The Long-term, Far Sighted Approach to Young Tree Development

When we receive newly planted trees, or take over the care of young trees, it is then that our skills as arborists are at their greatest premium. The first few years of the life of a tree in a landscape are the most critical to its long-term health and vitality. It is in those first, say, five to ten years that the reasoned decisions of the arborist bear the greatest fruit.
 
Precisely because those first years are so important, our decision making process should be well reasoned and long-term. When we approach our patient, the tree who?s fate rests in our skilled and caring hands, we need to think of that tree as a very long lived being, and our care for it needs to be equally long lived. Beyond that, we also need to look at that tree with a holistic and all encompassing view. We should consider the wide range of factors affecting that particular tree, and the more knowledge you?re armed with, the better. Think about the site-specific factors such as soil and microclimate, pay attention to the irrigation system and its operation, and consider the size of the plant upon installation. What time of the year was it planted, and by whom? Did they do a good job planting, or is it possible that your patient (their victim) was planted too deep? Of course, any specific information you have learned about the growth habits of this particular species also comes into play. What are the natural form and growth habits of the species? Is this a plant that might be susceptible to sunburn, and if so, have appropriate measures been taken to protect it? If not, has damage already been incurred, and if so, how much? How about the staking job? Is it adequate, ideal, or sloppy and inappropriate? How about the foliage? Is it showing generally good color, or are there signs of stress or pest or pathogenic activity? Is the trunk strong or spindly? Are the roots spreading out, or encased in unamended soil, or worse yet?could they be girdled? Our decisions as an arborist now may determine whether that tree will die in one year, or fail and fall in ten, or live a long, healthy and beautiful life.
 
In addition to the need to try to take all those variable factors into account, we must also look at the care that we give the tree as a long-term investment into a long-lived being. Our program of care for that potentially magnificent being should be no less far sighted.
 
For example, if you?re about to prune that young tree, before you make the first cut, you should already have given some thought to cuts you?ll be making next year, and the year after that. Your thoughts may be of specific cuts, such as ?this year I?ll take off this one, and next year that one.? Or your thoughts may be less specific in nature, as in ?well, this year I?ll take off these two weakly attached limbs, and head this third one back. Then I?ll see over the next year or so how the tree responds, and where and how the new wood develops, and I?ll prune accordingly?. The important thing is that you?re thinking ahead, and using all the information you have, you?re making reasoned and sound decisions based on the science and art of tree care.
 
Let?s look at an even more specific example, the all too common phenomena of a newly planted tree with a cluster of laterals at the top, and no branches whatever down a long skinny trunk. The first thing we need to do is to think the whole situation through, as mentioned above. Check out the staking, the irrigation, etc. Another important consideration is to see if there?s any sign of adventitious buds developing or breaking along the trunk, to someday develop into branches that will shade and strengthen it. Now think about the natural shape and growth habits of that particular species, how you?re going to prune it to maintain and best display its natural beauty, and when you?re going to begin to prune. And I?m not talking about whether you?re going to begin before or after lunch, here.
 
One of the decisions I sometimes make when looking at such a situation, is to do nothing in the way of pruning for the first six months or year, or even longer. If that tree is significantly stressed by the trauma of transplant, it is often best to not remove any living foliage. This approach maintains every scrap of photosynthetic and energy producing tissue to help in making the transition to establishment, and helps preserve the valuable reserve of carbohydrates. However, in other cases, if the tree seems to have handled the shock of transplant well, I will go ahead and begin the pruning and shaping process after the first couple of months. I?ll look at the cluster of laterals and decide which are best suited to be the permanent branches and trunk, which branches are temporary, and which will be removed now. Often, the process of determination is difficult and filled with some uncertainty, however I merely make my most reasoned decision based on the information I have. But in some cases of uncertainty, I?ll walk away from the tree, only to return later that day, or that season, to gain a fresh perspective. I?ll also often postpone a decision on particular branches so that I might see how the tree chooses to grow, and make my cut at a later date based on the information the tree is giving me. The thing I strive for whenever I work with a young tree is to view each case as individual and unique, for they truly are.
 
Unfortunately, I feel I must make mention here that some trees in our landscape should be removed. Sometimes the condition of the tree or its inappropriate location warrants cause for removal. However, I?ll be addressing this whole issue in greater depth in the near future.
 
We should often visit old sites where we have worked, and check old wounds we inflicted, for often the trees themselves are our best teachers.
 
Remember, every attempt we make to proactively plan the pruning and care of young trees is well rewarded in the stately and beautiful monuments those young trees may someday become.