PART II: Consulting Arborist’s “PREMINARY FINDINGS DURING A ONE BLOCK REVIEW OF CARMEL STREET TREES,” Current Observations & Comments/Conclusions

TREE # 1: Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia)
Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia)
Ocean Av. & San Carlos St., N.W. Corner of Block


Planter Space Opening
Soil & Compacted Decomposed Granite
Dimensions: 51” x 90” + to exterior wall of building

“PREMINARY FINDINGS DURING A ONE BLOCK REVIEW OF CARMEL STREET TREES”
Observations (January 2007):
Tree #1 is a coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) of 17-inch diameter which obviously has been in place for some years and which has approximately 30% of a normal foliage canopy for a tree of this size and age.

The tree is heavily infested with a variety of problems including stem galls.

This tree and the adjacent coast live oak have both been heavily infested with fruit tree leaf roller (the small green caterpillar that hangs from a silver tread) for two weeks in the spring.

This is not normally a devastating insect unless the subject tree is already very weak.

This damage may have been exacerbated by oak leaf caterpillar feeding.

The 1 ½ inch wide grey moths that flit around in October are the adults of that insect and if they are present in October you can assume that you will have caterpillar damage in the following year.

Current Observations (May 2007):
As the photo shows, Tree # 1, a Coast Live Oak, appears to be healthy and has a normal foliage canopy. One of the best Coast Live Oaks in the Commercial District of Carmel-by-the-Sea.

TREE # 2: Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens ‘Aptos Blue’)

Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens ‘Aptos Blue’)
Ocean Av. between San Carlos St. & Mission St


Planter Space Opening
Compacted Decomposed Granite
Dimensions: 48” x 56”

“PREMINARY FINDINGS DURING A ONE BLOCK REVIEW OF CARMEL STREET TREES”
Observations (January 2007):
Tree #2 is a coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens ‘Aptos Blue’).
The species should be successful in Carmel where it is out of the most direct salt-wind areas.

This can represent however many of the pyramidal or excurrent tree species which might be used here in that they are very broad at the base and taper toward the top however a tree of this form will get in the way of pedestrians if the side branches in the lower 5 feet are allowed to grow unchecked.

The way to deal with this potential conflict is merely tip prune the side branches annually preferably in February to reduce the width of the lower branches.

This conflict should not be solved by stripping up the lower branches on a young tree since that steals excessive amounts of chlorophyll production.

Trees should all be inspected for root girdling, a problem which occurs when the trees are in nursery production in the nursery. As the roots grow they become more debilitating as they girdle the trunk and finally a fatal problem as the trees mature and becomes unstable.

Current Observations (May 2007): Coast Redwood ‘Aptos Blue’ appears to be a young, healthy tree.

TREE # 3: Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens ‘Aptos Blue’)

Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens ‘Aptos Blue’)
Ocean Av. between San Carlos St. & Mission St.


Planter Space Opening
Soil & Compacted Decomposed Granite
Dimensions: 49” x 64”


Close-Up of Root Girdling

“PREMINARY FINDINGS DURING A ONE BLOCK REVIEW OF CARMEL STREET TREES”
Observations (January 2007): Not Included

Current Observations (May 2007): Coast Redwood ‘Aptos Blue’ displays “girdling” characteristics; that is, the roots have grown around the trunk of the tree. Girdling typically occurs when the tree has been confined to a too-small container or planting hole. And girdling prevents the uptake of nutrients. Symptoms typically include a straight trunk with no natural flaring, reduction in needle size on one side of the tree, et cetera.

(Reference:: http://davesgarden.com/terms/go/2227/)

TREE #4: Monterey Pine (Pinus Radiata)

Monterey Pine (Pinus Radiata)
Ocean Av. between San Carlos St. & Mission St.


Planter Space Opening
Compacted Decomposed Granite
Dimensions: 46” x 90”

“PREMINARY FINDINGS DURING A ONE BLOCK REVIEW OF CARMEL STREET TREES”
Observations (January 2007):
Tree # 4 is a typical older Monterey Pine (Pinus radiata).
This tree is infested with sequoia pitch moth, an insect which produces messy 2-4 inch pitch masses on the trunk but which does not cause significant damage to the trees.

This tree is in a relatively small space with inadequate root mass for a tree of this size and as a result is very gradually declining, losing twigs, branches and other parts.

Current Observations (May 2007): As mentioned above, the small planter space opening is inadequate for this Monterey Pine. And as such, its' future health prognosis is for a shorter than normal life span.

TREE #5: Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia)
Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia)
Ocean Av. & Mission St., N.E. Corner of Block


Planter Space Opening
Compacted Decomposed Granite
Dimensions: 36” x 44”

“PREMINARY FINDINGS DURING A ONE BLOCK REVIEW OF CARMEL STREET TREES”
Observations (January 2007):
Tree # 5 is one of the less bad coast live oaks in town.
Unfortunately it has been severely overthinned but the tree is still in reasonably good health.

Even this usually well-behaved species is breaking the sideway due to its constriction in a very small planting space.

Note this 22-inch diameter tree is being asked to grow in a 3-foot square opening in the soil and even that has been further restricted by installation of brick.

This dimension is simply inadequate for a tree of this mass.

Unfortunately this tree has suffered the loss of a major limb on the street side, probably due to garbage truck or street sweeper damage.

This will slowly decay into the main trunk of the tree and eventually cause limb failure.

I would strongly recommend that this tree be treated appropriately with agricultural oil in the winter and early spring to control the ehrhorn scale (the white spots on the underside of branches).

Current Observations (May 2007): The inadequate planter space opening for this Coast Live Oak and the failure of timely pruning of this tree will probably result is a shortened life span, although it appears to have a normal foliage canopy.

SUMMARY: Along the south side of Ocean Av. between San Carlos St. & Mission St., there are five trees; 2 Coast Live Oaks, 2 Coast Redwoods and 1 Monterey Pine.