Posts Tagged ‘trees’

Guest Blogger & Arborist Katy on the Spiritual Side of Trees

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Guest Blogger Katy Krokower on a few reasons to appreciate trees…oh to have a chance to climb a tall, tall tree and find some peace there:

So, I missed the boat blogging about trees on Climate Change Day but hey, there’s really no time like the present to remind you what they are doing for you as you go about your busy day: Retaining water, converting carbon dioxide, lowering your heating and cooling bills – all this and more, while you’re busy sucking up your morning coffee! (more…)

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Every Gardening Failure is a Learning Tool

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

Every successful gardener knows that if you haven’t killed something in the garden, you aren’t really gardening.

Mined Rainbow Chard Leaves

Mined Rainbow Chard Leaves

And, we all know that every gardening year is different. We strive to put the right plant in the right place, rotate our crops, test and amend our soil, prune properly, find balance managing our flora and fauna pests, yet among our victories come failures. From our failures, we learn and become better gardeners. Each year something in my garden inevitably goes wrong and becomes a learning experience. It may be the result of something I did (or didn’t do) or it may just be the result of nature being unpredictable. Regardless, failures are humbling and they help me grow. Admitting them isn’t always easy, but here goes. Maybe they’ll help you as well.

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Arborist and Garden Coach Discuss Gardening Around Established Trees

Saturday, April 25th, 2009

Barbara from Lancaster, CA writes:

“We just purchased a house with a beautiful, very old birch (weeping) tree in the front yard. A large area around the tree is raised due to roots and many years of growing. We\’d like to keep the tree as it is huge. It was probably planted when the house was built. That was 1965. We need to roto-till the entire yard to put down a new lawn. What should we do about the raised tree area? We could put a large, very large circular brick wall around it but then could we put dirt over the roots near the surface to plant some small shrubs, flowers? What to do, what to do?”

Hi Barbara, Katy here,

How great is is that you have purchased a piece of history and are interested in preserving it!?!

I’m not sure why you are rototilling to make a new lawn- perhaps drainage problems you’re trying to remedy? In any event, keep that rototiller out of the “drip line” of the tree. The drip line is area directly located under the outer circumference of the tree branches. This is where the tiny rootlets are located that take up water and nutrients for the tree. A tree can be significantly and sometimes unpredictably damaged once these roots have been disturbed. Furthermore, knowing how a specific roots connect to the upper parts of a tree is little understood – you might end up damaging an area connected to a branch that you’d really like to save.

Building a retaining wall to with the intention to add a bunch of new soil is also isn’t great for a tree. However, covering the surface roots with 2″ to 4″ of compost or mulch will help keep roots cooler and reduce the effect of soil compaction. Too much more soil than that can actually cause the roots to smother. Your surface roots might also be pointing to your type of soil – clayey? Not well drained? The tree might just be trying to get it’s light and air from a easier place than in heavy compacted or dense dirt.

People do install plants under trees and getting the right plant for the right place will help them succeed. But often one or the other wins, no matter how much love is given. If you do plant it is most important to take care not to water the tree trunk as you’re watering the new plants. A constantly wet trunk can becomes a thriving fungus community fast.

Good luck!

_______

Barbara, thanks for writing in. Robin here. I just had to chime in on this as well. So often clients believe rototilling is the answer to renovating a lawn space, when often it isn’t necessary. You may just need to have it thatched, aerated, limed, composted, seeded and then properly mowed and watered. Tearing all of it out and starting over doesn’t always solve on-going lawn issues. But, as Katy hinted at, we aren’t quite sure why you’re planning to till, so it’s difficult for us to know for certain. If you do till in that area and you hit some bigger roots that have expanded out of the “zone” Katy indicated, be sure to stop the tiller and use a sterile saw to cut the root clean on the side that connects it to the tree. This will help the tree help itself in the long run. If you leave the roots torn up, it may be harder for the tree to recover.

Katy also hinted at knowing your soil. I highly recommend you order a soil test to know what kind of soil you’re working with, what pH you have and what its nutrient situation is. This will help you choose the right course of action for preparing your soil to keep both your lawn and your trees (and anything else) happy. University of Massachusetts at Amherst has a soil testing lab that is relatively inexpensive and very comprehensive. You’ll find details here.

Thanks for writing in and have fun in the garden.

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Free Trees, Free Garden Show and Free Help from Katy!

Friday, March 6th, 2009

This just in from Guest Blogger & ISA Certified Arborist, Katy Krokower:

Katy Krokower: Certified Arborist

Katy Krokower: Certified Arborist

I’m pleased to announce that I’ll have a small booth for my business at the upcoming Bainbridge Island Home and Garden show. Yep, I’ll be sitting there all day eager to give advice, talk trees or say just hello. Did I mention there will be free trees??

If you know anyone who has a burning tree question and would like it answered as best I can for *free* and in person please send them along to the show.

  • Where: Bainbridge Island Home and Garden Show
  • When: Saturday, March 7, 2009, 9am – 5pm
  • Cost: Free Admission
  • What: Vendors, Speakers, Workshops, Demos
  • Theme: Going Green

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Seattle Street Tree Ordinance Update

Saturday, February 28th, 2009

Late last year, I shared with garden help readers that the Seattle Street Tree Ordinance was up for review. Recently, I received the an update from Seattle City Councilperson Jean Godden (mailto: Jean.Godden@seattle.gov). Here’s what Jean had to say:

“…I am pleased to report that the council voted 8-1 in favor of the Interim Tree Protections Proposal. I was happy to support this proposal and will work hard to see that its intended goal, to preserve and enhance the city’s tree canopy, is met.

As you may know, this bill limits tree removal to no more than three trees of 6 inches or greater in diameter per lot in any one year period on single-family zoned lots that are at least 5,000 square feet, or on any sized lot in a lowrise, midrise or commercial zone. It also prohibits the removal of exceptional trees. Routine pruning of trees that are hazardous or whose removal is required for construction of anew structure under an approved building or grading permit are exempt from the new limits.

The new law also expands the definition of “exceptional tree” to include the phrase “group of trees”; establishes specific rules and regulations concerning how violations of the tree ordinance will be handled; establishes a formalized process for review and potential appeal of any violation, and increases the minimum penalty for violations from $500 to $5,000….My Regards, Jean…”
Additional Reading:

Further information on street tree permitting

Street Tree Planting Procedure Information

Why the Changes were Proposed

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