Master Gardener: Trees, plants need winter protection and water
We rarely have a wet winter. Last year was a wonderful exception.
Diligent green-thumbers water their trees and shrubs at least once a month through the winter, unless it rains or snows enough to moisten the soil to a depth of 12 inches. If not, start dragging hoses to trees and give them a good soak to that 12-inch depth on a day when water will soak in.
Click here to read the full story from the Reno Gazette-Journal.
Master Gardener: Trees, plants need winter protection and water
Reminder to water your trees during dry spells this winter
Dec. 9, 2011
Northern Nevada winters are known for cold, dry air, little precipitation and wide outdoor temperature swings, which can cause damage to your trees. The need for winter watering may not be obvious, but trees need water during these dry spells to stay healthy.
Truckee Meadows Community Forestry Coalition offers these easy-to-follow tips that can help your trees survive the next couple of months, and thrive when the weather warms.
- If your trees have not received water from Mother Nature for two to four weeks, it is time to provide some supplemental watering with a hose. Make sure you water when temperatures are above 40 degrees and early enough in the day that the water will not freeze, which can cause damage to the tree.
- Use a soaker hose to encircle the tree midway between its trunk and midline. Apply some water and then move the hose outward toward the drip line.
- Do not spray tree trunks with water in order to reduce the risk of frost injuries or winter burn.
- Help keep moisture in soil and regulate soil temperature by putting a three to four inch deep layer of organic mulch around your tree.
- Heavy snow on tree limbs should be removed to avoid breakage.
- If winter has a particularly warm day, consider deep root watering to break up the soil. Avoid fertilizing before spring, which can prematurely wake up the tree’s roots.
Maintaining the health of your trees, and keeping them adequately watered, is important year-round.
If you have a tree condition of concern, use the Ask An Arborist forum at www.communityforestry.org for assistance. The Community Forestry Coalition’s website provides a wealth of information on tree care in the high desert climate of the Truckee Meadows.
The Mission of the Truckee Meadows Community Forestry Coalition is to enhance the protection and preservation of the public and private community forest through education, research, conservation and collaborative policy development.
Winter is a good time to prune, trim most trees
Nov. 11, 2011
Most of us don’t think about it, but fall and winter are good times to trim and prune many of our trees.
While pruning and trimming can take place all year long for most trees, it’s easier to see the shapes of trees and the direction of branches after they shed their summer canopies of leaves. Colder weather also discourages diseases and pests in trees.
Click here to read the full story from the Reno Gazette-Journal.
Tree huggers: Truckee Meadows Community Forestry Coalition
Oct. 27, 2011
The Northern Nevada landscape features a stark contrast between barren desert and snow-capped mountains, urban and rural, and within all of these diverse settings trees are a constant. But in the midst of homeowners caring for smaller plants in gardens and yards, trees are often left to fend for themselves.
Click here to read the full story from the Reno News & Review.
Free falling: Reno Gleaning Project
Sept. 15, 2011
“It fell on the ground” is not a good reason to throw away perfectly edible food, according to Pamela Mayne, the founder, financier and spot picker of the Reno Gleaning Project. In an effort to reduce food waste, Mayne has organized community gleaning since 2009.
Click here to read the full story from the Reno News & Review.
Join the Arbor Day Foundation, get 10 trees
Aug. 31, 2011
As part of the Arbor Day Foundation’s Trees for America campaign, everyone from Nevada who joins the Foundation in September will receive 10 free Arizona cypress trees.
Click here to read the full story from the Daily Sparks Tribune.
Community Forestry Coalition on the News 4 Morning Show
Certified Arborist to Speak About Proper Tree Watering
Workshops scheduled in May
Appropriate tree care begins with proper watering and that’s why Truckee Meadow Community Forestry Coalition and Truckee Meadows Water Authority are hosting a free Tree Watering Workshop this month to help residents and homeowners care for the local community forest. Join Dale Carlon, Certified Arborist, for a workshop on how to properly water your trees at one of the following times:
- Wednesday, May 11 at 5:30 p.m. and
- Tuesday, May 17 at 5:30 p.m.
“Trees have incredible benefits and contribute to the long-term environmental health and beauty of our community,” Lora Rose Richards, TMWA Administrator of Conservation & Community Outreach said. “We live in a high-desert environment with limited precipitation. All of the trees in our community require supplemental water to survive here. The workshop will help residents care for their trees while being as water-efficient as possible.”
Each workshop will be held at TMWA’s main office, 1355 Capital Blvd. in Reno, and will last one hour. Workshops are open to the public, so please RSVP by calling (775) 834-8005 or emailing conservation@tmwa.net. For more information about the Community Forestry Coalition, please visit www.communityforestry.org.
The Mission of the Truckee Meadows Community Forestry Coalition is to enhance the protection and preservation of the public and private community forest through education, research, conservation and collaborative policy development.
Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) is a not-for-profit water utility, overseen by elected officials from Reno, Sparks and Washoe County. TMWA employs a highly skilled team who ensure the treatment, delivery and availability of high-quality drinking water around the clock for more than 330,000 residents of the Truckee Meadows.
Community Forestry Coalition Celebrates Arbor Day
Tree planting scheduled for Friday, April 29
Truckee Meadow Community Forestry Coalition, along with the City of Reno Urban Forestry Commission, will celebrate Arbor Day 2011 by planting 35 trees at the Chalk Bluff Water Treatment Plant. The tree planting is scheduled for Friday, April 29 at 11 a.m. and Chalk Bluff is located at 9605 McCarran Blvd.
The addition of 12 different species of deciduous trees will help beautify the site and provide “Ecosystem Services” to the site, reducing water runoff, increasing air and water quality, conserving energy, and enhancing wildlife habitat.
Residents are encouraged to help the Coalition celebrate Arbor Day by planting new trees and caring for their existing trees, using the free tools available for download from www.communityforestry.org.
Arbor Day, which was founded in 1872, is the “Tree Planter’s Holiday” and is celebrated in more than 3,400 communities across the country. The Arbor Day Foundation recognizes cities that have outstanding urban forestry programs across the United States as “Tree Cities” and Reno is Nevada’s oldest Tree City, recognized for 28 consecutive years.
The Mission of the Truckee Meadows Community Forestry Coalition is to enhance the protection and preservation of the public and private community forest through education, research, conservation and collaborative policy development.
State nursery in Washoe Valley opening for spring conservation plant sales
The Nevada Division of Forestry State Tree Nursery in Washoe Valley is opening for the season May 12, 2011. The nursery is open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday until Oct. 15, 2011.
The nursery is designed to assist landowners by providing plant material suitable for conservation uses such as, but not limited to, windbreaks, soil erosion control, water conservation, and wildlife habitats. Plants purchased at the Washoe Nursery must be used for conservation purposes as provided for by NRS 528.105.
The plants are all grown and maintained at the nursery and are conditioned to survive northern Nevada’s cold winters and hot summers.
Plants will be available on a first come first serve basis. For a list of available species please call the nursery at 775-849-0213 or for the nursery policy and plant list, please visit http://www.forestry.nv.gov. Most species are available in D-pots for $2.25 and T-pots for $3.50.
Experts will be available to answer technical questions on opening day May 12, 2011. The Nevada Cooperative Extension will also have their Horticulture Specialist on hand to answer questions and offer a chance to win her new book. Anyone who purchases plants that day will be given a chance to enter the raffle.
The nursery is located in Washoe Valley at 885 Eastlake Boulevard.