Spring is here and the weather is amenable to spending time enjoying the home landscape. The time outside gives the homeowner the opportunity to recognize any apparent tree problems. In a large percentage of cases involving residential settings, the problem can be traced directly back to improper planting and establishment issues. Had proper techniques been…Read more
Author: Edwin Duke and Sam Hand
Edwin R. Duke, Associate Professor, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences; FAMU Cooperative Extension, Tallahassee, FL 32307. Samuel E. Hand, Jr., Associate Professor and Director of Industry Credentialing Training Programs, FAMU Cooperative Extension, Tallahassee, FL 32307.
What Fun a Simple Swing Can Bring
Swings under a tree limb can be great fun, and there are many kinds. An old tire on a rope and a board with one rope attached in the middle are fun and can swing in circles and multiple directions, unlike a double rope or chain swing which can only move forward and backward. While…Read more
How to Support Your Trees When They Need It Most
Given the right environmental conditions all trees present some level of risk. The level a particular tree presents should be determined, and a decision should be made as to whether that level of potential risk is acceptable or not. When the solution is too costly, or if it is too destructive to implement and still…Read more
Better Pruning for Tree Health and Safety – Part 2
As described in Monday’s release, there are four walls plus the branch collar that the tree uses to block the spread of decay. Below are the descriptions of these walls as listed in the order of weakest to strongest response: Wall 1 limits the vertical spread of decay up the tree. It is the weakest…Read more
Better Pruning for Tree Health and Safety – Part 1
There are many ways trees can be damaged. I am always amazed at how trees manage to respond when subjected to injury. Mechanical injury, such as lightning strikes and storm winds. Construction damage by vehicles, grading equipment and soil trenching equipment. All can cause damage to limbs, trunks and roots. Although we do not often…Read more
Lightning Strikes and Tree Safety
Florida is one of the world’s highest lightning strike regions. Securely grounding homes and buildings is a common practice (and building code requirement) to mitigate the damage done by random hits from these high voltage events. This same type of system can be used on trees to improve their chances of surviving a lightning strike….Read more
Techniques for When Your Trees Need a Little Extra Support
When reviewing trees for safety, identifying hazardous or weak limbs which may fail is an important part of the evaluation. Poor structure, decay caused by disease or other defects may be the cause of the problem bough. The usual remedy for resolving the threat is the removal of the dangerous limbs that have the potential…Read more
The Importance of Pollinators in the Home Landscape
Numerous studies have demonstrated the importance of pollinators to our ecosystems. The insects and animals that move pollen from one plant to another ensure a good majority of the world’s crop and food production. Recent studies have shown that approximately 75 percent of the plants cultivated for human benefit are pollinated by insect and animal…Read more
The Importance of Monitoring Tree Health
With the start of the 2024 Hurricane Season, which is forecast to be an active one, homeowners should be proactive about preparations. Some storms in recent years have wreaked havoc on locales, and in many situations, trees have been a major cause of damage and injury such as broken limbs piercing roofs, fallen trunks crushing…Read more
How to Protect Trees From Lightning
Florida is a state where lightning strikes, and it is more than twice. With summer bringing multiple thunderstorms weekly, the chances of tree damage are quite significant. Lightning protection systems for trees are old technology, having been developed decades ago. They consist of three connected parts. A copper cable “down-conductor” directs the charge of a…Read more