News Filed Under "Tree Care"
If you take care of your lawn, why not your trees?
Hundreds of dollars are spent every year by homeowners ensuring their grass is green and growing. Lawn treatment companies plan multiple visits each year to spray, aerate, and seed the lawn. So, why is there so much focus on lawn maintenance but none on tree maintenance? Let’s start with a simple drawing.
Trees need 16 elements to grow and survive. These elements come from the air, water, and the soil. Air and water provide Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), and Oxygen (O). The other 13 elements come from within the soil and can be broken down into macro and micro nutrients. As the picture displays:
Micro-Nutrients: Boron (B), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Chloride (Cl), Manganese (Mn), Molybdenum (Mo), and Zinc (Zn). These nutrients are only needed in small quantities (hence the name “Micro”)
Macro-Nutrients: Macro-nutrients can be broken down into primary and secondary nutrients.
- Secondary Nutrients: There is usually enough of Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), and Sulfer (S) within the soil. We run into problems when it comes to Primary Nutrients.
- Primary Nutrients: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) are the three primary nutrients. Basic suburban homes most often lack one or all of these nutrients.
- Nitrogen: Responsible for the green pigment essential for photosynthesis. It also aids in tree growth.
- Phosphorus: Also an essential part of photosynthesis, aids in growth, and encourages root growth.
- Potassium: Helps reduce disease and aids in photosynthesis
How do you know if your soil is deficient?
Soil tests will provide accurate answers, however it is common to use basic granular fertilizer’s for a “just-in-case” basis
When do I fertilize?
Good times to fertilizer include fall (after the leaves have fallen off) and early spring (right before the buds start breaking and the tree begins to leaf out). These extra nutrients in fertilizer will help top growth of the tree and the overall look. Newly transplanted trees should not be fertilized for at least 6-8 weeks.
How do I take care of newly installed trees?
Root Grow/Stimulator is great for newly installed trees. This will help ease any transplant shock as well as promote root growth. Root growth is important to establish the tree to live a long and healthy life. After root growth comes top growth, so the tree must be established before you see any top growth!
What else can I do to take care of my trees?
Aside from building proper watering techniques, fertilizing, and root growth, a treatment we highly recommend is systemic injections. Tree injections are similar to human IV’s. The liquid can be injected directly into the tree’s vascular system to help boost a tree’s “immune system”. More information about systemic injections can be found at www.mauget.com
Proper Watering in Fall
As of September 22, 2009 at 5:18 pm, we were officially into the “fall” season. The trees (if they haven’t already) will begin to display a colorful splash of oranges, reds, and yellows. It is important to ease your trees into dormancy, while you continue to water! Below are a few common questions we get around this time of the year.
Why do I need to water in the fall?
Although the trees are beginning to go dormant, it is important to give them a nice and long last drink of water before the ground freezes. When the ground is frozen and snow is piled inches high, the trees cannot draw water from the ground. This puts the trees in danger for “winter burn” later down the road. According to David Beaulieu, writer for landscaping.about.com, ”Properly watering the plants in fall, then, can be an effective means of minimizing injury to trees and shrubs during the winter”. David also suggests occasionally watering in late autumn/winter.
You keep saying “water your trees until they are dormant”, well how do I know when my tree goes dormant?
Once the leaves begin shedding, the tree is entering dormancy. Trees should be properly watered once a week, until the ground is frozen.
Now what? The tree is dormant, do I need to water any longer in the winter?… how do I know when to start watering again?
When and if temperatures rise above freezing, it would be a good idea to get outside and give your trees a good soak. Other than that, you can expect to begin watering again in the early spring when temperatures are consistently warming up. The trees will begin to ”awake” from dormancy when you notice the buds beginning to unfirl. (the same way you see a Rose unfirl)
Winter Burn
Winter Burn on White Pine
The above picture, taken from an article by Purdue University, is a white pine suffering from winter burn. Purdue Horticulture states, ”Over the course of a day, a large tree can lose hundreds of gallons of water. When plants are unable to obtain the water they need (due to drought or frozen soil), the water lost through transpiration cannot be replenished, resulting in dehydration, foliar damage, and even death.” So remember to water throughout the fall and even into the winter for a healthy tree!
Source: http://www.ppdl.purdue.edu/PPDL/weeklypics/6-2-08.html
Evergreen Needles Not Always Green
If you happen to notice yellowing needles on your evergreens, do not fret!
Is the yellowing on the inside?
Inside yellowing on evergreens is completely natural and is part of their growth life cycle. Although the evergreen holds its needles all year long, some old needles drop off to make room for new growth. According to Iowa State Extension, “Environmental stresses, such as drought and hot temperatures, may cause greater-than-normal loss of needles”. Yellowing from the top to the bottom on the inside of the evergreen is often taken as a “disease”, but relax as it is completely natural and healthy. University of Illinois Extension also adds, “Weather conditions, age of the plant and genetics all contribute to when needles drop.”
Is the evergreen yellowing at the tips?
If the evergreen is yellowing at the tips there may be more serious issues. University of Illinois Extension states, “If new growth is weak or turning brown, injury or disease may be involved”. If you have evergreens make sure to examine the placement of yellowing. Inside is okay, new growth yellowing is not!
Regardless, if there is needle drop, do not feel the need to rake! The needles serve as a mulch/weed barrier.
Refer to our sources for additional reading on the topic!
Maple Gall Mites
A common concern with maple owners is Maple Gall Mites, tiny little red or green balls on their maple leaves. According to the University of Wisconsin, “Maple leaves frequently develop growths or swellings known as “galls”. These are caused by microscopic mites. The form and color of the gall indicates which species of mite is the culprit. If a tree is heavily infested, its foliage becomes distorted and drops prematurely. But usually the injury is only temporary, and the tree’s vigor does not deteriorate significantly.” Maple Galls can be noticed in early May as a green color, eventually turning into a pinkish red and finally into a black.
Red Maple Gall Mites on Maple
What do the mites do?: The adult mites become active very early in spring, just as buds begin to open. As they feed on the developing leaf tissue, growth regulating chemicals produced by the mites interact with plant hormones causing an abnormal stimulation of cell growth. This abnormal growth forms the galls that gradually enclose the mites. Each mite species produces slightly different substances, resulting in the different characteristic gall shapes. The mites get nutrients from the inner gall tissue and are protected from natural enemies (University of Wisconsin).
How many types of gall are there?: There are three types of gall; maple bladder, maple spindle, and erineum gall mites.
How can I control Maple Gall?: Although control is not required, and damage done by maple galls is neither significant and/or long lasting… the following are options a tree owner can take (Ohio State University)
Strategy 1: Use Resistant Maples – Norway maples and some of the named cultivars of maples with outstanding red or yellow leaf color appear to be resistant to these gall mites and midges. Talk to the plant supplier to see if the tree cultivar has a history of leaf gall problems or not.
Strategy 2: Dormant Oils – Use of dormant oils on maples is discouraged because leaf and twig damage can result unless the tree is truly dormant. However, some reports of success have been made where the trunk has been drenched with dormant oil to kill the overwintering stages of the bladder gall and spindle gall mites.
Strategy 3: Standard Insecticide/Miticide Sprays – Several insecticides and miticides are registered for control of gall mites (eriophyid mites) and gall midges. If these products are to be used, they have to be applied precisely when the new leaf buds are opening. Most sprays have little, if any, effect because the window of opportunity is very short. Once the gall has formed, it is too late to make an application.
Strategy 4: Systemic Insecticides/Miticides – Several systemic pesticides (sprayed, soil injected or trunk injected) have been recommended as useful in controlling these gall forming pests. However little evidence of success has been found in the current literature. Once the gall has formed, it is too late to make an application.
Resources and Additional Reading: http://learningstore.uwex.edu/pdf/A2691.pdf, http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2004.html, http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef404.asp, http://www.hort.wisc.edu/mastergardener/Features/insects/maplegallmite/maplegallmite.pdf, http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/trees/note04/note04.html
How to’s and When to’s
Good day everyone! I have collected some valuable information from credible universities of the how to’s and when to’s of tree care. Any questions or suggestions? Feel free to e-mail us at info@affordabletrees.com … Enjoy!
Everything you need to know about Fertilizing:
- When can I Fertilize? : October through March are the best times to fertilize. Soil moisture and temperature conditions are best during these periods, and this will ensure that the fertilizer will be in place at the beginning of the growing season when maximum benefit will be realized. Root growth is best during this time also.
- Do I need to fertilize? : Fertilization can be beneficial if symptoms of a nutrient-deficient tree include a slow rate and low amount of annual growth on twigs and trunk, smaller than normal foliage, off-color foliage, increased amounts of dead branches, tip die-back in branches, and increased rates of disease and insect problems. Trees that possess these symptoms generally would respond to a fertilization treatment
- Be Aware: Too frequent or too heavy fertilization may cause nutrients to build up to toxic levels. This may be avoided by periodic soil testing which will show abnormally high or low nutrient levels.
- Recommended fertilization methods: www.affordabletrees.com/treecare or a granular fertilizer called 12-12-12
Sources: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-618.html
Everything you need to know about pruning:
- Why should I prune?: Reasons for pruning can be broken down into 4 categories: training , maintaining, improving the quality of your tree, and controlling growth.
- When should I prune?: Light pruning can be done any time of the year to remove die back. Extensive pruning should be done in late winter to early spring. This is the best time of the year to prune because wound closure is more rapid (before new shoots emerge), there are few insects/disease spores to infest pruning cuts, and deciduous trees have dropped their leaves so it’s easier to see what your pruning!
- How to Prune: Correct pruning means making a clean, angled cut at the point where a branch attaches, either to another branch or to the trunk of the tree. This is a “thinning” cut. Do not cut into the branch bark ridge or the collar — that darkened, rough bark tissue above and below the branch’s point of attachment. Below is an instructional video on how to properly prune.
Sources: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/1730.html, http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/columngw/grprune.html
Everything you need to know about spraying bagworms:
- About bagworms: Bagworms have a very wide host range but are usually associated with arborvitae or juniper. A single bagworm does relatively little harm as it feeds on leaves. Excessive defoliation may kill conifers within one or two seasons. They hatch in May and June. Upon reaching a suitable host, the worm begins to spin its bag and as it grows, it incorporates some of the host plant foliage into the bag for camouflage.
Picture of an Adult Bagworm
Spraying for bagworms:
- Option 1-Cultural Control-Mechanical Hand Picking If the bags are few in number and easily reached they may be picked off the plant and squashed. This can be done easily in the late fall when deciduous foliage has been dropped or the bits of plant material on the bags turn brown and can be easily located on evergreens. Be sure to cut the attachment silk band so that the branch will not be girdled in the future.
- Option 2-Biological Control-Use the Bacterial Spray Bt The bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), is effective against bagworms if it is used against young larvae. Applications should be made at the end of June after all the eggs have hatched and the larvae are through ballooning.
- Option 3-Chemical Control-Insecticide Sprays Stomach insecticides are very useful for control of bagworms. Remember that the plant foliage is to be thoroughly covered because the larvae are protected from contact by being in the silk bag. Again, early sprays in spring against young larvae are more effective than later applications
- Option 4- Preventative Control-Dormant Oil: In the winter spray with a dormant oil to smother overwintering insect eggs without damaging plants.
Sources: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2149.html, http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/trees/ort081e/ort081e.htm
New Tree Care
The most important factor in caring for your newly planted tree(s) is watering. All trees need watering especially newly planted ones that have not yet had a chance to develop the root structures to gather water. Trees will benefit more from infrequent deep watering as opposed to frequent light watering. It is important to note that sprinkler systems are not sufficient for watering trees, they are only meant for lawns. Another very important note is that watering too frequently or watering with too much water is as injurious as under-watering.
So, how do you water your tree(s)? The first thing to do is check how moist the soil is around the root ball. Pull away some mulch and dig down into the soil 4-6″ alongside the root ball. If the soil is wet or moist, do not water. If the soil feels cool to the touch but not yet dry, it’s time to water. If you wait until the soil is dry and crumbly, the soil will have a hard time absorbing the water you apply and your tree(s) might have already started to become stressed. By following this method, your tree(s) might stay moist for up to 2 weeks. Sandy or well drained soils, periods of warm weather, or other factors might increase the need to water. By checking your soil frequently in the beginning, you will be able to determine the watering schedule that works best for your tree(s). In winter months, the natural rainfall should be sufficient for even newly installed trees.
Visit our ‘Tree Care’ page on our website at www.affordabletrees.com/treecare for photos and step-by-step instructions.
Happy watering!