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Toomer's Oaks Receiving Weekly Treatments

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(L-R, left photo) AU Landscape Supervisor John Vollor, AU Horticulturist Dr. Gary Keever, and David DiPofi, Assistant Director of Program Management and Project Execution, monitor the reservoir level of the sugar solution. (Right photo) AU Landscape Supervisor John Vollor secures the tubing with a rubber mallet.

    

(L-R, left photo) Tubing looped around the truck of the tree delivers the sugar solution to the tree. (Right photo) AU Landscape Superintendent Steven "Beaver" Johnston checks the tubing.

The Toomer’s Oaks are receiving weekly treatments of either a liquid fertilizer and a root stimulant application or sugar injections with the assistance from Auburn University Landscape Services and AU Horticulturist Gary Keever.

The trees recently received sugar injection treatments after an initial, experimental dose in late March was administered by two arborists with Cortese Tree Specialists in Knoxville, Tenn.

The Oaks are absorbing a sugar mixture through 49 small holes that are drilled into the base of each tree, connected by ports secured into tubing that are looped around the trunk and channeled to a reservoir.

“The sugar injection treatments should aid the trees if photosynthesis is greatly reduced or not occurring,” stated AU Horticulturist Gary Keever.

Photosynthesis takes place primarily in a tree’s leaves, and is the process by which the energy in sunlight produces glucose (sugar) needed for a tree to live and grow.  In late 2010, the Toomer’s Oaks were poisoned with Spike 80 DF, an herbicide that is absorbed by the roots and is carried to the leaves – blocking photosynthesis.

“On alternating weeks, the trees will receive applications of liquid fertilizer and a root stimulant,” said Steven “Beaver” Johnston, AU Superintendent of Landscape Services. “We will continue with the process of administering this application, along with the sugar injections, until we deem that it is not advantageous to the Toomer’s Oaks.