Have you ever come outside and seen a branch laying on the ground or perhaps heard a loud crack and fall? A branch can crack and break anytime wind, snow, ice or just gravity puts more pressure on it than it can handle. Branches grow to withstand a certain amount of these forces but they also can develop weak spots, called defects, around which they can break easier than normal. Holes, clustered branches, inclusions, and cankers caused by infection are some examples of weak areas in a tree.
A branch can also break on a hot, dry day due to a moisture imbalance within the wood which causes the wood fibers to separate. This is called “summer branch drop” and it’s still not fully understood by tree experts.
Lastly, wood strength varies greatly by species. For example, White Pines are naturally more prone to breaking under high storm winds than Oaks. And certain trees are prone to developing defects such as the Bradford Pear which develops multiple branches originating from one spot on the trunk.
If you have a tree that has a break or crack and it is concerning to you, it’s best to have an arborist check it out in a Hazard Inspection.
In the forest, soil nutrition comes from decaying organic matter on the ground, but in urban and suburban environments, soil composition and water drainage has been significantly disturbed, and gardens and yards are cleaned of organic debris. This is why tree and shrub owners might consider using fertilizers annually or as needed. Choosing a fertilizer wisely can help you maintain a healthy landscape in a timeframe, budget and method that best suits you.
When shopping for a fertilizer, there are 3 things to decide on:
1. Ratio of N-P-K. Each macronutrient (Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium) promotes different plant reactions, which is the significance of the numbers. Fertilizers with higher rates of Nitrogen encourages abundant new leaf growth, high Phosphorous encourages root growth and Potassium encourages drought tolerance and winter hardiness. For these reasons, Fertilizers that are high in N are applied in the spring and high in K in the Fall.
2. Synthetic/Chemical or Organic. Organic Fertilizers have lower N-P-K amounts than Synthetic ones. Organic fertilizers are made from composted organic materials like fish, blood, manure, etc. and can increase soil activity and structure. Synthetic fertilizers are fast acting and are sometimes blended with pesticides or have other engineered properties such as slow release biodegradable capsules.
3. Granular or Liquid formulas. Granular may be a good choice if you already have a spreader handy, whereas some liquid products are available that you can attach onto your hose end for easy spray application.
*Always follow application rates on products to avoid pollution, plant injury and/or pest problems.
The short answer is NO. Many people have seen or heard of wound sealants and wonder if they should be using them for the tree’s health. The tree care industry has done a 180 on this topic, from advocating to discouraging their use, which has confused many. This was a common practice decades ago; old tree care texts recommended it and sealant products are still sold at many garden centers. Many substances had been used from roofing tar to latex house paints. It was believed that using these on trees kept out fungi after a cut exposed its vascular tissues.
Research has since shown that tree cuts need open air to trigger natural wound sealing properties. Trees contain chemicals that inhibit fungi and resist decay in the area where a branch meets the main trunk. This area, called the branch collar, is where we are supposed to make our final pruning cut when removing a branch for this very reason. Therefore, the best way to guard against fungi and decay development is to make accurate and judicious cuts and let them breathe.
Are you wondering why your shrubs didn’t have many flowers or any at all? Here are a handful of reasons why this can happen and some solutions to consider.
