Spruce Spider Mite
Have you noticed rusty pine needles, or are they falling off too soon? This could be the work of spruce spider mites. The Problem Spruce spider mites are tiny pests that overwinter as eggs near bud scales. They feed on mature needles during cooler parts of the growing season. Signs and symptoms include: Speckled, mottled, […]
Two-Lined Chestnut Borer
Have you noticed small D-shaped holes in oak tree bark or signs of wilting and tip-dieback? It may be from the two-lined chestnut borer. The Problem Adult beetles emerge in late spring, leaving D-shaped exit holes, and lay eggs on stressed oaks. The larvae tunnel under the bark, feeding on vital tissue and disrupting the […]
Lightning Strike
One of my favorite weather forecasting websites is Weather Bug. Like most forecasting, it’s not always correct but it gives a rough idea. It’s Spark component shows where lightning is active and how far away it is. One of our customer’s white pine had a very close encounter with lightning. This tree is roughly 18” […]
Ash Anthracnose
Anthracnose is a catch-all phrase to describe leaf and shoot disease on many types of trees and shrubs. In green ash trees, anthracnose appears, usually in the spring, as sudden leaf loss. A wet spring, along with the presence of the fungus, contributes to anthracnose severity. Fallen leaves are usually smaller — they may have […]
What is Soil Fertility and Why Does It Matter?
When caring for trees, we often focus our efforts on what we can see: the canopy. Pruning is an important tool to manage trees but ignoring what’s happening below ground is leaving out half the picture. Tree roots are the living, breathing, resource collecting first step in the process of photosynthesis. Ensuring they have everything […]
Hey, What’s Wrong With My Aspen?
My aspen is really looking sick. It was fine thru July and then started turning black. Would you take a look and let me know what you suggest? It’s definitely not a watering issue. The leaf blackening is caused by a non-lethal fungal leaf disease called marsonina. It is usually a problem seen in the […]
Frost Cracks Explained
An ISA Board Certified Master Arborist explains frost cracks. Here in the frozen North, we pride ourselves on our hardiness and ability to embrace the winter. Whether indoors or out, we have all developed adaptations that help us get through the cold and dark. Our native trees and shrubs are no different, having evolved over […]
The Art of Pruning Young and Mature Trees
Ever since the agricultural revolution, humans have been pruning trees. While the tools and techniques have changed, the underlying purpose has remained the same: we’ve needed to tame nature. Pruning was originally used to increase orchard production and create sustainable sources of firewood but eventually expanded to include the landscape management we often think of […]
Bird Populations Might Benefit From Emerald Ash Borer
I recently read the 2013 study, titled Effects of Emerald Ash Borer EAB on Four Species of Birds by Koenig, Liebhold, Bonter, Hochacka, and Dickinson from Cornell Lab of Ornithology with great interest. In Michigan they found both red-bellied woodpecker and white-breasted nuthatch populations increased in areas with EAB infestation from 2005 – 2012. The […]
Winter Stem Protection for Young Trees
Protecting the trunks of young trees is one of the most important things we can do to help with establishment after planting. It is essential in order to set a tree up for a long and successful life in the landscape. The question to ask is, how to protect your tree in winter? Winter subjects […]