Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Be careful around trees when mowing

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Saturday, July 31, 1999

Be careful around trees when mowing
Loss of bark eventually will cause tree to starve to death

   Summer is the most maintenance-intensive time of the year, with possibly the exception of the initial spring cleanup. High temperatures, low rainfall and prevailing southeasterly winds all contribute to increased maintenance demands. Grass is at the peak of its growing season and may require more mowing, trimming and watering than at other times of the year.
   What most people don't realize, though is that their grass maintenance will directly affect their tree growth. You must therefore identify how to effectively care for your grass while encouraging strong tree growth.
   The first consideration is mowing and trimming. The number one tree-killing practice is trimming too close to the trunk of a tree, particularly a young tree. When the line of a grass trimmer hits the tree trunk, it will often damage or remove some of the bark. Reckless mowing, where the lawnmower is allowed to bang against the base of a tree, will do the same thing.
   Over time, the tree bark may be completely removed causing a girdle. In this condition, the tree is able to take up water and nutrients through the xylem, the material that makes up what we think of as the hardwood part of the tree. The tree uses these in the leaves to make food through photosynthesis. The food - or more accurately sugar - produced is then transported throughout the tree to support the living processes in each cell. The phloem, or inner bark, is the transportation system for these sugars.
   The part of the tree most dependent on the transport of sugar is the root system, since roots are unable to produce their own food due to the lack of chlorophyll (green pigment) and sunlight. When a tree's bark is girdled, the roots are no longer able to obtain food. Over time, they will starve to death.
   No roots, no tree.
   Even if a tree is not completely girdled, damage to the bark is an open door for insect or disease damage. Many insects and diseases live near the soil surface due to the abundance of moisture.
   Trimming alternatives
   What can you do to protect your trees? Well, there are several alternatives ranging from grass removal at the base of trees to mulching and installing plastic tree guards. A combination of all three is even better.
   If a tree shows some of the early signs of damage, all hope may not be lost. As long as it is not approaching the girdled extreme, the tree may recover. Trees have natural mechanisms to compartmentalize damage in an effort to repair the damage to some extent and protect the rest of the tree.
   The thing to remember is that you need to promote strong tree growth to aid in the repair process. You can do this while promoting strong grass growth, since the majority of tree roots and grass roots are in the top 12-24 inches of soil.
   First of all, proper watering is important. Young trees can be watered in a makeshift well that is dug around a freshly planted tree. However, as the tree becomes established, it sends roots out away from that area. It is therefore important to water the areas beyond that mini-earthen dam.
   Deep watering of the surrounding area will encourage strong, deep grass roots while supplying water to your tree roots. Frequent, light watering is not recommended. The "thumb on the hose" method of watering may be the most therapeutic; but it typically supplies water to a limited soil depth due to our limited attention span to any one area.
   Also, keeping your grass fertilized with at least 2-3 fertilizer applications a year will provide nutrients to both the grass and the trees. You typically don't need a special fertilizer for most shade trees; using a slow-release grass fertilizer that includes micronutrients will suffice for both.
   A few common-sense things will allow you to enjoy a beautiful lawn and healthy trees. For more information on tree care, or for a free copy of "A Guide to Growing Healthy Trees in the Corpus Christi Area," contact the Texas Agricultural Extension Service at 767-5217 or the Tree Awareness Council at 882-3172 and ask for "the tree book."
   COASTAL BEND CACTI & SUCCULENT SOCIETY meets 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Lindale Recreation Center (3135 Swantner Drive). For more information: 992-5462.
   ROSE SOCIETY meets 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Lindale Recreation Center (3135 Swantner Drive). For more information: 993-2606.
   NOVICE ORCHID TRAINING will be conducted Thursday, August 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Botanical Gardens. For more information: 852-2100
   CORPUS CHRISTI BOTANICAL GARDENS is sponsoring a seminar on Dried Floral Arrangement Saturday, August 14 from 2 to 5 p.m. Class fee is $6, $4.50 members. For reservations, call 852-2100
   CORPUS CHRISTI BOTANICAL GARDENS is currently taking applications for Fall Children's Garden. The series begins Saturday, August 28 continuing through mid December. The fee is $19 per child, $16 Botanical Society members. For more information: 852-2100
   To post a gardening event, call 767-5217 or e-mail wm_womack@tamu.ed



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