August 6th, 2010
Wood Acres Tree Specialists recently received information from Wayne Knoll, City Forester of Rockville, MD. He was discussing the recent severe storms that had downed so many deciduous trees in his area of management and made an interesting observation:
According to Mr. Knoll,Rockville has approximately 28,000 street trees on 160 miles of street. His current budget allows for pruning all streets on about a 12-year cycle. During the February storm events, his office received approximately 200 reports of tree or limb failures. (Many of these failures were associated with evergreen trees, mostly white pine, in parks and on landscaped berms adjacent to major roadways. Since evergreens are more prone to failure due to excessive snowfall whether or not they have been recently pruned, he excluded these from his data). All trees listed below are deciduous street trees of various species and size. The majority of the failures were on maple species.
Of the 200+ tree related calls we received, 114 were for deciduous trees located in the City right-of-way along neighborhood streets. The vast majority of these were for partial tree failure with only a few whole tree failures.
- Street trees that received routine maintenance pruning within the past five years incurred 19 of the known failures.
- Street trees that have not received routine maintenance pruning for at least 6 years incurred 95 of the known failures.
Thus, 84% of the reported damage occurred on trees that have not received routine maintenance pruning for six or more years.
So, if you would like to significantly reduce your property’s tree failures during storm events, thus saving time, money and reducing liability talk to us about regular maintenance for your trees – and keep them beautiful longer.
Tags: Maryland, storm damage, stress, trees, Washington DC
Posted in Damage, Pruning, Tree & Shrub Care | 1 Comment »
July 25th, 2010
Credits (left to right) Lacy L. Hyche, Auburn University, Bugwood.org John H. Ghent, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Terry Price, Georgia Forestry Commission, Bugwood.org
What is my shrub dying and what are those “pinecone” things hanging from the branches? We hear that a lot in this area, especially in this extreme heat when your trees are already in a stressed state.
If you do see bags made out of needles or leaves on a woody plant that is defoliated the chances are you have bagworms. Bagworm caterpillars make distinctive 1.5 to 2 inch long spindle-shaped bags that can be seen hanging from twigs of a variety of trees and shrubs.
Bagworms prefer juniper, arborvitae, spruce, pine, and cedar but also attack deciduous trees. Female moths cannot fly but the larvae can disperse. Very small caterpillars can spin strands of silk and be carried by wind, an activity called “ballooning”. Larger larvae may crawl to adjacent plants.
Bagworms pass the winter as eggs (300 or more) inside bags that served as cocoons for last year’s females. The eggs hatch and the tiny larvae crawl out to feed. Each uses silk and bits of plant material to make a small bag that protects and camouflages it as during feeding and growth.
Bagworm caterpillars feed for about six weeks, enlarging the bag as they grow and withdrawing into it when disturbed. Older larvae strip evergreens of their needles and devour whole leaves of susceptible deciduous species leaving only the larger veins. When abundant, the caterpillars can defoliate plants.
Heavy infestations over several consecutive years, especially when coupled with other stresses, can lead to plant death.
Should you see these telltale bags hanging on your trees or shrubs, please call Wood Acres Tree Specialists to assess and treat the damage before the stressed plant can’t recover -or its natural form and beauty is ruined for years.
Tags: bagworms, conifers, drought, stress
Posted in Damage, Insects, Tree & Shrub Care, Trees & Shrubs | No Comments »
June 24th, 2010
Image: David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org
It’s a record-breaking 100 degrees F today in the Washington DC Metro Area- and so far, a pretty dry June. These conditions are favorable for the TWO SPOTTED SPIDER MITE to proliferate in the landscape. The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, is a pest of landscapes and greenhouses. Plants attacked by two-spotted spider mites include: roses, Euonymus, dogwood, pear, butterfly bush, marigolds, cannas, viburnum, chrysanthum and many others.
Spider mites inject their mouthparts into plant cells and suck out cell contents, which causes a flecking or stippled appearance to the plant. Heavy infestations build webs, decrease plant vigor, and can cause premature leaf drop. Two-spotted spider mites feed on the underside of the leaves and are yellowish green with a spot on either side. Females lay an average of about 140 eggs when temperatures exceed 80°F and a generation can be completed in a week.
Sample for spider mites by shaking plant material over a white sheet of paper on a clipboard. Mites will appear as rapidly moving dots and will smear when smashed. Sample at least every other week during the summer. Look for stippling on leaves or webbing, which is found on heavily infested plants.
Temporarily knock off the mites and provide relief to water-stressed plants by spraying plants with a strong stream of water. Predatory mites and other predators feed on two-spotted spider mites, but they may have difficulty keeping populations low under ideal mite conditions. Pesticides are poisonous and some can even cause increases in the mite.
Tags: bugs, insects, mites, pests, shrubs, trees
Posted in Insects, Tree & Shrub Care | No Comments »
June 22nd, 2010
Thank your for visiting Wood Acres Tree Specialists new blog “LeafNotes’! We are a team of avid arborists and we will be discussing what we love: the care and maintenance of trees and shrubs! We will be discussing topics ranging from pests and diseases of woody plants to what’s currently happening in the Maryland/Washington, DC area’s landscapes.
Tags: arborists, Maryland, shrubs, tree and shrub specialists, trees, Washington DC
Posted in Trees & Shrubs | No Comments »
