TREE & LAWN CARE BLOG
Summer Heat Stress In Trees
It has been a hot summer here in Georgia. With the heat index stretching to 115 degrees, all of us are wondering how our gardens, plants and trees will survive. Heat stress in trees can open them up for pests and diseases to enter while they are in a vulnerable state, lacking the nutrients they typically have to ward them off. Having a certified arborist evaluate your trees regularly is always the best practice in preventing costly damage. They can detect pests and diseases from the start and mitigate the problem before it takes over.
…So what is heat stress?
Heat stress occurs when a tree loses water faster than it can replace it. When trees are in a continual state of transpiration, they lose more water than they can absorb through their roots. This is especially concerning in times of drought when there isn’t enough water available for the tree to absorb.
Below are some signs and symptoms of heat stress in your trees as well as some tips on how to avoid it.
Signs of heat stress:
Leaf drop
Wilting leaves
Yellowing leaves
Lack of new growth
Brown spots or bumps on leaves
Leaf scorch
Sap loss from the trunk
How to protect your trees from heat stress:
Tree trimming is usually only recommended during the dormant season, however, if you have dead, dying or diseased branches in your trees, it is important to have them removed as soon as possible. This will reduce the amount of energy your trees have to provide to “repair” the dead branches.
Watering is a given. Whether your trees are young or mature, during periods of drought and high heat it is important to thoroughly water your trees using a drip irrigation system or soaker hose. Keeping the hose away from the trunk and focusing on the roots will help to prevent root rot. Trees under 2 years old will need more water than older trees.
If your trees are browning, or show signs of disease, contact your local certified arborist to have an evaluation by clicking the link below!
CALL AN ARBORIST.
How To Care For A Crepe Myrtle Tree
Crepe myrtle trees are one of the top favorite trees to plant in the southeast region. There are a wide range of hybrids that all present different colors, hardiness and bark. They are a deciduous tree and will provide showy flowers in summer time and a bright fall color shortly before they return to a dormant state.
How do I care for my crepe myrtle tree?
Proper planting
First and foremost, ensuring soil pH is slightly acidic and well draining will give you the best results. Not sure what type of soil you have? Local certified arborists can take a soil sample from the area you would like to plant to give you an inside look on what you may need to supplement with. Plant your crepe myrtle in full sun (6 hours or more per day) to get the best blooms!
Fertilization
We recommend having a tree care specialist apply a fertilizer to your soil to keep your crepe myrtle healthy and thriving.
Watch out for fungus and pests
Crepe myrtle trees are susceptible to a number of fungus and pests including:
Aphids
Spider mites
Scale
Japanese beetle
Powdery mildew
Cercospora leaf spot
Having routine tree health exams by a local certified arborist provides early intervention of any and all pests and diseases to stop them before or when they start.
Regular pruning
The basic maintenance of a crepe myrtle tree is regular tree trimming. While you should remove all dead branches throughout the year, extensive crepe myrtle trimming should only be performed in the dormant season by a reputable tree service company.
If you are interested in crepe myrtle care or have additional questions, click the link below to be connected with a local arborist today!
CONNECT ME WITH AN ARBORIST.
How Can I Make My Trees Healthy Again?
We’ve all been there. Schedules get full and the seemingly smaller things get forgotten about. Taking care of your trees and plants doesn’t have to be hard and we have come up with a few key things to focus on going into the new year with tree health care!
Soil Care
Healthy trees will not thrive in unhealth soil. If you have an area on your property where your trees aren’t thriving as usual? It might be a good idea to have a soil sample taken by yourself or an ISA certified arborist to check what your specific soil might be lacking.
Fall Fertilization
Deep root tree fertilization works wonders by improving soil aeration, rejuvenates and improves soil structure, reducing soil compaction and providing key nutrients essential to the health of your trees. This process is best performed in fall or winter, before the growth expands in the spring.
Replace Mulch
Mulching the base of your trees is great for a number of reasons including moisture retention, blocking weed competition, adding organic matter into the soil, preventing erosion, etc. However, as it decomposes, it will need to be replaced. We recommend once a year placing an additional thin layer of mulch to replace what has gone into the soil.
Tree Trimming
Having a regular tree trimming schedule is the best prevention method for avoiding damage, disease and decay in your trees.
Support Weak Tree With Cabling
Winter time can bring about environmental stress on trees that is potentially irreversible if they are already suffering from large cracks, lightening damage etc. Cabling and bracing is a procedure our tree care technicians perform to strengthen the tree without damage so it can withstand heavy winds poor conditions.
Inspect For Disease And Fungus
Sometimes disease and decay are on the inside and don’t show any prominent symptoms. In this case, an ISA certified arborist is needed to properly assess the tree and its condition. However, in most cases, there will be a number of warning signs such as poor growth, loss of foliage, yellowing of leaves, presence of pests or fungus, etc. If you spot any of these issues, its important to get in touch with an arborist as soon as possible to set up a treatment plan for your trees.
If you have questions about your trees or would like a free tree health care assessment by one of our ISA certified arborists, please click the link below to be connected!
Call An Arborist!
How To Winterize Fruit Trees
Prevention is key in caring for fruit trees. After your fruit trees have become infested with certain diseases such as peach leaf curl, brown rot, or pests, it can be much more costly to cure the problem rather than simple prevention.
If you haven’t yet planted your fruit trees yet, its a good idea to do some research on different varieties. There are many different specimens of fruit trees that are resistant to the bigger diseases and problems such as:
Pears
Plums
Cherries
How do I prepare my fruit trees for winter?
The first step in preparing your trees for winter time is doing a good old fashioned fall cleanup. This includes removing any rotten or dropped fruit on the ground and on the trees and raking up all the leaves around the base that could be a good hiding spot for particular pests.
Next, you will want to establish, if you haven’t already, a solid maintenance tree trimming plan with an ISA certified arborist. Tree trimming in winter is vital to removing all dead and diseased branches, allowing your trees to reach their full potential next season and ward off any threats of pests entering old wounds. Be sure you have your tree trimming done in winter time, their dormant season, unless otherwise deemed necessary by an ISA certified arborist.
Finally, you can choose to spray dormant oils, a non toxic prevention method that seems to work well for apple trees, plum trees and pear trees in winter. This can help to keep common pests like aphids and scale insects away.
If you have fruit trees that could use some attention or would like more tips and tricks to provide them with the best fruit tree care in Snellville, click the link below to be connected with one of our certified arborists now!
Connect me with an arborist.
Is It Okay To Prune My Trees In Summer?
Summer time is gardening time! Which is why most of us don’t notice the dead tree limbs hanging over the house until its warm enough for us to want to take a walk around the garden again. This might encourage you to grab the loppers and get busy reshaping your trees, however, this isn’t the best practice for their health. Pruning trees outside of their dormant season can bring about more trouble than it is worth more often than not.
What are the risks to pruning my trees in summer?
Reduced growth for next season
Some specimen are more likely to become infested with insects or diseases when pruned during this time
In the meantime, however, small maintenance pruning is strongly encouraged to promote healthy growth on your trees for the next season!
If you have noticed dead or dying limbs or branches that pose a risk to you, your family or your home, its best to contact a tree care professional to have a tree risk assessment performed on your property. If you have any questions about tree pruning or would like to be connected with a certified arborist, click the link below to be connected!
Call an Arborist Now!
Best Trees To Plant For Allergies
Spring time is arguably the nicest season of the year, if not for all of the thick layers of pollen coating our cars, our homes and taking over our sinuses! It would be so nice to be able to walk outside or roll your windows down and enjoy the weather without sneezing for the rest of the afternoon. Lets start with the basics.
What is pollen?
Pollen is a fine, powdery substance that contains microscopic grains from the male part of your trees, flowers or cones. This substance is meant to fertilize the female ovule. It is spread and transferred by the wind, insects and other animals.
Why is it necessary?
In order for trees and plants to continue their life cycle of growth and reproduction, pollen is necessary. Pollination is such a crucial component to the ecosystem because humans and animals are reliant on pollen for the reproduction of food. Without pollen, plants and trees will not bear fruit or seeds that we as a society rely on.
But maybe you are thinking of swapping out certain varieties to be able to enjoy your backyard without downing allergy medicine? We understand! Did you know there is such a thing as hypoallergenic tree species? What a life saver!
Here are a list of trees that are “dioecious” trees that will help to minimize your allergies next season:
Red Maple
Mulberry
Juniper
Boxelder
Cedar
Aspen
White Ash
If none of these varieties spark your interest here are a few lower pollinating species:
Tulip
Magnolia
Flowering Crapapple
Flowering plum
Crape Myrtle
Dogwood
If you are planning to plant a new specimen in your landscape and would like to gain some insight from a certified Arborist click the link below!
Call an Arborist
Benefits of Deep Root Fertilization
Older, matured trees are often overlooked as “healthy” and not in need of any fertilization. Just because your trees are full grown doesn’t mean they wont benefit from a fertilization boost.
Why do my trees need fertilization?
Most trees that are planted in urban areas can be subject to a number of obstacles such as:
soil compaction
competing for nutrients
air pollution
poor soil quality
All of these factors can contribute to the overall decline of your trees over time. Deep root fertilization adds natural soil nutrients around the roots of your trees while providing a means for aeration of the soil at the same time. Performing a deep root fertilization on your trees will give your trees the extra push they need to overcome certain environmental setbacks where they might otherwise fall short.
What are the top benefits of deep root fertilization?
Fertilizing your trees provides a large number of benefits such as:
prevents chlorosis (yellowing of leaves)
provides substantial protection against pests and diseases
naturally aerates the soil for optimal oxygen to your trees roots
helps aid in the prevention of damage during winter such as frost
stimulates fast growth of the canopy
promotes the growth of healthier foliage
All of these benefits will help your tree thrive in some of the less favorable conditions of urban settings. However, it is important to have a certified arborist assess your trees to determine what mixture will work best for your goals. Unfortunately, there isn’t a “one size fits all” fertilizer that will provide ideal results and could potentially harm your trees if not performed properly.
If you would like more information on deep root fertilization of your trees, feel free to contact us using the link below!
Contact An Arborist Now!
Spring Landscape Checklist
With spring just around the corner, it’s important that you do a full and thorough inspection of your landscape to identify any problems before the new growing season. We are staffed with highly trained certified arborist’s who can help you to identify issues with your trees that you might not have noticed. If you would like a certified arborist in Athens to inspect your trees, use the link at the bottom of this page to be connected! Otherwise, we have developed a checklist with tips on DIY landscape/tree inspections and tips to follow for this spring.
Check for any dead branches.
This is not limited to only trees, if you have shrubs or plants in your landscape with dead branches it is essential for the new growth to prune those back. If you notice any limbs on your trees with fungal looking material, holes, or signs of pests, it’s best to contact your local certified Arborist in Athens before trying to tackle pruning that one on your own. Large dead branches can be dangerous and are best left to professionals.
Check foliage.
Have you noticed any yellowing on the new leaves this spring? Or perhaps less foliage or flowering than last year? If you have an older, more mature tree, a simple deep root fertilization in Athens might just do the trick but it is important to identify if other environmental factors are affecting your trees.
Check around the base and trunk.
When checking the base be sure to lookout for any oozing, slimy material, as this could be something as small as slime flux that is easily treatable. It is important to identify any major structural issues such as large cracks or cavities, meaning your tree might have been struck by lightening and needs to be evaluated by a certified arborist immediately. Any signs of mushrooms or other fungal matter in the soil around the trunk is a sure sign there is some root rot going on and should be addressed immediately.
Tips for ultimate spring growth
There are a few key things you can do in the meantime to ensure your trees are in their healthiest state and receiving all the nutrients possible.
Mulch your trees.
Mulching around the base of your trees can prevent erosion, retain soil moisture for those hot summer days, as well as eliminate weeds and grass. Check out our other recent blogs for information on proper mulching techniques.
Fertilize, fertilize, fertilize.
Slow release deep root fertilization can help your trees so much! Any trees over 2 years old should be fertilized in the spring by a certified technician. Call our office to set up an appointment.
Plant new trees.
Being sure dormant season is still in session, this is a great time to plant some new specimen in your landscape. We have multiple blogs on our website for tips on our most recommended tree species to plant. You can also contact our office to receive more information by one of our certified arborist on recommended species for your specific landscape or area!