Central Iowa residents can purchase trees for only $25 thanks to a program started by MidAmerican Energy, the Department of Natural Resources, Polk County Conservation Great Outdoors Fund and Central Iowa Arbor.

Visit the "Polk County Conservation¨ web site for details/order form.

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What can you do to extend the life of your oak trees?

• Prune only when dormant, usually from November to March. If necessary to prune due to storm damage, cover the wound with latex base paint, not pruning sealer.
  
• If you are undergoing a renovation project, make sure your contractor provides a barrier to protect to tree drip lines, or as far away from the tree as possible. Compaction is a major cause of oak tree decline.
  
• Avoid watering oak trees when watering your lawn. Because our winters have been very mild the past few years, the ganoderma fungus continues to live in the tree and causes the roots to rot. This is the major reason trees fall over on a perfectly beautiful summer day. An early indication of this problem is a fungus, flowering growth, near the base of the trunk area.
  
• Avoid planting around the tree. Properly mulch the tree out to the drip line.

We have a list of under-utilized trees suitable for diversity planting in the Waterbury area available as a PDF file. Click here to download this article prepared by Dr. Jeff Illes, Professor and Chair, Horticulture Dept. at Iowa State University.