Trees need plenty of nutrients to grow healthy and strong. If they don’t get them, they’ll wither and die. The soil provides plenty of nutrients for trees. But nutrient depletion over time, poor soil management, natural factors like soil type, and pollution (acid rain and agricultural runoff) can strip nutrients from the soil and make it less rich. So can soil erosion, excessive tilling, overfertilizing, soil that’s too sandy, and acid rocks. 

To preserve trees on your property, you must ensure your soil has plenty of nutrients and organic matter. Below are five signs you need to fertilize your trees and shrubs to boost your soil’s nutrient content.

• Yellowing leaves
• Stunted growth
• Poor flowering
• Thin foliage
• Dead or dying branches

If you see any or all of these signs with your trees, they indicate that your soil may lack the nutrients needed to grow healthy trees. Testing your soil will tell you for sure.

Testing Your Soil

Testing your property’s soil can uncover any problems you have with it. You can test soil anytime the ground isn’t frozen. The best time to test your soil, though, is in the spring. That way, you can address any issues before planting. If you live in Providence, you can get your soil tested for free. You can also get a soil test through URI’s Master Gardener program. Consult a local arborist or RI Tree for help or advice on soil testing.

The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, recently conducted a five-year study designed to evaluate the effects of organic and inorganic fertilizers on soil quality and tree growth. Its researchers tested several substrates, including hardwood mulch, compost, aerated compost tea, synthetic NPK fertilizer, and a commercial biological product (mycorrhizae). The study shows that soil compost and mulch boost soil quality the most, while mulch and compost increase tree growth the most.

Benefits of Fertilizing Trees

Fertilizing benefits trees enormously. Put simply, it’s a cost-effective way to improve a tree’s health, appearance, and lifespan of a tree—all while helping benefit the environment. Here are several benefits of fertilizing trees:

• Boost tree growth and vigor
• Increase resistance to stress
• Improve full fruit and floor production
• Extend life span
• Enhance esthetic value
• Improve the quality of air
• Cut noise pollution

Keep in mind that trees absorb pollutants from the air and release oxygen. Plus, they reduce noise pollution by blocking sound waves.

Tips on Fertilizing Trees

The first step when fertilizing trees and shrubs is choosing the right fertilizer. Look for the letters NPK on a fertilizer label. That indicates the fertilizers include a nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium mixture—three critical plant nutrients. Types of NPK fertilizers include balanced, incomplete, and organic.

If your trees have yellow leaves or show stunted growth, the soil may be deficient in nitrogen. In that case, you’ll want a fertilizer rich in nitrogen content. Otherwise, you may want a good “balanced” fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 10-10-10 or 12-4-8

Here are six additional tips on fertilizing trees and shrubs:

• Apply fertilizer from early spring to late fall. That’s the best time to fertilize trees in most areas. Don’t fertilize during the winter. It’s the worst time to do it.

• Spread the fertilizer over the tree’s root zone. That’s the area beneath its canopy. Apply the fertilizer evenly with help from a broadcaster or a drop spreader.

• Water the fertilizer thoroughly. That will help the nutrients penetrate deep into the soil.

• Sandy soil drains faster than clay soil. So, you may need to fertilize sandy soil more often than if you have clay soil.

• Fertilize in the fall in areas with cold winters, like New England. Trees will store nutrients all winter so they can return strong in the spring.

• Avoid overfertilizing. That can not only damage plants, it can also pollute the environment. Follow the directions on the fertilizer label.

These tips can help you when it comes to taking care of your trees and shrubs. If you have any questions regarding fertilization, contact an arborist or RI Tree. Asking for help from a professional never hurts.

Trees and shrubs aren’t the only plants you need to protect in winter. You also need to protect your houseplants. While houseplants aren’t subject to the same harsh elements your trees and shrubs are, the winter still impacts them. Even your year-round houseplants will feel winter’s bite. So, you’ll need to treat these plants differently during winter than at other times.

But first, do some research on your plants.

Find out their winter needs. Some species will require more specialized care than others during winter. Knowing your plants’ special needs enables you to provide the care they need to survive the cold. In general, try to imitate the winter conditions of the plants’ native areas. Mimicking their native habitats boosts their chances of surviving dramatically.

Simple Steps to Help Your Plants Survive the Winter

Plants get less sunlight in winter than in the other seasons. Less sunlight triggers a plant’s natural dormancy, so it uses less water and grows less. This process can stress plants. Taking the simple steps listed below will keep your greenery healthy in winter:  

1. Adjust your watering schedule. Water your plants deeply, but only when the top inch of soil is dry.

• Move your plants to a brighter spot. Move your plants to a south- or west-facing window where they’ll get direct sunlight for at least 6 hours daily. Use a grow light if necessary.

• Increase the humidity. The air in our homes is often drier in the winter than at other times, which can stress plants. So, group your plants together to increase the humidity around them. You can also use a humidifier.
• Avoid drafts and cold air. If possible, keep your plants away from cold drafts, radiators, and air vents. Sudden temperature changes can shock plants, causing them to drop leaves.
• Fertilize less often. Many houseplants don’t need to be fertilized in the winter. If you decide to fertilize your houseplants, use a half-strength solution monthly.
• Look out for pests and diseases. They’re more common in the winter when plants are stressed than at other times. Inspect your plants regularly for signs of pests or diseases. Treat them immediately if necessary.

• Be patient with your plants. Houseplants will lose some leaves in the winter. Don’t be alarmed if your plants look less lush in winter.  

Following these tips can help your plants survive even an extreme winter. With extra care and attention, they’ll emerge from winter ready for spring.

Plants that Thrive in Winter

Plants aren’t all the same, however. Some do better in winter than others. So, another consideration is having houseplants that thrive in this season. Below are several plants that can add interest and color to your garden or home during a cold, snowy New England winter.  

• Winter aconite: This yellow flower blooms in late winter or early spring. It will even bloom through snow. It’s a low-growing, easy-to-care-for perennial.   
• Snowdrops: These delicate white flowers bloom in late winter or early spring. They’re a good option for naturalizing in woodlands or meadows. 
• Snowdrops flower
• Pansies: A versatile annual plant that can be grown in pots, borders, or hanging baskets, pansies bloom in various colors including white, purple, yellow, and orange.
• Violas: Violas are similar to pansies but smaller and have more delicate flowers. They bloom into early spring.

Violas in bloom

• Cyclamen: A popular winter pot plant, cyclamen produces heart-shaped leaves and delicate flowers in shades of white, pink, purple, and red.

• Witch hazel: Witch hazel is a large shrub that blooms in late winter or early spring, producing clusters of fragrant, yellow flowers.

• Hellebore: Hellebore, also known as Christmas rose or Lenten rose, is a perennial that blooms in midwinter. It produces cup-shaped flowers in shades of white, pink, and purple.

New England winters can be tough on greenery. It’s a time when plants go dormant. That can stress a plant. But taking the simple steps described above gives your houseplants a good chance to survive the winter. Choosing a houseplant that’s native to the area in winter is another option that many people take.

For more information on steps you can take to keep your houseplants surviving and thriving in winter, contact RITree.

Are your young trees all set for winter? Winter in New England is hard on trees—especially young ones. So, late fall is the perfect time to start preparing young trees for the harshness of winter. This process includes protecting the bark of young trees. It often splits in the winter and can leave young trees vulnerable. Splitting is typically more severe on young trees’ south and west sides than on the north and east sides.

 

This splitting process is called sunscald. It occurs when the sun’s heat damages tree bark. That creates a temperature difference between internal sapwood under the bark (hot) and the external environment (cold). That, in turn, causes the sapwood to desiccate, shrink, and die. The bark eventually cracks along the dead sapwood’s fault line. Young, thin-barked ornamental and fruit trees. like birch, stewartia, red maple, London planetree, and beech are especially susceptible to sunscald. 

This red maple is showing signs of sunscald, which can devastate a young tree in winter.

Sunscald occurs in summer and winter, but it is much more common in the winter. Hence, the need to start protecting young trees in the fall from this winter increases. Symptoms of sunscald include:

• Dead or discolored bark
• Vertical cracks in the bark
• Bleeding from the affected area
• Sapwood (the layer of wood just beneath the bark) that is exposed

Young trees can survive sunscald. But even if they survive it, sunscald can weaken young trees, making them more susceptible to other problems, such as pests and diseases.

Young Trees are More Susceptible

Cold weather, snow and ice, drought, salt spray, pests and diseases can severely damage trees. So, can sunscald. It can devastate them. Here are a few reasons why young trees are more vulnerable than older ones to sunscald:

• Thinner bark: Young trees have thinner bark than older trees. That’s because the tree bark thickens over time as the tree grows and ages. Thinner bark is more susceptible to damage from the sun’s heat.
• Less developed canopy: Young trees have less developed canopies than older trees. That means they have less foliage to shade the bark of the trunk. Less protection increases the chance of sunscald.
• Less experience with sunlight: Young trees have less time to adapt to sunlight than older trees. That makes them more susceptible to damage from the sun, especially if they are suddenly exposed to more sunlight than usual.

• More exposure to direct sunlight: Young trees are more susceptible to sun scald if planted in an area where they are exposed to direct sunlight for most of the day. That’s especially true in wintertime when the sun is lower in the sky than at other times, and the tree’s bark is more likely to be exposed to direct sunlight.

Protecting Young Trees from Sunscald

Tree owners can do a lot to prevent sun scald from occurring—even in the harshest New England weather. To protect young trees from sun scald, you can:

1. Wrap the young tree’s trunk with a white tree wrap or plastic tree guard during the winter. The wrap reflects the sun and keeps the bark at a more constant temperature.
2. Plant young trees where the elements protect them from the winter sun. The site could be in the shade of a building or another tree, or on your property’s north or northeast side.
3. Water young trees regularly, especially during the first few years after planting. Watering helps them to develop a robust root system and withstand winter stresses.
4. Mulch around the base of young trees. This step insulates the roots and protects them from the cold.
5. Prune your trees in the late fall or early winter. This action will help to remove any dead or diseased branches that could be more susceptible to sunscald.
6. Plant young trees in a location that protects them from the sun and wind, in the shade of a building or another tree, or on your property’s north or northeast side.
7. Look out for pests and diseases. If you see signs of them, contact a certified arborist or RI Tree for advice.

Following these tips on combating sun scald can help protect your young trees from this sunscald and ensure they thrive for many years.

For more information on sunscald or tree care contact RITree by e-mail at ritree@ritree.org.

The American chestnut tree thrived in eastern North American forests for thousands of years. It comprised about 25% of the trees in the natural range. A large, fast-growing deciduous beech species, this tree was a boon to the local ecosystem. Native Americans used the wood for building, the nuts for food, and the bark for medicine. The nuts were also a staple food for early European settlers in North America. Put another way, the American chestnut tree was among the most significant forest trees throughout its range.  

Today, the American chestnut is all but extinct in the wild thanks to a blight accidentally introduced to America in the early 1900s. Cryphonectria parasitica is the name of the parasitic fungus that causes chestnut blight. It devastated the existing chestnut trees. Native to East Asia, it also devastated European chestnuts. Once introduced in the U.S., the fungus spread rapidly and caused significant tree loss. The fungus destroyed about four billion American chestnuts in the first half of the 20th century.

 

Protecting the American Chestnut

There’s no cure for chestnut blight, but there are several things you can do to manage the disease and protect chestnuts if you love the tree species. One is to plant resistant chestnut hybrids. These hybrids are developed by crossing American chestnut trees with Asian chestnut trees, which are more resistant to the fungus.

Something else you can do to help chestnut trees is to support the growing number of organizations working hard to restore the species to its former range. These organizations are breeding blight-resistant chestnut trees and planting them in forests throughout the eastern United States. These organizations include:

• American Chestnut Foundation
• American Chestnut Research & Restoration Project at SUNY ES
• American Chestnut Cooperators’ Foundation (ACCF)
• National Park Service (NPS)
• US Forest Service (USFS)

The organizations are making a difference. The American chestnut is slowly but surely returning to its native range. One of the highlights of the Tree Council’s 2023 Summer Workshop at Goddard Park was a chance to see years of work by the American Chestnut Foundation come to fruition. The summer workshops held by R.I. Tree, along with our annual Tree Stewards Course, are among our most popular tree care programs. Look for more information on these workshops in the spring.

Proven Tips on Managing Plant Diseases

Prevention is the best defense against plant diseases. Site preparation and plant selection are critical steps to prevent plant diseases. But diseases can occur despite our best efforts. Below are some tips for managing plant diseases:

1. Remove diseased plant parts to prevent spreading.
2. Water your plants properly.
3. Prune away dead or diseased branches to improve air circulation and reduce the amount of inoculum in the plant.
4. Apply fungicides according to the label directions to help control the disease.
5. Keep your tools clean. Disinfect your pruning shears and other tools. Use a solution of bleach and water after each use.
6. Be aware of the weather conditions. Some diseases are more likely to develop under certain weather conditions than other diseases. Then, take steps to prevent the disease’s development.
7. Contact RITree. Its experts can provide information on common plant diseases in your area and recommend strategies for managing them.

By following these tips, you can help to protect your plants from disease and enjoy it. The best approach is to use a combination of cultural practices and chemical or biological controls to manage diseases effectively. Remember, there’s no silver bullet for managing plant diseases.

Fall is incredible in New England. The leaves change from green to rich rusts, ruby reds, and glittering golds as summer gives way to fall. Many trees look their best at this time. The fall is a great time to prepare your trees for the ravages of winter. Giving your trees some TLC now before winter protects them from harsh winter weather and helps boost spring growth. Below are seven things you should do before winter sets in to help your trees continue to grow and thrive.

1.      Soil care 

Chances are good that the soil in your yard isn’t as rich as that in the forest. That’s because the forest’s fallen leaves and organic matter enhance the soil, enriching it with nutrients. But you can boost your soil’s richness by doing three things. Apply a slow-release fertilizer in the fall. Freshen up the mulch before the ground freezes. And reduce irrigation to avoid flooding the soil. Trees get a lot of moisture in the winter.

2.      Prune your trees

Pruning is a wise annual practice. Prune dead, diseased, and unsafe branches from your trees. This strategy not only protects you and your home. It also influences a tree’s structure and shape. Trim lifeless branches. Cut cracked, loose, and diseased-looking trees near the trunk. And call an arborist for help with trimming large branches. Trim branches without leaving stubs and leave wounds exposed so they can heal.

3.      Prepare for winter

Winter takes a toll on trees. So, you must prepare them in the fall for the winter’s snow, frost, ice, and cold temperatures. Start by Inspecting your trees for weak branches that may need added TLC to survive the winter. Cable and brace these limbs. Cabling and bracing trees support poor or weak branch unions and reduce the strain and stress damage from high winds, heavy ice, and snow build-up.

4.      Water your evergreens

Give your evergreens a healthy gulp of water before winter. They’ll be well-hydrated throughout the cold winter. Harsh winter weather can cause water loss in an evergreen’s needles and freeze its roots. Water regularly throughout the fall. You want to moisten the soil, not saturate it. Weekly deep root watering with slow soaking is an ideal tree care strategy. It’s an efficient way to get your tree the right amount of water.

5.      Inspect trees and shrubs

The fall is a good time to inspect your trees and shrubs. Look for pests and diseases that might have settled in. You don’t want them getting out of control. Conspicuous damage, early fall color, and other signs of stress could indicate a deeper underlying problem.

Start by identifying the disease or pest. Then, determine how to treat the pest or disease.

Identifying a pest or disease can be a challenge. So, if you’re unsure what the pest or disease is, consult a local arborist for help. Or, contact the Rhode Island Tree Council for help. They can provide a trained eye to help you identify the problem and suggest the best way of eliminating it. Consulting an expert saves you time and money.

6.      Look out for Root Decay

Pay attention to the mushrooms growing at the base of your trees. They may appear for only a few days at a time. Some mushrooms can eat at and decay a tree’s roots, creating an unstable tree. Prevention is the best way to eliminate root decay.

So, don’t over water your trees, encourage healthy mycorrhizal fungi by enhancing soil organic matter and avoiding soil compaction, and protect trees from damage by mowers, trimmers, and construction, which can kill roots and weaken trees.

Fall is an excellent time of year in New England. The change in color of the leaves is something to look forward to every year. Some think it’s the best season of all. Fall is also a time to prepare your trees for winter.

The cold, snow, and ice can damage them beyond repair, so you should have a plan to protect your trees before winter comes. The six steps we suggest you do above are a good place to start. Implementing them will not only protect your trees but also promote greater tree health come next spring.

John Campanini is the technical director of the Rhode Island Tree Council (RITree). A graduate of the University of Rhode Island, he was city forester for Providence for more than twenty years before retiring.

A highlight of the Tree Council’s 2023 Summer Workshop at Goddard Park was a chance to see years of work by the American Chestnut Foundation come to literal fruition.  Since the American Chestnut demise in the American landscape (A fungal blight has left the trees stunted), people concerned by the absence of this tree in our forests, have assembled a team, and concocted a scheme, whereby these wonderful chestnut trees may be rescued from a future of understory inadequacy.  Through breeding selection, resistance to this fungus has been sought. The project is looking fruitful. 

It is a wonderful story of science, passion, and hope.

Pursue the link below to see more.

Are you thinking of planting a tree? Fall is the best time to do that. It gives the tree plenty of time to root itself. A tree starts growing the second it’s planted. It will continue to grow as long as the soil temperature stays above 40°F (4°C). By the time spring comes, the tree will be established and growing.

Another reason to plant in the Fall is the soil. It’s a better fit for digging plant holes than in the Spring. Plus, the summer’s warmth still lingers in the soil. That keeps the soil moist enough for digging, making it perfect for planting.

Some people worry that winter will kill a tree planted in the Fall. No so. Trees go dormant in the winter so they can withstand the cold. In other words, they “hibernate,” like animals do in the winter. So, if you plant a sapling early enough in the Fall, it will have plenty of time to establish itself before the winter.

The tree will also have two growing seasons before the summer heat arrives and a healthy enough perception to survive. Ideally, you want to plant a tree at least six weeks before freezing temperatures arrive. Use October as a deadline for planting a tree.

Spring is also a Good Time to Plant

Spring is also a good time to plant a tree. But doing so then is risky. It might be too rainy for the soil to become stable enough for the tree to grow. That could prevent the tree from establishing itself enough before the summer heat arrives. Intense summer heat can kill a tree.

Spring, however, has one significant advantage over the Fall when planting a tree. Many local nurseries stock up on inventory in the Spring. So, you have more trees to choose from in the Spring than in the Fall. You may also have a better-quality tree to choose from in the Spring.

The time of the year you plant your tree, however, will only matter if you plant it in the right spot. Location is as critical as the time you plant it. Make sure you don’t plant the tree too close to existing structures. You’ll also want to research how much sun, wind, and water the tree prefers.

Knowing that information means you’re better able to pick a spot compatible with those conditions. And remember to call the free 811 Service to ensure there aren’t any underground utilities where you plant the tree. The tree’s roots could become a real problem for the utilities in time.

Finally, give your tree plenty of water—roughly one gallon of water per inch of diameter on the trunk. Mulch will help keep the tree moist and happy. Use up to 4″ and keep space between the trunk and the mulch. 

Crabapples: A Good Choice to Plant

Plenty of beautiful flowering trees are available when planting a tree. The Crabapple (Botanical name: Malus spp.) is an excellent choice if you are looking for a compact tree that brings year-round interest. Gorgeous spring buds, handsome summer foliage, and excellent fall color are among the Crabapple’s main draws. The Crabapple’s growth rate is moderate. It grows to about 15-20’, with a spread of about 15-20’.

The Crabapple blooms in mid-to-late Spring and features fragrant white, pink, magenta, or red blooms that typically last 1-2 weeks. Crabapple fruit ripens from late summer to mid-fall. Most cultivars have red fruit, but you can find yellow, maroon, and orange. Crabapples come in all shapes and sizes, including spreading, weeping, dwarf, vase-shaped, and columnar.  

The tree’s flowers bloom at slightly different times depending on the cultivar. One design consideration with Crabapples is whether to plant multiple types of Crabapples that bloom for a more extended period or plant the same type that provides an explosion of fragrance and color simultaneously.

A Crabapples’ fruit, however, is more than just ornamental. It also provides much-needed wildlife value, but its fruit is too sour to enjoy. The fruit comes in various sizes and colors depending on the cultivar. Some cultivars, such as the Malus ‘Guinevere,’ shown below, provide winter interest with the fruit.

If you’re thinking of planting a tree in the Fall, visit the RI Tree website at www.ritree.org to view small and medium-sized tree selections for residential landscapes. Or talk with a  member of RITree’s staff.