In January, let’s discuss trees – how to care for them and the best ones to select – by taking notice of how trees do it on their own, without a homeowner’s care.

Matt Evans, master arborist with Ryan Lawn and Tree, plans to talk about “Growing Trees as Mother Nature Intended.”

The program is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 9, at the Merriam Community Center, 6040 Slater St, Merriam, KS 66202. It is across the street from Ikea, which is east of I-35 between Johnson Drive and Shawnee-Mission Parkway.

Evans will cover many basics related to tree care, including mulching, pruning, selection and planting. He has his own unique take on the board subject. He will compare how trees grow naturally versus how we grow trees in a home lawn setting.

By the end of the presentation, he says you should have a better understanding of what you can do to help your trees thrive from a health and structure standpoint. Come prepared to engage with Evans during this presentation. He plans to ask the audience questions related to the subject.

Evans has been with Ryan Lawn and Tree for 28 years. Born and raised in Lenexa, Kan., he began working for a lawn and landscape company when he was 14. When he turned 16, he worked for Family Tree Nursery. He attended K-State University, studying horticulture with an emphasis on nursery management. After college, he joined Ryan Lawn and Tree.

Over the years at Ryan Lawn and Tree, he has been an arborist in the company’s Plant Health Care Department, Pruning Department, Pruning Sales, and claims administration for Imperils damage. Now he is director of arboricultural training. He helps employees grow in their careers through education. He is a board-certified Master Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture and a Registered Consulting Arborist with the American Society of Consulting Arborists. He, his wife and son live in Lenexa.