As we approach the end of the year 2003, and prepare for the incoming class of 2004, we look forward to a great new year in gardening.

The staff and I wish you a Happy New Year.

One cannot appreciate the damage ice causes to trees until they've experienced a heavy ice storm. Fortunately, major ice storms do not occur on a regular basis. The trees that normally take the brunt of the damage – Chinese and Siberian elms, poplars, silver maples, birches and willows – are the predictable victims. All of these species have brittle wood and are easily damaged by ice and wind storms.

Homeowners often plant fast-growing species like the ones mentioned above for rapid shade. Fast-growing trees normally have brittle wood and develop weak, V-shaped crotches that easily split apart under added weight. Often, trees with extensive internal rot and decay that may not have been evident from the exterior receive severe damage.

Many times these trees overhang the house, driveway or power lines servicing the home. When large limbs or tree tops are broken in an ice storm, they can cause major damage and expense.

For homeowners with trees with major limb or top damage, two questions should be addressed. The first one is: "Does the condition of the tree warrant efforts to save it or should it be removed?" Major tree repair can be quite expensive and should only be attempted if a major portion of the tree is still intact and efforts can be made to maintain its attractiveness and value to the property. If the whole side or top is gone, it's questionable whether it's worth spending the time and money to salvage the tree. This is especially true if it's one with brittle wood that lends itself to similar problems in the future. While no one wants to remove a large, mature tree, the prudent decision may be to replace it with a young tree possessing desirable qualities.

The second question to consider is: "Can you handle the damage repair yourself or should you seek professional help?" Small limbs can be removed easily with pruning shears or a pole-lopper provided they are within your reach. Do you feel comfortable climbing a ladder up into the tree? Power equipment should never be operated from a ladder or in the tree where firm footing is questionable. Removing hanging limbs should be left to professional tree services. Look for them under Tree Service in the Yellow Pages. Make sure they carry proper liability and workmen's compensation insurance before allowing them to start the job.

What damage is repairable and what is not? Broken limbs should be removed. Generally, if the branch has not split away from the trunk, the broken segment should be removed back to the next major adjacent branch. Do not leave branch stubs. Stubs encourage rot and decay.

For trees with tops broken out, remove the snags to the next major interior branch. Generally, this will be a major fork. Avoid topping the tree to allow small side branches to grow out and continue the tree's height growth. These branches will be weak and prone to breakage.

To avoid stripping the healthy bark from the trunk when a heavy, broken limb is removed the 3-step procedure should be used. The first cut is made on the underneath side of the branch about 18 inches out from the trunk. The cut should be approximately half-way through the branch or until its weight first starts to bind the saw. The next cut should be made on top of the branch about 1 to 2 inches in front (toward the end of the branch) of the bottom cut. Continue cutting until the branch drops free. The last cut removes the remaining branch stub from the trunk. The cut should be made from the top of the branch at the branch collar. The collar is the slight ridge where the branch attaches to the tree's trunk or another major branch.

In certain situations, a damaged limb may strip healthy bark from the tree. To repair this type of damage, cut any ragged edges of torn bark away from the damaged area. Take care to limit the amount of healthy, tight bark removed. To speed the healing process, the repair cut made with a sharp knife into healthy bark should leave a wound shaped like an elongated football with the pointed ends of the cut running vertically along the trunk or limb or as near parallel to the initial damage as possible.

Trees with split trunks or major limb forks may possibly be salvaged if the split is not too extensive. Repairing this type of damage will involve a cable and brace technique that should be left to a professional tree service.

Some small to medium-sized trees may have been uprooted. It may be possible to straighten these trees and brace them with guy wires. Do not attempt this unless one-half to one-third of the tree's original root system is still in the soil and the remaining exposed roots are relatively compact and undisturbed. Before straightening the tree, remove some of the soil from beneath the root mass so the roots will be placed below the existing grade level. Attach two to three guy wires to the trunk and anchor the wires 10 to 12 feet away from the tree.

Corrective pruning to help improve the shape of damaged trees is best done now. The tree will respond quickly this spring if it has not been severely damaged. Take care not to remove more than one-third of original branches. This will severely retard the tree's growth in the spring and may damage it beyond recovery.

Treatment of the trunk and limb wounds with tree paint is not necessary. In fact, research shows that painted areas can lead to increased rot and decay due to trapped moisture in areas where the paint cracks open. You may want to fertilize your tree this spring with a good quality tree fertilizer. Check with a local nursery or garden center, or your county Extension office for recommended rates

- Ron Wolford, Extension Educator, Horticulture, University of Illinois Extension

Hort Happenings is now available for viewing online. You may access the newsletter on our website www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/cooknorth/mgnews/

Please call or e-mail Eileen Witt (847-818-2901 or ejwitt@extension.uiuc.edu) if you would like to begin accessing Hort Happenings on the web. We will then stop sending you a hardcopy (resulting in a savings on postage–thank you!), but will instead send you an e-mail each month alerting you that the next issue has been posted on the website. When contacting Eileen, please be sure to give her your current e-mail address so that we can keep our records up to date.

The Annual Volunteer Agreement will be mailed the last week in January, 2004. If you will not be volunteering in the year of 2004, please advise us as soon as possible and we will delete you from our mailing list. Please return agreement within 10 days of receipt.

Please take time to make sure your volunteer hours and continuing education hours are up to date. Our office is required to have this information reported to the State Master Gardener office by February 1, 2004. A reminder that all Master Gardeners who wish to remain certified with the program must have their records for 2003 up to date.

Road Salt Damage to Garden and Landscape Plants

Road salt damage to garden and landscape plants is a problem for many gardeners. Runoff from the road contains dissolved salts that not only directly injure the plants but also can change the structure of the soil, causing it to become compacted, thereby restricting the nutrients, water, and oxygen available to the plants. Although the salt is applied throughout the winter, most salt damage occurs in late winter and early spring when plants are beginning active growth. Growing portions of the plant, such as shoot tips and young leaves are affected the most. One of the symptoms of salt damage is marginal scorch, a dried burnt effect on leaf edges. If you have plants near a possible source of excessive salt, bring a soil sample to your county extension office and request a soluble salts test to determine if you have a problem. In sandy soil, soluble salt levels of >1000 PPM indicate potential trouble; clay-loam soils can handle levels up to 2000 PPM as they have much higher water-holding capacities which dilute the salt.

The battle against salt damage continues year round. During the winter, the goal is to prevent salt from reaching the plants, and to wash it off the plants that it does reach. Do not pile snow containing salt around plants or trees or put it where runoff will flow over plant root zones. Ask the road maintenance people if there is anything they can do to direct salty runoff away from your property. Where runoff is unavoidable, flush the area around the plants in early spring by applying two inches of water over a 2-3 hour period and repeating this three days later. This will leach much of the salt from the soil. If salt spray from the road surface is a problem, use copious amounts of water to rinse the foliage and branches of any affected plants when salt spray is heavy and again in early spring.

During the summer, work to improve planting conditions. Incorporate large quantities of organic materials into salt damaged soil to enhance its texture and to increase its water and nutrient holding capacity. Plants that are already stressed by salt will do much better if no other stresses are added to them, so be sure that you properly fertilize, water, and otherwise care for them.

When selecting species for a new roadside planting, minimize the potential for salt damage by planting salt tolerant species such as white oak, honey locust, Scotch pine, red oak, junipers, roses, or asparagus. Avoid salt sensitive plants such as red pine, white pine, black walnut, red maple, and sugar maple. A low wall or a hedge of salt tolerant evergreens can deflect salt spray from sensitive plants nearby.

Remember the damage that salt can cause when removing ice from home walks and driveways. Instead of tossing a handful of rock salt on slick surfaces, stick with sand or sawdust to improve traction on slippery sidewalks.

Rodent Damage

Mice may cause serious damage to trees or shrubs. They chew off the bark at ground level or below and can completely girdle a tree, causing it to die. Most of this damage takes place during winter. Keep mulch pulled away from the base of the tree, and examine it frequently for the presence of mice.

In many home and commercial plantings, placing poison bait in their runways controls mice. These poisons and complete directions on how to use them may be obtained from many spray material dealers.
Mice may also be controlled by trapping. This can be successful where only a few trees are involved.

For the complete article on Managing Winter Injury to Trees and Shrubs, visit the Virginia Cooperative Extension website, www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/envirohort/426-500/426-500.html

- Diane Relf–Extension Specialist, Horticulture, and Bonnie Appleton–Extension Specialist, Horticulture, Virginia Tech

Keep bird feeders filled during the most severe weather and add a heater to your birdbath. Birds need water throughout the winter months.

Protect your roses, woody shrubs and small trees from deer and rabbits by surrounding them with wire fencing.

Plan major tree pruning or winter. The trees are dormant, the ground is frozen and the arborist is not busy.

Clean all your garden tools. Remove soil and rust, paint the handles and wipe metal surfaces with vegetables oil. Wait until spring to sharpen mower blades, hoes and spades.

Wrap the trunks of small trees with protective paper to prevent drying over winter. They are vulnerable until a protective layer of bark has formed.

Do not over-water your houseplants. Too much water and root rot are cause and effect

Set a New Year's resolution to eat at least 5 fruits & vegetables each day.

Eating 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day is great for your health.

Start by setting one simple goal this month like replacing a snack with a vegetable or fruit.

The more you eat vegetables and fruits, the more you will want to include them in your meals and snacks everyday.

Wanted: Articles to print in the Hort Happenings newsletter – we need input from fellow Master Gardeners in order to provide articles and facts for you to enjoy and read! Please consider sending articles, information, interesting facts, as well as garden jokes/cartoons, tips, Q & A and plant tips.*

Submissions are due on the 20th of each month, and may be subject to light editing. Articles received after the deadline will be retained for the next newsletter.

Send articles to Eileen Witt at ejwitt@extension.uiuc.edu

*Submissions must be researched articles in line with University policy and all jokes/cartoons must be in good taste. In addition, information cannot promote or recommend a company or product. You must either own or have the author's permission to use any and all materials.