Tree and Landscape Seminar
July 15th, 2014
Tyler Balderson BMCA Bartlett Tree Experts
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Top 5 trees to plant and where
What to plant near the water
How to spot weak trees before they fall
Best Practices for caring for trees
Does topping trees make any sense?
New Critical Area rules
What to do with Invasive Trees
When should you trim trees
Should they overhang the house?
What to do to minimize possible damage from
hurricane winds and rain
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Born in Montgomery County, MD
Raised on a tree nursery, My father Andy
Balderson is a Landscape Architect
B.S. Virginia Tech 1998, Board Certified
Master Arborist, Maryland Licensed Tree
Expert, Certified Tree Care Safety
Professional.
Reside in Odenton MD with wife and 3 kids
Bartlett is 107 years old, Serving Anne
Arundel for over 60 years.
Every property is unique.
 Every property has specific needs based
upon the environment in which the
landscape lives.
 My presentation will discuss general
ideas and practices, however, just like
people every site is different and should
be treated as such.
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Hydrology
 Aspect
 Soil
 Human/Engineering
(Controlled/Uncontrolled)
 Vegetation (shade trees, mid-story,
understory, turf).
 Management/Maintenance
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Everything!
Plants have specific needs based upon
water, sunlight, soils, slope.
Right tree right spot
Avoid monocultures
Native? (native to where, what is the
definiton of native?)
Native: This includes plants that have
developed, occur naturally, or existed for
many years in an area (Wikipedia)
How much sunlight is there now, and in
the future?
 What is the growth potential of the tree
based upon the location in which its
planted.
 Maximum size at maturity
 Future plans (renovation, driveway,
septic, slope considerations)
 Maintenance needs of the
tree/landscape.
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- Hollies
 - River Birch
 - Beech
 - Bald Cypress
 - Willow Oak (other various species)
 - Sweet Gum
 - Black Gum
 - Swamp White Oak
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- Redbud
 - Sweetbay Magnolia
 - Dogwood
 - Serviceberry
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- Bayberry
 - Winterberry
 - Native Hydrangea
 - Itea
 - Fothergilla
 - Rhus
 - Viburnum
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- Grasses, grasses, grasses
 - Tiarella
 - Solidago
 - Rudbeckia
 - Hibiscus
 - Echinacea
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Trees are similar to people, we can’t just take
care of them when they get old!
Many of the problems can be solved with
proper care while trees are young, young trees
should be pruned annually, monitored for
insects/diseases and protected from damages
that may cause issues in the future
Older trees typically require pruning every 2-3
years, usually just deadwood. Regular
maintenance inspections for insects and
disease, consideration fo cables/lightning
protection on specimen trees.
Topping is perhaps the most harmful tree
pruning practice known. Yet despite
more than 25 years of literature and
seminars explaining its harmful effects,
topping remains a common practice.
 Crown reduction can be done, but goals
need to be clearly defined and view is
not a goal for the plant!
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Have a defined goal of what you are trying
to achieve (structure, shape, thinning 25%
max, clearance, deadwood)
 In general prune flowering plants soon after
they flower. Crepemyrtles (April as they
flower on new growth).
 Pruning is like surgery, more is not
necessarily better!
 Winter is a great time to prune as structure
can be easier to identify.
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In general the critical area is defined as the
1000 foot area surrounding bodies of water.
Buffer is defined as 100 feet from bodies of
water but can extend further based upon
slopes.
Structures and impervious surfaces fall under
the critical area. (1000 feet)
Vegetation falls under the buffer area (100+
feet) and or 5,000 square feet of disturbance
within the critical area
Contact the county with any questions
regarding critical area or buffers, they are here
to help!
Doing nothing within the buffer is not
considered management!
 The county encourages management in
the buffer to prevent invasive species,
improve the buffer and prevent future
damage to the buffer.
 Identification, treatment and mitigation are
all part of an invasive species plan.
 This is a long term management plan, not
something that can be fixed immediately.
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Green briar/mulitflora rose
 English Ivy (is it a bad thing?)
 Mile a minute vine
 Grape vine
 Kutzu
 Japanese knotweed
 Poison ivy
 Habitat for ticks/mosquitoes
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Have an arborist inspect your property
 A good arborist can identify the problem
before the homeowner does.
 Typically when a homeowner calls, its to
late!
 Set a management plan, small amounts
of work can add up to lots of
preventative work over the course of
months and years.
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Heaving ground, the tree is uprooting!
Any cracks in the ground, base, or trunk of the
tree
Discoloration, staining, black mold under the
canopy of the tree.
Hollow trees, sounds like a drum when tapped
with a mallet.
Poor tree structure
Exposed trees, or changes in the environment
around the trees (recent clearing)
Tree species and hydrology
Deer…….
www.treesaregood.com
 http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/plan
ts/main.shtml
 http://extension.umd.edu/
 http://www.aacounty.org/
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www.bartlett.com
 www.campionhruby.com
 www.exteriorimage.com
 www.walnuthill.com
 www.ciminellislandscape.com
 www.drumloyka.com
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Questions?