Yo yo! I’m writing this ahead of schedule for the first time this year lol. Found a rhythm just in time for the holidays. Go figure.

Got to do some good work for this endangered butternut (aka white walnut) earlier this month. Check it out:

This tree is declining. The client knows it, but the tree is way out in the middle of the yard. The neighboring garage is barely within the dripline; the tree poses virtually no risk.

And she loves this tree. So here’s the scoop:

There are some strong pathogenic forces working against this tree. An invasive fungal pathogen discovered in the United States in the 1960’s still hanging out today, reducing the United States’ population of butternuts so severely that they’re not declared as Endangered by the IUCN.

And this tree’s got it: Butternut Canker. This will kill trees by progressively girdling them.

Check out that vertical epicormic stem in the center of the picture. See those lesions? And the dark wet-looking spots on the larger stems? Evidence of these cankers.

This tree’s been infected for quite some time. Seems like being isolated didn’t spare it. Above is a photo of the trunk with some very large, dead, cankerous regions flanking extensive decay in the trunk.

As far as I’ve looked, I can’t find any actual chemical treatments for suppressing the pathogen itself. So we’re addressing the problem from another part of the disease triangle: the host. No, we’re not loading up this tree with 18-3-6 synthetic fertilizer lol.

We installed a soil improvement zone beneath the tree’s crown as large as the client would allow. Plans to expand it in the future too. The goal here is to more closely replicate forest-floor conditions beneath this tree.

There is plenty of functional epicormic growth emerging from this tree. Hanging on despite some goofs making big cuts on her in the past.

Planning to make a video on some details of how we create these. Not sure when I’ll actually create it, but it is on the list lol.

But the short is that we’re aiming to reduce the tree’s stress. To make it easier for the plant to grow. A lot of resistance-inducing agents are derived from things that come from biologically active soils too. But you’ve gotta be mindful because too much organic material can be problematic too.

Remember, that’s all trees do. Grow.

Rough formula for this one:

Pneumatic extraction of the grass ~10’ from trunk’s edge
Incorporation of composted biochar + humectant
Vertical mulch within the area
Backfill holes with composting worms + food
Top dress the entire area with leaf-litter compost mixed with mulch
Drench area with rooting hormone solution
Trunk spray of phosphorous acid

Water the area thoroughly two days after installation

No pruning of living tissue

Following up annually to check in on it

That’s all this time. Thank you for all of those keeping up with our YouTube channel, by the way! And thank you for reading these.

See ya next time!

TF Forever