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Deadline nears for Michigan Big Tree Hunt contest

August 8, 2022 • Leave a Comment

ReLeaf Michigan, the only statewide non-profit tree planting and education organization in Michigan, has launched its 15th biennial Michigan Big Tree Hunt contest. The contest, which offers prizes for identifying the biggest trees in Michigan, is open to participants of all ages.

The largest trees in the state can be found anywhere: a backyard, a local park, or a hiking trail. ReLeaf Michigan awards certificates and prizes for the largest tree submitted from each county, for the overall largest tree in different age groups, and for potential state champion trees. Even if the tree submitted is not as large as the currently listed state champion of that species, it’s important to still submit, since the current champion may have died or since been removed.

ReLeaf Michigan started the Michigan Big Tree Hunt in 1993 to celebrate our state’s beauty and create a fun way to gather information about Michigan’s biggest trees. The contest is an opportunity for all age groups to help track these vital historical living landmarks.

More contest details and the entry form are available at www.bigtreehunt.com. Entries are due by August 19, 2022. For questions not answered on the website, please email bigtreehunt@releafmichigan.org or call 800-642-7353.

How-To: Make a cut edge

July 12, 2022 • Leave a Comment

One of the most important parts of gardening is the edge. A nicely cut edge is a treat for the garden and the eyes, but more important, it’s a first-line defense against weeds.

Where do most of your problem weeds come from? Some blow in as seeds, some germinate from seeds that were lying dormant in the soil when you dig in the garden, and some come in with compost and mulch, but most are invaders from the edge. So what edging do you have to stop them? Maybe you have plastic, metal, wood, or no defined edge. Or maybe you have the best of all: a cut edge. Nothing completes a garden better than a cleanly cut edge.

Perhaps you are wondering how a cut edge (air edge) can work better than the other types. That means that air is the barrier that bars weeds from your beds. Air works as well as the other types of edging and is variable according to the weeds you’re trying to keep out of the garden. You can vary the depth and width of the trench that is the cut edge, depending on how deep the weed’s roots are running that you’re trying to keep out of the garden, and how far the weed’s “arms” reach.

Standard black plastic edging is between 3 and 4 inches deep. Many problem weeds will go deeper and creep under that edge into the beds. A gardener who cuts an edge can simply cut deeper for those that dive below four inches. For weeds that cross into a bed by growing over the ground and rooting from the tips of those branches, the gardener cuts the trench wider.

The steps to make a cut edge

1. Using a sharp spade, slice down through the turf, then pull back on the handle. This “pops” out the cut turf and part of the garden soil. You do this to help loosen the soil into the bed, which allows for easier pulling of the weeds creeping into the bed from the edge. You can cut an edge any time you want to, but the best time is in the spring or fall, because it has a more lasting effect.

2. Grab the cut piece of the edge and shake the excess soil into the bed. Watch for and pick up pieces of root that fall off. Save your back and vary your activities by cutting just 10 to 20 feet of edge at a time, then stop to remove the sod and weeds you’ve just cut.

3. If you feel roots break off from the weedy strip you are removing, go after them. Use a fork to loosen the soil further into the bed and remove those roots. Clean out the air trench, pushing the excess soil into the bed.

4. After you are finished, notice that you have weeded at least one foot into the bed. All that is left to weed is the interior of the bed, but the weediest area is under control now. In terms of maintenance, it is ideal to cut an edge 2 or 3 times a year: in the spring and fall, and in the summer if it needs touch-up.

**An edge cut in April still looks good at the end of July. A recut of the edge in midsummer will last the rest of the year.**

**The air edge is used by many of the world’s great botanical gardens. Here a worker is cutting an edge at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in Scotland.**

**A cut edge is a wonderful finishing touch on a bed.**

Text and photos by Steven Nikkila, www.gardenatoz.com.

MORE TIPS: How to control slugs in your garden

How do you select the right tree care company?

June 20, 2022 • Leave a Comment

**This mature oak tree provides plenty of shade. (Photo: tsg pixels)**

by Steve Turner

How do I select the right tree care company? Many times when I’m out on consultations, the homeowner will tell me they have had their trees sprayed, but the problem is still occurring. Or the trees were trimmed, but the crew apparently did not notice a particular pest or disease. How come? This is not always an easy question to answer, but most times it will be that the company just didn’t know or that the situation called for expertise beyond what they offer.

There are basically three types of tree care companies and knowing what their capabilities are should help you decide which type is right for you.

Type #1. The first is the lawn and tree care company that fertilizes your lawn and offers a basic program to spray your trees 3 or 4 times and fertilize them each year. This is a popular option with homeowners because it is fairly inexpensive and the homeowner is already familiar with the company. The drawbacks are that the sprays are done when the company is scheduled to be in your area and, as a result, may not always be timed to treat the specific problems that you might have. Insects have complex life cycles and the timings can vary year to year as to when the best time to treat them is. If you miss this “window,” many treatments will be ineffective and the problem will persist.

These types of companies are fine for covering the basic care in a cost-effective manner. For more serious problems or more advanced treatment, it is advisable to turn to the other two company types.

Type #2. The second type is the company that specializes in pruning and tree removal only. There are more of these than both of the other types combined. There is a wide range, from the weekend warrior with a chainsaw and a pickup truck, to the large company with a fleet of bucket trucks. Choosing between them can often be difficult, because it is not always easy to assess their skill levels until after the work is done. Getting references is important, especially if it is a more complex removal over a house or trimming a large, 100-year-old oak tree. You want the most skilled and knowledgeable tree care professionals to do these types of jobs because you only get one shot at getting it right and there is little room for error.

Asking a few simple questions and paying attention to how they write an estimate can help you determine their professionalism. First and most important is, are they insured? Second is, do they use spikes to climb trees that are to be only pruned and not removed? Unfortunately, protecting your trees from unnecessary damage is not always the top priority of some companies. These two questions can help forewarn you of potential problems.

Next is the written estimate they give you. How much detail do they put into the contract? Are they vague in describing what they intend to do or do they provide a clear description? Can they identify all the species of trees they will be working on or do they just write “large tree in front yard?” The more detailed the estimate is, the less likely you are to be disappointed with the results of the job. The quality of work performed by these types of companies can range from excellent to poor—make sure someone in the company has a good knowledge of proper tree care. There is a big difference in knowing how to climb a tree and knowing what to do once you’re up there. Overpruning is a common problem of some tree companies; every tree needs to be evaluated on an individual basis in regards to its species, health, and age to properly determine what needs to be removed and how much.

Type #3. The third type of company is the complete tree care service that offers a full range of tree care treatments, from fertilization to difficult removals. They will tend to have educated professionals on staff, highly skilled climbers and ground workers, and trained plant health care technicians to identify your problems and treat them. There are probably 20 to 30 of these types of companies in the metro Detroit area and many started out as one of the other types and grew into full service. These companies will tend to have affiliations with professional associations in our industry such as the ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) or the TCIA (Tree Care Industry Association). Look for these logos when hiring a tree company to help ensure quality work.

When writing estimates, they will tend to use ANSI standards to describe the work to be done. This is a national system of defining common tree pruning terms that all can understand and interpret the same way, in order to avoid misunderstandings and variances in services. Examples of these terms would be “crown clean” or “deadwood” to describe what will be removed from the tree. “Elevation” will specify to what height the tree will be raised, such as “10-foot elevation over house.” All these things help make it easier for the homeowner to understand what will be done, as well as receive competitive bids for the same level of work.

Most tree care companies bid by the time it will take to do the work and the amount of equipment needed to do it safely. Most will charge based on their hourly rate and the type of work, and then add on wood removal costs. Full-service companies tend to charge more for their services because their overhead is higher as well as their payroll to attract top professionals to their companies.

It is not advisable to automatically pick the lowest bid to do the work. Often, the lowest bid will also be the least experienced and knowledgeable company. Some might use spikes to climb your trees or take shortcuts that could damage your lawn or landscape. Just remember to keep in mind that you get what you pay for.

Steve Turner, Certified Arborist, is from Arboricultural Services in Fenton, MI.

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