Tree Removal…After the Storm

Tree Removal…After the Storm

Moderate to strong El Nino conditions were predicted for this summer and I think this revelation has come true. The heat and humidity in the latter part of June were on the verge of being unbearable and the precipitation cycle is unpredictable. In the middle of the month, a series of storms with strong winds hit a number of areas in the panhandle, bringing down some large trees. University of Florida/IFAS Extension recommends removing large branches and trees that pose a threat to damaging your home and other structure before the start of each hurricane season. However, sometimes we just don’t get around to removing these trees until after they fall.

Trees laying on the corner of a house
Trees laying on the corner of a house. Photo Credit: Matt Lollar, University of Florida/IFAS Extension – Santa Rosa County

Luckily only the tops of the trees in the photo above fell on the roof of the house. These are laurel oaks (Quercus laurifolia) which are fast growing but not tolerant of wind. In this situation, four trees fell together and are laying on the corner of the roof. The trees also pulled down the power, cable, and phone lines to the house.

So where do we go from here? Unfortunately the trees were uprooted and pose the potential for additional harm to the house if not removed correctly. In this situation, a tree service that owns a crane was recommended to remove the trees without administering more damage to the home and other trees and plants in the landscape and to avoid knocking down the powerlines again.

A crane used in conjunction with a boom lift to cut and lift trees off of a house
A crane used in conjunction with a boom lift to cut and lift trees off of a house. Photo Credit: Matt Lollar, University of Florida/IFAS Extension – Santa Rosa County

The tree service utilized a boom lift and a crane to safely lift the trees away from the house and utility lines. The employee on the lift connected each section of the tree to the crane before each cut. The boom was then moved to a safe location before each tree section was lifted away to the road to be cut into smaller pieces.

In this situation, the homeowner was lucky. There was no damage to the house other than a couple bent panels on the metal roof. However, this little bit a damage could have been totally avoided if these weak trees had been removed before the storm hit.

The trees featured in this article fell during a thunderstorm and possible tornado. If these trees had fallen during a weather event that was Federally declared, then a portion of the cost for their removal and cleanup might have been eligible to be considered an itemized deduction on Federal income tax forms. For more information on filing this type of loss please read the publication “Income Tax Deduction on Timber and Landscape Tree Loss from Casualty” from the USDA Forest Service.

Save the Water for the People

Florida is rapidly urbanizing with 1,000 people a day moving into the state.  Many cities in the panhandle have experienced accelerated growth rates over the past ten years. Crestview is one of the seven areas in the state with a population growth of 19% or greater, and the only one located in the panhandle.  The 2030 predictions for Florida are another 6 million people, with counties containing military personnel increasing the quickest.

All of these people need water to meet their daily living needs.  The average person in the United States uses 101.5 gallons of water per day.  Residential water use comprises 61% of the public supply category.  This category is responsible for the largest single portion (43%) of groundwater withdrawal in Florida.  The Floridan aquifer spans an area of about 100,000 square miles in the southeastern United States, including all of Florida, as well as, portions of three other states.  At the current statewide population growth rate, Florida is facing a 300 million gallon per day shortfall of future water needs, possibly as early as 2030.

lawn sprinkler spraying waterTurfgrass is a key landscape component and often the most commonly used single type of plant in the residential landscape. However, on a hot, sunny day in midsummer, the average lawn uses 125 gallons of water per 1,000 square feet.  Although Florida has a humid climate where the precipitation rate, on average, is greater than the evapotranspiration rate, the low water-holding capacity of the soil makes irrigation necessary for the high quality landscapes desired by homeowners.  But, watering the yard requires an entire household to skip a shower, not wash anything and avoid cleaning.  Or, we need to find ways to use a different source of water for irrigation and conserve the potable water for the people.

While the use of reclaimed water for landscape plants has become a standard in many parts of Florida, it has limited availability in the panhandle.  However, there are many ways to reduce and conserve potable water use for those with in-ground irrigation systems.  First, make sure you have a functional rain shut-off device.  By design it will prevent the system from running when it has recently rained.  On average, the panhandle has received rain about every 4 days this year.  Besides, Florida law requires a rain shut-off device for all irrigation systems, new or old.

Then, calibrate each zone to determine the length of time required to deliver ½ inch of water.  This can be determined by placing 10 or more, short, straight-sided containers throughout the irrigation zone.  Run the system and look at each container, measuring the depth with a ruler.  Adjust the run time so the system only delivers ½ inch.  Now set the clock to run 2-3 times a week for that length of time.  It’s that simple.  And the water savings is significant. For these and many other irrigation tips, visit askIFAS at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/.

Cuban Treefrogs in the Panhandle

Cuban Treefrogs in the Panhandle

Photo by Dr. Steve Johnson

Treefrog calls are often heard with each rain event.  But, how about a “snoring raspy” call that begins after a day time light rain?  That may be a male Cuban treefrog trying to attract the girls.  Cuban treefrogs breed predominately in the spring and summer.  Reproduction is largely stimulated by rainfall, especially warm summer rains such as those associated with tropical weather systems and intense thunderstorms.

Range of Cuban treefrogs

The Cuban treefrog, Osteopilus septentrionalis, was accidently introduced to Florida in the 1920’s as a stowaway in shipping crates from the Caribbean.  Over the last hundred years, the invasive frog has managed to spread throughout Florida and the Southeastern U.S. by hitchhiking on ornamental plants, motorized vehicles, and boats.  Though occasional cold winters have created temporary population setbacks, new generations of Cuban treefrogs continue to be reported in north Florida, including the Panhandle.

An invasive species is generally defined as a plant, animal or microbe that is found outside of its native range, where it negatively impacts the ecology, economy or quality of human life. Cuban treefrogs come out at night to feed on snails, millipedes, spiders and a vast array of insects.  But, they are also predators of several Florida native frogs, lizards and snakes.  Tadpoles of the invasive Cuban treefrog have been shown to inhibit the growth and development of native Southern toad and green treefrog tadpoles when all of the species are in the same water body.  Additionally, a large female Cuban treefrog can lay over 10,000 eggs per season in very small amounts of water.

Panhandle citizens can help manage the invasive Cuban treefrog by learning to identify them and reduce their numbers.  All treefrogs have expanded pads on the ends of their toes.  Cuban treefrogs have exceptionally large toepads.  They also have a “big eyed” appearance due to their oversized bulging eyes.  Cuban treefrogs may exceed 6 inches in length, have warty-looking skin with possible blotches, bands or stripes, and vary greatly in color.  However, they can be distinguished from other treefrogs.  Cuban treefrogs have a yellowish wash where their front and rear legs are attached to their body.  Juvenile Cuban treefrogs have red eyes and blue bones visible through the skin of their hind legs.  The skin of the Cuban treefrog produces a sticky secretion that can cause a burning or itching sensation if it contacts the eyes or nose of certain individuals.  It is recommended to wear gloves and wash your hands after handling Cuban treefrogs.

It is important to document the locations of Cuban treefrogs in the Panhandle.  By placing short sections of PVC pipe in the ground around your home and garden will provide hiding places for treefrogs that enables you to monitor for Cuban treefrogs.  Cut 10 foot sections of 1.5-inch-diameter PVC pipe into approximately three-foot-long sections and push them into the ground about 3-4 inches.  To remove a frog from a pipe, place a clear sandwich bag over the top end, pull the pipe from the ground, and insert a dowel rod in the other end to scare the frog into the baggie.  If you suspect you have seen one, take a picture and send it to Dr. Steve Johnson at tadpole@ufl.edu.  Include your name, date, and location.  Dr. Johnson can verify the identity.  If it is a Cuban treefrog, upload the information by going to http://www.eddmaps.org/ and click the “Report Sightings” tab.

Once identified as a Cuban treefrog, it should be euthanized humanly.  To do that, the Cuban treefrog in a plastic sandwich bag can be placed into the refrigerator for 3-4 hours then transferred to the freezer for an additional 24 hours.  Alternatively, a 1-inch stripe benzocaine-containing ointment (like Orajel) to the frog’s back to chemically anesthetize it before placing it into a freezer.  After freezing, remove the bagged frog from the freezer and dispose of in the trash.  Ornamental ponds should also be monitored for Cuban treefrog egg masses especially after a heavy rain.  The morning after a rain, use a small-mesh aquarium net to scoop out masses of eggs floating on the surface of the pond and simply discard them on the ground to dry out.  Various objects that can collect water found throughout your yard need to be dumped out regularly to reduce breeding spots for both Cuban treefrogs and mosquitoes.

Leaf Litter: Do the Benefits Outweigh the Work?

Leaf Litter: Do the Benefits Outweigh the Work?

Fallen leaves add much to the landscape. They feed the plants and many insect, retain water, and help stabilize the soil

Fallen leaves add much to the landscape. They feed the plants and many insect, retain water, and help stabilize the soil

For the homeowner who feels the need to rake leaves and pine needles, the task can be something of a minor nuisance. The showers of earth-toned leftovers appear suddenly and at inconvenient times, and their removal is never added to a chore list without dispute.

Disarray aside, these organic remnants provide far more benefits than problems. Their suburban untidiness becomes an insulating blanket which nurtures plants, animals, and insects with time released nutrients for use by the efficient and fortunate in the wild and those of us in civilization.

First and foremost, leaf litter is critical to the water holding capacity of the woodlands. The dried leaves, needles and twigs absorb and shade rainwater from the evaporative effects of the sun and wind.

When heavy rains inundate the soil causing flooding and runoff, it is the leaves that act as part of the natural delaying system to minimize the negative impact on streams, creeks and rivers. The delayed or halted runoff provides time for water to be absorbed by the soil and be filtered by the natural screening capacity of this organic material.

The moisture works in conjunction with native bacteria and fungus to convert the leaf litter into nutrients usable by plants and trees. While not as concentrated as commercial fertilizers, many of the same plant nutrients are present in the decaying leaf litter.

The decomposition is aided by a variety of insects and worms which nest in, eat and overwinter under the debris. The animal activity breaks up and stirs the elements along with inoculating microbes in the matter which speeds nutrient availability to plants and trees during ideal years.

Luckily, the region’s leaf drop is spread over months with the plants and trees responding to the solar cycle and weather. Autumn, winter and spring each bring defoliation of specific trees and plants.

During dry years the bug and bacteria activity slows in accumulated leaf litter, but the naturally occurring fire cycle continues the nutrient recycling under the tree canopies. The easy to burn material aides in controlling insects and plants that can aggressively overpopulate an area if unchecked.

Controlled burns also prevent destructive wildfires which are harmful to all north Florida residents. While these uncontrolled fires do deposit nutrients, they have many negative effects which far outweigh this single benefit.

January’s weather is part of a continuing natural succession which the native plants and trees incorporate to continue the wild beauty so common in the region. The current cold and rain will combine with the leaf drop to produce much growth in the next few months.

 

Stressed Pines Being Attacked By Beetles

Stressed Pines Being Attacked By Beetles

dying pinesPine bark beetles are frequent pests of stressed pines in the southern United States. The five most common southern pine bark beetle species include three in the genus Ips. Ips beetles usually colonize only those trees that are already stressed, declining, or fallen due to environmental factors. Infestations may occur in response to drought, root injury, disease, lightning strikes or other stresses including flooding.ips_beetles01

Ips calligraphus usually attacks the lower portions of stumps, trunks and large limbs greater than 4” in diameter. Early signs of attack include the accumulation of reddish-brown boring dust on the bark, nearby cobwebs or understory foliage. Ips calligraphus can complete their life cycles within 25 days during the summer and can produce eight generations per year in Florida. Newly-emerged adults can fly as far as four miles in their first dispersal to find a new host tree, whichever one is the most stressed.

Most trees are not well adapted to saturated soil conditions. With record rainfall this past April, the ground became inundated with water. When the root environment is dramatically changed by excess moisture, especially during the growing season, a tree’s entire physiology is altered, which may result in the death of the tree.

Water saturated soil reduces the supply of oxygen to tree roots, raises the pH of the soil, and changes the rate of decomposition of organic material; all of which weakens the tree, making it more susceptible to indirect damage from insects and diseases.When the ground becomes completely saturated, a tree’s metabolic processes begin to change very quickly. Photosynthesis is shut down within five hours; the tree is in starvation mode, living on stored starches and unable to make more food. Water moves into and occupies all available pore spaces that once held oxygen. Any remaining oxygen is utilized within three hours. The lack of oxygen prevents the normal decomposition of organic matter which leads to the production and accumulation of toxic gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen sulfide and nitrogen oxide. Additionally, within seven days there is a noticeable root growth loss. Roots only develop when soil oxygen levels are at 5% -15%. Over time, the decaying roots are attacked by pathogens. The loss of root mass from decay and fungal attack leaves the tree prone to drought damage. After only two weeks of saturated soil conditions the root crown area can have so many problems that decline and even death are imminent.

When a tree experiences these anaerobic soil conditions it will exhibit symptoms of leaf loss with minimal to no new leaf formation. This usually appears two to eight weeks after the soil dries out again. Many trees will not survive, especially the more juvenile and mature trees. However, well established trees may still decline several years later, if they experience additional stresses such as drought or root disturbance from construction.

There is little that can be done to combat the damage caused by soil saturation. However, it is important to enable the tree to conserve its food supply by resisting pruning and to avoid fertilizing until the following growth season. Removal of mulch will aid in the availability of soil oxygen. Basically, it is a “wait and see” process. While water is essential to the survival of trees, it can also be a detriment when it is excessive, especially for drought tolerant pine species such as Sand Pine, which is prevalent throughout the coastal areas.Pines

For urban and residential landscape trees, preventative strategies to avoid tree stress and therefore reduce the chances of infestation include the following:

1)    avoiding compaction of, physical damage to, or pavement over the root zones of pines,

2)    providing adequate spacing (15-20ft) between trees,

3)    minimizing competing vegetation beneath pines,

4)    maintaining proper soil nutrient and pH status and

5)    limiting irrigation to established pine areas.

When infested trees are removed, care should be taken to avoid injury to surrounding pines, which could attract the more harmful pine bark beetle species Dendroctonus frontalis, the Southern Pine Bark beetle.

There is no effective way to save an individual tree once it has been successfully colonized by Ips beetles. In some cases, the application of an approved insecticide that coats the entire tree trunk may be warranted to protect high-value landscape trees prior to infestation. UF/IFAS Extension can assist with recommendations.