TREE & LAWN CARE BLOG
How Do I Care For My Trees In Winter?
From privacy, to home value, trees enhance our property and landscapes for a large number of reasons. Keeping your trees healthy and full of the proper nutrition is vital, especially in winter time.
Investing in your trees health before it’s too late or before a storm comes will be much more cost efficient in the long run.
We created a list of a number of ways to keep your trees in Watkinsville healthy during this year‘s winter:
Proper Pruning
Preparing your trees for winter starts with pruning dead or weak branches. If a snow or ice storm happens to come and your tree is full of branches that are not healthy enough to hold up, this could open your tree up to disease and prevent it from being able to heal itself. A certified arborist in Watkinsville could determine the health of your tree and provide you with a written parenting schedule that best fits your trees specific needs.
Remove broken limbs and branches
After the snowstorm, your trees will likely have many dead limbs and branches hanging from them. It’s best to perform proper pruning techniques to remove these branches and allow the tree to heal properly. This prevents further disease or decay from infecting the tree. hey certified arborist in Watkinsville would be able to determine if your trees are healthy enough to withstand the winter weather.
Less is more
A very common tendency of homeowners is to try and remove the snow and ice from their trees which actually causes more breakage and damage in the long run. It’s very important to have a certified arborist from North American tree service evaluate and assess your trees help to prevent winter damage from causing tree decline.
If you have concerns about the health of your trees in Watkinsville, have a certified arborist from North American tree service come out for a free estimate in a valuation of your trees and property before it’s too late! The cost of routine and preventative care is much less than the cost of removing the tree off of your roof! Click the link below to get started on a free estimate with North American tree service today!
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What To Do If Your Tree Is Struck By Lightening!
Unexpected events like heavy rain storms, lightening and heavy winds can cause uprooting, soggy soils, splits, etc. Lightning is tricky because it usually strikes the inside of trees targeting specific areas that are not clear for us to see.
This is another reason why it’s so important to get your trees regularly inspected by a certified Arborist in Athens. Sometimes the trees decline in Athens over a long period of time and sometimes they die within weeks. The longevity of their lifespan after a lightning strike mainly depends on how deep it goes in the current health of the tree.
You might notice signs and symptoms of lightning damage such as:
-Large cracks
-Slits
- Missing pieces of bark on the trunk
- Wilted leaves
- Heavy leaves drop throughout the canopy
-Black areas around the trunk
A few factors that determine whether or not your tree will live through lightning strike or its health, its age, location, what type, etc. A big problem with trees with lightening damage is not the lightning strike itself but the fact that there is a hole open in the tree that opens it up to disease decay and insects which will eventually cause the tree to decline over time as well.
If you notice any of the symptoms on your trees make sure you have a certified Arborist in Athens check them out immediately before the symptoms progress.
Preventative Measures
If you have a specimen in your yard that is highly valuable or highly susceptible to lightning strikes, north American tree service offers a complete lightning protection system installation on your trees. These systems direct lightning away from the tree by giving it a an alternate path to run on the ground below it. Tree lightning protection systems have proven very successful over the years when properly installed. However, keeping your tree happy and healthy throughout the years before the Lightning strikes is key for it to live through the damage.
If you suspect your tree has been struck by lightning or have any other tree related questions please contact your certified Arborist at North American Tree Service today.
Inorganic Vs. Organic Mulching Materials
Mulching or landscape offers a number of benefits especially when using LifeMulch premium organic wood chips. Mulching your garden beds and trees prevents weeds, controls soil erosion, cuts back on the watering schedule, and provides a large amount of nutrition for your soil.
A very common question we tend to get is what is the difference between organic and in organic mulching materials? And do they provide the same amount of benefits?
What are some examples of organic versus in organic mulching materials?
-Organic mulching materials include wood chips, straw leaves, compost, sawdust, grass clippings, and grape Pomace.
-Inorganic mulching materials include plastic sheeting, rubber chips, rocks and geotextiles.
Inorganic Benefits
Inorganic mulching materials such Can be very pleasing to the eye aesthetically and are a little more low maintenance however, they are solely used to generate barriers to prevent weeds from growing. In organic mulching materials do not decompose as organic does, so they will not provide your gardens or your trees with any extra soil quality or nutrition. If you were looking for a low maintenance mulch material that will prevent weeds in your garden beds and around your trees, inorganic mulch is for you!
Organic Benefits
The benefits of organic mulching materials definitely outweigh in organic materials in Athens by far. organic mulching materials conserve soil moisture which cuts back on your watering schedule and time spent in the garden in Athens. Organic mulch is also encourages the growth of soil micro organisms and reduces the spread of pathogens created in the soil from the splashing that is created during rain storms and watering. as organic mulch decomposes over time, your gardens and trees will be filled with extra nutrition throughout that will greatly benefit the trees and plants surrounding it.
If you’re looking for organic mulch delivery in Athens, LifeMulch is the way to go! We have a wide selection of premium colored organic mulch is available for delivery or pick up at an extremely low cost. Skip the line and save money by purchasing wholesale organic mulch for delivery in Athens today! if you have questions or concerns regarding what type of mulch would be best suited for your home please feel free to contact us using the link below!
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How Drought Affects Your Trees
Georgia has always been known for extreme weather conditions, humid summers, sudden changes in temperature and more!
This year we have been experiencing a major drought in the area which spiked the conversation about the most common issue our certified Arborist’s have been running into while out inspecting jobs this year.
The dry soil and hot conditions can majorly affect the life span and health of your trees in Grayson. We have listed a few symptoms of trees under drought stress so you can properly identify the source.
Yellowing Leaves
Leaf Droppings
Leaf Scorch/Burn
Shriveled Leaves
Small Leaves
Early Fall Color
Trees typically prepare for winter by producing photosynthates in order to harden off properly and be able to survive through winter.
The problem with drought, is the tree will not have enough energy or nutrients to do this properly which could kill the tree through the winter conditions.
It is important to have your trees properly assessed by a Certified Arborist in Grayson to detect any signs of drought stress.
In the meantime, here are a few tips you can do to help save your trees!
Water correctly.
It’s important to be on a consistent watering schedule, as this can heavily impact the health of your trees. Watering bags offer a slow and consistent drip system at a very low cost for your trees. If you don’t have access to watering bags, a standard rule of thumb is to water for 45 seconds per tree, every two to three days. It’s important to not allow the root zone, which extends well past the canopy to dry out.
Prune back dead branches.
Leaving dead and dying branches on trees can induce more stress on the tree which is why it is important to have a tree trimming in Grayson service regularly prune your limbs. Make sure you perform proper pruning on your tree especially in a time of drought because the tree will not be able to heal the trimming wounds if they are done incorrectly.
Avoid fertilizing.
Most fertilizers contain large amounts of salt, which will burn the roots if there isn’t enough water available. It’s best to avoid fertilizing the tree al together and call a tree expert in Grayson to properly assess your trees.
Don’t resort to removals.
Trees have a funny way of tricking us about their actual health conditions. A tree that looks completely dead could be in good health and a tree that looks perfect could have a hollow, diseased trunk. A certified Arborist is the only way to properly assess the health of your trees and advise a plan to combat the drought stress without removing the tree all together.
If your concerned about your trees in Grayson, give us a call today to get started on a plan with a certified Arborist.
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Are Caterpillars Eating My Trees?
Have you noticed tiny black pellets all over your deck or driveway from your Oak tree? This could be a number of different types of caterpillars or web worms that tend to infect oak, Maple, ash trees In the area. We have made a list below of the three most common types of caterpillars and how to combat them.
Webworms
If you have noticed large webs on your tree branches in Norcross encasing the leaves like spiderwebs, this could be an indicator of Webworm. Web worms in Norcross are really just caterpillars that can with webs like spiders around the foliage and seed on all of the leaves. This could put your tree under stress and cause leaf loss or leaf drop. You can spot the web worms by either black and red head and green body lined with stripes. The best way to get rid of web worms is to consult a certified Arborist in Norcross to provide a treatment plan for your trees to prevent them from coming back later in the season. However you can purchase something called dormant oil at your local garden store which will kill the eggs of the web worms themselves. However, if The oil does not prevail, a certified Arborist from North American Tree Service will have to spray the tree with a heavier insecticide in order to kill all of the eggs. Performing proper pruning techniques on your tree regularly can prevent web worms from taking over all together.
Spiny Oak Worms
If you have noticed I brown and black caterpillar with the bright yellow stripes and spikes on its back you might have a case of the spiny oak worms! These common little past turn black as they mature and they tend to feed on newly sprouted leaves. In order to read your trees of these oak worms, a certified Arborist from North American Tree Service will have to spray bio-pesticide in spring while the caterpillars are active in order to prevent a re-occurrence.
Leafrollers
Leaf rollers are small caterpillar‘s that are green or brown and have small heads. These caterpillars, like web worms, also spin webs but they use these waves to tie their foliage into a feeding area. Leaf rollers can’t devour an entire tree ever time so it is important that you address the entire station while it is still early. A certified Arborist in Norcross will recommend a treatment plan for your tree to prevent another infestation of the leaf rollers, as they can cause permanent damage on your oak trees over time. However, removing all of the branches and leaves that contain the webbing can significantly reduce the number of leaf rollers that are on your Oak trees in Norcross.
These are just a couple of different types of caterpillars and pass that commonly affect oak trees in Norcross, However if your tree is showing signs of disease, leaf drop, yellowing, holes, etc. it is important that you contact your local certified Arborist to have your trees evaluated properly and professionally by tree experts.If you have any questions about these past or your trees, please call the office using the link below to receive a free estimate on your trees!
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Why Is My Tree Dropping Leaves?
Have you been noticing empty spots in your trees? Trees dropping leaves can be caused by a number of reasons including but not limited to drought, stress, insects, diseases and more! Since there are so many different causes for a tree to drop its leaves, it is best to contact a certified arborist from North American tree service to come out and assess the damage on the tree and provide you with a written free estimate on your trees in Lilburn. However, in the meantime, we can provide some basic information to help you identify the issue before the certified arborist comes out.
If you have noticed empty spots in your trees where the leaves have dropped or not emerged for the season, borer insects such as beetles or caterpillars can be the culprit. Common signs of these insects include holes throughout the leaves and cambium layer on the tree itself.
Another issue that is more common commonly related to leaf drop is weather stress. If you live in an area that has recently gone through extreme highs or lows in the weather, this can cause your tree to go into shock preventing nutrition from properly absorbing through the roots. This results in leaf drop but can be fixed easily by adjusting your maintenance techniques such as a watering schedule that is more pertinent in the summer months.
It is a good idea to check the soil around The base of your trees for compaction by lawnmowers or other heavy equipment. If the soil around the base of your tree is to compacted it prohibits the roots from growing efficiently and can cause significant leave drop.
Look for any signs of holes, slime, insects, or fungus growing on the trunk or around the base near the roof zone of your trees as this can be a bigger problem. If you notice any type of diseases on your trees in Lilburn, make sure you contact a certified arborist for a free estimate on your trees as soon as possible.
Identifying diseases and pest problems within your trees in a timely manner is key to the survival of your trees. Make sure you contact your local certified Arborist and have your trees assessed at the first sign of any stress. If you have any questions please feel free to contact our office using the link below!
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Are Woodpeckers Damaging My Trees?
You’ll definitely know if you have a woodpecker problem due to their loud, annoying pecking nature. Woodpeckers can be a major nuisance to you and your neighbors and can cause severe damage to your trees. Pecking at the cambium layers of the tree can open it up to insects and disease very quickly, ending in the death of your tree if it isn’t treated properly.
Why are they pecking my tree?
Woodpeckers forage for insects in the trunk and branches of trees that are ALREADY declining. Yep, that means you not only have a woodpecker problem in Lilburn but more importantly you have a tree that is already infested with insects the woodpecker is going after. This doesn’t always mean there are insects in the trees as some woodpeckers go after the sap in the trees as well as build homes, store food, etc. However its best to have the tree properly assessed by a certified Arborist in Lilburn in order to identify and treat the actual cause of their presence.
How can I prevent woodpeckers from damaging my tree?
There are multiple ways to tackle a woodpecker problem but first things first, DO NOT KILL THE WOODPECKER. They are usually protected by federal law and you WILL be heavily fined if you get caught. Plus, killing animals that can be easily deterred in other ways just isn’t very cool.
-A fully insured tree care company will carry products they can spray on the tree, if the woodpecker is the only problem to eliminate it.
-If the tree is small enough, wrapping the tree in bird netting to prevent them from getting back to the holes they have made.
-An old well known remedy is to put reflective objects such as mirrors close to the tree to frighten them away. Other decoys such as hawks or other animals might keep them away from your trees as well.
-Contact North American Tree Service and have your trees assessed in Lilburn by a certified Arborist to detect any signs of decay or disease in order to properly treat them!
Can I repair the damage to save the tree?
Depending on the size of the damage, the best thing to do for the tree is just leave it alone to heal and make sure you get in contact with North American Tree Service to ensure the rest of the bugs, if any are removed from the tree to prevent further infestations. Filling the large holes made by the woodpecker can actually trap the diseases inside the tree preventing it from being able to heal itself all together. A certified Arborist from North American Tree Service will most likely apply a fungicide to the tree and cover it with sterilized mesh.
Still have questions?
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What is Causing Black Spots on My Maple Leaves?
Have you noticed your maple tree leaves yellowing out, dropping or blue/black spots appearing on the leaves? These are all symptoms of a fungal infection called tar spot (Rhytisma spp.). The appearance of tar spot can be alarming to homeowners especially with newly planted trees in Dacula. It appears in early summer as unnoticeable light green and yellow spotting on the leaves. Later, the spots will turn a dark blueish-black and sometimes will be raised. The size of the spots depend on which type of pathogen affects the tree.
What can I do to prevent it?
Since tar spot is generally not harmful to the tree, the best thing to do is to rake away the leaves at the end of the season to prevent the spores in the ground from spreading and affecting other trees in the future. Any other maple trees in Dacula should also be raked in order for this method to be effective. Fungicides for trees in Dacula are also available to help treat the area, but are not recommended as the cost can outweigh the benefits.
If you have concerning trees on your property, call North American Tree Service to have a certified Arborist conduct a consultation today!