Cherry tree work

Prior to any mulch

Earlier this year there was some concern about the health of the cherry trees between #9 pond and the clubhouse. Since they had been donated and were an important asset of the club, we had a professional arborist examine the trees and make some recommendations moving forward. There were some minor corrections to be performed, but overall the trees were all in good condition with no signs of trouble.

There were four main recommendations made by the arborist: 1. Trim the cherry trees to eliminate dead wood, reduce overlapping branches, raise the height of the canopy, and lessen some weight on some of the branches; 2. Fertilize the trees; 3. Remove dirt that had buried the crown as well as trim any girdling roots; 4. Mulch the entire grove. Bartlett Tree Experts performed the trimming, fertilizing, and root collar dirt removal.

Exposed roots that were buried in dirt

The first step was to trim the trees. Normally, we perform a lot of the trimming on the property; however, as the season was getting under way and the weather was turning, our staff was being used on other tasks. The height of the canopy was raised and overlapping branches were removed as needed. Taking out these branches also helped to lessen the burden of weight overall on the tree. Also, any dead branches were taken out.

The addition of mulch

Next, the trees were fertilized. The arborist recommended that the trees be fertilized with a standard injectable tree fertilizer to be done by a trained applicator. There were no drastic deficiencies, but rather this will give the trees a boost for the season.

Third, a professional from Bartlett Tree removed dirt that had built up around the base of the trees. Some of the trees had been planted slightly too deep, had sunk after planting, or gathered dirt around their crown in another way. This dirt can cause several issues for any type of tree, so cleaning that dirt away is an easy way to help the tree thrive. At the same time, any girdling roots were cut as well.

Completed project

Lastly, in any circumstance, trees and grass are in competition for the same resources: fertilizer, water, light, etc. In most instances on the golf course, our goal is to help the turf grass survive, but this time, our mission was to help the trees. Over time, the branches had dropped lower and lower and it had become impossible to mow under the cherry trees. This allowed for grass and weeds under the trees to steal away those resources. The arborist recommended mulching under the entire grove of trees. The grounds staff just completed this task last week. Not only will this benefit the trees, but it looks fantastic compared to previously.

Completed project

Again, the trees were in good condition, but we made a few adjustments to help them perform better and improved the all-around look as well.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Blue flag cart riders, please obey the recently updated handicap cart rules.

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org