On September 3, LAS Arborist Charlie Marcus treated two large live oak trees located on the grounds of the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee to improve their health and longevity. These stately trees, which exemplify historical Florida, have resided at their current locations for decades, perhaps for as much as 100 years.
The Florida Department of Management Services (DMS), who oversees the maintenance of the facilities and grounds at the Capitol, had become concerned because the foliage of these two trees was beginning to die off. Over the years, site renovations on the Capitol grounds have adversely impacted the root systems of these two trees. In addition, the wind appears to have ripped a large limb from the trunk of one tree years ago. Marcus surmised that the foliage decline has probably been caused by a combination of these factors. “Soil compaction and grading within their root zones can impact the vitality of larger trees,” Marcus explained. “We have applied treatments designed to restore this vitality.”
Marcus applied a two component treatment to these trees. The first component was an injection of a fertilizer formulation designed especially for trees. This formulation is called Palmjet which was developed by Arborjet Inc. Palmjet is injected into plugs that are embedded around the circumference of the lower trunk base using specialized Arborjet equipment. “The advantage of injecting the fertilizer is that the entire amount goes into the tree’s vascular system and remains there for up to two years. None gets bound up in the soil and none is leached into the groundwater,” Marcus stated. “The nutrients contained in Palmjet can enhance foliage growth and improve overall tree health.”
The second treatment was an application of Shortstop Tree Growth Regulator (TGR) into the soil at the base of the trunk. Utility companies have used TGR’s for almost 40 years to reduce the growth rate of trees in places where repeated tree pruning to maintain line clearance is impractical. Over the years, TGR’s have been found to also provide health benefits to the trees where they are applied. These include improved drought resistance and faster sealing of wounds. Growth of the above ground portion of the tree is reduced but the growth of fine feeder roots is enhanced.
For the past four years, LAS arborists have been treating trees in a similar manner for inidvidual homeowners, homeowner associations, government entities, universities, and commercial businesses. They also utilize the Arborjet injection system to treat insect and disease problems in their initial stages. Anyone who has concerns about the trees on their properties or the properties they manage can contact an LAS arborist at 850-570-5963.