Can anyone suggest some publications, abstracts, etc. that study procedures Arborists can complete, Other than watering, obviously)thats to improve a tree's survivability to drought? As another service to offer, perhaps in conjunction with vertical or core aeration, the addition of mulch and hydrogel, etc. might be a help.

Reply to post by Mike M, on February 18, 2002 at 08:31:26:

I think Bassuk of Cornel did soem hydrogel studies. go to the cornell sight search and look up Nina Bassuk.

Wulki has a patent on a flood irrigation technique using a perimeter of 6 inch hoses. I usualy refer to it as "perk irrigation" since it is like doing a huge above ground perk test.

There's a lot on mulching.

Reply to post by JPS, on February 18, 2002 at 08:31:26:

In discussions with Nina, research has determined that although it seems like a good idea, any time you drill holes around a tree's root zone, the roots may avoid that area because it dries out quickly. So adding hydrogel is not the way to improve drought resistance. Mulch and water is still the way to go.

Reply to post by Mike M, on February 28, 2002 at 19:56:56:

Interesting, I her comments are about short term remidiation?

I have read about vert mulching causing dense pockets of absorbative roots. To the point that there are/were arguments as to weather there would be a pot binding effect or that the roots are effemeral and will be shed and reused by the trees.

Funny how what seems intuatively correct is overturned by scientific method. By increasing the "aeration" you increase the drought effects.

My next intuative leap would be that where ever we do any soil remidiation in drought conditions, we should add a protective layer of mulch to prevent drying. Oh, we already say that, just have probelms selling it.

Reply to post by JPS, on March 05, 2002 at 17:33:25:

It seems the best way to improve a tree's survivability is planting the right tree in the right place, the right way, mulching and trying to get a soaker hose around the perimeter somewhere out around the dripline. We thought we might have been able to offer a new service by introducing the hydrogel idea, but although it sounds like a good idea, that is all it is, just an idea and not a very good one in practice.
Thanks.
M

Reply to post by Mike M, on March 06, 2002 at 10:47:26:


What I provided, back when I was young, was a quick, easily handled plastic dam that held water in place around a tree in a diameter determined by the user, and allowed that water to simply percolate into the ground without runoff or evaporation. I visited a tree one time only during a drought and did not have to return, so I could spend my time on other trees.

As a service, this would be profitable to a company and I'm very surprised about the lack of information about this "revolutionary irrigation idea that no one knows about."

A 750' roll can be purchased for about $60. and I've used the same roll for 2 or more years. I can't make it any cheaper or better and used it to save about 40,000 trees.

Try: http://www.delphion.com/details?pn=US05148628__

Reply to post by Bob Wulkowicz, on March 06, 2002 at 20:21:32:


Hers's a better URL for that Patent. Click Images on the bottom to see the drawings.

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%275148628%27.WKU.&OS=PN/5148628&RS=PN/5148628