|
|
|
|
| Prepare your Garden for FALL |
|
|
|
|
|
Greetings!
The last 10 days of weather has been anything, but normal, but fits right in with this year. Although the weather is unusual, I certainly prefer heat and dizzle to the Santa Ana Winds. We used to measure the fall by how many trees came down in our neighborhood. It's been a few years now since the last bad blow.
Prevention is the key to avoiding plant damage. Pruning, staking, and proper irrigation are important.
|
Thin out your tree's canopy
 If your tree is over 20 feet tall let an arborist to do the pruning.
Generally tree limbs break when they catch too much wind. A rule of thumb is to cut out enough foliage so that you can see through about 50% of the tree's silhouette.
When the tree is young, pruning technique is not as important as just making certain that the wind won't blow the tree down. Here are some general guidelines.
Conifers (pines, cedars, cypresses, etc.) typically need little pruning, unless lopsided.
The strongest shape for most other trees is called a "delayed vase". This is a single, straight central leader with side branches coming off at even intervals in a spiral pattern up the trunk. The angle of the side branches should be between 20-60 degrees above horizontal. No tree is perfect, but this is what we would like to see.
The next strongest shape is a true "vase". This is a single trunk dividing in a "y" pattern into 2, then 4, then 16, etc.
With both "vase" and "delayed vase" you do not want a lot of branches originating at the same point. Crowded branches tend to split or break.
Although the tips of all branches can be cut back, I make certain that each tip ends with a leaf. You can remove entire branches, or cut a long branch back to a smaller side branch.
It is important not to "top" a tree, that is cut a central leader or major branch (thicker than your thumb) to a stub. New growth that results is weakly attached and too vigorous and will break off easily in a future wind storm.
Details on proper pruning techniques can be found on the internet under "pruning tree branches edu".
|
 Stake Trees Securely
All newly installed trees should be staked for the first year or two. Even trees with sturdy trunks won't yet have the root strength to avoid blowing over in a strong wind. I prefer growing trees without a stake as they grow straighter and stronger on their own. However, a powerful wind can destroy a young tree. There are ways to stake that minimize any negative influence.
The strongest way to secure a tree is with guy wires, however, wires are difficult to see and very hazardous in a home garden. If you do use them the wires should descend from the trunk to a stake in the ground at a 45 degree angle. Normally 3 wires are used, roughly 120 degrees apart. For safety, string a pvc tube through each wire for padding and to increase visibility.
The recommended method is to support a tree with 2 sturdy stakes. The stakes should be located on opposite sides of the trunk about 12 inches away in a line that perpendicular to the strongest wind. The tree is secured with one tie to each stake at about 1/2 the height of the tree. This technique allows the tree to flex without bending too far. The tree's trunk has to flex in order to get stronger.
Unless the tree is very small, use lodgepole stakes, or at least 2" redwood. Thinner stakes will break with a strong wind.
It is a good idea to redo the ties after 10-12 months. This prevents the growing bark from incorporating the tie into the trunk.
|
|
|
|
MAKING TREES STRONGER
It is well documented that staking a tree securely makes it structurally weaker. Just like putting your leg in a cast. The trunk and branches need to move in order to get stronger. When staking a tree our goal is to allow movement, but not so much that the trunk might break.
The trunk is essentially made up of columns of cells that transport fluids into each branch, twig and leaf. The more foliage the tree has the thicker the trunk will be. Young trees should be allowed to keep lower branches and leaves until well developed. When the trunk bends, the columns of cells inside are pulled apart. When this happens the plant fills the empty spaces with plant glue, lignin. Lignin can make the trunk substantially thicker and stronger.
When a tree is tied closely to a single, rigid stake the trunk doesn't develop well and often can't support itself when untied. Proper staking and/or pruning can remedy the problem.
In greenhouses plant grow tall and spindly because of the very still air Growers found that a fan blowing air over the plants made them stouter and sturdier. It was also found that bending plants manually once per week made them just as sturdy as a fan constantly blowing.
Handling your plants will make them stronger!
|
26285 Verona Place
Mission Viejo, California 92692
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
