March 2015

Growing Fruit Trees at Home

It’s a great feeling to harvest and eat foodyou’ve grown in your own back yard. Fresh

fruit from trees is one of nature's most tasty,nutritious, and versatile crops. Fruit trees canbe one of the easiest and most rewardingbackyard crops in our location; however somethought and effort regarding variety selection,planting, disease and insect management,pruning, and other care will need to be con-sidered.The best species of fruit trees for ourarea are apple, pear, apricot, cherry,and plum. Species such as peach,citrus, avocado, fig, and mango willnot survive long term in our hardinesszone. Fruit trees produce some ofspring's most beautiful blooms, but ifyou want to also harvest fruit theyneed to be pollinated. Plant self-polli-nating varieties or different varietiesnear each other for cross-pollination.At the nursery, ask for fire blight re-sistant varieties, especially for appleand pear. Consider dwarf or semi-dwarf varieties if you don't have a bigplanting space.Fruit trees need full sun and well-drained soilto thrive. Water newly planted trees wheneverthe top 2 inches of soil are dry. As the plantsdevelop more extensive root systems, youcan water less often. Drip irrigation systemsare ideal for fruit trees and adding mulchhelps conserve moisture. Your soil’s health

will determine which and how much fertilizeryour trees require. We recommend having aprofessional soil test done and then follow thelaboratory's recommendations. Expect to waitabout 3-4 years after planting to see fruit, butlook forward to many years of delicious fruitproduction.A number of pests and diseases can affectfruit trees. The most devastating disease of

fruit trees in our location is a bacterial diseasecalled fire blight. Not much can be done oncea tree contracts fire blight, usually from bees,birds, water splash, or un-sanitized pruningtools. The best option is to plant fire blightresistant varieties if possible. Using a dormantoil spray during fall/winter/early spring willprevent some pest problems such as aphidsand mites. Larvae from apple coddling moththat invade fruit are another common problem

we see. Cultural methods such as burlaptrunk wraps, insect traps, and fruit protectionbags can help alleviate worm issues. Contactus for more information about controlling fruittree pests and diseases.Fruit trees need to be pruned to becomestructurally sound, make harvesting easier,and to ensure the production of high qualityfruit. Pruning will help control fruit size,

distribute sunlight evenly through thecanopy, and remove deadwood, brokenand crossing branches. The best time ofyear to prune fruit trees is the dormantseason when they don’t have leaves orflowers. This timing is also important inorder to reduce new fire blight infections

that are most actively spread above 60degrees Fahrenheit. To ensureoptimal harvests, fruit should bethinned when they are about the sizeof a grape. Remove enough fruit sothat the remaining ones are spaced

about 3 to 5 inches apart along thebranch. Proper spacing of the juvenile fruit

allows for increased fruit size at harvest anddecreased branch breakage.In the end, it may be easier to buy fruit fromthe local produce department. However,growing fruit trees is a labor of love that canprovide a delicious and healthy food sourceoutside your back door. Contact us for moreinformation about fruit trees or to scheduleyour fruit tree(s) to be pruned correctly. Wecan also source quality fruit trees, install andcare for them after planting.

• New Tools for the Trade: Tracked Lifts• Aspen Stand Management

• Avoiding Construction Damage to Trees• Why Hire an ISA Certified Arborist?

• From the Tree Top• What are Your Trees Worth?• Tree Profile: Rocky Mtn. Bristlecone Pine

234

In This Issue…

Serving Sun Valley and Beyond Since 1997Plant Health Care, Trim Department, Pest & Disease

Management, Lawn Care, Soil Health, and Consulting. See ourwebsite for a listing of all of our services and much more.

New Tools for the Trade: Tracked Lifts

Tracked aerial lifts are a new tool forarborists allowing us to work smarter and

more efficiently in and around trees. We usethis amazing tool for hazardous tree removal,job-sites with difficult access, pruning treeswith large canopies, installing holiday lighting,and other above ground work that requires alift.

Tracked aerial lifts are technology at itsfinest. Lightweight and easy to trans-

port, these self propelled units arepowered by a Honda gasoline en-gine for outdoor use and 110Velectric motor for quiet, pollution-free indoor use. It operates by us-ing a live hydraulics and a continu-ous track system for vehicle

propulsion. The rubber tracks allowsthe lift to traverse a variety of surfaces

including staircases, soft muddy terrain,hills, lawns, gravel, rock, asphalt, and deli-cate indoor surfaces of all types with ease

and minimum impact. Tracked Aerial Liftshave extremely compact dimensions allowingaccess through tight passages such as stan-dard single doorways and fence gates. Oper-ators work from a platform basket attached toa boom that is both telescoping and articulat-ing. The boom can extend 60+ feet with multi-ple sections that "articulate," allowing the userto gain access to work areas that may be oth-erwise blocked by barriers or obstacles.These features allow for unsurpassed versatil-ity in every job situation.

2

A spens are very popular in high altitude communities due to theirattractive white trunks and quaking leaves. The Wood River Valley

is no exception as Aspens represent the largest percentage ofdeciduous trees in our local landscapes. Aspens naturally grow ingroves that are large clonal colonies that spread by root suckers. Newstems resulting from root suckers in the colony may sprout up to 150feet from the parent tree. Each individual tree can live for 20-100 years(20-50 years inlandscapes) aboveground, butthe root system ofthe colony can livefor thousands ofyears. The largestliving organism isan aspen colony inUtah called“Pando”. It is spreadout over 100 acresconsisting of over40,000 individual trees and estimated to be at least 80,000 years old.If managed according to their natural growth characteristics, aspencan be a great addition to landscapes. However, in many landscapescenarios, aspens are managed as if they are a single stem tree,which leads to complications. This approach involves continuallycutting the suckers that emerge from the root system to maintain thedesired look of the landscape. Usually this is a result of aspens beinglocated in a turf area that is being mowed regularly. This becomesproblematic as the trees age and become less vigorous and moresusceptible to disease and insect attacks. Mature, single-aged aspenstands are more prone to major health issues and decline and

therefore need more treatments for pests and diseases. This is

because they are a relatively short lived species, do not store energywell and therefore do not overcome insect and disease pressures ontheir own.A technique that can reduce the need for treatments necessary tomaintain healthy trees considers the natural life cycle of aspen stands.When the suckers are allowed to grow and mature instead of beingcut, the stand will progress towards a multi-aged, re-generating stand.As old trees become diseased and die, there are younger trees andnew suckers growing to maintain the overall health of the stand. Sickand declining trees can be simply be removed without too much

impact to the appearance of the overall landscape.This “recycling” of the older, declining stems

stimulates the growth of new sucker trees. Theeasiest way to promote groves is with landscape

beds or high-cutnative grass areasaround aspenswhich allow suckersand other youngertrees to develop. Ifwe manage aspenswith their geneticpreferences inmind, it is logicalthat the need fortreatments willdecline while theoverall health of the

stand remains high. There are many times when a large, older,specimen aspen tree is highly desirable, but it usually comes with ahigher price tag per tree than maintaining a multi-age stand.

Aspen Stand Management

Healthy multi-age aspen stand

Groves of single-age trees are problematic

Avoiding Construction Damage to Trees

3

The processes involved with constructioncan be detrimental and even fatal to

nearby trees. Construction damage to trees isoften irreversible and can take years tobecome visible. Trees don’t typically showdamage for several years which is usually longafter the contractors have left the site.Construction equipment can injure theaboveground portion of a tree by breakingbranches, tearing the bark, and wounding thetrunk and underground by severing roots.These injuries are permanent and, ifextensive, can be fatal.The digging and trenching that are necessaryto construct a building and install undergroundutilities will likely cut a portion of the roots ofmany trees in the area. In a mature tree, theroots extend one to three times the height ofthe tree. The amount of damage a tree cansuffer from root loss depends on how close thecut is to the tree. Moreover, the roots play acritical role in anchoring a tree. If the majorsupport roots are cut on one side of a tree, thetree may fall or blow over. Heavy equipmentused in construction compacts the soil and candramatically reduce the amount of space forair and water. This compaction not onlyinhibits root growth and penetration but alsodecreases oxygen in the soil that is essentialto the growth and function of the roots.It is possible to preserve trees at constructionsites if the right measures are taken. A keystep is hiring an ISA Certified Arborist duringthe planning stage. An ISA Certified Arboristcan help to determine which trees can besaved and can work with the contractors toprotect the trees throughout each constructionphase. Your arborist and contractors shouldwork together in planning the construction.The contractors may need to be educatedregarding the value of the trees on yourproperty and the importance of protectingthem. The single most important preventativeaction you can take is to set up construction

fences around all of the trees that are toremain. The fences should be placed as farout from the trunks of the trees as possible.The intent is to protect the abovegroundportions of the trees and also the rootsystems. Keep the fenced area clear ofvehicles, equipment, building materials, waste,and excess soil. No driving, digging, trenching,or other soil disturbance should be allowed inthe fenced area. Weekly visits by your arboristmay be needed to insure guidelines are beingenforced.

All of the measures intended to protect yourtrees should be written into the constructionspecifications. The written specificationsshould detail exactly what can and cannot bedone to and around the trees. Eachsubcontractor must be made aware of thebarriers, limitations, and specified work zones.Fines and penalties for violations should beincluded in the specifications. Despite the bestintentions and most stringent tree preservationmeasures, your trees may still be injured fromthe construction process. An ISA CertifiedArborist can suggest remedial treatments tohelp reduce stresses and improve the growingconditions around your trees.Contact us for advice about avoiding treedamage and decline during construction andto develop a tree preservation plan. We arequalified to communicate and mediate withcontractors and other personnel in order tocoordinate all necessary work involved inprotecting your investment.

Why Hire an ISA Certified Arborist?An arborist by definition is an individual who is trained in the art and science of planting, caring for,and maintaining trees. ISA arborist certification is a nongovernmental, voluntary process administered bythe International Society of Arboriculture, by which individuals can document their base of knowledge.Certified Arborists are professionals who have achieved a high level of knowledge and on-the-jobexperience in the tree care industry and who have successfully completed an extensive exam developedby some of the nation’s leading experts on tree care. ISA Certified Arborists must also continue theireducation to maintain their certification and adhere to a Code of Ethics. Hiring a Certified Arborist is adecision that will give you the assurance that your trees will receive the best possible care available.

4

ISA Qualified Tree Risk AssessorsBill JoseyJeff BeachamMark Ryskiewicz

ISA Certified ArboristsBill Josey RM-0715ATJeff Beacham PN-5864ANick Chickrell PN-6472ALiz Conrod PN-5912AMark Ryskiewicz WI-0922AManny Austin PN-7705A

ASCA Registered Consulting ArboristBill Josey RCA #566

PO Box 397, Hailey, ID 83333Tel: (208) 788-1611Fax: (208) 788-1610SunValleyTree.com

Bill Josey

Tree Profile: Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine

The Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine(Pinus aristata) is native to the United

States and the oldest known pine on earth.Some specimens in the White Mountains ofCalifornia have beenestimated at 5000years old. Inthe wild, theyare found athigh elevationsnear the treeline in cold,dry, subalpinelocations.Bristleconepines arevery slow growing, butlong-lived, small/medium sized pine with a

unique shape. They have grayish-brownbark and deep green needles in bundles of

five that can live for 15 years. Bristly, sharpridges at the end of each cone scale give thetree its name. Be aware that natural resindeposits on the needles are frequently

mistaken for Pine Needlescales which is a common

pest we dealwith in thevalley. As

with mostevergreens,they do best

in full sunlocations with

well-drained soil.Bristlecone pines are a

hardy, low-maintenance tree that is greatas a specimen plant in tighter locations suchas courtyards, bonsai, or rock gardens. It’s agreat option to diversify your landscape!

What are Your Trees Worth?

A lmost everyone knows that trees and other living plants arevaluable because of the many aesthetic and environmental

benefits they provide. However, many property owners don’trealize that plants have a dollar value of their own that can bemeasured by competent plant appraisers. If your trees orlandscape are damaged or destroyed, you may be able to recoupsome of your loss through an insurance claim. Trees areappraised based on a set of industry guidelines that consider fourfactors: size, species, condition, and location. All of the factors

can be measured in dollars and cents and can determine value for insurance purposes orcourt testimony in lawsuits. If you suffer damage to your trees or landscape, please contact usfor more information about our wide range of consulting services or to schedule a proactiveinspection of your investment.