Understanding Trees .

1
Understanding Trees .

• Trees from start to finish
• Whos at fault

2
How Do Trees Grow in a Woods?

• Understanding Tree Morphology

3
The Seed Falls To the Ground

• The Seed is seldom if ever buried in the forest
  soil .
• The Root radical grows into the ground
• The Stem pushes up right to the sunlight
• Interface develops at the soil line ( as God
  intended it ,who do you think you are )

4
Tree Morphology

• Understanding that that Trunk and Root Tissue is
  Different
• Root tissue is much denser than stem tissue.
• Roots have to grow and push soil aside as they
  grow .
• Stem tissue grows through air with little
  resistance . They must be able to flex in the
  wind.

5
Trees in its early years

• Understanding Roots
• Main Order Roots- Large lateral roots that forms
  the trunk flare . This also form the basal forms
  the basal plate.

6
Trees in its Early Years

• Understanding Roots
• Adventitious Roots- roots that develop on trunk
  tissue that is darkened. The same buds will form
  branches if exposed to sunlight. ( auxin is
  destroyed by sunlight)

7
Adventitious Roots are a Sign of Problems

• The above ground portions of the tree are in a
  environment where roots can grow. ( Darkened by
  planting to deep or over mulched)
• These are not found in natural environment .

8
Adventitious Roots are a Sign of Problems

• When planted to deep a gap will form around the
  trunk.
• Adventitious roots grow rapidly in that opening
  and dont grow out into that soil .

9
Halo Effect

• Roots will Grow at and Near the Surface of the
  Soil.
• When main order roots are buried deep they will
  grow upward to the optimal growing region of 6
  to 8 inches of the surface, depending to soil
  types.
• Once roots are deflected more than 30 they will
  not return to the original direction of growth .
• Once roots have turned 90 they will grow in
  random directions ( halo )

10
Halo Effect

• )

11
Take Home Message 1.
When root tissue comes in contact with stem
tissue , either from the same tree or other
trees, the root tissue will crush the trunk or
stem tissue . This will slow and eventual stop
the stems function.
12
Take Home Message 2.

• If the tree is buried to deep it will never
  anchor itself properly due to the main order
  roots not being able to develop a basal plate.
  Instead they will develop a serpentine or halo
  root system that will eventually girdle the tree.

13
What are the Long term Effects

• Life expectance of less than 15 years , less than
  5 inch caliper.( because of stem girdling roots,
  planted to deep or overmulching)
• These are trees that have been planted in the
  last 5 to 8 years .
• No mature urban forest. Trees have a positive
  effect on the urban environment starting at 30
  years of age.
• Extremely expensive to replace these trees . It
  takes a tree to grow to 25 to 30 years to become
  cost effective.

14
How Do We Do It Right?

• Growing the tree right .
• Trees are planted deep promote adventitious
  roots to formed early.
• These can occur on cutting and seed grown trees.
• These roots will have minimal effect on the trees
  growth in the nursery. (field or container)
• These roots will not have a impact on the tree
  through the guarantee period.

15
Take Home message 1

• Make sure you know difference between a
  adventitious and main order root system .
• Always planting at the proper depth. (container
  or field)
• Hilling creates adventitious roots and must be
  removed early in the growing cycle . A few months
  after planting.
• Plant bare root.

16
Install It Right Stupid?

• It costs you less to it right the first time.
• Buy the right plants from the nursery (inspect
  before you buy)
• Bare Root
• Balled and Burlap
• Container
• Proper plant transport and pre planting care
• Inspect the trees before you plant
• Depth of the main order roots
• No girdling roots present
• Trunk inspection

17
Install It Right Stupid?

• Planting Properly
• How deep do you dig a hole?
• How wide is the hole ?
• Depth, Depth ,Depth
• Mulching
• Depth and location to the trunk
• How deep

18
Long Term Care ?

• Understanding How To Mulch .
• How Deep
• How Often
• Cut and Backfilling
• How much( less than ½ inch)

19
Take Home Messages

• Set Proper Standards ( Architectural Graphic
  Standards )
• Selections of trees
• Specification for site development
• Proper Installation (main order roots)

20
Take Home Messages

• Buy plants according to Nursery Standards ( ANLA
  Standards)
• Be sure the Main order roots are at the surface
  
• Proper caliper 6 inches above the main
  order roots not the top of the
  ball or container.
• Proper ball size ( with roots at the surface)

21
Take Home Messages

• Make sure the plant is installed properly.
• Bid a price that allows for proper job
• Have knowledgeable people plant
• Good clear specifications
• Proper inspection of installation
• If you inspect the trees after they are planted
  it is to late .
• You cant go back to fix it once it is in the
  ground.

22
Take Home Message

• All trees are susceptible to stem girdling roots
  .
• Trees most commonly associated with SGR trees
  that tolerate low soil oxygen (red, silver and
  Norway maple, elms, linden,poplar ect.) and
  therefore survive deep planting long enough to be
  killed by SGR.
• These trees never help the urban environment (
  shade, sound, oxygen)

23
What Help Do you have

• Continued failure of these trees is beginning to
  change peoples perception of the urban forests.
  People expect that trees should be small and only
  live a few years ( disposable trees ). They now
  complain when trees reach a size when they have a
  positive environmental and economic impact on the
  community .

24
What Help Do you have
Even if we correct this problem today, we will be
living with the direct affects of what we have
done for the next 20 years . The urban forest of
today has a lost generation of trees . Entire
size classes of trees do not exist in the urban
environment . As we remove the oldest trees we
are also removing the young trees with them. Few
young trees are moving into medium age and fewer
medium size trees moving into mature trees.
25
What Help Do you have
What Do We Call This A Quiet, Self-imposed,
Insidious Epidemic
26
What Causes Girdling Roots
One and Only one reason Planting Depth.
Solutions ( nursery and landscape) 1.
Understanding root systems 2. Proper planting
depth 3. Dont mulch against the trunk of the
tree. 4. No backfill on existing trees.