10 Jul Tree Maintenance – Interview
INTERVIEW
See the Tree Maintenance interview of Taylor Crawford the Arborist at The Sprucery.
Channel 9News – Colorado Company
When is the right time to do tree maintenance?
It’s dependent on the tree! Prune Maple trees in the fall or winter when sap is slowest, so the trees don’t bleed. Prune fruit bearing trees are in around the same time to prevent the spread of fire blight which is a common bacterial infection. Certain fruit trees can get. Prune an Elm or a Canada Red Chokecherry tree in early summer in preparation for secondary growth. This will prevent long and leggy unwanted growth. Some trees prefer after the flowers are expired, or when the sap flows slowest, or when you require a particular aesthetic to reveal itself at a certain time.
What are your recommendations for fertilizing trees?
Don’t fertilize with high nitrogen feeds with a new transplant. The tree is focusing more on root growth and not foliage growth at this this time. So, think about what the tree needs and give it what it can use at that point and time. Give it a root stimulator, Mycorrhizae, phosphorus or potassium, cold pressed kelp, fish hydrolysate, or any other root agents that are scientifically proven to aid in root growth for the transplant process. Apply a higher nitrogen feed after establishment for increased foliage growth. Provide the tree, higher phosphorus, and Cassian feeds come time for flowers or fruit. This will help with budding, flower production, and fruit.
Do you need to prune? When do you need to prune?
Yes, and it depends. On trees, pruning allows air to pass through and less surface area for snow to gather on. It is important to not only do this for aesthetics, but to keep in mind the practicality of having certain branches over others. This leads way to selective pruning. Selective Pruning of primary and secondary branches of a tree will give way to healthy tertiary branches and healthy/strong growth. The tree puts energy into healthy branches that are practical and strong.
Furthermore, by pruning, we are creating less surface area for snow to gather on which may break a weak branch under normal snow load. A similar example could be said about fruit trees and how they can snap under the abundant amount of fruit produced on one branch. By pruning out week and impractical branches, the tree puts more energy into branches that will prove to be more sustainable and fruitful over time. We give the tree a better fighting chance at defending itself and fighting back against these common seasonal stressors.
I thought a tree was dead. I cut it down to the ground. Then it came back. Is the tree going to be a healthy tree?
Downward movement of auxin and cytokinin activity in the roots. Dependent on the root stock and scion, where are the new trees coming from? Root stock or scion? Healthy? Usually grown or bred for a reason. Like size, appearance, or aesthetic to make it stand out. If from root stock, may be an undesirable tree.
What about those sucker that pop up all over the yard?
Suckers come from the roots, same as aspens, cottonwoods, willows, poplars, birches. It’s how they repopulate themselves. Evolution of the plant allows it to populate in this manner to spread and create generations of trees.
What can we find at the Sprucery?
22 acres of beauty. It’s why I enjoy coming to work every day and we are rapidly accumulating everything you could possibly need or desire to have in your yard.
After visiting The Sprucery Garden Center and experiencing what they have to offer, you will have learned something new and be able to grow your favorite trees, shrubs, and flowers. Subsequently, this results in an outdoor space you can truly admire. Also to follow their journey join on Instagram at www.instagram.com/thesprucerygardencenter or the website here.