Thursday, April 12, 2007
Have professionals remove maple tree
John Arbogast
Landscape consultant John Arbogast answers your questions every Thursday. Send questions about your lawn, garden, plants, or insects to:
Dear John
5102 Greenfield St. SW
Roanoke, Va. 24018
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Q: We have maple tree, more than 80 years old, that provides excellent shade to our back yard. But over the years, it has developed hollow spots in the huge limbs that hang over our house and my son's playhouse. The limbs still seem to be very strong, but I know that the water, bugs and black birds that enter these holes can't be good for the limbs or the tree. Can I seal the holes to prolong the life of the limbs? If so, what products should I use?
A: You were right when you said that all those things can’t be good for the limbs or the tree. But sealing the holes will not prolong the life of the limbs and will not have any value.
I would be more concerned about the risk that those huge but potentially weak limbs pose to your home and to your son’s playhouse. There’s just no way to predict the number of years that they will remain strong and able to withstand high winds and snow or ice accumulations before they come crashing down.
I suggest that you eliminate this risk. Have that big old maple tree removed professionally now, while workers are still able to use ropes to carefully bring down those huge limbs before nature does.
The problem is that there’s no easy way to know how deep into the tree the decay extends. Decay begins in injured spots in a tree’s wood and advances into what we call the “core” of the limb or trunk. From there, decay travels into the center portion of the wood, hidden from outside view, but weakening the inside of the limb or trunk.
Since I do believe that growing leaves can use some of the carbon dioxide that has accumulated in the Earth’s atmosphere, I’d recommend that you plant a new shade tree near the location of the old maple. Plant another maple, or try the Green Vase Zelkova for shade and beauty if you need something tall there.
Q: I am having trouble finding the break hose that you recommended. Where should I look?
A: I think that the words got mixed up.
I have recommended breaker nozzles for hand-held hose watering before. This is a garden hose nozzle that breaks up the stream of water into a gentle spray, somewhat like the spray that comes out of bathroom showerheads. This broken-up stream of water is great for watering flower beds, which require a gentle spray. A breaker nozzle is also great for slow-watering plants by hand if they’ve been freshly mulched or planted on slopes.
Breaker nozzles are available at various garden centers. They might not come with a shut-off valve, so purchasing an on-off valve might also be needed you so you don’t water the driveway when carrying the hose to another part of the yard.
The type of hose that I prefer won’t easily kink, shutting off the flow of water. These hoses remain pliable, which is great for unrolling, too. Pliable hoses are more expensive than rigid ones, but I believe that they last longer. They are available at some garden centers and hardware stores.
