For those of you with oak trees the best time to prune them is from November to March to avoid any risk for oak wilt.

Oak wilt fungus spreads through the roots, grafting to another oak which can be as much as 50 feet away.  The picnic beetle is also a way to infect a wounded oak, or freshly pruned oak.

The picnic beetle is not attached specifically to oaks and cannot wound a tree but they will visit fresh wounds and transfer the fungus.  If an oak must be pruned during the high risk time of April to June or in low risk from July to October, you must treat the fresh cut immediately with a nontoxic tree wound dressing or a latex spray paint.

The oak wilt fungus cuts off the water and nutrient supply between the roots and the top of the tree.

Visible symptoms begin near the trees top and progresses down and in as well as rapid defoliation.   Oak Anthracnose is sometimes confused with Oak Wilt. Oak Anthracnose will typically not be life threatening to a healthy tree. Oak anthracnose will infect the leaves and twigs during wet weather with the heaviest infection in the lower sections of the tree. White oaks are the most susceptible to oak anthracnose whereas red oaks are more susceptible to oak wilt.

If you suspect oak wilt you may call our office at 507-433-1881.

Community garden

A reminder to our Community Garden patrons that you must clean out the produce and remove all fencing in your garden plot by Oct. 16.

We will be tiling the area the week of Oct. 17.  Thank you very much for gardening with us, see you in the spring.

Pickleball

On Wednesday nights through Nov. 30 we will offer open gym from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Ellis Middle School for Pickleball. We will use the auxiliary gym which is located down the short hall next to the women’s locker room. Enter the school through the East gym doors.

The cost is $2 per time, per person and you can pay at the gym.

The address is 1700 Fourth Ave. SE. If you have questions, please call Jake Solberg at 507-433-1881 or email him atjakes@ci.austin.mn.us.

Riverside arena schedule

Public skate dates:  3 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday; 2:15 to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 23.   $4 to skate plus $1 if you need to rent skates.  Purchase a family membership for $70 (two people) and add other family members for $5 each. Offer expires March 31.  Public skates will move to Packer Arena when it opens on Nov. 5.  Watch for the calendar or notifications on Facebook. Make sure to like us so you receive up to date information.

Adult Open Hockey: Wednesday’s from 6:30 to 8 p.m. through October. Cost is $6 per person each event; must be 16 — goalies are free.

Trails

We would like to thank you for using our park and trail system this year.  You will notice that restroom buildings will be closed and winterized until next spring. Please be mindful if you use the trail system following a snow event or freezing rain that we do not do winter maintenance on the majority of the trails.  The Mill Pond trail is the exception and is normally plowed after a snow event.

Austin Bruins

Austin Bruins will host home games on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 28 and 29, hosting Minot, North Dakota. Puck drops at 7:05 p.m. at Riverside Arena.