IN 2004 A RESEARCH CONFERENCE MET IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
ASPEN TREE GROVES ARE DECLINING.
WHY?
RESEARCHERS FOUND THREE DISEASE- RELATED ORGANISMS AND THREE PATHOGENIC INSECTS WERE ATTACHING THESE GROVES ALL AT ONCE.
IN 2008 IT WAS DETECTED IN THE CARSON NATIONAL FOREST . NOW 1OO,OOO ASPEN TREES ARE IN DECLINE.
TRANSPORTING FIRE WOOD IS ONE AVENUE FOR THE S.A.D. TO TRAVEL TO TAOS COUNTY.
ASPEN TREES NATURALLY GROW AT 8-8500 FEET IN ELEVATION. THIS ELEVATION HAS COOLER TEMPERATURES.
ASPEN TREES PLANTED IN TAOS AT 6900 FEET HAVE A CHALLENGE TO GROW AND SURVIVE.
HEAT, LOCATION, MOISTURE , AND WINDS CAN HINDER ASPEN TREES SURVIVAL.
WITH THE CURRENT YEAR, 2011 HAVING THE DRIEST SPRING, HOT SUMMER AND LACK OF NATURAL RAINFALL ; THE ASPEN TREES ARE UNDER TREEMENDOUS STRESS.
EXTRA MOISTURE DURING THE HOT PERIODS CAN HELP.
LETTING THE NEW SAPLING OF THE ASPENS GROW, THIS SUPPORTS THE OLDER TREES AND INCREASES THE SURVIVAL OF THIS COMMUNAL ORGANISM.
CONTACT THE LOCAL CONSULTING ARBORIST FOR MORE WAYS TO HELP YOUR ASPEN
TREES
REMEMBER: 'HEALTHY TREES ARE HAPPY TREES'
PINON TREES- 2012
THESE TREES ARE NATIVE TO NEW MEXICO.
WHEN YOU BUILD AROUND THEM; PLANT THEM OR LIVE WITH THEM THEY BECOME URBANIZED LANDSCAPED TREES. THEY NEED YOUR CARE.
YOU ARE THE STEWART OF THESE TREES AND ALL YOUR INTRODUCED PLANTS.
WATERING, PRUNIG AND FEEDING OF YOUR URBANIZED- LANDSCAPED AREAS- ARE PART OF YOUR STEWARDSHIP.
PROPER WATERING , PROPER PRUNING AND PROPER FEEDING SHOULD BE WITH THE HELP OF THE PROFESSIONAL ARBORIST AND LANDSCAPER.
THIS PAST WINTER , SPRING, AND SUMMER HAVE BEEN STRESSFUL ON OUR PLANT COMMUNITY.
PINON TREES HAVE BROWNING NEEDLES AND TWIGS FOR MANY REASONS:
1) lack of winter watering- water once a month in December, January and February on a warm day.
Give these evergreens 10 to 20 gallons around the drip line of the trees.
2) with a dry March and Aprils- water all trees twice or four times during the dry times. Trees are waking up and need that moisture to grow leaves and roots.
3) Our Taos soils are low in nutrients- use organic mixtures of wood chips (not sawdust), old manure and straw to top dress your soils. Other organic fertilizers are available.
REMEMBER- Feed soils from the top- allowing natural decomposing to occur!
TREES ARE THE LARGEST OF OUR PLANT COMMUNITY AND CAN REQUIRED MORE WATER THEN THE SMALLER PLANTS.
SOIL MOISTURE METERS ARE THE BEST INDICATOR OF HOW YOUR SOILS MAINTAIN YOUR IRRIGATION.
Contact your professional arborist or landscaper for assistance.
TREE CARE:
Right Tree Right Place should be your first thought when you buy a tree.Look at the site location first and pick a tree that will do well at that location. Look up the Tree's Profile
PROPER PLANTING IS THE NEXT STEP IN HAVING HEALTH TREES.
Check site location- dig the hole 2 to 3 times the width of the container. IMPORTANT dig the depth of the hole so that the tree is 1 to 2 inches above grade. Trees planted too deep will be stressed as they get older; natural gas exchanges occur at the root flare ( area where the first primary roots develop). Place the tree careful in the hole pick up the tree from the bottom (do not grab and lift by the trunk) remove all the planting material, root prune any circling or girdling roots; make sure the trees is straight. Back fill the hole with soil from the hole, hand packing the bottom 4 to 6 inches of soils, no amendments should be added to the soils; keep in mind watering methods, place a berm around the tree outside the drip line (end of branches). Mulch the planting site with 2 to 4 inches of mulch keeping the mulch 6 to 12 inches away from the trunk of the tree. Mulch 12 inches past the drip line.
WATERING
Water newly planted trees every other day the first four weeks during your spring or fall planting. Check the soil moisture retention and water every third day for next four weeks. A soil moisture meter may help understand how much moisture is retained around your trees; checking the four directions North, East, South, and West, around the tree will give your an indication of how fast your soils dry out. All soil profiles can be different.
Summer planting is not recommended. Evaporation,Transpiration and Respiration is extremely high during our hot, windy low humidity summer days.
PRUNING
Pruning for the 'Life of the Tree' is the main reason for all pruning methods. There should be a reason to prune.
Ideally pruning should be down early spring before leaf develop on a shade tree (bud break). Fruit tree pruning should be done with proper training from an professional arborist. Go to www.treesaregood.org or www.isa-arbor.com for ISA pruning standards.
Pruning a tree should not be practices during invasive insects cycles.
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