"This time of year I always get nervous, watching the hurricanes and tropical storms form. I start worrying that a tree might fall on my house"

A lot of people ask me this question and they know they should do something, but what?

Hurricane season is here and now is the time for you to act - Don’t wait until after a storm has developed. Falling trees and limbs cause hundreds of millions of dollars of damage each year, as well as personal injuries and deaths. You are the first line of defense when it comes to preventing storm damage to your property or injury from storm damaged trees. Walk around your property today and examine your trees. Some potential problems are easy to spot. These include: cracks in the trunk or major limbs, dead trees, hollow and decayed trees, trees that look one-sided or lean significantly, branches hanging over the house near the roof, limbs in contact with power lines, fungus growing from the bark, indicating a decayed or weakened stem, V-shaped forks rather than U-shaped ones (V-shaped are more likely to split), crossing branches that rub or interfere with one other. If you see areas of concern, call me and I will be happy to visit with you and inspect your trees for your peace of mind. I will give you a free estimate of any work is required. As a licensed arborist, I am also able detect more subtle signs of potential trouble. Often, by using proper pruning techniques, we can prevent many problems. Prompt removal of diseased, damaged or dead material will reduce the possibility of future storm damage. Pruning can also have other benefits. For instance, pruning a dense canopy reduces its wind resistance and mass while permitting better air circulation and sunlight penetration. Pruning also helps provide proper shape and improves the overall health and vigor of the tree. Action now can prevent big problems later; call me to set up an appointment.

By Sprigs & Twigs, Inc.
A Full-service Tree Care Company that offers Tree Pruning, Tree Removal, Cabling/Bracing, Tree Fertilization and Soil Aeration Serving Southeast Connecticut.

http://www.sprigsandtwigs.net/

If your tree has weakly attached stems and needs cables what do you need to know as a smart consumer and to hire the right company?

Arborists use steel (static) and synthetic rope (dynamic) cable systems to support weak or damaged areas of a tree's crown or stem. The nature of a defect determines the need to use either a static or dynamic system. Static systems are mostly used to brace trees that have already begun to fail or for older trees that are unlikely to move in all but the strongest of winds. Dynamic systems are best suited for the faster growing species and or younger trees that are more likely to move in light to moderate winds. An example of an effective dynamic cable system is the Cobra system or the Tree-Saver system.

Cables, both static and dynamic, are placed in the upper third of a tree's crown. The position of a cable is vital to its effectiveness. A good static cable system is composed of high strength steel cable and forged eye bolts that are drilled through the tree. It isn't recommended anymore to use j-hooks or lag bolts. Some trees do not respond well to the rigidity of a static system, so good judgment must be used in choosing this method.

There are professional standards in place to help arborists determine the appropriate size and number of cables to use. Trees with multiple trunks and branch unions with "included bark" are common examples of conditions we cable. Included bark is when two limbs, in close proximity to one another, form a seam and appear to be connected, but are not. Remember, an improperly installed cable can actually do more harm than good, so ask questions and entrust your trees to a qualified professional.

Brad Durfee
CT Licensed Arborist #S-4283
Senior Arborist
Sprigs & Twigs Inc
www.sprigsandtwigs.net

Never Apply Paint To A Tree Wound

DO NOT apply paint, tar or anything else to a wound of a tree. Covering a tree wound actually seals in disease and bacteria potentially causing more harm than good. Covering a wound can also create an environment more favorable to wood decay fungus and make it harder to monitor a tree’s health.

When a tree has a wound, it repairs itself by “sealing” the wound (adding new wood over the damaged area - a process that takes years) and not by “healing” or replacing damaged tissue. Some paint-on products such as those containing petroleum, actually prevent or delay the sealing of a wound. How fast a tree covers over an injury is dictated by the species of tree, health of the tree, and size or shape of the wound. The larger the wound, the longer it takes to close and the more likely it is for the site to become a cavity. It is best, whenever possible, to avoid making large cuts on trees.

Occasionally, I am asked about the wisdom of filling tree trunk cavities with cement. While this practice might seem to be a good way to stabilize a hollowedout tree, cement actually makes the tree base unusually rigid which can overly restrict a tree’s movement in high winds. Even when cement is present in small amounts, it does nothing to resist wood decay and wood destroying insects, they just go around it. Do not fill trunk cavities with cement; tree bracing and
sometimes removal may be the best solution.

Brad Durfee
Senior Arborist
CT Licensed Arborist #S-4283
Sprigs & Twigs, Inc.
A Southeastern Connecticut Tree Services Company

Things to keep in mind when planting trees at your new home

The first and most important rule is: "Right tree for the right site". This crucial step is more than half the battle when it comes to the performance, establishment, and long-term success of a planting. Three major mistakes people make when selecting the right tree are:

• Ignoring the sun or shade requirement
• Proximity to the home or other plants
• The presence of overhead lines.

Read the tag at the nursery and imagine the tree at that site in the distant future, not just the time you may be there-but long after. Here are a few suggestions for planting trees. Wider is always better than deeper when digging holes for trees. Always remove, as best you can, any burlap and/or metal cage around the root ball. Be careful not to break-up the root ball while removing its wrappings or while moving the tree to its site. Remove any tags and stake the taller trees for increased stability throughout their first year. Stakes work best when used in pairs or three for larger plants. When you are all done you should be able to see the root flare of your tree. The root flare is usually the widest part of the stem and is where the largest roots are to be found. Apply a thin layer of mulch, no more than 3" deep, and water deeply when finished. Young trees need to be watered every week, depending on rainfall, especially throughout July and August. The early morning or evening is the best time to water and try to avoid drenching the foliage too often. Keep an eye on your trees and watch for wilting, don't be afraid to water whenever they begin to wilt. Avoid using sprinklers, a slow steady soaking is best for watering trees. Observe these basic guidelines and you should be fine, good luck and have fun.

Brad Durfee
Sr. Arborist
New London County Landscaper

How Much Mulch Should You Apply Beneath Trees?

You should have no more than three inches of mulch, total (new and old) and it should not be piled against the stem(s) of the tree. When you are finished mulching, the root flares of the trees should still be visible. You see overmulched trees everywhere; despite that, it is still wrong and is actually cheaper and easier to do it the right way! Over-mulching blocks water from reaching the roots and reduces air movement throughout the soil, decreasing root growth. Girdling or strangling roots are also commonly caused by excessive mulch and soil above the root flare and stem. These damaging roots cause the decline and/or death of many young trees. Before applying new mulch to an existing bed it is important to break-up the old mulch. This prevents "caking" and allows air and water to better reach the roots. If the previous year's mulch is thick enough already, breaking it up and “fluffing” it with a rake will make it look fresh again and new mulch may not be necessary. If you have had some insect or fungal problems with your trees, it is recommended that old mulch be removed completely and replaced.

By Brad Durfee
Senior Arborist
Sprigs & Twigs Tree Service

New London County, Connecticut
www.sprigsandtwigs.net
CT Licensed Arborist #S-4283

Is there a way to make my trees shorter and safer?

A tall tree is not necessarily a dangerous tree. A structurally sound and properly maintained tree can safely sway in the wind and withstand tremendous forces without damaging its surroundings. Removal of poorly attached and dead limbs as well as cabling and/or bracing of multiple stems are all tools at an arborists’ disposal to make a tree safer for severe weather situations. Arborists, who follow the recommendations of the International Society of Arboriculture and the Connecticut Tree Protective Association, do not practice “topping”. Topping is the removal of the leaf bearing portion of a tree’s crown. The overall health and vigor of a tree is greatly reduced by the loss of its leaves. Also, a tree must use stored resources, which may or may not be present, to replace its lost crown and close over wounds from large and improperly made cuts. If a tree survives this initial cutting, any further growth will be poorly attached and ultimately undermined by wood decay as it spreads from the old topping cuts. Although topping may help someone feel safer at first, this practice actually creates the situation it was supposed to prevent: an unsafe tree. If after talking to an arborist, you feel your trees cannot be made safe enough for your comfort, then perhaps removal is your best option. Removal and replacement with a smaller statured tree is a great alternative to creating an eyesore and safety hazard around your home by topping a tree.

By Brad Durfee
CT Licensed Arborist #S-4283
Sprigs & Twigs Tree Service
Gales Ferry, Connecticut

Spikes or Ropes When Pruning a Tree?

I was contacted by someone having one of their trees pruned in their backyard and she told me one tree company said they would “spike” the tree while another said they use ropes to climb the tree. She wanted to know if it matters which method is used?

I told her that it certainly does matter. Climbing “spikes”, “spurs”, “gaffs” or “climbers” are steel shanks that are kicked into the tree by a climber to assist them in moving around and remaining in trees. These methods put holes through the bark of a tree and do a great deal of injury to the delicate structures beneath the bark.

Disease, wood decay fungus and insects can then attack a tree through these wound sites and do further damage. For these reasons the ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) as well as our very own CTPA (Connecticut Tree Protective Association) considers it unethical for climbers to spike trees unless they are being removed. The preferred method for pruning a tree is to use ropes. Through various equipment and knots a climber is able to move up or down the rope and move around the tree crown without damaging the tree. Rope climbing, the technique used by professional arborists, requires much more time, equipment and training than spike climbing. Spike climbing, due to its traumatic nature, is not an acceptable method for tree maintenance or a means to achieve long-term tree health.

Brad Durfee,
CT Licensed Arborist S-4283
Senior Arborist
Sprigs & Twigs, Inc.
http://www.sprigsandwigs.net