn crops are not constant. One year, like this one for my friend, you may have a bumper crop with more acorns than you can handle. Other years, you may have a difficult time finding any acorns.

The factors determining how many acorns are produced in a given year are not completely understood. Weather at the time of flowering is likely an important factor, however, there may also be internal systems in place that dictate how many acorns develop from year to year. For instance, following a lite year, there may be a heavier year, because the tree had extra energy to expend in the second year.

Whatever the reasons one thing is for sure, if you felt like you had an overabundance of acorns this year (or not enough), next year will surely be different.

2009 Fall Color = Spectacular

The drama of fall leaf color plays out as, well, a drama. Mother Nature can giveth and taketh away when it comes to fall leaf displays. Too wet, too dry, too hot, too cold? All of these factors come into play when you are talking about leaf changes.

This year, M.N. dazzled us. That's right, I said it, dazzled.

Were you as impressed?

Concerns about Mulch from Treated Trees

We use a lot of mulch at our house.

Mulch is definitely an added benefit to any landscape, but there are some uncertainties when it comes to knowing what mulch to use.

For instance: Is it okay to use mulch that is made from a tree that has been treated to protect it from disease or pest infestations?

The answer is yes. Plant protection products today are very selective. Your plants will not be harmed by coming into contact with mulch from a tree that may have been treated. (Furthermore, herbicides, which have the most potential to kill or harm plants, are not used on trees.)