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February 16, 2023

South Health Campus Hospital Tree Planting Project

By Nicole Mychasiuk, Arborist – Outside Sales

In the spring of 2021, ArborCare® received an estimate request from the South Health Campus Landscape Manager regarding issues with some of the trees on their property.

When walking the grounds of the campus, it became evident that the same species of trees were planted throughout the entire property, and they were all sick with the same disease. The aspen and spruce trees were all diagnosed with cytospora canker. This is a common disease on spruce and aspens in our Canadian region that is caused by stressors such as drought, winter injury and other factors. Unfortunately, there is no cure for cytospora canker. The only treatment options are fertilizer and maintaining a regular watering schedule to help with the stress, or removal and replanting.
tree planting

The recommended treatment plan was to start with our plant management program, which includes spring and fall fertilizer applications and insecticidal soap sprays to help manage the soft-bodied insects. After the first season with our plant management program and an increase of watering for the trees, there was a noticeable difference in the overall health of many trees on the property. Most of the trees needed to be replaced and over time, every aspen on the property will have to be replaced, as well. A common mistake made is planting the same species around the entire property; if one gets sick, unfortunately, they all get sick.

In the summer of 2022, ArborCare planted 17 mature trees in replacement of the diseased aspens and spruce. The tree species that were planted around the property included white spruce, Siberian larch, Hoopsii spruce, Colorado spruce and prairie spier green ash. We plan on working with the South Health Campus in their future endeavors to replace the trees on their property over the next several years, giving them a more diverse range of tree species.

This was an exciting project to work on because our plant management program helped bring new life to the sick trees and in turn the South Health Campus Hospital is on a new path with its landscaping around the hospital.

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