Willow Glen Resident

Gardening

Trees are blowin' in the wind, and a few of them blow over!

By Tony Tomeo

The last strong wind storm kept me awake all night, listening to the sounds of the forest outside. Coast live oak does not get very tall in my neighborhood, so the occasional distant squeak-crack sounds of their breaking branches did not bother me. They fall only about as far as they are high. Falling branches from madrones were likewise at a safe distance, unless the distinctive low popping of roots breaking at the base of a potentially tall tree was heard. The foliage of the bay laurels was quite noisy in the wind, but lacked any tearing of breaking branches.

The splintering or hollow crack sounds of a fracturing redwood trunk are the most dreaded. Although they rarely fall, many of the redwood trees at my home south of Los Gatos are tall enough to squash much of Milpitas. When a colleague in Kansas who had never seen a redwood before asked me online how tall my redwoods are, I instructed him to look to the west and take his best guess.

This time of year, the need for proper maintenance of trees becomes more apparent. Strong wind can break substantial limbs or destabilize trees in rain-soaked soil. This not only damages or destroys the affected trees but is often even more damaging to cars, buildings or just about anything that happens to be in the way. Even without destabilization or limb fracture, trees that are leaning on roofs can move in the wind, rubbing against and damaging roofing material.

A warm fire in the fireplace, perhaps fueled by wood from previous tree work, is inviting during cold weather but can roast limbs that hang low over the chimney. Because pines, cedars, cypress, firs, spruce and many other trees are combustible, trees need to be pruned for adequate clearance from chimneys.

Arboriculture, or the horticulture of trees, is the most substantial part of gardening. Almost all other gardening can be neglected without becoming dangerous. Tree problems, though, can be disastrous. Unfortunately, because trees are too large for home garden enthusiasts to maintain, they are more likely to be neglected than are plants that are within reach from the ground.

Most large trees in refined landscapes eventually need professional help. When this becomes necessary, it is very important to procure the services of a qualified arborist--a horticulturist of trees. Since improper pruning can cause more problems than it corrects, tree maintenance should not be trusted to just anyone with a chain saw, or "hackers." Unfortunately, more than half of the structural deficiencies that I encounter in mature trees result from the work of hackers.

The International Society of Arboriculture, or ISA, is an excellent resource for both professional arborists and those who need our services. Its website, www.isaarbor.com, happens to include a database of ISA certified arborists. Local arborists can be identified by ZIP code. There are also many articles about arboriculture, and a link to www.treesaregood.com that includes many more articles that explain why proper tree maintenance is so important.

Tree of the Week:
Australian Willow

Limber, pendulous foliage is the only similarity that Australian willow, Geijera parviflora, has to true willows. There are actually many more differences. Unlike the delicate deciduous foliage of willows, the narrow, 4- or 5-inch long leaves of Australian willow are evergreen and a bit tougher. The roots of Australian willow are about as complaisant as the roots of real willows are aggressive and greedy.

The Australian willow, which is also known as "wilga," is not even remotely related to willows, but is more closely related to citrus. It grows to only about 20 feet tall and wide, creating light shade. Mature trees bloom with unremarkable clusters of tiny, greenish flowers in early spring and early autumn.

Australian willows are not at all demanding. They do not like the generous or even excessive irrigation that true willows crave and can be quite happy with only occasional watering once established. Well-drained soil is best. Pruning is only necessary if limbs become obtrusive to adjacent garden features or buildings, or if a higher canopy is preferred.

Listen to Tony Tomeo's 'New Image Garden Report' Friday mornings at 8:10 a.m. on KSCO-1080 AM (or online at www.ksco.com). He can be reached at www.ttomeo@newimagelandscape.com or 408.358.2574.