Conservation Specialist
copyright 2010
Caller Pat Wants Help To Get To Root of Her Problem: What to do for Dogwood Tree During emergency water main repair:
Your tree needs help by protecting its trunk/ bark from mechanical damaged caused by equipment. Discuss your concerns and ask for their help to communicate with all workers. Wrap the trunk it with a bright colored ribbon and put orange hazzard fencing in place. This will help workers running equipment to see the tree and remember to stay as far away as possible-remove warning material once work is complete.
Make sure the soil level stayed the same after construction (No excess soil should be mounded up under the tree or piled up against the trunk (disturbed soil might appear slightly higher until normal re-settling occurs.)
Monitor for Decline and Hazards
Despite your best efforts, some trees fail after construction damage occurs.
Listed below are a few of the more common symptoms of stress or possible decline to watch:
Thinning canopy or unbalanced unequal distribution of leaves such as smaller than normal leaves or fewer leaves than normal. Look for a neighboring healthy tree, check what stage the leaves are and their average size and stage of development!
Of course failure to leaf out at all in the spring, delayed flowering or following leafing out the tree drops new leaves (this can also happen if temperatures drop severely-healthy trees releaf, sick trees diel) Watch for leaves that die in place and just hang on the tree.
Branch dieback anywhere in the crown of the tree or if damage occurs during the growing season, watch for stress symptoms such as premature fall color.
Please note that if a tree dies as a result of root damage, it may become an immediate hazard and may need to be removed right away.
Call a professional certified arborist to examine your tree for signs of possible hazards. He will look for cracks in the trunk, split or broken branches, and dead limbs as well as indications of internal decay such as cavities, carpenter ants, soft wood, and mushroom like structures growing on the trunk, root crown, or along the major roots and other defects or suspect decay.
Following construction activities, trees should be kept under observation for 8-10 years. This will allow prompt treatment if needed. An annual professional assessment is always a good idea as is keeping an up to date inventory and seasonal growth analysis.
What About Fertilization?
Most experts recommend that you do not fertilize your trees the first year after construction damage. Water and mineral uptake may be reduced because of root damage.
Excessive soil salts can draw water out of the roots and into the soil. In addition, nitrogen fertilization may stimulate top growth at the expense of root growth.
It is a common misconception that applying fertilizer gives a stressed tree a much-needed shot in the arm. Fertilization should always be based on the nutritional needs of trees on a site. Soils can be analyzed to determine whether any of the essential minerals are deficient. If soil nutrients are deficient, supplemental fertilization may be indicated. It is advisable to keep application rates low until the root system has had time to adjust.
Click here for more information on caring for trees during construction:
http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G6885
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/housingandclothing/DK6135.html
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