Good to Know: Terrific Trees
What's the secret to number one tree care?
March/April 2008
By Judy Ostrow
Just two mature trees produce enough oxygen each year to supply a family of four—and a tree absorbs one ton of carbon dioxide throughout its life. Backyard trees provide many environmental benefits, but most of us take them for granted.
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Trees let us know when they’re stressed or ailing. Eric Fowler, a certified master arborist with SavATree, says to watch for these symptoms:
■ unseasonable leaf or needle drop
■ dieback of branches and foliage in the upper crown
■ sap bleeding from the trunk
■ evidence of insect attack (small holes in the bark, sawdust at the base, insect remains)
A proactive regimen is the best approach to tree care.
Fowler offers these pointers:
■ Plant trees appropriate to your climate. Choose good nursery stock and follow recommended planting practices. (See "How To Plant a Tree" at www.AmericanForests.org.)