The Secret Needs of Your Trees.

A Dangerous Secret...Why Cambium is important.

2009-08-17T10:49:00.000-07:00

This Saturday I was getting ready to go on a hike with my sister and I came upon this tree. It is a huge Eucalyptus tree. What makes this tree dangerous is its lack of cambium tissue. To the untrained eye, one might think this tree was beautiful because its canopy is green and lush with very little sign of dieback. In fact, if you did not look at the base of this tree, you would think it was a beautiful specimen. Unfortunately, that is what makes this tree so DANGEROUS!

Cambium, in laymans terms, is the outer layers or rings of a tree. It is the living tissue of the tree. It is the immune system and protection for the wood underneath it. I sometimes liken it to your skin layer. The difference is that, instead of sloughing off dead skin, a tree compresses dead cells underneath the new cells creating wood. The wood, in turn, becomes a support structure for the new live tissue to grow on top of.

Approximately 10-15 years ago this tree was damaged, and 3/4 of the way around the base of the tree, the cambium tissue was torn off or became too diseased to grow. My best guess is that, it was sprayed for many years by a sprinkler head which allowed for mold, fungus, and or bacteria to decay the living tissue (cambium).

Because this cambium tissue died and it is not regrowing quickly enough, the unprotected wood is rotting. We can also deduce that there are no roots growing on this side of the tree because the unprotected wood goes all the way to the ground. The roots that were there have long since died and are rotting under the soil. This means that this tree has no roots supporting it 3/4 of the way around its base. This spells disaster. It is a tree that lumes over power lines and has 3 residential buildings within its target zone (falling zone). I informed the tree's owner of the danger.

Try to understand that just because a tree looks beautiful does not mean it is safe. Hire a professional to look at your trees. Estimates and unofficial, residential consultations are free from Harold R Brazee Company. (818)709-3700

The Pre-historic War: Trees vs. Grass

2009-07-14T13:47:00.001-07:00

Have you ever noticed that grass does not grow well in the shaded areas of your yard?

Have you ever planted a young tree in the middle of your lawn and noticed that it just doesn't seem to thrive like the same trees you planted in a planter bed outside the grassy areas?

Sadly, I went to the Annenberg Space for Photography and saw a horrible battle taking place in the wonderfully expensive and beautifully MAN-ipulated landscape. If you have the chance, the Annenberg Space for Photography is an incredible and mind blowing museum for the display of photography. It will truly change your life. Afterward take a trip outside to the beautifully landscaped battle, just outside and down the steps.

The landscape designer for this beautiful complex tried to create a garden space that was very emotionally pleasing. He succeeded for the most part, however, at the moment several of the trees are being held up with ugly cables. Why did this happen? The designer failed to realize that tree roots grow more slowly when they are planted in grass. No roots = no support = falling trees.

Grass and trees are both capable of producing allelopathic chemicals and both have evolved to safeguard the light and soil resources closest to them.

Both trees and grass have evolved to be capable of chemical warfare. Allelopathic chemicals are chemicals produced by plants to inhibit the growth of other plants near them. Some plants are better at it than others and there are different ways these chemicals enter the soil. Most commonly they leach into the soil from decaying plant material such as leaves fallen from a tree or grass cuttings.

Grass has evolved to grow very dense and tightly together. Rain, and even modern fertilizers rarely make it past their thick mat of green leaves and roots. This soft, lush mat of green grass is what we love most about having it in our yard. The trade off however, is that trees, our shade providing friends, obtain their water and nutrients only after they pass through the layer of grass.

Trees have evolved to grow very tall to shade the soil, providing water conservation and soil temperature stability. In the forest, a thick layer of decaying leaves covers the ground. Grass has a difficult time getting the sunlight it needs to produce photosynthesis and allelopathic chemicals inhibit the grass from establishing.

The plant that has been established the longest in the area you are troubleshooting or landscaping is going to always have dominance over the other plants. A large tree will make it very difficult to grow grass and an established lawn will make it difficult to grow a tree. It is a fact of nature. Limited resources cause wars for survival.

In conclusion, try to separate tree root zones from grass/turf and vice-versa. I always recommend mulching 12 inches away from the base of the tree, all the way to the ends of the drip zone beneath trees. (drip zone is the area under a tree where rain will drip from the leaves onto the ground.) Never cover the base of the tree with decaying material. The mulch should be mixed into the soil and spread in a 3-4 inch layer. Trees planted in grass will produce 1/3 the number of roots as a tree planted in mulch.

P.S. Don't forget keeping the root crown at the base of a tree dry and free from wounds is important for tree health. No Mower Wounds and No Weed Wacker Wounds!

Why size matters as your getting older.

2009-07-10T15:50:00.000-07:00

What does everyone plan to do eventually?

That's right.. Retire.

For most people in their 20's and 30's planting a tree seems like a great way to shade the house, do good for the environment, and generally be nice to mother nature.

Most definitely it provides these benefits and more. I wish everyone would plant more trees.

Unfortunately, too many of us are not planning for retirement adequately; and too many of us are creating an awfully big expense by planting the wrong size tree. By not taking into account how expensive it will be to care for a large tree, you are creating a huge problem for yourself when its towering over your home and ready to drop a branch through the roof.

Be realistic with yourself, and your future. Planning to win the lottery before you retire isn't good enough.

Plant trees now, but plant trees that you know you can afford to maintain when your on a retiree's fixed income. Don't put yourself in the Red when you're retired.

Secret #5 How big should it be when planted?! And Why Size Matters.

2009-04-24T12:21:00.000-07:00

A homeowner needs to be savvy when it comes to picking the right tree to plant. There are countless numbers of trees planted every year, that are sure to lead short lives, because of poor planning. When choosing a tree to plant, first consider its size at maturity. This is the absolute, most important aspect of tree planting, that 90% of homeowners do not take into consideration.

How many of you have planted what was once a beautiful, little, tiny, Xmas tree, only to find out, 10 years later, that it was actually an enormous Aleppo Pine. And how many of you thought how cute that free, tiny California Sycamore tree, from the city, would look nice in a nook under the eaves. Though, a Giant Ficus tree might be just what you want to see in your front yard, it might not be what your foundation wants growing near it.
Make sure that you plan for enough root space around a tree, that it will not interfere with your foundation, your sewer line, your water main, your gas line, or your electricity. If you have power lines, be sure not to plant a tall tree under them, or your utility company will hack huge holes in your tree's canopy. If you live in a wind tunnel you should consider planting trees with strong root structures, but keep them away from pipes and cement work.

When choosing the size of tree to plant, i.e. 15gallon or 24"Box, try to keep 3 things in mind. First, how severe is your climate? Second, how much money are you willing to risk? Third, how long are you willing to wait?

If you live in a severe climate, keep in mind that all trees need time to acclimate to their location. The younger the tree is the more resilient it is. Not only do you save money buying a smaller tree, but you also give it longer to acclimate to its new home. And God forbid, if you make a mistake and kill it, you have only risked a small amount of money on the plant. Though all of your landscapers and arborists would love to sell you the more expensive, bigger tree, it might not be the best choice for a severe climate.

The more windy it is where you live, the smaller tree you should plant. When the wind blows the canopy of a tree it stimulates the growth of reaction wood around the root crown and the growth of support roots. The younger the tree the stronger the roots will be in relation to its size and wind sail potential.

If you are on a tight budget, keep in mind that just because you spend more money on it, doesn't mean the tree will necessarily survive. If you have the tree professionally installed be sure that it comes with a guarantee.

If you really need shade fast and you don't want to wait for it, keep in mind that the bigger the tree is when you plant it, the more expensive it is, and the more difficult it is for the tree to acclimate and survive.

In summary: Before planting a tree, look up its size at maturity, in a textbook or on the internet and plant it with the appropriate amount of space for its roots and with the appropriate amount of airspace it will need above it. When picking the tree to plant, the smaller it is when you plant it the better chance it will have acclimating and surviving in its new home.

Secret #4 Trees don't have pumps.

2009-04-16T16:35:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what pulls water out of the ground and up through a tree?
Evaportation. When water evaporates out of the leaves water is pulled in through the roots.
Over pruning can interfere with this process weakening the tree. This process is called Transpiration.

Secret #3... The 8 foot rule your Gardener hopes you don't find out about.

2009-04-11T20:45:00.000-07:00

Many homeowners for the sake of saving a few dollars decide to allow their gardener to prune their trees. It is, on the surface, a good way to give your faithful gardener some extra work and for you to save money, as he will do the work at prices a true arborist could never dream of quoting.

Unfortunately, a gardener, in most cases, cannot afford, and does not carry, insurance. He may also lack the knowledge to prune your trees correctly. You should seriously consider hiring a professional, fully insured, tree service with references. Since your gardener does not carry insurance, your homeowners policy will be on the hook if your gardener hurts himself or one of his workers while on your property.

However, I urge you to take out your homeowners policy and check it for the 8 foot rule. I am not aware of any homeowners insurance policy that covers an uninsured worker in case of injury if he is above 8 feet from the ground. You would have to add that insurance to your policy if you wanted to be covered for it. But believe me, your insurance company does not want anyone (especially a novice) going higher than 8 feet off the ground on their list of liabilities.

Not only does your home become targeted by an injured gardener's lawyer, all of your assets are in his crosshairs. Granted Joe the gardener might not come after you, but if he is injured badly enough, his family will sue the shirt off your back and likely win. To date, I have heard of a gardener cutting open the back of his skull (dead), an ambitious husband using clothesline to lower branches (dead), a clumbsy gardener falling off the roof (now mute and slow), and a possible chipper suicide or accident (dead). Some homeowners lost their home and others nearly lost their homes.

Remember, just because a gardener owns a chainsaw, it doesn't mean he has been trained to use it, nor does it mean he has been trained in proper pruning practices. Imagine, you come home from a stressful day at work and upon pulling into your driveway you find what looks more like a coat rack in your front yard instead of a beautiful tree. It happens all the time.

In summary, hire a fully insured, board certified contractor, with an ISA, or equivalent, arborist certification, and who has several references. Do your homework, and get a minimum of 2 estimates. (I get 3 estimates when I hire a contractor.)

Secret #2 ...if Trees could speak.

2009-04-07T15:00:00.000-07:00

Money doesn't always buy intelligent gardeners. In the hustle and bustle of the city homeowners rarely have enough time to cook their own dinner much less take care of the gardening. Unfortunately, they instead hire the services of an MBG gardener. That's a Mow, Blow, and Go gardener. Though incredibly helpful and usually inexpensive the gardener is not always nice to your trees. I don't think that your gardener wants to intentionally hurt your trees, but I also don't think they have a clue what your trees secret needs are. Which leads me to my personal pet peeve. Every time your gardener comes over with his weed wacker the trees are screaming out in pain but no one can hear them. Either that or trees are incredibly good at putting up a front of not being in pain when the weed wacker smacks against their trunks week after week. Slowly over time the weed wacker works its way through the bark and then through the most delicate and sensitive part of the the tree, its cambium layer. Thin barked trees are most suceptible to this kind of damage but so are young and newly planted trees. You know, the 24 inch box beauty that you just had planted for $400.00 in the center of your yard. That's right, your gardener is going to kill it. Its a slow and painful death but what can you do?

Most gardeners in my area can barely speak English so if you are not fluent in Spanish, they won't understand what you tell them. In fact, even if they might understand you, they will likely deny any wrong doing and or be too obstinate to admit they made a mistake. Last week in fact, I, speaking in perfectly clear and polite Spanish, explained to one of my client's gardeners what he was doing wrong and he stubbornly refused to believe that the damages were caused by his weed wacker. After speaking with him he quickly finished his work, packed his things, and drove away, leaving his weed wacker behind. I could only laugh to myself as he pulled up 10 minutes later, looking for his evil weapon of destruction. Here are a few tips to protect your trees.
1) Clear a circle of grass around the trunk and replace it with mulch and wood chips. The diameter of the circle is not important as long as the weeds that the gardener is too lazy to pull out by hand are not growing up next to the trunk. But I should note here that the bigger the circle of chips the happier the tree will be. *see why trees hate grass coming soon.
2) Purchase plastic guards for smaller trees from a nursery or garden store. There are several out there but the ones that can interlock with one another are best for larger size tree trunks. These are a good option however they are unsightly.
3) Keep the area around the root crown dry to slow the growth of weeds. Turn sprinklers away or put a decorative rock or landscape decoration in front of the sprinkler head so it does not hit the trunk of the tree.
4) Do Not Use herbicides. Over time they will kill the tree especially one that is already under stress.
5) To protect against the gardener's mower you can place a rock on either side of the tree.
6) Always try to ask politely for the gardener to please remove the weeds by hand next to the tree trunks.

I hope these 6 tips will help save your trees from unnecessary damages and possible infection.

If trees could speak.... Secret #1

2009-04-06T18:29:00.000-07:00

My Mom used to allude to the many hidden secrets of our local townfolks' personal lives by using the cliche "If trees could speak....". I am now older and have become a certified arborist through the ISA. I find the old cliche quite humorous these days because, honestly, if trees could speak they really wouldn't have any interest in telling anyone about your personal life.

They certainly would be more interested in telling you to get rid of that wire and rubber hose, you forgot to remove two years ago, which is now choking off its vascular flow. Or maybe they would tell you about the sprinkler head you have spraying directly on the trunk day after day after day, causing root fungus and rotten support wood.

I am starting this blog for the many homeowners who just don't realize how they are hurting the trees they love and have worked so hard to grow in their yards. Trees are one of the most valuable assets to a homeowners property. Yet many homeowners make simple mistakes that end up killing or shortening the lifespan of their trees significantly. If you're a tree hater, because your neighbor's tree is dropping leaves on your lawn and you have to pick them up every week, this blog is not for you. No Tree Haters Allowed HERE!

Secret #1

The number one killer of trees that I have come across time and time again, is over watering. I live in Los Angeles where every morning and evening you can see watersprinklers turning on throughout the city. Its great that people water their lawns and landscape, for without this water our dessert climate would dry up all our plants and we'd have dustbowls in our front yards. The issue I am concerned with is over watering of trees. Especially young trees and very mature trees.

Young trees when planted should be planted approximately 1/2 to 1 inch above the level of the surrounding soil. For the first few weeks a dirt ring can be used to water the tree but after the first growing season the ring should have already been raked away. Over time your new tree may sink lower and become close to level with the surrounding soil. But don't worry if it doesn't. It will be ok. As the tree matures you want the water to flow away from the trunk and NOT settle into a well around the trunk of the tree. *see gardener falacy #1 coming soon. It is too expensive and risky to try and dig up a tree that has been planted too deep, so keep it up above the surrounding soil level when you plant it.

At the very base of the trunk is the root crown of the tree. This area is dominated by support roots that grow stronger with "reaction wood" when the wind blows or when the weight of the tree puts stress on the root crown.
From these support roots come runner roots that spread out away from the tree radially, searching for water and nutrients.
Then Feeder roots grow from the runner roots and head toward the surface (Usually these feeder roots come up and compete with the roots of your grass and fight for nutrients, more on this later...) As a very loose guideline, you can say, a tree of a few years old or more seeks water and nutrients from its drip line (the Outermost reach of the branches) up to approximately 12 to 18 inches away from the trunk or root crown. The root crown, for the most part, does not absorb the water that settles in around it, especially when a tree is planted too deep.
In fact a root crown needs to be able to breath so dry soil is ok in and around the root crown. You can quickly drown a tree by allowing water to pool around the trunk.

Have you ever stuck a tooth pick in pudding. I have seen clients who unwittingly have over watered their trees to the point that the soil around the root crown is so loose the tree just falls over. The consistency of the soil is too fluid from over watering. They always ask, "Can't we just stand it back up?" Well no not really. I suppose if you had a crane and could keep the rest of the roots from ripping apart and breaking off in the process it might be possible but the costs are prohibitive and the chances of success are slim. Usually the tree can't re-establish a strong enough hold on the surrounding soil and just falls over again when it rains or a wind blows.

Overwatering of Mature trees in Southern California is another problem. Many of the mature trees in Southern California grew up and became acclimated to dry conditions. Then a huge developer came in and landscaped with sod and flowers and water sprinklers right up to the base of the tree. This creates a rapid onset of growth that is generally short lived and then the tree goes into decline. Oak trees are especially suceptible to to these situations. Once acclimated to the dessert it can't reacclimate itself the the lush tropical level of waterflow from a beautifully landscaped garden. The tree will quickly develop root fungus get moldy and go into decline.

Sprinkler heads spraying directly on tree trunks should be avoided as well. Over time the chemicals we use in our water supply and the constant bombarding of the tree with pressurized water rots the bark and protective layers of the tree and allows fungus and mold to begin eating away at the wood inside the tree. Next comes the termites and the ants so watch out.

Once the immune system in a tree is stressed it becomes very difficult to maintain its value to the homeowner. If you see moss growing in the soil or on the trunk of the tree chances are extremely high that you are over watering or watering incorrectly.