Tree health in urban areas
Climateways
The consequences and effects of climate change are omnipresent and clearly visible, especially in established trees in urban areas and in forest stands. Trees suffer enormously from drought stress, heat radiation and nutrient deficiency, resulting primarily in pathogens such as fungal infestation and/or insect infestation. A weakened tree can only defend itself poorly against “intruders”.
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From an expert’s point of view, it is therefore essential to optimize the location of established trees and to ensure that new plantings are also planted in a location suitable for the tree species. This is where most mistakes are made. Determining the exact location in advance is the basis for the long-term preservation of trees.
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Climateways
Without knowing the location and its characteristics, it is impossible to find a suitable tree. The focus is on the factors of rootability, water balance, heat balance, pH value and basic geology, i.e. nutrient saturation.
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Climateways
In theory, people like to talk about shallow-rooted, heart-rooted or tap-rooted plants. These designations are absolutely theoretical terms and I explicitly advise against choosing a tree species according to the “catalog criteria”. Even the most beautiful tree cannot develop a taproot if the geology does not allow it. In urban areas, for example, taproots or heart-roots often become flat-roots. Conversely, shallow-rooted plants may be forced to develop their roots downwards, for example due to excessive compaction. Heavily compacted soils, adjacent buildings or underground infrastructure make it impossible for the plant to develop its genetically determined root pattern.
“Dig a hole, put in a tree and that’s it” is not enough!
A professional approach to the location and the resulting choice of the right tree species not only preserves the tree in the long term, but also saves money in the medium term.
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Climateways
An established tree sends out search roots. These have the task of finding water and nutrient sources. If this is successful, thickness growth begins and a statics is formed. Depending on the location, it can happen that roots are only formed on one side, creating a static problem, or that the roots grow in the opposite direction to the genetics. Here, too, there may be a medium-term problem with the stability of the tree. Furthermore, these trees show a decline in vitality and/or health very early on. Increased deadwood formation is usually the first sign of a problem in the soil structure. In monetary terms, this creates an increased need for inspections and more measures in the care sector. “So you artificially plant a nursing case”!
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Climateways
As previously mentioned, many mistakes are made by not paying attention to a location suitable for the tree species. In addition, I often observed that the chosen tree disc was not large enough.
The following remains to be said about the tree disc: A tree disc that has a sufficiently loosened substrate with regard to the “final size” of the tree to be achieved is ideal for the tree. So please don’t make the mistake of calculating three times the crown size for a young tree, but ALWAYS think about how big the tree will or should become in the location. This theoretical crown width should at least be available as a loosened substrate. Only then can optimum root formation and the desired static effectiveness be achieved!
Smaller tree disk = less root activity = less statics!
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Climateways
To care for the roots: In my many years of professional experience, I have noticed that there is an increased risk of adventitious root formation with root ball plantings. Under certain circumstances, these can become a problem in the statics of the established tree in the medium term. So even the choice of planting material should be carefully considered.
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Climateways
I am very skeptical about water bags, which are currently common practice. In my experience, watering ONLY near the trunk also promotes root growth towards the trunk, which increases the risk of adventitious root formation.
From an expert’s point of view, watering in the tree disc (ideally the outermost branch tip in the vertical plus 50 cm to the trunk) is a MUST in order to not only supply the established tree with the necessary nutrients, but also to maintain the statics by encouraging root formation.
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Climateways
Especially in this day and age, it should be absolutely important to every tree owner to preserve trees in the long term and to plant new trees in such a way that the tree can be preserved in its location in the long term with reasonable effort.
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