[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

Tue Sep 18 14:07:54 MST 2007

Carl S. Zolnarchik
85037
carlzolnarchik at cox.net

September 17th, 2007

Hello:

I am a homeowner living in Central Phoenix.

I  have an 8 year old "Cottonless" Cottonwood Tree planted in my front yard in full sun exposure.  It's trunk is approximately 8 inches in diameter.  The bark in places has split and apparently this has caused a drying effect on the interior of the tree. 

The only green growth now is approximately 4 feet above the ground and consists of a solitary "sucker" of growth coming out of the trunk at that height and numerous well leaved quite hearty "suckers" rising up out of the base of the tree.  Also one "sucker" arose from the ground approximately 6 feet from the base of the tree but when I investigated to see if it was a "new" different tree of the same variety I discovered it was only still another sucker attached to a shallow root of the diseased/dying/drying tree.  That last sucker was too close to my carport driveway so I exposed the root with a shovel, clipped off the growth and reburied the root (without severing the root). 

2007 has been a brutally hot summer...

A sewer line running past the tree approximately 5 feet from the trunk was replaced during the fall of 2006 and the contractor left the trench open for about 3 weeks.  This also may have contributed to stress on the tree although the contractor indicated no root intrusion into the sewer line and claimed his excavation did not encounter any "major" tree roots...

I have been watering the tree thruout the summer vigorously from the point that I noticed it's distress.  (About 90 minutes to 2 hours every 2nd or 3rd day)  Approximately since the end of July...

The tree appears therefore to be alive!

My quandry is what to do now.  I've left the suckers grow hoping the watering and photosynthesis will nourish the tree sufficiently to save it.  

What are your suggestions?  Would if be better to refer me to another aqriculture contact?

My wife suggests removing all the "suckers" but I disagree as that would leave the tree with no green growth at all to be nourished by
 the sun.  I DO NOT WANT A COTTONWOOD BUSH. HOWEVER.  I want a tree....

Should I continue as I've been doing letting the suckers grow and watering vigourishly?  

Should I trim/cut back the tree to the highest green growth remaining?  (note the ground  level suckers are doing much better than the solitary one about 5 feet up from the trees base so I'm not sure if the ground level suckers are robbing this solitary growth of nourishment and maybe even the whole of the rest of the tree of moisture and nourishment as well...

Should I only trim the smaller obviously dead branches and leave the trunk intact?

Should I practice "benign neglect" and water the tree normally as the fall air temperature's drop, avoiding any trimming, cutting, or removal of suckers and branches or cutting the trunk and let nature take it's course to see if the often hearty cottonwood species revives my distressed tree on it's own?

I hope you have an arborist or horticulture specialist who can answer my questions. 

 I'd rather not cut down this tree and plant a new one losing 8 years of growth;  however I don't know if this tree is dead above the highest green growth remaining and destined to become a bush and therefore should be removed...Or if the suckers will merge as they grow into the tree trunk itself as branches of "Mulberry Trees" often do and the trunk will simply be thicker and the upper levels of the tree will reinvigorate themselves.

Can you help?  Or can you refer me to someone who can?

I am disabled and live on a low fixed income so hireing an arborist to come examine the tree or a "tree surgeon" to come diagnose and heal it if possible is not truly an option if such would be expensive.

Sincerely,

Carl S. Zolnarchik
3002 North 87th Ave.
Phoenix, Arizona 85037-3308
Email: carlzolnarchik at cox.net
Phone: (623) 872 - 5310  (I'd prefer email or written contact)