[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[Dick]

I have learned the hard way, Carl, that trees that have gone through severe 
pruning, diseases or other trauma in their juvenile years often plague their 
care-takers for years after. I don't care even a little what you end up 
doing. You have to yield to your own knowledge and instincts. We develop 
horticultural intelligence through trial and error, a process called 
learning but, in gardening, mistakes and experience are often out best 
teacher.

I have been taught by Arborists that a slanted cut that prevents standing 
water is best and I have practiced that technique for 50 years without ever 
being told it is wrong and without that technique causing any ill effects 
that I could discern.

By the old adage, savvy gardeners should learn someything new every day. I 
often marvel, however, why, at 82, I  am still so dumb.

Dick Gross, MGV  U. of A.  MCCE


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carl Zolnarchik" <carlzolnarchik at cox.net>
To: "Dick" <rkgross3 at cox.net>
Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 3:35 PM
Subject: Re: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


> 9/20/07
>
> Thank you for your prompt response Mr(s). Storey; Gross:
>
> The green growth die back and the cracking tree bark occurred rather
> suddenly in terms of a tree's life.(2 to 2 and 1/2 weeks)  My own guess is
> that even though I watered my lawn sufficiently to keep it green, the 
> amount
> of water was insufficient for a cottonwood tree already suffering root
> damage from when the sewer line was replaced and I didn't notice quick
> enough because of the long duration of 110+ degrees F.air temperatures 
> that
> we suffered this summer and assumed wrongly that if the grass was
> green...the dying leaves on the branches was due to the intense
> sunlight...instead of insufficient watering.  When I increased the
> watering...the tree bark cracks actually "appeared" to be filling 
> themselves
> in...but the leaves never recovered and continued to die back in a 
> circular
> pattern from the most intense sun exposure (west side branches of the 
> tree)
> to the least (north east branches.) until there was no more green leaves
> until the suckers appeared and leafed out.
>
> Unfortunately, "I" am the kind of gardener who cannot stand to see a plant
> die.  When I have to "thin" seedlings in my "no stooping" raised garden  I
> feel guilty...
>
> The affected Cottonless Cottonwood Tree we are talking about also has a
> companion tree of the same variety which is about 40 feet south of it but
> that tree is shaded by a larger Ficus variety tree (not the Nitida Ficus
> variety) to it's southwest blocking the intense afternoon
> sunlight;...Including the ailing cottonwood I have a full 1 dozen mature
> trees on my residential lot:  1 dwarf "Arizona Orange", 1 dwarf Ruby Red
> Grapefruit. 1 dwarf lemon tree. 2 apple trees, an "Anna" variety and the
> yellow skinned apple bearing variety (I forget the name...from the 
> Bahamas).
> 2 Silk Oaks. 2 Mulberry's. The 1 ficus and  the 2 Cottonwoods.
>
> If I decide to cut the trunk on my cottonwood using a chain saw (assuming
> that I will try to save it...I've not decided) should the cut be angular
> above the highest green sucker on the tree but "above" the sucker (about 5
> feet up) or should it be straight across?
>
> Should I put "black tar" (I've a spray can of this tar I bought to use 
> when
> pruning/trimming trees. on the open trunk wound to prevent disease or
> drying, rotting, etc.? or just leave it ? I ask this because when I've 
> used
> the tar after pruning my Mulberry trees every 3 or 4 years, the tar seems 
> to
> prevent the Mulberry from growing new bark around and over the wound.  I
> just don't know if this tar is a good idea.  After all,  in 
> nature...damaged
> trees heal themselves or die so I don't know if this tar is even a good
> idea?  However cutting the trunk of the Cottonwood would leave a large
> topside wound exposed to moisture and sunlight and air.  What do you 
> think?
>
> I really appreciate your feedback.
>
> I also got some feedback from "Dick"  His advice was similar to yours
> without the niceties (his 1st message, his 2nd message was kinder).
> Essentially his advice was to cut it down and plant a new one since
> Cottonwoods grow relatively fast.  That is why I've not decided what to 
> do.
>
> Also, my house is up for sale...My wife and I want to move to a cooler,
> moister, four seasons climate and quieter/safer environment.  So cutting 
> the
> struggling tree off at the base and letting any new owners worry about
> whether to plant a tree and which kind and where to plant it also would 
> fit
> in with Dick's basic and your more cautious (since the tree is obviously
> still alive) sadder advice.  Unfortunately, as I said above I am the type 
> of
> gardener who can't stand to see a plant die if it's at all saveable.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Carl S. Zolnarchik
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Dick" <rkgross3 at cox.net>
> To: <carlzolnarchik at cox.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 10:46 PM
> Subject: Re: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page
>
>
>> Personally, I would trash that tree and start from scratch. You would 
>> probably be way ahead if you scrap the mess on hand. Cottonwood is a fast 
>> grower and the new start might make up for lost time and you could lose 
>> another year or two fussing over this looser.
>>
>> You just might try cuttings from this cottonwood. In Nebraska a half 
>> century ago, farmers did fence lines be shoving cottonwood sticks into 
>> damp ground.
>>
>> Dick Gross, Master Gardener Volunteer, U of A Maricopa County Cooperative 
>> Extension.
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: <carlzolnarchik at cox.net>
>> To: <arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu>
>> Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:07 PM
>> Subject: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page
>>
>>
>>> 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)
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Arid_gardener mailing list
>>> Arid_gardener at CALS.arizona.edu
>>> http://CALS.arizona.edu/mailman2/listinfo/arid_gardener
>>
>>
>