Arizona Community Tree Council Presents
Care of Native Edible Trees in Urban Communities
Friday, October 13, 2017
Peoria Sports Complex
16101 N. 83rd Ave.
Peoria, Az 85382
Room: Colonnade
Time: 8am - 4pm
Topics Include:
- Overview of the native edible tree pallet in Arizona. What trees are on the list and what locations work well.
- Pests and problems with native edibles - how to troubleshoot and solve.
- Managing site selection for native edibles - important community and landscape considerations.
- Planting and establishing new native edible trees with ISA best practices in planting and the basics of structural pruning.
- Engaging the community in urban tree harvesting. Pros, cons and other considerations
- Water - how to plan for the best success of your native edible trees
Presenters Include:
Dan Goodspeed – with Arizona Wholesale Growers
Kirti Mathura - with Smartscape, U of A Cooperative Extension
Rebecca Senior - with University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
Ann Audrey - with Linking Edible Arizona Forests
Peter Warren - with Tucson Garden Sage
Agenda:
7:30 - 8am: registration
8am - 9am: Overview of the native and adaptable edible tree pallet in Arizona. What trees are on the list and what locations work well
We will look at what is in the category of native for various elevations with a concentration on Central Arizona Desert ethno-botanical species. What is available and what makes realistic sense for the urban landscape in locations where there will be people and potential harvests will be considered. This session will focus on realistic and practical information that people can use in the filed as it relates to tree selection; how to work with local growers to select and plant from the diverse pallet of trees available. We will also look at a selection of edible under-story plants that "play well" with the native edible trees on the pallet.
Presented by Dan Goodspeed, Arizona Wholesale Growers
9:10am - 10:10am: Pests and problems with native edibles - how to troubleshoot and solve.
This presentation will cover the common insect pests of native edible
trees in Arizona and how to manage them when pesticides are a challenge in areas where the trees and surrounding plants will be harvested for human consumption. This presentation will also briefly cover abiotic factors and the disorders they cause that commonly affect native edibles.
Presented by Peter Warren, Tucson Garden Sage
10:20am - 11:20am: Managing site selection for native edibles - important community and landscape considerations.
Since trees have such a critical role in the landscape, the proper selection and maintenance of them makes the designer, maintenance crew and arborist all look good when the community space is vibrant and healthy. The emphasis will be on low and mid-desert tree selections. We will consider trees that not only afford food, nesting materials or sites, or roosting space for native wildlife, but also present a source of seasonal culinary treats for people. Considering the trend towards edible landscapes, it is wise to be familiar with some potential tree selections and types of harvest that might be expected.
Presented by Kirti Mathura, Smartscape, U of A Cooperative Extension
11:30am - 12:30pm: Lunch Provided
12:30pm - 1:30pm: Planting and establishing new native edible trees with ISA best practices in planting and the basics of structural pruning.
We will cover how to identify and select a healthy tree from nursery stock, how to plant it for a lifetime of growth and best edible production and the structural pruning techniques to get it off to a good start. We will focus on. Native Mesquite, Palo Verde, and Ironwood as food trees as well as other lesser known varieties of edible natives.
Presented by Rebecca Senior, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
1:40pm - 2:40pm: Engaging the community is urban edible trees.
We will share with attendees resources and ideas for how to create community engagement around edible urban forests. Cultivating edible urban native landscapes with native trees involves the support of local communities and we will talk about the ways to create support for native edible trees and tree products.
Presented by Ann Audrey, Linking Edible Arizona Forests
2:50pm - 3:50pm: Water - how to plan for the best success of your native edible trees.
How to identify and harvest alternative sources of water to support edible trees including rainwater harvesting. Site designing with water harvesting in mind. Understand the watering needs of fruit trees and the surrounding landscape for best production results. We will touch on working with cities, municipalities and property managers to create water availability for community gardens that include native edible trees. This session will talk about how to work with water needs at various site locations as you select and properly plant native edible trees in a community garden space. How to manage the differences in water needs and soil needs between native edible trees and other garden plants.
Presented by Ann Audrey, Linking Edible Arizona Forests
3:50pm - 4pm: Wrap-up and CEU sheets.
REGISTER
Approved 6 CEUs
Your ISA & PMD(formerly OPM) Certification Numbers are necessary for the CEU sign-in sheets. To help us expedite your CEU submissions, please provide your certification numbers so we have on file.
Go here to send us your certification numbers.
