Please no tree pruning at launches w/o permission

Pepi · Since 16 Jun 2006 1832 Posts Pure Stoke Sports Shop Owner **CGKA Member**

Just a note to all of you who may have been tempted in the past, or may currently be tempted to do some launch site maintenance on your own without the approval of the CGKA or Parks Dept.

I just completed a very lengthy and positive meeting with the Park Manager at Viento State Park discussing our options to improve our kite pump, launch and safety situation at the Viento waterfront site.

One thing that was brought to my attention by the ranger during our meeting was the issue of local kiters who had randomly chosen to prune some bushes and branches near the waterfront. While it might have seemed like a good idea at the moment, those pruned branches and bushes, over the winter, have now actually expanded in growth substantially due to the pruning, henceforth creating further maintenance issues beyond what might have naturally occurred. The ranger was not upset, but was dissappointed that someone would take matters carelessly into their own hands.

If you are at a publicly managed launch site and see a need for safety improvement or foliage maintenance, please either post a note on NW Kite Attn to the CGKA or send a direct email to the CGKA who will then relay the message to the appropriate designated CGKA site manager or park manager. This person will then make sure to follow through on the necessary measures for either improving or fixing the issue at hand appropriately and with calculated actions.

FYI - If you are interested in providing feedback for site improvements at Viento State Park, I will be your appropriate CGKA laisson to communicate and work with for the current future site improvements.

Thank you
Pepi Gerald
CGKA Board of Directors
2nd Wind Sports

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1692 Posts XTreme Poster

It's far to late for pruning, as the trees are now actively growing.

pdxmonkeyboy · Sat Apr 25, 09 7:30 am

Mark and I just discussed this.

The timing of pruning actually depends on the individual tree or shrubs that your pruning so if you need to do some pruning then you should google the species and find out when you should prune it.

contrary to popular belief, there is no method to actually make a tree shurb shorter than it is actually meant to be. You can make it less dense or narrower but you can't reduce its height.

You have to understand that almost all woody plants will sense damage to their tissues and send out growth hormones to repair this damage. these hormones cause VERY rapid growth on all the leaf petioles (the little stalks that leaves are on) and buds below the area that was cut. So essentially if you cut a branch willy nilly near the top of the plant, then all the buds below that point will turn into branches.

Every see a deciduous tree that someone cut the top off of? See the hundreds of branches that are now racing towards the sky? Classic example. Many of the plants that you find in riparian environments actually prefer to be pruned in the spring.

dogwoods, willow, nootka rose.

If you want to thin a plant out, follow the branch all the way down to the crotch where it meats another main branch and cut it cleanly there.

One last gardening tip. If you have a plant that is diseased or you think it is diseased, after you cut the infected parts off DIP YOUR SHEARS IN BLEACH WATER. Lest you spread your disease to other plants. Its all fun and games until you inadvertently kill a $300 Japanese maple that you spent 6 months looking for Crying or Very sad

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1692 Posts XTreme Poster

that in most cases when I'm prunning the suckers I like to start at the bottom and work my way up.

Prunning is an art. Very Happy

fokiten · Since 04 Mar 2005 188 Posts Stoked