Ep. 250 Tree care pet peeves | #GoodGrowing
From Good Growing by Chris Enroth
May 1, 2026 · 52 min · Episode 291
About this episode
The episode discusses six common issues related to improper tree care and how to support tree health.
Long-time listeners know that Ken, Chris, and Emily are passionate about proper plant care practices. On this week’s podcast, the team discusses six hot-button issues related to improper tree care, including tree topping, the misuse of plastic sheeting under mulch, and codominant leaders. Listen to discover the other three pet peeves and what can be done to better support tree health. Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-Rhg5WXPlaw Skip to what you want to know: 03:12 – Co-dominant leaders 06:33 – Nursery pruning for bushier trees 10:57 – Tree topping 12:36 – Two times when topping may be considered 15:34 – What to do with vegetation at the base of a tree 20:32 – Not removing burlap from a root ball 26:38 – Removing healthy trees 29:08 – Overview of tree benefits 34:44 – Making good pruning cuts 41:19 – Tree diversity – species and age 46:02 – Available resources 49:34 – Wrap-up, what’s up next week, and goodbye! Resources Morton Arboretum - https://mortonarb.org/ Community Tree Care Series - https://extension.illinois.edu/plants/community-tree-care-series Contact us! Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.edu Ken Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.edu Emily Swihart: eswihart@illinois.edu Check…
People in this episode
Host: Chris Enroth
Topics covered
- tree care
- plant health
- pruning
- tree topping
- tree diversity
- vegetation management
Keywords
- tree care
- topping
- pruning
- co-dominant leaders
- tree health
- vegetation management
- burlap removal
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Morton Arboretum, Community Tree Care Series
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