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!

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Japanese Maple Diseases

Japanese maple trees are a highly favored variety among homeowners for many different reasons.

• They are fairly easy to grow and maintain, if they are planted properly and on a sufficient watering schedule.

• They come in many different varieties of heights and colors.

• They can adapt to smaller spaces where other specimen might fall short.

• Usually any issues that arise are due to maintenance, as they are pretty disease resistant.

However, no tree is completely disease free and are susceptible to certain types of pests. We’ve listed a few of the most common pests and diseases that typically attack Japanese Maple trees.

Verticillium Wilt

This is a soil born fungi that is usually brought on by environmental stressors such as drought, frost or wet soil. The most common symptom of verticillium wilt is branch die back. We recommend regular maintenance pruning of all trees, but especially if dead limbs are present. Other treatment options might be available to you by a local tree arborist.

Anthracnose

Anthracnose is another type of fungal disease that not only attacks Japanese Maple trees, but a large variety of other trees and shrubs as well. This is most commonly seen during rainy seasons or areas with high humidity. Symptoms of anthracnose on Japanese Maple trees are spots or scorch on the leaves. Performing regular tree trimming and removing all infected leaves are good practices to avoid and treat this disease.

Phytophthora Root Rot

Japanese maple trees have never adapted well to over watering. They are highly susceptible to root rot because they have a low tolerance to soil that does not drain well. Proper planting and maintaining a watering regimen specific to Japanese Maple tree is the best treatment.

Japanese Maple Scale

Scale insects such as the armored scale favor the Japanese Maple tree under stress. If your Japanese Maple tree is not getting enough water, has suffered an injury or is under any other type of environmental stress, this can be an open invitation to scale insects to attack. These insects are usually seen on the bark and sometimes can be manually removed with soapy water. We recommend consulting a local certified arborist if you notice any pests on your trees.

If you have noticed your Japanese Maple trees showing any symptoms of stress, we encourage you to click the link below to be connected to a certified arborist for a free tree assessment. Remember the best practice is prevention!

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The Benefits of Aerating Your Lawn

Over time it’s very common to see your lawns vibrancy fade away, being replaced with bare spots, burnt spots and weeds. Without proper maintenance, a thick, lush lawn can diminish quickly. A few most common reasons for a dull lawn are:

• Soil compaction

• Heavy traffic

• Lack of fertilization or watering schedule

• High temperatures

• Drought

So how do you get your lawn to thrive again?

The first step to a healthy lawn is healthy soil. This is the base component all things above ground feed off of, so it is important to maintain proper soil nutrients to get good results. Most suburban lawns fall victim to soil compaction from heavy traffic and everyday activities which strips your lawn from one of its main components - oxygen.

Aeration is a technique our lawn care specialists use to pull small soil cores out, breaking up the compaction and allowing oxygen to enter and organic matter from the cores to be spread throughout your lawn.

Aerating your soil before over-seeding can provide substantial growth. Our machines place small pockets all over your lawn, giving the grass seed optimal soil contact, boosting germination results and preventing wash outs.

If you have brown spots, burnt spots or trouble with weeds on your lawn, click the link below to be connected with one of our lawn care specialists now!

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Do I Have A White Pine Weevil Infestation?

The eastern white pine tree is characterized by its blue-green needles. It grows best in zones 3-8 and is a valuable hardy tree. Easy to grow and maintain, the eastern white pine is known for its adaptability to grow in many different conditions. However, it is susceptible to the white pine weevil.

What is the white pine weevil?

The white pine weevil is considered one of the most destructive tree pests in the U.S. It primarily feeds on the white pine but has been known to favor a few other species such as the spruce and fir. This insect is extremely small in size, averaging at 7mm in its adult cycle. They tend to gather in the leaf debris at the base of your trees in winter, to emerge in spring and attack its hosts. The damage from a white pine weevil is extensive and can escalate extremely fast. If you suspect white pine weevils on your trees, it’s important to get a tree care estimate by a certified arborist immediately.

What are the signs of white pine weevil?

• Presence of adult weevils on bark

• Pin sized holes

• Spongy or softened areas under the bark

• Wilting or drooping

How do I get rid of the white pine weevil?

Unfortunately we cannot recommend any at home treatment for this pest, as it is so destructive and must be maintained properly. An application of insecticide should be applied by a tree care specialist between March and April when drops of resin are first detected. Depending on the extent of the damage, the remaining infected portions of branches should be removed and burned to prevent further outbreak.

We recommend a regular tree health inspection by an ISA certified arborist to prevent pests and decay from taking over. Click the link below to set up a free estimate with one of our arborists and start your tree pest prevention plan today!

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Why Are There Tree Shoots All Over My Lawn?

Have you noticed a large amount of tree shoots and sprouts all over your lawn? There are a number of reasons this could be happening. While some trees are notorious for this, others might be under stress and it is best to have an ISA certified arborist come out to take a look and identify the issue.

What types of trees cause shoots to show up in my lawn?

The most common types of trees known to generate sprouts are ash & honey locust trees. Ash trees will generate shoots in your lawn when infested with the emerald ash borer while the honey locust is notorious for growing suckers.

How can I prevent tree suckers and sprouts on my lawn?

Since this usually happens when the tree is under stress and essentially trying to re-generate itself, the best practice would be having an ISA certified arborist or tree care professional come out to assess the health of your trees first. Alternatively, though it can be time consuming, you can manually remove the sprouts by using hand pruners. There are also sucker stopper products at most home improvement stores, however these can be very dangerous if used improperly and risk damaging your trees.

Before planting trees its best to consult with an arborist to identify low maintenance trees so you don’t run into this issue when it comes to the specimen. Getting your trees on a proper pruning maintenance plan ensures their health for years to come and can eliminate the risk of shoots in your lawn. If you have questions about your trees health, or any other concerns about tree care, click the link below to be connected with one of our arborists now!

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Is This Warm Winter Bad For My Trees?

We have all been soaking up the 62 degree sunshine in Georgia the past few days. But it makes you wonder if this prolonged warm period affects your trees and plants. The drastic high to low shifts in temperature can bring about a big problem for your trees.

How does a warm winter affect my trees?

Our trees have yearly cycles, going dormant in the fall/winter time and awaiting the warmer weather to start budding out and blooming for spring. So if the weather is consistently warm for a period of time in winter, it will prompt your trees to start blooming. When the weather then shifts back to a cooler temperature, the buds on your trees can die off.

In addition to bud die off, there is a higher risk for injury to your trees in the changing weather. Your trees naturally will expand and contract as they freeze and thaw in winter. When this becomes and every other week occurrence of thawing and freezing, it can result in vertical cracking of the bark opening your trees up to decay, pests or fungus to enter.

What can I do?

• Mulching the base of your trees provides a sort of barrier for the roots to keep them insulated and somewhat protected from the harsh conditions.

• A healthy watering schedule can also help to reduce the risk of decline in your trees in winter.

For more tips or information on protecting your trees in winter time, click the link below to be connected with one of our ISA certified arborists now!

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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!

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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!

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