Your Interview

Hi I had 10 ten foot cedars planted three weeks ago I have been watering them twice a day and some of the greenary is turning brown we did have a three week hot spell can anything be done to save them thanks Bernie B

Mark Wright: Stop watering twice a day. Trees need an average of 3 inches of water a week and not much more. By overwatering you are robbing the soil of available oxygen. The pore space in the soil will fill with water and the roots can not breathe. Ideal soil has a 50/50 make up of solids and air. Fertilize with a slow release organic fertilizer.

We have a deciduous Viburnam that has suffered through 2 years of viburnam leaf miner. The tree has been severely weakened but is now healthy, so much so that the canopy is very heavy and at the ends of the branches. We lost a huge branch leaving a big gap in the tree. Should we cut off the large broken branch to the ground or try to save some of it. The tree provides us with a much needed screen from our neighbors. Thanks,

Mark Wright: Try renewal pruning. Selective removal of old growth over the course of a few years will allow new growth to fill in the gaps, while never really losing the privacy screen the shrub provides.

My Tanyosho pine new growth is yellowish-green and some die back of new candles. What is the problem

Mark Wright: Have to see the tree to give you a fair assessment. Lost of problems present with similar symptoms, and with not enough info, I would only be guessing.

I recently saw 2 very large catalpa trees on someone's property. One tree was in full bloom with gorgeous white flowers and the other tree had no signs of flowers what so ever. They were side by side and received the same sun and weather conditions.

This has made me wonder if catalpa trees are male and female? Or if something can happen so the tree will stop flowering? I have a young catalpa and I would never want to see it without it's flowers.

Thank you.

Mark Wright: I’m not aware of male and female catalpa trees. As far as I know they all get flowers. If the tree did not flower, or flowered poorly that may be an early sign of stress in the tree.

We have a white birch tree that seems 'thin' (fewer leaves) on top. All of the birch trees in our neighbourhood have died. What do I need to do to ensure the survival of our tree?

Mark Wright: By the sounds of it the trees have been infested with bronze birch borer. If you see small exit holes in the bark and bulbous raised areas beneath the bark, then you probably have BBB and there is not much to do for the tree now. You can spray pesticides like Sevin as a preventative for non infested trees.

I have a tree that was damaged by a wood pecker, he pretty much emptied 3/4 of the tree out, about 3 feet from the base, the tree still produced leaves and looks healthy, but I'm afraid it may break or something and it's near power lines.
Can I save my tree somehow.

Mark Wright: Depending on several factors the tree may recover on its own. The degree of rot in the stem, the degree of insect infestation (that’s what attracted the woodpecker) the general health of the tree, tree species etc… all need to be considered in giving an opinion of the tree’s chance of survival. Without seeing the tree it is difficult to say.

what should you do if green ivy has grown and wrapped itself around a large tree and is getting higher and higher? will it kill the tree?

Mark Wright: Any climbing vine has the potential to strangle a tree and kill it. To remove the vine from the tree, cut the vine at the base and start to gently pull it out of the tree’s canopy. Be careful not to break the tree’s branches in the process.

After a wind storm we notices that our Purple Robe Black Locust tree has split in two places; one on the trunk, down the middle lenghtwise (approx 15-20cm split)where the trunk seperates into two main branches ), the second split is on one of the main branches higher up in the tree. The tree has no dead branches and still loks healthy... Can the tree survive?

Mark Wright: Without seeing the tree what it sounds like it needs is cabling and bracing. By use of support cables and wood rods and proper pruning of the tree, we can usually save storm damaged trees. Sometimes the cost is not worth it for the prospect of survival. Also fertilize the tree with slow release organic fertilizer.

What is the correct way to plant a balled & burlapped tree?

Mark Wright: Dig your hole about twice the size of the ball and back fill accordingly. Remove the top portion of burlap, string and wire basket (top 4-6 inches) and place it in the hole. The hole should be deep enough to allow the top of the root ball to be slightly above level ground. Backfill the hole, and water and mulch. It’s better that the tree be planted a bit to high than too deep.

I live on a large piece of property and require quite a few trees, I don't want to pay landscape store prices. Where can I find the trees I want with reasonable prices? (sizes do not matter}

Mark Wright: Maybe call a tree farm and try to work something out.

Will the Mountain Pine Beetle advance to Ontario?

Mark Wright: As the climate changes around the world, insects, diseases, fungi, tree and shrub species that were not previously able to live in certain geographical areas are establishing themselves. Depending on how the future climate changes and considering potential introduction of invasive / destructive species there really is no boundary to where new pests may spread.

I have planted a number of young white pines on my 2 acre property at the shore, but the rabbits have been chewing off the tops of them. Is there any way of protecting them? I also would like to know if they are better planted in the local soil which is quite sandy or should I add compost to the mix. Thanks.

Mark Wright: Ideal soil has a mix of organic and inorganic material. It really never hurts to add some organic material to excessively sandy soil. To keep rodents away, either fence off the trees or apply a product like Skoot or Ropel. Read and follow the directions. These products will deter animals, but not harm them.

we have a large maple tree in our yard that annually produces the "propellors" or seeds. is there a procedure, applied to our tree, that will stop this?

thanks

Mark Wright: I don’t know if the product is registered in Canada or allowed by your local by-lay, but there is a product called Florel that is a growth regulator which stops trees from flowering. No flowers means no seeds, nuts or fruit. Florel is very a touchy product and will strip paint from houses, cars etc. Try thinning the tree to reduce the number of branches producing the keys.

Many of the maples around Sault Ste Marie have numerous dead, leafless branches. What is the likely cause of this and how can I keep my maples healthy?

Mark Wright: Without seeing the trees I can’t give a fair answer. The list of potential reasons for dead branches is enormous. Have a few arborists look at the trees and weigh their opinions against your own research. It may be as simple as just having mature trees or a very complex list of factors.

How should I go about reducing the size of a twenty-five year old, overgrown saucer magnolia?

Mark Wright: By making proper pruning cuts, made to the branch collar or branch bark ridge you can remove select limbs and either thin the tree out or reduce the height and width of the tree. There is a host of websites that can give you photos of proper cuts, branch collars etc. Google Collar cut or branch collar and you will have more info than you could ever want about how to make a proper cut. It’s kind of hard to explain by typing an answer. Sorry

A red maple tree was new planted. After first winter, leaves come out from the small branches in the lower part (1/4) of the tree but none from the upper part of the tree. What's wrong?

Mark Wright: Probably transplant shock.. Up to 80% of tree roots can be lost when trees are balled and burlaped at a nursery or tree farm. The tree has to use a lot of energy to re-establish new roots and start to prosper. If enough roots have been damaged, the crown will have a corresponding degree of dieback. (Root to shoot ratio) Every leaf has a corresponding root hair. Kill the root, kill the shoot, and vice versa.

We have a small 'forest' that is quite overgrown with many small spruce filling in under large pine, hemlock, maple, ash, oak and elm.

I'm planning to remove the smaller trees. Is this a good idea? Is there any particular way I should work with the floor below the larger trees? Should I also thin the larger trees (some are in small 'clumps' (for example, several maple trees together)

We also have several standing dead trees for habitat. Will thinning impact wildlife?

m

Mark Wright: Yes thinning will impact wild life. Also over thinning may expose the forest floor to excessive heat and drying conditions which will adversely affect the remaining tree’s root systems. If you disturb the soil you will undoubtedly damage tree roots and effect the tree’s health. Thinning of forests is usually done to force trees to grow in a commercially desirable fashion, whether for utility poles, veneer or lumber. It is not “necessary” to promote a healthy forest.

This spring I planted an autumn blaze maple in my front yard. It is a young tree about 12 feet tall but skinny (maybe an inch and a bit in diameter). Anyways, a neighbour told me I should clip the top to ensure a "rounded" appearance in the future. When should I prune a young tree like this?

Mark Wright: Young trees need pruning more frequently than mature trees. As the tree grows, remove secondary branches to establish good scaffold branching. If the tree is growing too upright for your liking, it is easier to trim the top now than ten years from now. See above for where to find proper pruning cuts online.

I had a tree removed from my backyard because it was diseased and dying, however; I have to plant another tree in the backyard.

I have limited space in the backyard, only a few hours of sun each day due to condo’s blocking the light. I don’t want to pay the City of Toronto a fine for not planting a tree, but I am afraid of planting a tree and having it die. Is there anything I can plant that can survive in a small area and with limited sun exposure? Someone mentioned a Japanese maple?

Mark Wright: Take a walk around a nursery and see what appeals to you visually, then read up on it online or at the library. If the tree matches your growing conditions and space available and you like the look of the tree, then it is the right tree for you.

My 4 year old cherry tree (Vandalay) has not bloomed for the last 2 years. Now 1/2 the tree (1 fork) appears to be dying. What can I do to prevent further damage and bring it back to health?

Mark Wright: Check for a disease called black knot (looks like feces on the branch) If black knot is present, there is not much to do. Otherwise prune the dead section out, check for other issues such as soil conditions, watering issues, physical damage to the stem etc. Fertilize with a slow release organic fertilizer.

I have a ten year old maple tree with leaves that are spotted. Each leaf has a spot that grows dark in the fall. What's wrong with the tree, and is there a treatment?
Thanks

Mark Wright: If it's black it is probably a fungal disease called dollar tar spot, and other than being unsightly it is not a major problem. If it is more brown, it may be anthracnose, another fungi. Thinning the trees to allow more light and air into the canopy will reduce the presence of these diseases. There is not an overly effective fungicide spray available.

We have three columnar oaks in a grouping and the upper part of the trees have die out at the top. They have been planted in this location for about 20 years and the lower part of the trees seem vigorous. Is this a sun issue? (the one in the most shade is most affected -- in fact while it seemed to be coming back this season it has recently shown brown spots on the upper leaves and they have died off also. Could it be related to watering? (last summer was almost a drought and this summer anything but). Could it be a fungus and how do I tell?

Mark Wright: Take a few leaves and some twigs to a nursery and ask about oak wilt, scale insects, oak leaf blister, oak leaf gall and anthracnose. All of these may present in the manner in which you described the trees.