Q: The timber in Claremont have been ravaged by the wind storm in January, which left giant oaks and pines blown down. If timber did survive, many have been stripped of leaves, particularly on the north facet the place the winds got here from. Citrus, which aren't deciduous and due to this fact have been in leaf, have been buffeted; my grapefruit, lime and avocados now have many stems with out leaves. How can we assist these timber get better? What ought to we be doing for the remainder of the backyard after the winds? Ought to we do something in anticipation of future windstorms?
A: The highly effective windstorms that we expertise in Southern California are tough on our timber. Sizzling, dry air will dry out every little thing it touches, and the occasional 70 mph gusts can topple even well-established timber.
To guard younger timber, it’s vital to determine a robust root system. Water deeply and slowly, beginning about two ft from the trunk. Because the tree grows, transfer the irrigation farther from the tree to encourage the roots to unfold outward. For mature timber, place a soaker hose alongside the dripline (below the sting of the tree’s cover).
Keep away from planting boxed timber as a result of the roots will invariably be stunted. When a tree is grown in a container, the roots will develop outward till they attain the within wall of the pot or field. As soon as this occurs, they are going to start to develop in a round path and ultimately take the form of the container. Planting a tree from a 5-gallon pot is just not as satisfying at first, however that tree is extra more likely to survive a windstorm.
Correct staking is useful for newly planted timber. Place the stakes about 2 ft away from the trunk and place them in order that they're lined up perpendicular to the prevailing wind route. Place the ties about 2/3 of the way in which up the tree (so, if in case you have a 9 or 10 foot tree, the ties ought to be about 6 ft from the bottom). Tie the tree loosely sufficient to permit for some back-and-forth movement. This causes the trunk to develop sturdy sufficient to ultimately take away the stakes. Don’t depart the stakes for various years. I've seen staked timber which have grown giant sufficient to elevate the stakes out of the bottom. If the trunk is bigger than the stakes, it’s time to take away them!
Pruning to skinny the cover can enable wind to movement by way of the tree. Deciduous timber are simpler to prune in the course of the winter, for apparent causes. Citrus could be pruned after harvesting. Often citrus doesn’t require a lot pruning—simply take away useless branches and suckers. In windy areas, you might wish to prune for top discount as nicely. By no means, ever “prime” a tree!
For timber which have defoliated from wind injury, hold them watered and bear in mind to use fertilizer within the spring when the leaves begin rising again. If a grafted tree breaks on the graft website, it ought to be changed.