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Care of Landscape Trees

The components of a tree can be divided into three main parts: the root system, the leaves and the woody “skeleton” that connects them. The function of the root system is to provide the raw materials necessary for growth such as mineral salts, dissolved in water, to the tree. The leaves perform photosynthesis though the absorption of carbon dioxide from the surrounding air and using the energy from the sun, convert this into the simple sugars. These sugars are then combined with the moisture from the roots to give the tree its nutrients.

The trunk, limbs, branches and twigs act as the tree’s skeleton to hold the leaves in position so that they receive the life-giving sunlight and air. They are also used for transportation as they carry raw materials between the roots and leaves. Capillary attraction pulls up the materials absorbed through the roots and this is also assisted by the osmotic action induced by the evaporation of water from the leaves. This loss of water through the leaves is known as transpiration. On any summer day, a birch tree can transpire between 700 to 900 gallons of water.This is what causes the sap to continuously flow from the roots to the twigs at the very top of the tree.

A gardener’s most important consideration is to protect the tree’s root structure, especially when the tree is to be transplanted or preserved on a building site. The larger roots close to the stem are the tree’s “anchor” and the fine root hairs at the ends of the smaller roots are those responsible for water absorption.

The stem or trunk of a tree is made of three parts: the bark, the wood and the pith. The pith is the central part and is surrounded by the wood. Between the wood and bark is the cambium which is a thin layer that produces new wood and bark. Should the cambium ring be severed, for example, by a wire cable, the tree will die. As the cambium protects the tree against insects and disease, anything driven into it can severely damage the tree.

There are many things that can cause damage to a tree, including man. There are around 200,000 known species of insects that are known to attack and damage trees. As well as these, there are diseases such as blight, rust and rot, and natural occurrences such as storms, fires and droughts can also damage a tree. As some form of balance, birds help to control the spread of caterpillars, borers, harmful beetles and other insects that are likely to damage the tree.

Feeding Trees

In nature, trees grow and shed their leaves. These leaves decay, forming a good soil for the tree. These leaves also assist in preserving moisture in the soil. When a tree is grown on a lawn, it must compete with the grass for its nutrients and moisture. Leaves are raked up to prevent problems with the grass. As such, a successful gardener would be well advised to supplement the tree’s nutrients every two to three years.

This feeding should be done when the ground is easily “worked”, preferably in the spring or in the fall. A difficult but nonetheless worthwhile way of feeding is to strip the grass from an area all around the tree at least 2 to 3 feet beyond the outer branches, as the root system extends this far. Apply stable (horse) or barnyard (cow or chicken)manure to this area, ensuring that it is around 3 inches thick and then dig it in. After this is done, firm down the soil, rake it level and replace the grass.

One of the easy and simple backyard ideas is to drill holes over the same area, 12 to 18 inches deep. In order not to destroy any garden landscape ideas, these holes are spaced about 15 inches apart. Then fill each of these holes with a prepared fertilizer made from bone meal, tankage, peat moss or humus plus chemicals, in a formula equivalent to 10% nitrogen,6% phosphoric acid and 4% potash.

Water and Trees

During the hotter days of summer, lawn and specimen trees must be given a deep watering at least every 10 days to counteract the effects of transpiration and reduce stress on the tree. Light watering is inadequate, as the roots are very deep, so the hose or sprinkler should be left to run for at least an hour. Loosen soil that is compacted with a garden fork or similar and in the case of a large tree, holes of about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, 3 to 5 inches deep and 3 feet apart should be bored into the soil around the perimeter of the outer branches. The hose should be covered with sacking and left to run, or alternatively use a canvas hose. A good idea when planting a new tree is to place a piece of hose into the hole over draining tiles and this will ensure that water reaches the subsoil around the tree’s roots. The drain holes should be covered with stones to avoid evaporation.

November 23 2008 | Landscaping | No Comments »

Find Out How To Build A Long Lasting Garden Shed

The suggestions here are to give you few ideas on some time saving and cost saving techniques, to aid you in making your wooden shed. The points in many cases will also immediately or indirectly reference safety factors.

Naturally you are going to start with the planning of the area where the outdoor shed is going to be put up. You need to verify what materials you are going to use for your base. Remember the most harm caused to wood is by corrosion, which is caused by water and dampness. Concrete, consequently, is one of the most favourite picks for a shed foundation. If your garden shed will be build in a low lying domain susceptible to water run off maybe, then you must be sure and weigh this. There is wood especially rated for ground use that is pressure treated. Be sure to use this if you decide not to use concrete. Now, think about this for a second. If the shed begins to sink then eventually the construction could become treacherous.
The cost saver tip is you are saving yourself money in the long run due to the fact that finished right you wont have to substitute it for three or four years.

With so much speak about fungus and mold being found in seasoned sheds recently, many of us have become more conscious of the problems it can produce. Much of this can be averted with unique air circulation. If you are using wood as your base be sure it is at 6 off the ground. Once again it helps to prevent the wood from rotting, and allows for air circulation. There is another thing you could do is keep at least 3 around your storage shed clear and open from bushes and trees. This way it admits the wind and sun to keep it dry, or dry it after a violent storm. You will notice a outstanding difference because you should never observe a musty stale odor within the outdoor wooden shed

The floor is absolutely one important place you do not want to cut costs. Rotting and warping here can be precarious. So to be sure to use pressure treated lumber or concrete. It might even be worth paying a few more bucks and using tongue and groove plywood. This is what is usually recommended if your outdoor storage shed is going to stock large items such as rides or a lawn mower. Even if you dont have one now, project for the future. Particularly if you know you wont be selling your home anytime soon.

Some regions that you can save on cost are in areas like your trim. Here you can use fabrics such as PVC trim boards. They are a bit less pricy but theres some substantial benefits to them when it comes to maintenance. You wont have to be concerned about warping, splitting or decay and the key bonus is it never needs painting.

These are simply a few of the many hints that you will encounter if you search facts on building your outdoor shed. Naturally safety is the 1st factor, and if there are any savings on cost, they are only bonuses..

November 20 2008 | Gardening | No Comments »