Arborist’s Street Tree Findings

The arborist who the HOA recently hired has completed his evaluation of Brookwood’s street trees. His comprehensive recommendations state that the trees are generally suffering because most of them were initially planted too deep and have developed roots that are encircling the trunks.  Also contributing to the condition of the trees is a lack of water and proper fertilization. The good news is that most of the trees can be improved with a minimum amount of work.

After conferring with Duval County’s urban forestry extension agent, Arborist Charles Florida recommends the following easy steps to improve the health of the street trees:

  1. To check and correct for encircling roots, pull back the mulch and soil from the root collar. Do this using a hand trowel or wet vac to loosen and remove the soil around the base of the tree until the first set of roots is found.exposing-the-root-collar
    • If a tree has any encircling roots, cut and remove them and leave the very top of the root ball exposed. Do not cover it with dirt or mulch.  Maintain a ring of organic mulch around the tree so that it forms a well to catch rainwater.

      Encircling tree root

      proper-mulching

      The do’s and don’ts of tree mulching

    • Also make sure that the top of the root ball packaging was removed. If you find traces of it, cut it away taking care not to nick the bark.
      root-ball-packaging

      Root ball packaging

      Cutting root ball packaging

  2. Keep the tree well watered. You can test the moisture content by grabbing a handful of soil from the base of the tree.  If it clumps easily, it is watered well.

    Moisture test

    Moisture test

  3. Fertilize the tree if a soil test indicates that it’s necessary. Soil testers can be purchased at home improvement stores. When put in the soil, it will reveal the pH balance. “Deep root” fertilization is not needed.

    Soil tester

    Soil tester

  4. Prune dead branches ONLY at this phase. Branches that do not have leaves at this time of the year but bend without breaking are still alive. The trees are struggling now so they should be pruned for strength and shape at a later stage.

The moss growing on the trees is not harmful to them.  Moss is a separate organism which “feeds” off the air and not the tree.  Copper sulfate fertilizer spray can be used to kill the moss if you do not like it.

Each homeowner will receive a copy of this article with a report showing what type of street tree is in their yard and an estimate of the percentage of viability of the tree.  Homeowners with trees that have less than 50 percent viability will be required to replace the trees.

A homeowner with a tree that has 50 percent or more viability may try to improve the tree’s condition by following the instructions above.  If the tree declines below 50 percent viability, it will need to be replaced at that time. Please remember to inform the HOA Architectural Review Board of any decision to plant a new tree by using the ARC Submission Form.

The arborist recommends that all replacement trees should be 2” to 4” in diameter (the closer to 2” the better).  The only replacement choices for street trees are:

More information about these tree species is available by clicking on the links above.

Illustrations used are from “Tree Owner’s Manual,” a publication of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service. It contains much information about caring for trees and can be accessed or downloaded by clicking on the link.

Photographs were taken at Brookwood’s playground area where the HOA president performed Florida’s recommendations on the oaks and crepe myrtles there.

Residential Landscape Tips

If you’re relatively new to North Florida, how to care for your yard might be somewhat of a mystery. Your HOA Board asked the community’s landscape company, R&D Landscape & Irrigation, Inc., for some recommendations. Just click on the tree below to see best practices in North Florida for:

  • Mowing
  • Trimming
  • Pruning
  • Weed control
  • Mulch use
  • Fertilization
  • Irrigation

Tree image

How to Flush your Tankless Water Heater

Over time, a tankless water heater can accumulate minerals that can build up on and erode the walls inside your tank’s heating chamber. To properly maintain and clean your unit, you must flush and remove the mineral deposits every 12-18 months. Watch the video below by Matt Risinger to learn how you can easily do this yourself to ensure optimal performance and efficiency.

A quick online search found that there are at least three vendors in the Brookwood area that will provide this service. The fee for the service runs up to $150 for a vinegar flush. Matt recommends assembling your own kit with the following parts available through Amazon at these links.

In addition to the recommendations on the video, be sure to open the supply valve and flush water through the unit to get the vinegar all out before you remove the drain hose. Otherwise you will get a supply of vinegar into the plumbing, and that might be unpleasant if the first user is making tea or bathing.