March 2018

● Hire Pros for Pest Management● Arborists & Landscapers - A

Winning Partnership● Determining Critical Root Zone● 6 Ways to Kill Your Tree

● How Do I Get Rid of AspenSuckers?

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In This Issue…

Serving Sun Valley and Beyond Since 1997Plant Health Care Programs, Tree Removal & Pruning, Pest &Disease Management, Lawn Care, Soil Health, and Consulting.

Visit our website for a listing of all of our services.

Blaine County, Ketchum, & Hailey Ban Yew Plants

Yews are a popular plant in residential andcommercial landscapes throughout Idaho

and the US. They are attractive, evergreenshrubs or small trees with bright red berries.They are easy to grow and prune, tolerateshade and a variety of soiltypes. There are several spe-cies of yew including JapaneseYew, Chinese Yew, EnglishYew, and Pacific Yew.All parts of the plant, exceptthe flesh of the berries, containtoxic taxine alkaloids which arerapidly absorbed after beingingested. Once consumed, onehalf cup or less is enough tocause cardiac arrest. The toxinin the plants is not destroyedwhen the plant dies and thusbranches removed from a yewshould be disposed of properly.When animals or humans arepoisoned, death may occurafter a few hours of ingestion.The toxicity of this plant has a storied historythroughout the world. More than 2,000 yearsago, Julius Caesar wrote about a king com-mitting suicide by yew in his book about theGallic Wars. Despite acquiring the nickname“Tree of Death”, yews became popular in the

United States as a landscape plant beginningin the 1920s.Locally, recent incidents regarding yew toxici-ty are related to animal ingestion. In the win-

ter of 2016-2017, 101 big-game animaldeaths were reported by Idaho Fish andGame. That number included 55 pronghornantelope in Payette; eight mule deer in Boise;one moose in Hailey; and 37 elk in Boise,Preston, Ammon, Challis, and North Fork.During the winter of 2015-2016, 25 elk deathswere reported by Fish and Game in Blaine

County. Specifically, ten elk were discoveredin the Hailey Cemetery and the remainingwere found in the Valley Club and GoldenEagle neighborhoods. Other notable reportedincidents include, four black bears in Pennsyl-vania in 2016 and six elk in Oregon in 2013.In February 2016, Blaine County passed anordinance banning exotic yew plants (Ex-cludes Pacific Yew). The ordinance bans thesale, use or possession of toxic plants. Itclassifies Japanese, Chinese, and EnglishYew and any of their hybrids to be noxiousweeds. Any landowner with knowledge of thepresence of any of these plants on their prop-erty is in violation of the ordinance. In Febru-ary of 2017 Ketchum passed a similarordinance and in March of 2017, Hailey fol-lowed suit. The Idaho State Department ofAgriculture has expressed support for publiceducation instead of a ban on the plants.As the number of people living adjacent tothe wild land urban interface grows, the likeli-hood of animals coming into contact withyews increases. Most are unaware of thehazards these plants pose to our local wild-life. Avoid planting them If you live near thewild land urban interface or anywhere elsewildlife is known to frequent. We have active-ly alerted our customers about yews locatedon their property over the past two seasons.If you suspect yews on your property, pleasecontact us to confirm the identification andremove them if necessary.

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Distinguishing between arborists and landscapers may seem trivial.To the average homeowner, there may be little difference

between the two. Both perform a variety of yard work, so does it reallymatter which one you hire? While many tasks such as shrub pruningor fertilization may overlap, other tasks require a certain skill set ormore specialization. Forexample, arborists usually lackthe equipment to handle largelandscape installations orhardscape projects. Similarly,landscapers often lack theexpertise or specialized toolsfor large tree removal orpruning, risk evaluation, orpest and disease diagnosis.Choosing the wrong contractorcould lead to safety hazards,property damage, substandardwork, or even liability if thecontractor doesn’t carry theproper insurance.How can property owners or managers know what company theyneed to hire? Consider the scope of work and match it to the servicesand credentials of the company you are considering hiring. For

example, if you need some shrubs planted or a fall leaf cleanup, call

a landscaper. If you need a large tree inspected, pruned, or removed,call an arborist. When property owners understand their needs andthe nuances of landscaping and arboriculture, then the work can beperformed safely and effectively.Landscaping and arboriculture are complimentary professions and

can often collaborate onprojects to provide top-notchresults. We team up withlandscape contractors whosevalues, quality of work, andprofessionalism match ourswith regard to our clients. Wehave developed a variety ofrelationships with landscapecontractors ranging frombidding on individual projectsto acting as their “tree division”by performing all of theirarboricultural related work. Ourgoal is to bring value to ourpartner contractors by bringing

value to their clients. These collaborations allow for a wider variety ofquality services for our customers. Contact us for more informationregarding your next project!

Arborists and Landscapers - A Winning Partnership

Every year we see plant damage, poor results, an even loss ofvaluable plants due to improper herbicide and pesticide

applications. In an effort to save money, home owners/managers tryto do it themselves or hire someone who is not qualified for the job,resulting in ill-advised products, incorrect application rates, orimproper timing of the application. The degree of damage varieswith the product used, exposure to certain plants, site conditions,weather patterns, and other environmental factors. Integrated pestmanagement (IPM) is extremely complex and often deals withmicroscopic insects and diseases that require precise timing forcontrol applications.Herbicides and pesticides have become a key part of landscapemaintenance. They are a tool of IPM programs and when used

cautiously, applications can be made ina safe and effective manner. Choosingthe best product with the experience andknowledge of the potential outcome willproduce the best result. For this reason,we recommend hiring a professionalapplicator. A professional applicatormust be trained in the safe and properapplication of herbicides or pesticides ontrees, shrubs, and/or turf and is requiredto be licensed by the Idaho StateDepartment of Agriculture. We currentlyhave 8 licensed applicators on staff toassist you.The true price of pest management andweed control is often far more affordable

than the DIY route, particularly since a mistake could cost muchmore to remedy. Mature landscapes are worth thousands of dollars.Why risk that investment by trying to save a few dollars?Our long term goal is to eliminate overhead spraying completely. Inthat effort, we continue to pursue the most cutting edge, systemictreatments available. In those situations that require overheadapplications, we continually strive to use the safest, most effectiveproducts and methods available. Check out our website atSunValleyTree.com for more information about our companyphilosophy and range of services.

Hire Professionals for Pest Management Applications

Improper application of herbicides like Round-up for lawnweeds and tree sprouts is common. Homeowners and

unlicensed applicators may be unaware of the damage done byapplying herbicides that are non-selective, consequently killing

the grass and other plants that come into contact with the spray.

Spruce tree showingsymptoms of chemical

uptake, most likelyherbicide damage.

“Our goal is tobring value to

our partnercontractors bybringing value

to their clients.”

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The primary functions of tree rootsare to obtain water, oxygen, and

minerals, stabilize the tree by anchoringit to the soil, and store carbohydratesduring the winter months. Tree roots donot seek out water and minerals, insteadthey proliferate in areas favorable fortheir growth, where water, nutrients, andoxygen are abundant. Most tree rootsgrow within three feet of the soil surfaceand most fine roots are within the top 18inches of the soil surface. Roots occupyan area 2-4 times the diameter of thetree crown extending well beyond thedripline.Tree preservation focuses on preventinginjury to trees and their root systems.Impacts to tree roots are cumulative andare often not visible until years after thedamage has occurred. The mostdefinitive way to protect a tree from rootdamage involves the Critical Root Zone(CRZ) or Tree Protection Zone. The CRZ isgenerally defined as an imaginary circle onthe ground that corresponds with the driplineof the tree. Any changes in soil condition orthe oxygen/water supply in this area will bedetrimental and potentially fatal to the tree.See the diagram for an explanation of how toestimate the CRZ.

The main causes limiting root growth andhealth are soil disturbance and compaction,changes in soil depth, and improper wateringpractices. Specific examples include digging,backfilling with soil or mulch, paving, andinsufficient irrigation. Minor incidents insideand outside the CRZ increase stress on treesand their susceptibility to harmful disease and

insects attacks.When roots areseverelydamaged withinthe CRZ, treedecline andmortality iscommon. Whenroot damageoccurs that isnot fatal, yearsof monitoring

and extensive post care will be required. Allprecautions should be taken to care for treesin order to protect their root zones. Treeowners and those caring for trees shouldunderstand what effects their activities haveupon tree health and longevity.

DRIPLINE

Roots extend 2to 4 times from

the dripline.

If this tree’s DBH is 10 inches thenthe critical root zone is a minimumof a 10 foot area (radius) aroundthe tree’s trunk (314 square feet).

10 feet

DBH = Diameter of trunk at breastheight (4.5 feet above ground)

CRZ Extends fromthe trunk to the drip-line, or to a distanceof 1 foot per inch

@DBH.

Determining Critical Root Zone

Urban trees live only a fraction of their natural life spans. A tree that would live 80years in the forest will only live 20 years in the suburbs and only 8 years in an urbansetting. The most common cause of tree mortality is abuse and neglect from itsnumber one pest, Humans!● Under/over-watering – especially during the first 2 years and during droughts. Trees

can be over-watered . Watering everyday is too much! It’s best to water trees deep andinfrequently.

● Topping – Topping and repeated trimming to keep trees small causes them to rot,starve, and become more hazardous over time.

● Trench, backfill, or compact soil in root zone – Tree roots are shallower and moreextensive than generally believed and grow best when conditions are optimal for theexchange of oxygen and water.

● Stakes and other planting materials left on the tree – stakes, rope, and planting basketswill girdle the tree if not removed. Trees should only be staked if needed (windy andsloped sites) and stakes should be removed within the first year.

● Planting big trees in small spaces – knowing how tall and wide a tree will be at maturitywill avoid removal when it outgrows its space. Planning is key to tree longevity!

● Mechanical damage to the trunk – The most vulnerable part of a tree is the trunk.Repeated blows by mowers and string trimmers cause wounds that attract diseasesand insects and cause tree mortality.

PO Box 397, Hailey, ID 83333(208) 788-1611

SunValleyTree.com

Registered Consulting ArboristBill Josey RCA #566

Board Certified Master ArboristBill Josey RM-0715BT

Certified ArboristsJeff Beacham PN-5864ANick Chickrell PN-6472AManny Austin PN-7705AArt Adamiec PN-8097ASeth Gates RM-7062A

Tree Worker/Climber SpecialistBill Josey RM-0715BTNick Chickrell PN-6472A

Tree Risk Assessment QualifiedBill Josey RM-0715BTJeff Beacham PN-5864A

ISDA Licensed ApplicatorJohn Olson Manny AustinNate Baumann Tim EnglandJeff Beacham Nick ChickrellBill Josey Art Adamiec

It’s one of the most common questions weget, how do I get rid of these pesky aspen

suckers in my lawn? Simply put, thegenetics of aspen trees and the genetics ofmowed turf grass don’t agree. Aspen treeslike most poplars are a short-lived speciesand therefore they regularly send upsuckers both to colonize an area and toserve as replacements for the parenttree(s). Suckers are a fundamental part ofthe species. The biggest living organism isan aspen grove called Pando in centralUtah. This grove is a clonal colony of asingle male aspen tree stretching over 43acres with a root system that is believed tobe 80,000 years old!When mature trees are removed or suckersare mowed, manually cut, or sprayed,hundreds of new suckers will emerge as asurvival mechanism. These prolific shootsare evidence of the vigorous, extensive rootsystem.The truth is, there is no easy solution forwiping out aspen suckers. The mosteffective management method is manuallycutting suckers and digging up their rootsystem. Keep in mind that disturbing theroot system can compromise the health ofadjacent trees. Additionally, if herbicides orother chemicals are applied to the suckers,the chemicals can translocate to theattached root system and can damage or killother trees within the stand.The problem with landscapes in our area isthat almost all of them have aspens.

Therefore even you if eliminate the aspensin your yard, they will eventually encroachfrom adjacent properties. Herbicides can beused to aid in the process of eradication,but only under the preface that ALLadjacent aspen are being removed and thatbordering properties don’t have ANY aspennearby that may be connected. In this case,the areas between properties will need to betrenched and roots severed so that theherbicides don’t translocate beyond theproperty line. After trenching is completed, aroot barrier can be installed to decrease thelikelihood of roots growing back into yourproperty.A realistic option that is more of acompromise for managing these trees isremoval of trees and roots in areas of youryard that you don’t want aspens, andallowing them to grow in areas where theyare desired. For example, keeping them outof your front lawn, but allowing them toflourish in your back yard native areas. Thisprocess requires constant maintenance topreserve the results.There are no simple answers for containingaspens in landscapes. You choose to livewith them, without them, or somewhere inbetween. Fighting their genetics is an uphillbattle that requires patience, hard work, andsome ingenuity. In the right places, aspenscan be a fantastic addition to yourlandscape! Contact us for advice on how tomanage your aspen.

From left: Aspen sucker emerging in turfgrass, root barrierinstallation following trenching, aspen suckers from subsurface root.