Tree Trimming Service
Professional tree trimming and maintenance
services of the greater Tucson and neighboring areas.
Tree Information
General
Tree Growth and
Development
Planting Trees
Watering
Fertilizing
Pruning
General Tree & Shrub Maintenance
Tree, woody plant with a distinct main stem, or trunk. At
maturity, trees are usually the tallest of plants, and their
height and single main stem differentiate them from shrubs,
which are shorter and have many stems. Trees are perennials,
plants that live for at least three years.
Some species of tree only grow to 4 m (13 ft) in height, but the
tallest species may reach heights of more than 112 m (more than
367 ft). The General Sherman Tree, a giant sequoia in
California's Sequoia National Park, has a height of 84 m (275
ft) and a diameter of 11 m (37 ft).
The largest trees, however, are not necessarily the oldest. For
example, the bristlecone pine grows to a height of only about 9
m (about 30 ft), but one specimen has been dated as at least
4600 years old.
Trees grow throughout the world, from the extreme cold regions
near the Arctic and the Antarctic to the hot tropical regions
around the equator. They grow in both good and poor soil, in
deserts and swamps, along shores, and at mountain elevations of
several thousand feet.
Although trees may grow singly, under natural conditions they
more often grow in stands, which consist either of one species
or of a mixture of species. A forest is a plant community made
up of the trees, shrubs, and herbs that cover an area.
General Tree & Shrub Maintenance
Throughout much of North America, forests include only a few
species of trees. In tropical forests, however, large numbers of
different species can be found in very small areas. A survey of
a 1-hectare (2.5-acre) plot in the Brazilian rain forest
determined that it contained 476 tree species.
Tree Growth
and Development
Trees grow in both height and diameter. A tree increases in
height through the elongation of its trunk or branches and the
seasonal production of new branches. The growth of the tree in
diameter results from the activity of the cambium, the special
cells lying at the inner surface of the bark.
A Height All branches arise from buds, which are located at the
tips of twigs and at the bases of leaves. Within each bud is a
meristematic region, or growing zone, similar to that in the
root tip. Many tiny leaves surround the growing tip, and the
entire bud is covered with a series of protective scales. The
cells in the growing tip, like those of the root tip, divide
rapidly, elongate, and become differentiated into the various
kinds of stem tissue.
B Diameter The part of the bark that causes the tree to grow in
diameter is the cambium. During the growing season the cells of
the cambium, like those of the stem tip and root tip, divide
rapidly. They produce xylem, or wood cells, toward the center of
the trunk, and they produce phloem, or food-conducting cells,
toward the bark. At places the cambium also produces rows of
thin-walled cells that run horizontally through the xylem and
the phloem. Known as rays, these horizontal cells conduct and
store water and nutrients.
Among tropical woody plants, growth continues throughout the
year. In trees of temperate regions, however, the annual growth
is usually crowded into a short period of a few weeks in early
spring. When the stem of a tree is cut fully across, one can
observe each year's growth as a ring. By counting these rings,
it is possible to determine the age of the tree as well as the
growing conditions during its lifetime.
In favorable conditions, when the tree experiences rapid growth,
it forms wide rings, but in difficult times, when growth is
slower, it forms narrower rings. Each annual ring consists of
two parts. One part, which makes up most of the ring, is
light-colored wood composed of relatively large cells. These
cells were formed during the spring, when growing conditions
were best. The second part of the ring is darker and is composed
of small thick-walled cells, which were formed during the less
favorable months.
Planting Trees
Whether trees are being planted for reforestation, ornament,
shade, or fruit, the first step is selecting the species to be
grown. The choice depends on such factors as the characteristics
of the soil, the location of the site, and drainage.
For example, sycamore and cottonwood trees will not grow on dry
exposed slopes or ridges, or in fields with thin topsoil over
heavy compact subsoil. Walnut trees will not grow in swampy
places, and jack pines grow especially well on loose sandy soils
with good drainage.
A good rule of thumb is to plant native trees-trees that have
demonstrated their ability to thrive in the local environment
without harming other local species. The hole for a seedling
should be deep enough to hold the fully expanded root system of
the seedling.
Larger plants should be placed in a hole 60 cm (2 ft) deep with
a diameter 60 cm greater than that of the ball of the roots. In
poor soil the hole should be 1.8 m (6 ft) wide and 60 cm deep
for a 2.5-m (8-ft) tree, and proportionately wider for taller
trees. After the tree is placed in the hole, the soil should be
firmly pressed around the roots, and the ground should be
thoroughly soaked with water.
Mixing bone meal or well-rotted manure into the soil will help
the tree become established quickly. Most deciduous trees should
be planted in the fall when they are not growing, but evergreens
are usually planted in the spring, at the beginning or middle of
their period of vigorous growth.
Watering
After planting, the soil around a tree should be kept moist, but
not soaked. If artificial watering is not practical, a layer of
mulch 7 to 15 cm (3 to 6 in) deep should be placed around the
tree to conserve moisture and to discourage the growth of weeds.
Tucson Watering Restriction
Because a transplanted tree does not adequately absorb water
through its damaged roots, it is important to prevent water loss
from the plant by pruning top limbs to limit transpiration.
Fertilizing
In good soils it is less important to fertilize than in poor
soils. However, all trees grow better and faster and are less
likely to become diseased if fertilizer is supplied in the
proper amounts.
This may be done most easily by placing a large handful of
fertilizer in holes made by a crowbar at the edge of the spread
of the tree's limbs. The holes should be about 60 cm (2 ft) deep
and about 5 cm (2 in) in diameter, and they should be spaced
about 90 cm (3 ft) apart.
After the fertilizer has been introduced, the holes should be
filled in with soil. Organic fertilizers such as manure and
mulch are preferable to chemicals that may replace or destroy
natural organisms in the soil.
Pruning
Pruning of ornamental trees maintains the form of the tree,
removes weak or sickly branches, and rejuvenates old or
unhealthy plants.
If performed during a period of vigorous growth, pruning often
also results in an increased production of flowers.
In pruning, cuts are made just above the buds that point in the
direction branches are desired.
When large branches are removed, the cut should be made close to
the trunk, and then covered for a time.
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