Trees

We believe that it is better not to stake most trees. If allowed to buffet in the wind, trees will form a stronger root system. Not staking also reduces the chance of the tree snapping or being damaged at the point where the wire or rope contact the tree. Trees smaller than 1.5 inches in diameter may need staking. When a tree is staked, care should be taken to cover the wires or ropes with rubber hose where it contacts the tree. After one year stakes should be removed Staking is not included in the price of planting a tree.

Wilting leaves and sagging branches are images that might remind you of fall. But if you've taken a look around this summer, you may have noticed a lot of trees looking this way. Marty Johnson of Johnson Garden Center says this drought is causing trees to go into what he calls survival mode. "A tree might just go ahead and completely de-foliate which again is just kind of nature's way of just kind of helping that plant survive," he says. He says trees are trying to store and absorb as much moisture as they can until the heat goes away.

It's been an unusually mild January, but lawn and garden experts say do not worry about it fooling your trees and shrubs. You may see what looks like the beginning of buds on some trees around the area. Experts at the Sedgwick County Extension Office says what you are seeing is nothing out of the ordinary. Instead, they say it is a sign that trees are in good health. "Even though it's getting warmer, things are thinking about growing, but they're not growing yet because the day length isn't long enough yet," said extension agent Bob Neier.

A report from The Netherlands found its way to the internet recently claiming that the signal from a Wi-Fi router was making trees sick. A local biologist says the report's findings are unlikely. The study came from several Dutch universities and is still not published. But the initial findings were posted on several blogs and websites. It spread so quickly that the Dutch government sent out a press release explaining it. The research says the signals that get computers and cell phones on the internet wirelessly were causing trees in urban areas to grow slowly and bleed.

Residents of a west Wichita neighborhood are upset the city is cutting down trees.  They say they had no notice, crews just started cutting. "I want to know who made the stupid decision. I want to know why it was made, and what the excuse is for destroying perfectly good trees," Pat Lehman told Eyewitness News Thursday. Lehman says the trees make the neighborhood more attractive, but more importantly, screen a cement factory built nearby. Eyewitness News asked the city of Wichita to explain.

The trees have been there for almost a century. Now, some neighborhood trees are in Jeopardy. The city of Eastborough decided at Tuesdays City Council meeting to remove trees that get in the way of road repairs. Some residents are mad about the move. They say it will destroy the esthetic of their neighborhood. The council voted to support the construction and spend close to $900,000 on road repairs that its engineers say will last for several years and remove several mature trees.

Shopping isn't the only retail therapy this Black Friday.   People are also buying Christmas trees.     With the unseasonably warm temperatures this season, planters were worried about how the drought would affect sales. But one local farmer says that because the stores opened early on Thanksgiving day, that left plenty of time for people to pick out their trees Friday. "Yes, we looked at about 25 trees before we all agreed on one," says Dustin Green.

They can be the pride of older neighborhoods, tree lined streets.  But if you drive around Wichita, you might notice some getting chopped down.  As we go into the fall, the city is working to remove dead and dying trees from public right of way.  "God has not blessed us with enough rain in the past 2 years, not enough snow, not enough rain," said city arborist Gary Farris. That's why many older trees in Wichita are coming down.  "The trees are just tired and they're giving out.  And when they give out, they pose a risk to public safety.  "With storms and tornadoes and stuff, it's a hazard," Farris said.

A pilot attempting to land at the Cook Airfield in Butler County ends up in the trees. It happened around 1:15 Wednesday afternoon near 71st Street and 143rd East near Rose Hill. The Butler County Sheriff's Office say the 61-year-old pilot says his home-built plane experienced engine trouble shortly after takeoff. When he tried to land, he lost the engine, missed the airfield and ended up in the trees. The pilot was the only one on-board. He was not hurt.

Winter usually means not having to worry much about your trees, lawns and gardens.  But the prolonged drought means taking a more active role now, to make sure your plants bounce back in the spring. If can be difficult to tell if dormant trees and grass are stressed and not getting enough water.  Eric Denneler with Tree Top Nursery says that means paying attention to the weather and watering.  "Probably the biggest thing to consider is how recently was your plant planted.

The spring storm has left its mark in Hutchinson.  The ice overnight coated trees, causing many limbs to snap off. The tree limbs landed on many cars, causing quite a bit of damage. Click here for Storm Shots In Hutchinson the ice brought down not just branches, but, at times, entire trees.  The ice is coating everything, thickly. "I hate scraping windows," said Hutchinson resident Amy Walden, cleaning off her car.  "It takes too much time, you have to get up earlier and it's just too cold.

The icy April storm may be helping with the drought, but it could have a damaging effect on blossoming trees. Scattered throughout Wichita's Riverside neighborhood were large tree limbs that snapped under the weight of ice Wednesday.  One limb landed on top of Kay Pretzell's SUV. Click here for Storm Shots "We'll see once I take it off what the damage is," he told Eyewitness News. Eric Denneler of Tree Top Nursery said the April freeze is actually quite normal.  In so much as weather is ever normal in Kansas.  Denneler said trees and plants are resilient.  It's likely the most damaging effect of the ice will be that some trees don't produce flowers or fruit.

Michigan assistant coach Jeff Meyer loves watching Wichita State play as well as they have been and he's not the least bit surprised that Gregg Marshall has them in the Sweet 16.  Meyer saw his share of solid Gregg Marshall teams when he was Marshall's associate head coach at Winthrop. "I was watching the Gonzaga game with a lot of interest," says Meyer.  "Before the buzzer went off I went ahead and texted Gregg 'congratulations, let's go ahead and meet in Atlanta this year.'" Meyer describes Marshall as a great guy full of energy and intensity and dubs him a 'master recruiter.'  However he adds that working with Coach Marshall is probably some of the most fun he's had coaching in his life.  "Whenever you work with Coach Marshall you're gonna have fun but you're gonna win too.  And this time of year in particular I know his teams always peak, late season.  It's just a byproduct of the hard work and the culture he builds inside his program.

The wind uprooted a tree in southwest Wichita Monday.  The tree toppled over in the strong winds at a house near 31st and south Meridian. Fire crews say the trees roots had rotted out, so it wouldn't have taken much to knock the tree down. No one lived at the home where the tree fell, but city crews cleaned it up to make sure it didn't fall on the home next door.  They also wanted to make sure children couldn't play on it and get hurt. Wind may have contributed to a roll-over accident this afternoon, but officers say the driver was also going too fast.  The semi was carrying a load of table salt, when it tried to exit K-96 for westbound Kellogg.  The driver was not seriously hurt.

"It's ridiculous in twenty degree weather.  It should've been at springtime.  I mean, I don't know what the rush is for," said Rodney Rojas about a scheduled power outage in his neighborhood. Wichitans in the southside neighborhood want to know why Westar chose Wednesday to turn off their power for tree trimming.  They told Eyewitness News it wasn't the power outage that upset them so much as the timing. The outage only lasted about an hour to an hour and a half.  But it was cold out Wednesday morning.  And no matter how careful they were, residents said it was getting cold inside their homes, too. "Oh, it was getting cold, quick.  It sure was, yeah," said Rojas.  "I mean, you could feel it dropping in here quick.

A Hutchinson woman dies from her injuries after her car strikes a tree. It happened in the 1700 block of E. 2nd St. around 6 p.m. Friday. Police said Deborah Anderson, 45, was driving her SUV eastbound, when she lost control after crossing the railroad tracks. The vehicle went airborne, landing on the north side of the road and hit a tree. Anderson was flown to Via Christi Hospital on St. Francis where she later died. No one else was hurt. Investigators said she was not wearing a seat belt.

A house catches fire in Augusta. Fire crews were called to 100 block of east Broadway Sunday evening. Officials say the fire started in the garage, and spread to the back of the home. Some trees in the backyard also caught fire. Click here to see pictures from the fire Everyone inside the house made it out safely. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

A man falls to his death in northeast Wichita. The accident happened Friday afternoon in the 1900 block of North Minneapolis. Two men were trimming a tree for a friend, when one of them fell 30 to 40 feet to the ground. Police say the 40-year-old man had secured himself to a large trunk-size branch while cutting it. When the branch gave way, the man fell. Police say the man may have also gotten tangled in the rope he was using to secure himself during the fall. The man was rushed to the hospital in very critical condition.

Is your Christmas tree drying up?  Instead of tossing it in the trash, recycle it. Sedgwick County is offering free Christmas tree recycling now through January 21st.  There are several drop off locations throughout the county.  You can drop off your tree and pick up free mulch. Click here for a link of drop off locations

Traditionally, there are 12 days of Christmas.  But three very special days of giving started Thursday. It was a busy scene on east Douglass in Wichita, as the Salvation Army began this year's Angel Tree give away. Along with toys for more than nine thousand youngsters,  families in need also get food, stocking stuffers, and gift cards. It's a big time for those receiving...and for those giving...... Salvation Army major Douglas Rowland tells us "The families are coming in and experiencing of course this great gift that they are receiving from the community...but then I look back and see the volunteers who are here...who come year after year and they're excited about it and they're giving so much.