UF/IFAS Okeechobee County Extension Service

458 Highway 98 North

Okeechobee, FL 34972-2578

Phone: (863) 763-6469

E- mail: dfculbert@ifas.ufl.edu

January 11 , 2006

Quick Links:    common trees   uncommon trees    damaged trees    pruning    tree planting    references

Feature Article - for release the week of January 15, 2006

Dan Culbert - Extension Horticulture Agent

Arbor Day, 2006

Some folks will have a day off from school or work this week to celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King Junior. He was well known for advocating tolerance, nonviolence and the improvement of our human environment.  Here in Florida, another day worth noting this week occurs on Friday, the third Friday in January.

This day has been set by the Florida Legislature as Florida’s Arbor Day, a chance to celebrate and embrace the value of trees as part of our natural environment.  This week’s column will offer a little bit about how the words A-R-B-O-R   D-A-Y can spell out a few things that people can do to encourage and preserve these valuable parts of our Florida Yards.

A is for Adaptation – or in other words, choose the right plants for the right places.  Take a look around town and notice the different kinds of trees growing in our area.  We have many Laurel Oaks (short-term trees), many Live Oaks (a long-term resident), several Red Maples and Cypress (good for moist soils) and Cabbage Palms (our tropical state tree). 

Beyond that, the different kinds of trees found in our landscapes are quite limited.  Diversity among the trees in the landscape is important for urban forest health.  For example, if a new pest comes along that takes out all our Oak trees, we will not have much left.  It’s time to take a look at alternate kinds of trees, so we don’t have all of our “eggs in one basket.”  Ask your nursery grower, the local Division of Forestry, or our office for suggestions. 

R is for Replace - Unless you just moved in from the Northland, you will recognize that much of our urban canopy has been hammered by two summers full of hurricanes and a long extended wet period in between.  All of this has taken its toll on our urban landscape.  Many of our trees are not in good shape, and some may present a danger to people or buildings if another windy year comes our way. 

During winter, many trees will naturally lose their leaves.  So at this time of year, the structure of the canopy can be easily seen.  Are there major broken branches?  Do the remaining branches show narrow crotches, which are weak? Are there rotten branch wounds where limbs used to be?  Is there a severe infestation of pests like Mistletoe, which are nearly impossible to eliminate?  Is this a short-term tree that is bound to die soon anyway?  Have vehicles been driven over the root zone, damaging them beyond repair?

If you’ve answered yes to several of these questions, consider cutting down this tree or having an Arborist or other competent professional to remove it for you.  Then plan to plant a new tree to replace this missing fixture in your Florida Yard. 

B is for Bugs - keep on the lookout for insects, diseases and other disorders that can be managed. Our office can help homeowners to identify pests and problems and offer management steps that can reduce or eliminate these stresses.  If you see something unusual, call our office; bring in a generous sample of the insect or diseased branch for us to examine.  We may suggest that a soil pH test would be appropriate – they are free to local homeowners.  It’s important that the pest be identified first before control is attempted – in some case, no control is needed. 

O is for the Other Arbor Day – In addition to Florida’s Arbor Day, there is a National Arbor Day, this year on April 28^th.  So there is a second chance to do a special tree planting celebration.  The down side of the April date is that by that time of year, our temperatures have warmed up, the daily rains will generally not yet be falling, and we may be in the midst of our seasonal dry period.

If you can plant in January, do so, as trees are generally dormant.  This will give them a chance to grow new roots without needing large amounts of water.  And, in April, failure to water will mean your newly plated tree will probably die or be severely retarded if water is not applied. 

R is for Repair - As you evaluate a tree, and determine that it is a keeper, consider what you can do to improve its health.  A healthy tree resists many pests and diseases, and will be better able to stand up to severe weather.  While established trees rarely require a lot of care, there are a few things you can do to insure good healthy growth.

The University of Florida has just revised the bulletin Pruning Landscape Trees and Shrubs.  The suggestions it contains are based on research by UF Tree Specialist Dr. Ed Gilman.  Please stop by and ask for a copy.  Likewise, another UF fact sheet  [Fertilization and Irrigation Needs for Florida Lawns and Landscapes] says that applying the right amount of water is one of the most important practices that helps newly planted trees.  

D is for Donate a tree – if you are able, why not provide the financial resources needed to purchase a tree for a neighbor or public space. Trees can be a great way to say thank you or to remember a special person or event.  How much will a tree cost?  It depends on the size of the tree, how fast that kind of tree grows (slow growing trees cost more), and the quality of the specimen.  Our office gets monthly lists of the wholesale prices of trees that are being sold throughout Florida; we can look up a tree and give you an idea of what is a good retail price for a quality tree. 

A is for Answers - our Extension Service has research-based answers to your tree questions, but if we can’t come up with the answer, we can send your question on to an appropriate specialist at the University of Florida that can come up with a good answer. 

Y is for Youth – the kids of our community are willing and able partners to help our residents get involved in our community’s future urban forest.  This Arbor Day, Okeechobee Master Gardeners will partner with some 4-H Club members to plant a couple of trees here at our office.  You are invited to come out and join us this Friday at 4 PM.  They will not only be  showing  how a tree should be planted, but be introducing a novel way that trees can be watered with a minimum of effort.  As they evaluate this new process, which I have named the Tree-Mate system, we will let you know about this low-cost, low effort way to get trees successfully started in our Florida Yards.  Feel free to come out and watch. 

I’ve placed more information on our Okeechobee web page,  http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu.  If you need additional information on Arbor Day, please email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu or call us at 863-763-6469.  Local residents can stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North in Okeechobee, and visit our Okeechobee County Master Gardeners on Tuesday afternoons from 1 to 5 PM.

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Trade names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific information. They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin.  Florida Cooperative Extension Service / IFAS / University of Florida.  Larry A.  Arrington, Dean Last update: 12/09/2008 .  This page is maintained by Dan Culbert

References

Culbert, Daniel F.  FLORIDA’S ARBOR DAY IS FRIDAY. Vero Beach: Indian River County Cooperative Extension Service,  January 13, 2002. http://indian.ifas.ufl.edu/News/2002%20news/arbordaynews.htm 

ibid. CELEBRATE TREES ON ARBOR DAY. Indian River County Cooperative Extension Service,  January 12, 2003. http://indian.ifas.ufl.edu/News/2003%20news/ArborDayTreeNews.htm   

Forest Health webpage. Gainesville: FDACS Division of Plant Industry, 2005. [Links to photos on many insects, diseases  and invasive weeds effecting Florida's Forest Trees.] http://www.fl-dof.com/forest_management/fh_index.html 

The History of Arbor Day.  Nebraska City: The National Arbor Day Foundation, 2006.  http://www.arborday.org/arborday/history.cfm