Beautiful But Weak Bradford Pears

For despite all the beauty they lend to thousands of landscapes throughout the region, some trees are plagued with flaws due to their combination of vigorous growth, weak wood and poor branch structure, they often begin falling apart after a short time. Some trees are beautiful but are undesirable in other ways on your property.  They may drop messy fruit that make it hard to walk on your lawn or attract bees, be short lived or be weedy. To keep them from causing a mess of your yard or damaging your home or causing problems with power lines they may require extra upkeep, or removal.

The Bradford Pear – once the darling of  highway medians – is now being removed from city streets because of their brittle nature that took 20 years to discover. Broken branches plummeting into traffic during storms became an increasing hazard. While many homeowner associations and local municipalities have quit planting the trees after learning of their weaknesses, Bradford pear trees are still popular because of their beautiful blooms in the Spring. If you insist on buying Bradford pear trees, you can minimize the risk of your trees eventually collapsing by picking trees with a strong single leader and eliminating branches that intersect with the trunk at sharp angles and having them regularly inspected and pruned.

A few other trees that you may want to avoid in your yard because they are prone to breakage, are weedy/messy, or are magnets for damaging insects and webworms: Boxelder, Silver Maple, Tree of Heaven, Mimosa, Hickories, Catalpa, Green Ash, Sweetgum, Chinaberry, Royal Paulownia, Sycamore, White Poplar, E. Cottonwood.

Contact Wood Acres Tree Specialists if you have a problem tree in Maryland or Washington DC. Our arborists can assess the species and correct, treat, or remove it for you so you can replace it with a less dangerous or “cleaner” and healthier species of tree that can have a chance at long, beautiful life.

Problem Trees Prone to Breakage is a post from: Wood Acres Tree Specialists - LeafNotes

Japanese Cherry Trees around the National Monument

The Cherry Blossoms are predicted to open around March 18th (& peak between the 20th-23rd-updated) this year for the Annual Cherry Blossom Festival.  This is the 100th Anniversary of the planting of the Japanese Cherry Trees. Everyone loves and anticipates this beautiful event – but do you know how it all began?

Whose idea was it originally?

1885: Mrs. Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore after her first visit to Japan came up with the idea. She proposed to the U.S. Army Superintendent of the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds that cherry trees be planted one day along the reclaimed Potomac waterfront. Her request was ignored. No one listened for the next 24 years, superintendent after superintendent. In 1909, the First Lady, Mrs. Taft, finally accepted a donation of trees from Dr. Jokichi Takamine, the Japanese chemist who discovered adrenaline and takadiastase, who was in Washington with Mr. Midzuno, Japanese consul in New York – with the help of the very tenacious Mrs. Scidmore who never gave up her cherry tree mission.

The first Japanese Cherry trees planted in the area en masse were actually in Chevy Chase.

In 1906 Dr. David Fairchild, plant explorer and U.S. Dept. of Agriculture official, imported 75 single-flowered cherry trees and 25 single-flowered weeping types from the Yokohama Nursery Company in Japan. He planted these on his own property in Chevy Chase, Maryland to test their hardiness – which was a great success. The next year the Chevy Chase Land Company ordered 300 Oriental cherry trees for the Chevy Chase area. Dr. David Fairchild also gave cherry saplings to children from each DC school to plant in their schoolyard for Arbor Day.

So where did they plant the first heralded 2,000 cherry trees for the Tidal Basin?

They didn’t. An inspection team from the Department of Agriculture discovered that the trees were infested with insects, nematodes and were diseased. To protect American growers the department deemed that they had to be destroyed. The entire shipment had to be burned –  much to everyone’s political and horticultural dismay.

Dr. Takamine suggested that another donation be made and the Tokyo City Council authorized the donation. The number of trees had now increased to 3,020 – a variety which arrived March 26, 1912.

The first Cherry Blossom “Festival” was actually a simple planting ceremony of 2 trees – 100 Years ago.

On March 27, 1912 Helen Herron Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese Ambassador, planted two Yoshino cherry trees on the northern bank of the Tidal Basin, about 125 feet south of what is now Independence Avenue, SW.  At the conclusion of the ceremony, the first lady presented a bouquet of “American Beauty” roses to Viscountess Chinda. Washington’s renowned National Cherry Blossom Festival grew from this simple ceremony, witnessed by just a few persons. (These two original trees still stand several hundred yards west of the John Paul Jones Memorial, located at the terminus of 17th Street, SW. Situated near the bases of the trees is a large bronze plaque which commemorates the occasion.)

Trees symbolize so many things to us – like friendship, beauty, and the circle of life – take care of yours.  For a long, rewarding life, Wood Acres Tree Specialists is here to help.

The Cherry Blossom Festival – The Very Beginning is a post from: Wood Acres Tree Specialists - LeafNotes

Keep it local. Invasive species and diseases love a new area where they can spread undetected for years, reproduce and get out of control because there is nothing stopping them. If you’re not burning it, chipping it to use as mulch you can bring it to a local landfill as long as it’s in your vicinity.

• Brush, fallen wood and tree wood should not be moved out of county. Don’t take it to your cabin, on scout camping trips, or tell your friend in another area that they can help themselves to your wood.
• Buy firewood from a reputable local dealer. Fly-by-night dealers are to be sent on their way.

If you think your wood is safe because you can’t see any bugs or diseases don’t be so sure. Insect eggs, microscopic fungus spores can destroy an entire ecosystem. You can find out more about them in our Plant Health Index of damaging insects and diseases. Some insects and diseases that pose a threat to Maryland trees are:

• Pine Shoot Beetle
• Emerald Ash Borer
• Sirex Noctilia (wood boring wasp)
• P. ramorum (sudden oak death)
• Pryeria sinica (Euonymous leaf notcher)
• Asian longhorned beetle
• Ambrosia Beetle
• Boxwood Blight

The Arborists and entire team at Wood Acres Tree Specialists love trees and hope you do, too,and will take care keeping wood (& uninvited visitors) in their place this year in the Maryland and Washington DC area.

Don’t Move Wood – Invasive Species Awareness is a post from: Wood Acres Tree Specialists - LeafNotes

When Should You Prune Your Trees?

When is the ideal time for pruning? After a rainy year like we just experienced your trees may be wild and overgrown.Pruning should be done to remove any dead, broken, injured, diseased, or insect infested branches or to prune out branches that are too large, low or overhanging or have become a hazard.

You should also prune when the weather is dry so disease doesn’t get in the wounds. Don’t prune when it is very hot or during drought conditions either as this could stress the tree or shrub.

Spring Flowering Trees & Shrubs

Pruning plants whose flowering time is before June 1st is best right after blooming to promote flowers for next year. Some examples include: crabapple, deutzia, forsythia, lilac, redbud, serviceberry, rhododendron, viburnum and weigela.

Summer Flowering Trees & Shrubs


Plants that flower after June 1st can be pruned at anytime, except in the heat of the summer when insects are active. Twiggy shrubs such as potentilla and spirea also benefit from a good trimming first thing in the spring. They will bounce back looking fresh and full. These plants may also be lightly trimmed after each flush of bloom to promote re-bloom.

Evergreens

After new growth and around late June is a good time for evergreens. You should have 50-90% of the new growth trimmed back, being careful to avoid cutting back into older wood. Prune every year to encourage tighter, more compact growth. Allow some new growth to remain every year. Evergreens shouldn’t be pruned in late summer or fall as late new growth will be prone to winter burn.

Trees

Many trees are best pruned in winter when they’re dormant. If certain species of trees are pruned early in the spring, they will “bleed,” stressing the tree and causing health problems. Maples and birches will “bleed” or lose sap from pruning cuts made early in the spring. This does not hurt the tree, and the loss of sap is inconsequential. With a few exceptions, most routine pruning can be done any time of year. The worst time is just as the tree has leafed out in the spring. Wait until the leaves are dark green in summer. The best time is when the tree is dormant.

Newly Planted Trees

Limit pruning at the time of planting to structural training and the removal of damaged branches as they need their crown to produce food and plant hormones that induce root growth.

Contact Wood Acres Tree Specialists for more information on the proper time to have your trees pruned. Wood Acres is staffed with certified arborists, We have been caring for trees and pruning them correctly to promote tree health in Maryland and Washington, DC since 1983. For beautifully healthy trees: Wood Acres Tree Specialists.

Tree Service MD DC – When Should I Have My Trees & Shrubs Pruned? is a post from: Wood Acres Tree Specialists - LeafNotes

Caring for mature trees is an investment

Investing in the health of your mature trees brings many benefits to you and your property.

A well-maintained tree:

• increases in value with age
• increases property values
• beautifies our environment
• purifies the air
• saves you energy (provides cooling shade in the summer and protection from winter’s winds)

A preventive care program for your landscape plants is like a savings plan. Regular maintenance, designed to promote plant health and vigor, ensures their value will continue to grow and is much less costly and time-consuming than curing one once it has developed problems. A good maintenance program includes regular inspections and the necessary follow-up care of mulching, fertilizing, and pruning, & can detect problems and correct them before they become damaging or fatal. Many tree species can live centuries –  as long as 200 to 300 years, so including these practices when caring for your home landscape is an investment that will offer enjoyment and value for generations.

Mature Tree Inspection

You should have regular inspections of mature trees at least once a year. Look for four characteristics that represent tree vigor:

• new leaves or buds
• leaf size
• twig growth
• absence of crown dieback

Any abnormalities found during these inspections, including insect activity and spotted, deformed, discolored, or dead leaves and twigs, should be noted and watched closely. If you are uncertain as to what should be done, report your findings to Wood Acres Tree Specialists, certified Arborists.

Mulching Mature Trees

Mulching reduces environmental stress by providing trees with a stable root environment that is cooler and maintains moisture longer. Mulch can also prevent mechanical damage by keeping machines such as lawn mowers and string trimmers away from the tree’s base which can wound it and expose it to insects & disease. Mulch also reduces competition from surrounding weeds and turf.

Place mulch 2 to 4 inches deep and cover the entire root system, which may be as far as 2 or 3 times the diameter of the branch spread of the tree. If the area and activities happening around the tree do not permit the entire area to be mulched, it is recommended that you mulch as much of the area under the drip line of the tree as possible. When placing mulch, do not cover the actual trunk of the tree. This mulch-free area, 1 to 2 inches wide at the base, is sufficient to avoid moist bark conditions and prevent trunk decay.

An organic mulch layer 2 to 4 inches deep of loosely packed shredded leaves, pine straw, peat moss, or composted wood chips is adequate. Thicker mulch depths or plastic should not be used because it interferes with the exchange of gases between soil and air, which inhibits root growth.

Fertilization of Mature Trees

Fertilization is another important aspect of mature tree care. Trees require certain nutrients to function and grow -especially in urban landscapes. If fertilizer is not applied wisely, it may not benefit the tree at all and may even adversely affect the tree. When considering fertilizer, it is important to know which nutrients are needed and when and how they should be applied which is a fairly complex process because conditions vary greatly in soil and environment.

Wood Acres Tree Specialists can arrange to have your soil tested at a soil testing laboratory and can give advice on application rates, timing, and the best blend of fertilizer for each of your trees and other landscape plants.

Since mature trees have expansive root systems that extend from 2 to 3 times the size of the leaf canopy, a major portion of actively growing roots is located outside the tree’s drip line. Many lawn fertilizers contain weed and feed formulations that may be harmful to your trees. When you apply a broadleaf herbicide to your turf, the same herbicide that kills broadleaf weeds in your lawn is picked up by tree roots and can harm or kill your broadleaf trees if applied incorrectly. Understanding the actual size and extent of a tree’s root system before you fertilize is necessary to determine how much, what type, and where to best apply fertilizer.

Pruning the Mature Tree

Pruning is the most common tree maintenance procedure next to watering. Pruning removes dead, diseased, or insect-infested branches and improves tree structure, enhances vigor, or maintains safety. Because each cut has the potential to change the growth of (or cause damage to) a tree, no branch should be removed without a reason.

Overpruning is extremely harmful because without enough leaves, a tree cannot gather and process enough sunlight to survive. However, after pruning, the growth that does occur takes place on fewer shoots, so they tend to grow longer than they would without pruning. Pruning mature trees usually requires special equipment, training, and experience. If the pruning work requires climbing, the use of a chain or hand saw, or the removal of large limbs, then using personal safety equipment, such as protective eyewear and hearing protection, is a must. Wood Acres Tree Specialists Arborists can provide a variety of services to assist in performing the job safely and reducing risk of personal injury and damage to your property as we are fully insured and highly trained in the safe removal of trees.

The Plant Health Care Maintenance Program

Maintaining mature landscapes is a complicated undertaking but Wood Acres Tree Specialists can simplify this for you. Consider our professional Plant Health Care (PHC) maintenance program for healthier trees and shrubs. The PHC program is designed to maintain plant vigor and includes the Plant Health Care Report & inspection to detect and treat any existing problems that could be damaging or fatal. Thereafter, regular inspections and the right kind of preventive maintenance determined by our tree experts will ensure tree and shrub health and beauty for your valuable property landscape.

Caring for Mature Trees is a post from: Wood Acres Tree Specialists - LeafNotes

proper tree removal is costly

Having a tree removed can be expensive. When you’re a homeowner with trees on your property you should budget in tree care just like any other homeowner expense so you won’t be caught short.

There are many things to consider when Wood Acres Tree Specialists gives an estimate.

• Minimum cost. Tree companies have a lot of equipment – even for small jobs. For very large jobs specialized equipment must be brought in to the job site.
• The bigger the tree, the more expensive the removal. Removing a large tree is more complicated, large oaks can weigh 30-50 tons, and clean-up can be extensive. If your tree removal requires a crane that adds to the cost.
• Tree stability. A tree that is failing can post a hazard to the property and crew and this must be considered in the estimate. The longer you wait when you notice a problem with a tree, the more it can cost to remove.
• Tree location. If the tree is on a hill, near power lines, near structures, tangled within other trees limbs, or right next to the street where traffic passes this could take longer than an uncomplicated tree removal.
• Reputation of Arborist. Wood Acres is licensed, insured, equipped with the latest heavy machinery, and is extremely experienced. This adds up to extra insurance for you that the job will be done correctly and safely with minimal percussions.
• Stump removal. This is always an extra service as it requires different equipment and it also gives the homeowner an opportunity to save some money to not have it done if it’s not in a prominent area.
• Clean up. The degree that Wood Acres cleans up the debris after the job is also included in the estimate.

What Factors Affect The Cost of Tree Removal is a post from: Wood Acres Tree Specialists - LeafNotes

Don't Procrastinate on Tree Assessment

The extreme soaking, wet weather this season has created problems with trees falling because their roots won’t hold in the saturated ground. The ground gets soft, trees lean, take up too much moisture to the crown – and topple.

Those falling trees come crashing down on roadways, houses, yards and power lines costing time and money that could have been avoided with a Tree Report. Wood Acres crews have been busy cleaning up the aftermath of trees suffering from too much water, wind or both.

Trees add to our enjoyment of the outdoors, improve the air we breathe and contribute to the value of our properties. However, trees also have liabilities associated with them. The key to reducing those liabilities is to recognize when a tree becomes hazardous and take the appropriate steps to correct or eliminate the hazard.

Our Certified Arborists provide a Tree Structure Evaluation/Risk Assessment Report. This report provides the following information: tree species, size, species failure profile, evaluation of location and site of tree, visual tree analysis, wood rot-decay analysis, risk rating, interpretation of evaluation and remedial treatments.

Don’t wait. Contact Wood Acres Tree Specialists – arborists that are fully licensed, insured and certified to take care of your trees.

Extreme Wet Weather – Get Your Trees Assessed is a post from: Wood Acres Tree Specialists - LeafNotes

Expert Tree Removal

In the wake of Hurricane Irene, the Washington DC area remains littered with downed trees, limbs and branches. Wood Acres is busy helping with the cleanup. We’re sorry to say that many stately, old trees were destroyed. Fortunately, resulting injuries or deaths weren’t as many as feared in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene which struck this past weekend here.

Many people ask, “What if a neighbor’s tree fell on my property? It’s their tree, shouldn’t they be responsible for the cleanup and damage?”. The area jurisdictions are stating that toppled trees on private property would not be removed by the counties or the District and trees that have fallen on private property are the responsibility of the property owner.

If you have a toppled tree – whether yours or your neighbor’s – call your own insurance company and a private tree removal service, like Wood Acres Tree Specialists. The County’s Office of Consumer Protection advises homeowners to deal with established businesses only. Beware of out-of-the-area tree crews going door to door with chainsaws. Many are unlicensed and uninsured – and can cost you more money, more damage or personal liability if something goes wrong. Consumer Protection can be reached at 240-777-3636 if you have questions. Wood Acres Tree Specialists is licensed, insured, and certified for the most dangerous tree removals and undergoes rigorous safety training.

If a tree has fallen on power lines call the power company. If you smell gas or have a broken water main call your utility company.

•  Do not touch fallen or low-hanging wires of any kind under any circumstances. Stay away from puddles with wires in or near them. Do not touch trees or other objects in contact with power lines.
• Call police or your utility companies immediately to report hazards such as downed power lines, broken gas or water mains or overturned gas tanks.

Hurricane season ends in November, so please hold onto your sandbags and our number for emergency tree service 1-888-464-3926 – just in case.

Post Hurricane Irene: Neighbor’s tree falls on your property – whose responsibilty? is a post from: Wood Acres Tree Specialists - LeafNotes

When you find downed tree limbs

You’re taking a stroll around your yard and you notice a big tree limb in the the back yard that wasn’t there a couple days ago. A look around the neighborhood tells the tale: the latest storm brought down several tree limbs of all sizes. Why do some tree limbs just bend with the wind and weather when others break? What about the big limb overhanging your house right now?

Weak Branch Unions

Branch unions are categorized as either strong or weak. Strong branch unions have upturned branch bark ridges at branch junctions. Annual rings of wood from the branch grow together with annual rings of wood from the stem, creating a sound, strong union all the way into the center of the tree.

A weak branch union occurs when a branch and stem (or two or more co-dominant stems) grow so closely together that bark grows between them, inside the tree. The term for bark growing inside the tree is “included bark.” The more bark included in the tree, the weaker the union and greater chance that it will fail.

In storm damage surveys conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Forest Resources Department, 21 percent of all landscape trees that failed in windstorms failed at weak branch unions of co-dominant stems. Some species are susceptible to having included bark: European mountain ash, green ash, hackberry, boxelder, willow, red maple, silver maple, Amur maple, cherry and littleleaf linden.

Epicormic Branches

Epicormic branches (also called sucker branches or water sprouts) are formed as a result of bad pruning, injury or environmental stress. They are shallowly attached instead of attached to the center of the stem. Epicormic branches are new branches that replaced injured, pruned or declining branches. You can see epicormic branches formed on the stems and branches of topped trees. Sprouting is common with borer damage. Look for D-shaped holes higher up on the tree. They do not appear along the lower trunk until the tree is nearly dead.When old, large and heavy epicormic branches are growing on decaying stems or branches, the epicormics are very likely to fail.

Weak unions that are also cracked, cankered or decayed are even likely to fail – more limbs in the yard.

Safety First

For safety’s sake, don’t try to inspect that lofty limb yourself. The tree business is very dangerous and experts, like Wood Acres Tree Specialists,  should be consulted. We employ stringent safety and performance standards when analyzing your trees’ structure and taking steps to improving their strength and reduce hazard.

Fallen Tree Limbs in your Yard is a post from: Wood Acres Tree Specialists - LeafNotes

A tree-lined street with majestic branches arching into the open way is a beautiful sight – one of the reasons we love trees. Most of the time they are leaning towards the light because of nature, it’s called phototropism. But, sometimes the tree is leaning because it has a problem, or worse, it is failing and could be at risk in a storm. How can you tell the difference?

A leaning tree can be a distress signal that it has an inadequate root system or it could have a structural weakness.

Here’s what to look for in a leaning tree:

• a tree with an excessive lean
• roots that look like they’ve recently pushed the dirt up around the base or cracks in the dirt
• horizontal cracks on the tension side and bark buckling on the lower side
• a crack through the middle of the stem
• crack, canker, or decay on the lower stem
• tree with girdling roots around 40% or more of the root collar
• more than ⅓ of the roots decayed or missing

For a thorough, professional evaluation or your leaning tree, contact Wood Acres’ professional arborists. Make sure it keeps its place as an element of beauty in your landscape. We are your source for tree answers and arborist services in Montgomery County, MD and Washington DC.

Leaning Trees – Are They A Sign of Tree Failure is a post from: Wood Acres Tree Specialists - LeafNotes