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Since the trees have been ordered, the season for tree ordering has almost come to an end. I say almost because in some cases, I guess you could still try and apply for Continuous CRP, since that land is being farmed and doesn’t need to have the ground prepared. For those of you that are planning on putting in a trees, make sure that you get the ground prepared as soon as the ground thaws. In order for everything to work properly during tree planting, make sure rocks and debris are removed and that the soil clumps are worked smooth. This ensures the fabric to lay flat and stay tight. Another thing that I think should be done is planting grass before the trees are planted. It is a lot easier to plant grass before the trees and fabric are installed. The kind of grass to plant is up to the producer but I do have some suggestions. I also want to touch on a few cost share programs for tree planting and weedbarrier application: Living Snow Fence is a cost-share program where the ND DOT helps pay for trees along roadways where there are “hot spots” that continually give trouble during winter snow storms. This can possibly be done on gravel roads also. The cost-share rate is at 100%. WHIP: We are still taking applications for this practice for a few more weeks. WHIP is a wildlife planting where we can cost-share for a wildlife tree planting, a grass planting, and fences to protect the tree plating. This planting is ideal in those small, hard to farm spots. The cost-share rate is at 75% for a wildlife planting. With WHIP there are no restrictions to open hunting rights. Continuous CRP is probably the best and easiest way to get cost share for trees on land that is farmed. Restrictions are that it has to be farmed for 4 of 6 years since 1996 and has to be owned for 1 year. This can be a 100% cost-share program with your base payment plus SIP and PIP, and a CRP payment for 15 years. If producers, who want to plant trees, don’t take advantage of this, I think they are really missing out. CREP or Cover Locks is a wildlife planting where a producer would set aside 20 acres for wildlife: 5 acres are planted into trees with 15 acres seeded into grass cover. There is significant money paid up front and 100% of costs covered on all practices. This planting does have a restriction of open hunting on the whole quarter of land for 30 years since Game & Fish is putting in a larger portion of the money. There are several other cost-share programs available and I just covered some of the rules and regulations of each to give you an idea of what is available. If you have any questions on these programs, call Terry Weigel at the NRCS/SCS office at 701-754-2234 Ext 3.
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1. Programs to Help Cost-Share Trees 2. Pruning Trees & Shrubs 3. Cover Crops
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Cover Crops |
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Cover crops are a useful tool to improve soil health and increase a cropping system’s diversity. Cover crops also benefit the cropland ecosystem by breaking up disease cycles, increasing soil nutrients, and providing fall grazing or additional forage. Under conventional cropping systems the crop is harvested in late summer leaving the soil “idle” until the next spring. By seeding a cover crop on an early harvested field or on a field taken for forage, soil microbes remain active and cycle additional nutrients for the next year’s crop. Roots from cover crops remain intact providing channels for gas exchange, and water infiltration, and also help in breaking up compacted layers within the soil profile. Cover crops also help in controlling late summer weed growth by creating a canopy over the soil surface. Cover crops are very useful for tying up nutrients that would otherwise leach below the rooting zone for the next year’s crop. Cover crops can be hayed, grazed, chemically burned down, or simply left to winter kill. Cover crop cocktails or mixtures have been proven to be more effective in establishing and providing the desired results. Cover crop mixtures can be designed to meet each individual producer’s needs. Oil-seed radishes and turnips are a popular cover crop as their taproots punch holes in compacted soil, improving water infiltration. Other cover crops that can be seeded include millet, sorghum, soybeans, oats, cowpea, sunflower, red, white, crimson and sweet clover, hairy vetch, rye, and winter wheat. If you are interested in planting a cover crop to improve your soil, call the NRCS office at 701-754-2234 Ext 3 for more information. |
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Logan County |
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To contact us: |
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Phone:701-754-2234 Ext 3 Fax: 701-754-2231 E-mail: michelle.feist@nd.nacdnet.net |
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News Articles & General Information |
Pruning Trees and ShrubsH-1036, March 1992 (Reviewed and reprinted November 2001) Ronald C. Smith, Horticulturist and Turfgrass Specialist
Pruning is necessary if the value and quality of the trees and shrubs in the landscape are to be maintained. The main reasons for pruning are removal of dead, diseased or injured branches; to improve the form, shape or size; to rejuvenate older plants and for safety and convenience. Generally, the best time to prune woody plants is in the early spring while they are still dormant. Exceptions to this rule include plants that will "bleed" if pruned in winter or early spring. Although this loss of sap causes no harm to the plant, it is a source of concern for many homeowners. To prevent sap loss in the spring, these plants should be pruned when they are fully leafed out. These would include maples (including boxelder), birch, black walnut, elms and honeylocust. Trees that bloom on old wood should be pruned immediately after blooming. The flowering buds of these plants are produced the previous growing season. These plants include: forsythia, lilac, viburnum, mockorange and spirea. Evergreens can be pruned in the early spring (March-May) or in early summer after any new growth has hardened. Pines probably have the most particular pruning requirements. In the early spring they produce new growth known as "candles." These candles can be pruned when they have elongated but before the needles fully emerge. Junipers, arborvitaes and yews can be pruned anytime from mid-April to mid-August. Pruning later would likely leave unhealed wounds that could result in winter damage. Always make pruning cuts just beyond (Figure 1) a side branch or bud. Plant growth will be directed into the remaining side branch or bud. Pruning paints are usually not necessary except on trees or shrubs that are susceptible to bacterial diseases such as fireblight.
Deciduous Woody Plant Pruning GuidelinesTreesWhen removing large branches, three cuts are necessary to avoid tearing the bark. The first cut should be made on the underside of the branch, about 12" out from where the branch joins the trunk. This cut should be one-fourth to one-third of the way through the branch. Be sure to stop before the saw binds. The second cut is made on the topside of the branch, 1 to 2 inches farther out than the first cut. Saw completely through the branch. The final cutting operation should be made just beyond the branch collar (see diagram). Cutting flush to the main trunk should be avoided as the cuts produce larger wounds and are slower to heal. Never leave branch stubs because these serve as entryways for disease organisms. Topping, heading back, hat-racking or stubbing large trees is not recommended! (Figure 2). This method of "pruning" cause a large number of weak, small shoots (suckers) at or near the cut surface. The improperly pruned tree never returns to its characteristic shape or form.
Shrubs Thinning and heading back are two methods of pruning shrubs. Thinning is removal of a branch by cutting it back to the main stem or ground level. This results in a more open plant without promoting excessive new growth. Heading back is the removal of the terminal portion of a branch by cutting it back to a bud or another branch. The shape of the shrub may be controlled by cutting back to an outward or inward pointing bud, depending on the desired directions of growth. Heading back will promote the growth of new shoots and will result in the growth of a denser plant. Rejuvenation of a shrub can be accomplished by using a combination of these methods.Hedges Hedge plants are pruned to give them a uniform, pleasing appearance or to keep them in bounds. Pruning of young shrubs ensures that many branches will develop at the base of the hedge. Hedges should be pruned to keep the top portion narrower than the bottom. This allows the sun to reach all sides, permitting full, dense, growth. Leggy, or thin hedges are best cut back to near ground level in early spring. Rapid regrowth then can be properly shaped to taper the top. Correct pruning of hedges.
Evergreens Evergreens need to be pruned based on the presence of their foliage on the branch. Care should be taken not to cut beyond the green foliage portion. Frequent, light pruning of junipers, arborvitaes and yews each summer for several years will result in a thick and fuller plant (Figure 3).
With the larger pfitzer type junipers that need a reduction in size, follow along the branches to be cut and find some small new growth that parallels the branch. Just above this, make a diagonal cut. If spruce or pine should lose their tops from injury, simply select the largest lateral of the nearest whorl and gently bend it up and tie to an attached brace. Use cloth or other non-girdling materials for fastening. Cut back other lateral branches by about half so that they do not compete with the shoot that has been selected. If the tree's top was broken for some time before the damage was noticed, a double or multiple leader may be developing. Remove the leaders farthest from the central axis (Figure 4). As with deciduous plants, evergreens should always be cut back to a side branch or bud. Do not leave stubs!
H-1036, March 1992
NDSU Extension Service, North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Science, and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Sharon D. Anderson, Director, Fargo, North Dakota. Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. We offer our programs and facilities to all persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, Vietnam era veterans status, or sexual orientation; and are an equal opportunity employer.
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