Trees for Seattle March Newsletter

City of Seattle, Washington sent this bulletin at 03/01/2021 04:02 PM PST
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A program of the City of Seattle, Trees for Seattle is committed to growing and maintaining a healthy, awe-inspiring urban forest.

Timely Care of Young Trees

Now is a great time to get your young trees ready for the growing season ahead. A few tips to keep in mind: 

1. Water: Usually you will not need to water trees this time of year, but if we have had a dry spell of a week or two, some hand watering to recharge the soil helps. 

2. Mulch: Mulch keeps weeds away, holds water in the soil, provides nutrients to your tree year-round, and protects your tree from mower damage. Before you mulch, remove any weeds and grass growing around the tree as these plants compete for water and resources. Next, spread a 3-4 inch thick layer of mulch in a 4 foot wide donut shape around the base of the tree. Wood chip mulch (or arborist wood chips) is the best mulch option for your tree. Avoid dyed, decorative, and rubber mulches as they can reduce air flow to the roots and release chemicals into the soil. Learn more about proper mulching on our website or by watching this video.  

3. Prune: Pruning is critical in the early life of a young tree to promote good structure at maturity. Pruning in late winter/early spring is great for maintaining vigor in a tree. Mid summer pruning is best for reducing vigorous sprouts.  Making the proper cut is important in helping the tree seal the wound and limit the spread of decay. This proper cut is called a collar cut. Hold the branch or cut the end weight off before making the final cut. Do not use dressings or paint on pruning wounds as they have a negative impact on the tree. For more tips on pruning small trees, check out our pruning page. If there is pruning needed that you can’t do from the ground, consider hiring a certified arborist.  

4. Stake: Most young trees don’t need stakes. You can check by gently moving the trunk back and forth. If you see the roots or soil moving, your tree may need two stakes. If the roots / soil don't move, but the tree is not standing straight, then just one stake will help pull it straight. Trees are often staked unnecessarily and incorrectly. If you do stake, go to our webpage on staking for step-by-step instructions. 

Mulching

Proper mulching: put mulch around the tree and keep about a hand's width away from the trunk

Sign up for Trees for Neighborhood Email Notification

Trees for Neighborhoods, our program which provides free trees to Seattle residents, will be open for applications in July of 2021. To make sure you don’t miss the application window, sign up for 2021 email notification. We will email you the list of 2021 trees in June and then the application in July. 

Be On the Lookout for Invasive Species

Trees give so much to us: beauty, shade, clean air, and so much more. We can give back to our valuable trees by protecting them from invasive weeds like English ivy, invasive blackberry, and others. We can also keep an eye out for invasive tree pests like Emerald Ash Borer or Gypsy Moth that could potentially kill many trees. 

This past week was National and Washington State Invasive Species Awareness Week. As you learn more about these invasive species, don’t forget that simple actions in life can help prevent the introduction and spread of these species. For example, clearing your shoes and clothing before returning from travel. Don’t move firewood when you go camping as firewood may contain eggs of wood-boring pests. Only plant non-invasive species in your garden by checking out the noxious weed list that is frequently updated by King County. Be on the lookout for invasive species and report them using WA Invasives mobile app. And feel proud that with these steps you are helping to protect Seattle’s urban forest! 

Did You Know...

that Office of Sustainability & Environment is recruiting for Urban Forestry Commission Position #11 – Environmental Justice representative. Check out this document with the details of the position. Applications are due March 18. 

Tree Walk of the Month: NW Central Queen Anne

Explore unique trees with special trunks, leaves, and flowers on NW Central Queen Anne Tree Walk as early spring arrives! You can check out the Tree Walk using Seattle Tree Walks mobile App, available for free download on your Apple or Android smartphone.

Upcoming Events

Trees for Seattle is hosting a few small (no more than 5 volunteers) work parties following public health guidelines to minimize the spread of COVID-19. To learn more about our updated safety measures, visit the Green Seattle Partnership’s Volunteer page or email TreeAmbassador@Seattle.gov.

Rainier Beach Street Tree Care Event 
Saturday, March 20th 
Location: Corner of S Roxbury St & 53rd Ave S
2 Shifts: 9-11am and 12-2pm 
5 volunteer limit in each shift 
Email cvogelheim@forterra.org to RSVP with your preferred shift. 

Join us as a volunteer to care for the City-planted trees in the planting strip on the street! You will help remove weeds and grass from around the trunk and will lay down mulch which will help the trees grow and thrive. Several new volunteer protocols are in place to keep everyone safe including mandatory mask-wearing and social distancing. Advance registration is required. Email cvogelheim@forterra.org with your preferred shift. 

Work party safety

Green Seattle Partnership Volunteer Events

Check out the Green Seattle Partnership volunteer calendar for upcoming opportunities in a Seattle park or natural area near you! Learn more about COVID-19 safety protocols and register here.