Keeping Trees Healthy | Tips from the City’s Tree Advisory Board
WWW.SHAKER.LIFE | SPRING 2021 9
With much of the City’s tree canopy on private property, Shaker
homeowners play an important role in keeping the community’s
trees happy and healthy. This includes those on the tree lawn,
which need to be sturdy to grow well in the small space between
the sidewalk and the roadway. Residents are partners with the City
in taking care of newly planted trees on tree lawns.
Now that spring has arrived, here are some seasonal tips from
the City’s Tree Advisory Board:
Mulch correctly. Mulching around trees in the spring is a great
way to add organic material to the soil while also helping conserve
moisture. Mulch should be two-to-three inches deep and should
not physically touch the tree’s trunk. Piling mulch against the
trunk is called volcano mulching, a harmful practice that traps
moisture and heat in ways that can damage the tree. Keep the soil
clear around the flare, which is the base of the tree where the trunk
meets the roots.
Water young trees during dry periods. Young trees need extra
water during dry spells. An easy way to water your young tree is to
fill a five-gallon bucket that has several small holes drilled in the
bottom and let the water slowly drip around the base of the tree.
If your new tree on the tree lawn has a Gator Bag provided by the
City, please refill it as needed.
From Our Readers
Thanks so much for a lively
and informative feature on
some of Shaker’s most creative
contributors in the recent issue
of Shaker Life. (“Pursuing Their
Passions,” winter 2021). As a
fairly new transplant to Shaker/
Cleveland (my family and I
moved here from Pittsburgh
about a year and a half ago for
my job at Cleveland Institute
of Art), it was so great to learn
more about the arts scene right
here in our backyard. As an
arts administrator, artist, and
musician, I am thrilled to learn
that we have such talented
Shaker neighbors who are making
a difference through their artistic
pursuits while also contributing
to the creative economy.
~ Kathryn Heidemann
No signs or other constrictions. Don’t attach metal — like
address signs, screws, or nails— to your trees. Doing this may break
the integrity of the bark, allowing insects or diseases to enter.
Remove vines: Never allow ivy or other
vines to grow up your trees, as it can damage
or kill your trees. Cut the vine at the base
of the tree and leave it to die and rot
in place, so as not to damage the tree
while removing the vine.
Pruning: Pruning is an important
safety practice — it’s best to remove
dead limbs before they fall in a storm, for
example — and also protects the health
of the tree by removing branches that
are diseased or interfering with healthy
growth.
Never prune or remove a tree on the
tree lawn. This is the City’s responsibility.
Do you have a question about your trees, especially those
on your tree lawn? Contact City Forester Chuck Orlowski by
calling the Public Works Department at 216-491-1490.
Subscribe to the Tree Advisory Board’s newsletter, Tree News,
at shakeronline.com/list.aspx SL
/WWW.SHAKER.LIFE
/list.aspx