Education

Training good quality nursery trees 5/21/2003 Edward F. Gilman Professor, Environmental Horticulture Department University of Florida, Gainesville efg@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu Objectives for first 15 years: Maintain dominant leader by subordinating (shortening) competing leaders Space branches apart by removing or shortening nearby branches Anticipate future form and function – train and prune early to avoid cutting large branches, […]

Pruning specifications for medium aged and mature trees Edward F. Gilman University of Florida SAMPLE PRUNING SPECIFICATIONS FOR MEDIUM-AGED AND MATURE TREES ON A CONDOMINIUM COMPLEX Following some minor wording changes, you can use this on residential and other small jobs without written specifications to ensure that the customer has an idea of what work

Fertilization Roger C. Funk A Research Trust Update from Arborist News This is one in a series of articles reviewing the advances of research, especially during the last 25 years, when the ISA Research Trust began funding arboricultural research. At the turn of the last century; not much definitive information on fertilization of shade and

Grown to self-destruct E. Thomas Smiley, Ph.D. and Donald C. Booth Ph.D. Are nursery trees grown to self-destruct in the landscape? At the research and technical support center for one of the largest tree and shrub care companies we see many plant problems. Some plants die due to insect infestation or disease, but a growing

Wire Baskets: Why leave them intact? As members of the Roots Plus Field-growers Association of Florida (RPG) we are often asked questions about various tree related issues. One commonly asked question is; “Should wire baskets be removed from trees at planting?” As members of the field-grown tree industry we depend on wire baskets because they

Should Wire Baskets be Removed from Trees? Reprinted from the Greenline, September 15, 1995 Editors Comment: In the September 15, 1994 issue of Greenline, an article appeared regarding wire baskets and whether the wire should be removed before planting. Apparently the article created confusion among growers and landscape contractors. The following is printed in an

Shoot pruning and back filling The following was distributed at the 1995 Menninger Sunbelt Tree Conference By Roy A. Mecklenburg Shoot Pruning In most instances pruning at transplanting is not necessary to balance the root and shoot system. Prune only broken, dead or diseased branches at this time. Carbohydrates needed for growth during establishment is

Root Training/Development and Root Pruning The following was distributed at the 1995 Menninger Sunbelt Tree Conference By Roy A. Mecklenburg Root Training/Development Circling/girdling roots can develop in a 2 inch seedling pot, 1 gallon, or 5 gallon container and prevent successful tree transplanting and establishment years later. If circling roots are not cut, roots will

Irrigating Newly Transplanted Trees and Root Growth Rates The following was distributed at the 1995 Menninger Sunbelt Tree Conference By Roy A. Mecklenburg Irrigating Newly Transplanted Trees Newly transplanted trees in Central Florida require 1.5 to 3 gallons of water per inch of trunk diameter per irrigation. This water must be applied so that it

Fertilizer & Root Stimulant Applications and Length of Establishment Period The following was distributed at the 1995 Menninger Sunbelt Tree Conference By Roy A. Mecklenburg Fertilizer and Root Stimulant Applications There is little or no benefit in applying fertilizer at transplanting, but in several months after transplanting, as new root growth occurs, nutrients will be