FSRP Tree Tenders

FSRP Tree Tenders - Planting Trees in Center City West

PO Box 30246, Philadelphia PA 19103 * susan.v.kahn@gmail.com

Steps for Obtaining a Tree through Friends of Schuylkill River Park Tree Tenders

  1. Fill out this application
  2. Email to susan.v.kahn@gmail.com or send to:
    Tree Tenders
    1617 Spruce St. Apt. 201
    Philadelphia, PA 19103
  3. We will acknowledge receipt.
  4. Fairmount Park will inspect the area and issue a permit for planting.
  5. Your tree will arrive and be planted in the spring or fall. We will contact you prior to planting. (This occurs only on two days per year.)
  6. Trees are not guaranteed.

Other Options

  • For other options on getting and planting a street tree in Center City West, including Tree Tenders, click here

FSRP tree tenders packet (pdf)

About Tree Tenders

Tree Tenders was created in 1993 to train city residents affiliated with community groups to plant and care for trees. The Tree Tenders program is part of the Philadelphia Green program of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS). Basic training consists of sessions about theory, pratical information, and hands-on experience. Continuing education workshops are held regularly.

In 2009, some members of the Friends of Schuylkill River Park attended the Tree Tenders training at PHS, and got together to form a Tree Tenders Group called Friends of Schuylkill River Park Tree Tenders. The area of this group runs from the Schuylkill River to Broad Street and between South and Walnut Streets.

There are other Tree Tenders groups in 19146, south of South Street. For south of South, from Schuylkill to 20th Street, the tree tenders group is called Graduate Hospital West. For information about this group, please contact Tanya Seaman at tanya.treeplanter@gmail.com. For south of South Street, 20th to Broad, the group is called SOSNA Green. For information about this group, please contact Marcus Ferreira at marcus.sosnagreen@gmail.com.

TreePhilly

TreePhilly.org is a new tree-planting initiative led by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation that directly engages property owners, businesses and neighborhood residents to improve their communities by planting and maintaining trees.

City Services

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR) provides tree maintenance services for trees located within the park system and trees planted along the streets of the City (street trees). Street trees are defined as trees planted between a street curb and sidewalk. Trees located on private property, rear yards, or in alleys are considered yard trees. Philadelphia even has a yard tree program now. Check TreePhilly.org for the details. This is also the place to go if you have a concern with an existing tree.

Watch the PHS video on How to Plant a Bare Root Tree.

Why Trees?

PHS Premieres YouTube Videos on Tree Care

By Maddie

First up, watering:

Then mulching:

Then weeding, cleaning, and protecting:

And finally, pruning:

Visit this page on the PHS website to learn about upcoming Tree Tender trainings.

SALT AND TREES DONT MIX...Spring Tree Tips for after the storms

  • FLUSH OUT THE SALT! As your trees awaken this spring and begin the process of taking up water through their roots, many will find the high levels of salt in the soil hard to swallow! Salt desiccates or draws moisture out of the roots, damaging fibrous roots and preventing effective water uptake. The best thing you can do this spring before bud break -- is to flush out the salt from any pits that are near roads or soil 4 feet around trees in open areas that have been exposed to de-icing salt. When the temperature is above freezing, apply 15-20 gallons of water for 3-4 days in a row.
  • MULCH: First, Be sure to remove any old (salty) mulch, weeds and grass. Reapply mulch following the 3x3x3 method: no more than 3 inches deep, 3 feet wide around the tree and 3 inches away from the trunk.
  • BROKEN BRANCHES: Check your trees for any broken or damaged branches. Prune back wounds to just outside the branch collars to enable tree to form callus wood. If bark is ripped, remove jagged edges without cutting into viable wood. Please see tree pruning video at phsonline.org/greening/tree-tenders click on videos.
  • REMEMBER fertilizer is not a plant food: it is a prescription drug and should not be applied without cause (a soil test or an arborist's recommendation). Unneeded fertilizer can burn the fibrous roots.
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