Month: February 2019

Hickory Tree Facts, Diseases, and Care

Hickory tree in the fall with yellow foliage

Is the lack of information impacting your ability to care for and fight disease on the otherwise resilient hickory tree?

Hickory trees are among the most durable trees native to the United States. Any of the hickory tree species should be considered for your mid-sized or large landscape for their beauty and ease of care.

toddsmariettatreeservices.com gathered hickory tree facts, diseases, care tips, and answers some frequently asked questions.

Hickory Tree Facts

Hickory trees are a member of the Carya genus. There are about twenty species of hickory that comprise the genus, of which, 12 species are native to the United States.

Trees in the Carya genus are blooming and bearing tree species. Hickory trees are tough and durable, among the most long-lived, and are a frequent favorite in Southern landscaping.

Tree Name

Hickory

Scientific Name/Species

Carya tomentosa (most abundant of the hickories)

Family

Juglandaceae (walnut family)

Genus

Carya

Nickname/Other Tree(s)

Bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis), pignut or black hickory (Carya glabra), sand hickory (Carya palida), red hickory (Carya ovalis), and mockernut hickory (Carya tomentosa) are all species within the Carya genus

State Tree

Texas (pecan – Carya illinoinensis)

Lifespan

Can live up to 500 years or more when planted in optimal conditions

Type

Deciduous

Hardiness Zone(s)

from 4 to 8

Soil Requirements

Tolerates most soil types but in all cases, prefers well-drained soil with full sun exposure

Planting Spacing

20ft between trees

Watering Requirements

Regular (to keep the soil moist) when young or planted. Minimal (during dry spells) thereafter

Height

60 to 100ft

DBH

1 to 2ft at maturity

Crown Span

40ft or more at maturity (the shape may vary depending on the species)

Root Spread

Hickory trees are known for their deep, expansive, and robust root systems which help them from being uprooted during the strongest of winds and storms

Fruit Production

Hickories require a 10-15 year period of growth before they will bear fruit

Uses in Landscaping

Hickories make a magnificent specimen, screen, or large shade tree, and are well suited for more spacious landscapes

Winter/Fall Colors

Golden yellow before leaf-drop in the fall

Hickory Tree Diseases

Hickory trees are extremely tough and resilient to disease when they are healthy, and the following are some of the diseases to watch for:

Hickory Anthracnose/Leaf Spot – The symptoms include large reddish spots on leaf tops and brown spots underneath. When an infection is severe, early defoliation may occur.

Many of the fungi that cause this disease will survive the winter on fallen infected leaves. When these leaves fall, they should be carefully disposed of.

Hickory tree fallen autumn foliage

For more info on the anthracnose disease, visit toddsmariettatreeservices.com/how-to-identify-treat-prevent-anthracnose/

Verticillium Wilt – Symptoms of this infection include entire branches or a whole section of a tree dying off. The foliage on affected parts of the tree will wilt and turn brown.

Help your tree remain healthy by pruning out infected branches, watering during dry weather, and seasonal fertilization.

Powdery Mildew – This disease causes a white “powdery” growth on the leaves. When this disease occurs early in the growing season, it can be treated using the following:

• In one gallon of water, mix one tablespoon of baking soda with a one-half teaspoon of liquid soap (non-detergent).
• Spray liberally on affected foliage.

If this infection occurs late in the season, control will not be required. Make sure that fallen leaves are collected and disposed of.

Witches Broom – This disease will typically follow a leaf spot disease. Symptoms include yellow spots on leaf surfaces with white spots on the underneath side.

Defoliation may occur from severe infections, and when the disease successfully enters the stem, a witches broom will form.

Leaves on the witches broom stems will be small, yellowish, and fall prematurely. When witches brooms form, prune them away, and call a tree service to evaluate the overall health of the tree.

Cankers – Cankers occur when a tree’s bark is wounded, and an opportunistic fungus finds its way into the wound. As the fungus grows and multiplies, it stops the tree from compartmentalizing the wound and can eventually spread throughout the tree.

Cankers that appear on twigs and branches should be pruned out, cutting all the way back to the trunk when the infection is severe. Cankers that form on the trunk of a tree should be inspected by a tree service to determine the best course of action.

To prevent cankers from forming, keep your trees healthy by watering them when the weather is dry, seasonally fertilizing them, and pruning them during their dormancy.

To be best prepared for preventing potential danger, read signs and symptoms of a troubled tree.

Hickory Tree Care

Caring for trees of the hickory species is easy and includes:

• Watering when the weather is dry.
• Pruning during the dormant season.
• Annual fertilizing.
• Treating fungi when affected.
• Scheduling an annual inspection.

Hickory tree watering and care

For more valuable information on tree watering and soil needs, visit toddsmariettatreeservices.com/tree-watering-rich-soil-healthy-trees/

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Do all hickory trees produce nuts?
Answer: Yes. Hickory trees comprise the genus Carya (Ancient Greek for “nut”).

Question: Are hickory nuts edible for humans?
Answer: Yes. However, the flavor will vary from species to species.

Question: Are Hickory trees related to pecan trees?
Answer: Yes. In fact, the two are so closely related, they grow within the same hardiness zone and require the same care.

Hickory and pecan trees grow in the same hardiness zone and require equal care

Question: How long do hickory trees live?
Answer: Hickory trees are known to live beyond 500 years.

Question: What is hickory wood good for?
Answer: Being one of the strongest and hardest woods native to the United States, hickory is frequently used where shock-resistance and strength are required, such as wood flooring.

Hickory is also popular for smoking cured meats and cooking barbecue.

The Hickory Tree is a Perfect Landscape Specimen

Hickory trees from the Carya genus are easy to care for, and many of the species are native to the United States. These easy trees are among landscapers favorites for their resilience and ease of care.

In this article, you discovered hickory tree facts, diseases, care tips, and uncovered answers to frequently asked questions.

If the hickory tree isn’t a part of your landscape, you are missing out on a slow growing, beautifully shaped shade or screen tree. They are easy to plant and require minimal care efforts.

Sources:
http://hort.ufl.edu/database/documents/pdf/tree_fact_sheets/carovaa.pdf
http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/Survival/Pages/hickory.html
http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2013/10/25/the-hickory-tough-and-durable-landscape-trees/
https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/pecan-planting-fertilization/

https://plus.google.com/+Toddsmariettatreeservices

Todd’s Marietta Tree Services

200 Cobb Pkwy N Ste 428 Marietta, GA 30062
(678) 505-0266

The post Hickory Tree Facts, Diseases, and Care appeared first on http://www.toddsmariettatreeservices.com.

Can We Live Without Trees and How to Save Them

Deforestation and climate change lead to desolate land and crop failure

Without trees, we all die. Besides providing oxygen for us to breathe, trees make life on earth sustainable. Discover what is happening to the world’s trees and why we urgently need to stop senseless deforestation.

Trees affect everything from the air we breathe to the rain that falls from the sky. Without a robust population of trees, we die and so does our planet.

72tree.com gathered tree information, statistics, problems, and actions we can all take to preserve our trees and our habitable planet.

What Will Happen if We Cut Down All the Trees?

Right now, just over 3 trillion trees are growing on our planet. Every year, over 15 billion of those trees are felled or lost to natural disasters. At this rate, earth’s last tree will fall in roughly 200 years.

As earth’s tree population nears zero, the following will occur:

Oxygen and CO2 – Trees remove CO2 from the atmosphere and convert it to oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. Without them converting CO2 to oxygen, CO2 levels would begin to rise while oxygen levels would steadily fall.

Deforestation and climate change reduce oxygen and raise co2 levels in the air

Trees are responsible for 35% of the oxygen we breathe. The other 65% are produced by algae and phytoplankton in the oceans.

Flooding and Erosion – Without tree roots to absorb water and stabilize the soil, even the smallest of storms will result in significant flooding, topsoil erosion, and landslides.

Air and Soil Pollutants – Trees work nonstop to filter ammonia, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide from the air and soil.

Without trees, these pollutants would find their way into what crops are left and into the feed of what animals are left, not to mention the air we breathe.

Evapotranspiration – Without trees, the process of evapotranspiration would stop. This is the process of moistening the air which produces more clouds. Evapotranspiration is responsible for maintaining the delicate balance between fertile land and dry desolate desert.

Deforestation reduces evapotranspiration speeding up climate change

Fewer clouds mean less rain. With less rainfall, fertile land would dry up, fresh water sources would run out or stagnate, and agriculture will begin to fail on a global scale.

Acid Rain – Without trees to remove pollutants, what little rainfall remains would be mostly acidic. All remaining plant life would be crippled.

Global Warming – As the earth’s temperatures rise, the polar ice-caps would melt at an accelerated rate, causing ocean levels to rise and inundate coastal lands and freshwater sources.

As witnessed primarily in the south pole, the ice caps are already receding at an alarming pace, and if this melting isn’t slowed or stopped, it could threaten the survival of all wildlife within that ecosystem.

As the ice melts and causes desalinization in the oceans, weather patterns are subject to erratic change. Off-season snow storms, tsunamis, typhoons, hurricanes, and even blistering summers can all be driven by our raising global thermostat.

Deforestation and climate change cause polar ice to melt

Labored Breathing – With CO2 levels on the rise and oxygen levels depleted, people with respiratory and blood problems would be the first to die along with animals unable to cope with the atmospheric changes.

Extinction – Small animals which once depended on trees for food and shelter would be the first to perish. Within a short period, the natural food chain would begin to lose its structure, leaving carnivorous scavengers to likely last the longest.

As temperatures continue to rise, the oxygen levels in the atmosphere decrease, and food sources become even more scarce, the food chain – in its entirety – would eventually break down, leaving every living creature on the planet on a collision coarse with extinction. Including mankind.

The timeline and events portrayed above are a representation of the first fifty to one hundred years without trees.

Deforestation and climate change leave scavengers at the top of the food chain

What Can We Do to Stop Deforestation?

You alone can make a tremendous impact on the future of our planet’s tree population. The following are ways that you can help stop deforestation:

Plant a Tree – Every tree you plant slows down the effects of deforestation. However, planting a tree isn’t enough. It is just as important to keep that tree healthy and resistant to disease and insect infestation.

Adding to the complexity of this situation is the process of natural deforestation. This is when beetles and other boring insects successfully attack large numbers of trees in either urban settings or forests. As these trees die, they dry out and become fuel for wildfires.

Besides annual inspections of your trees, whenever you detect the presence of an infestation or disease, call an arborist to assess the situation and offer a course of action.

Planting trees to stop deforestation and climate change

you can discover more about tree health problems and solutions by visiting 72tree.com/9-common-tree-health-problems-solutions/

Go Paperless – Whenever possible, receive and pay bills online. With the technological advances we have at our fingertips, we are able to reduce the use of nearly all paper products drastically.

Recycle – For decades, companies and households of all sizes have been recycling. You can push this concept forward by only purchasing recycled paper products and by recycling yourself.

Look for Forest Stewardship Council Certification – This is known as FSC certification and can be found on wood, paper, and food products. Products with this certification are produced in sustainable ways and can be classified as follows:

Recycling to stop deforestation and climate change

• FSC 100% includes products that come from FSC-certified forests.
• FSC Recycled means the wood or paper within a product is sourced from reclaimed material.
• FSC Mixed means at least 70 percent of the wood in a product comes from FSC-certified or recycled material, and that 30 percent is made of controlled wood.

Eat Vegetarian – By eating vegetarian or vegan meals as often as possible, you are reducing the demand for livestock, thereby reducing the need for deforestation to graze the animals.

Teach Others about Sustainability – The most impactful thing you can do to save our trees and forests is to teach others how to live sustainably.

According to recent research, nearly half of the world’s trees have been lost over the past 12,000 years to agriculture and population growth, and at the rate trees are currently being cut down, they will be gone in 200 years unless we take action to prevent it.

Wildlife depends on stopping deforestation and climate change

What Can We Do to Save Trees

As mentioned above, planting a tree helps turn back the effects of deforestation, while saving trees is a bit different. To save a tree, you don’t necessarily need to travel to the forest and stand in the way of a bulldozer.

You can save trees every day by caring for the ones that surround you:

• Plant trees in their hardiness zone.
• Plant trees in locations where they can grow freely.
• Adjust soil conditions to match your trees’ needs.
• Prune your trees as it grows.
• Water your trees during dry weather.
• Learn to identify signs of disease and infestation.
• Schedule annual inspections by an arborist.
• When a tree becomes a hazard, have it removed.

That last bullet point may have confused you. There are times when tree diseases or infestations can pose a grave threat to the surrounding ecosystem. In such cases, removing the tree may be the only practical option to protect other trees.

Tree cutting pruning and removal to protect neighboring woods

Cutting Down Trees Affects Us and Our Environment

All living creatures including mankind need trees to breathe, eat, and live. Life on earth, at all levels, depends on the abundant existence of a healthy tree population.

In this article, you discovered important tree population information, statistics, problems, and actions we can take to care for our trees and keep our planet habitable.

Ignoring that there is a problem only allows the problem to flourish. If we are to preserve our planet, each of us must take action in some way to keep our trees healthy and rely less on the material possessions that encourage deforestation.

Sources:
https://blogs.worldbank.org/opendata/five-forest-figures-international-day-forests
https://www.epa.gov
https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/forests/solutions-to-deforestation/
https://www.ucsusa.org/global-warming/solutions/stop-deforestation
https://ic.fsc.org/en/what-is-fsc-certification
https://www.nature.com/articles/nature14967

This article was first published on: http://www.72tree.com/can-we-live-without-trees-how-to-save-them/

Will Ice Damage My Trees?

Ice on TreesIf you were to make a list of things that could damage the trees on your property, what would be some of the chief culprits? If you’re like most people, you’d say wind, rain, critters and disease. But would you say ice?

Typically, people forget about ice when it comes to damaging trees because ice storms don’t happen that often– but when they do, you can bet some trees suffer in your neighborhood.

If and when cold rain falls and freezes as ice it will then stick to bark and branches even more easily than snow. Since ice is heavy, it can break small branches off a tree because they can’t bear the weight. When ice and wind mix, it’s even worse!

Damage to Trees Caused By Ice

Ice can cause broken limbs which will eventually need to be removed. A really cold, bad ice storm could end up killing a tree, though thankfully this is rare…

What can you do to help protect your trees from ice storm damage?

• For smaller trees, you can wrap them in carpet or cloth. You can also utilize tree cabling and bracing which will help reduce stress on your trees. Generally, you’d want a professional from a company like Big Foot Tree Service to install flexible steel cables so they’re set up in a proper way.

• Depending on where you live, consider that certain species of trees can handle ice storms better than others. Therefore, don’t buy/plant delicate ones.

• If you want to help ensure your trees grow up with a sound structure that can “weather” storms well, then it’s a good idea to prune them when they’re young. “Structural pruning” will help correct problems before they get out of hand. Meanwhile, having a professional “check on” a tree, no matter what its age, will help identify if it has any weaknesses, diseases, or stress points that need attention. The more healthy and strong a tree, the better chance it has to handle an ice storm and not have major damage.

In New Jersey, you should call Big Foot Tree Service for all your tree needs– the number is 973-885-8000 for a fast response. If ice has messed with trees on your property, call Big Foot for help to remedy problems.

This post first appeared on https://www.bigfoottreeservice.com

Coming Up With A Tree Protection Plan

A large, old tree with many branches in a park-like setting

A tree protection plan isn’t just beneficial to the trees that are being protected. It’s also a way to beautify our surroundings while providing quantifiable benefits to the environment. What’s more, a tree protection plan is in many locales an absolute requirement, especially in situations involving ongoing construction and other potentially disruptive events.

A tree protection plan for Portland, Oregon, is critical to sustaining our beloved and much-ballyhooed urban tree canopy. That’s one of the reasons why the city of Portland keeps a close watch on tree welfare during construction. The city argues — rightfully so — that protecting trees during construction “helps save both trees and property from potential damage.”

At Urban Forest Pro (UFP), we’re proud to be one of Portland’s Local Tree Care Providers. That means UFP is licensed, has completed a Local Tree Care Providers Workshop, and has no tree code violations within the past year.

Contact Urban Forest Pro today to speak with a certified arborist about how best to generate a tree protection plan that works for you and your property.

Tree Protection Plan

What goes into a workable and effective tree protection plan for Portland, Oregon, property owners? It depends on a number of factors, including:

  • What season it is
  • If construction is happening nearby
  • If power lines hang nearby
  • If the tree is close to a structure
  • If the tree overhangs a roof

Tree protection plans, developed by a certified arborist, should address these factors and then put forth a solution that best meets the needs of the property owner and the property itself.

For example, a proper plan will protect the tree during construction by preventing any part of the tree from coming into contact with equipment or construction materials. This will minimize disturbances to the while also ensuring that the tree’s soil and roots remain intact.

The city of Portland divides tree protection plans into two broad categories:

  1. Prescriptive Path: This involves the establishment of a root protection zone designed to keep construction activity away from that zone. In Portland, city code requires a root protection zone to encompass “a 1-foot radius from the center of the trunk per inch of tree diameter.” Thus, a 24-inch diameter tree requires a 24-inch radius root protection zone.
  2. Performance Path: This method of protecting trees from the adverse effects of construction and other disruptions is a modification of the Prescriptive Path. Generally speaking, there are alternative measures that can be employed if and when it’s considered impractical to establish a root protection zone. But there are a few standards that still apply. For example, in the city of Portland, an arborist could prepare an alternative root protection method after examining the site and the tree. In lieu of a root protection zone, measures must be in place to provide “an adequate level of protection, based on the findings from the site visit.” Furthermore, the tree must still be designated as protected with the installment of fencing and signage.

Urban Forest Pro: Certified Arborists

Urban Forest Pro is a full-service tree-care company. Every member of UFP’s tree-service crews — from salespeople to the arborists in the trees — has been certified by the International Society of Arboriculture. So when we put together a tree protection plan, you can be sure that it’s backed by data, experience, and expertise.

Developing a tree protection plan can involve a lot of tree-care services, all of which are provided by the tree specialists at Urban Forest Pro. They include:

  • Tree pruning
  • Tree removal
  • Tree cabling
  • Tree relocation
  • Tree replanting
  • Tree assessment

As the Audubon Society of Portland cautions, “It is critical to know your local government’s regulations protecting (or not protecting) urban trees and programs promoting tree planting.”

The best way to stay on top of these regulations is to partner with the certified arborists at Urban Forest Pro.

Contact UFP today to get started on a partnership that gets the job done while still protecting our beautiful urban forest canopy.

This post first appeared on https://www.urbanforestprofessionals.com

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