Adult sawflies are often similar in appearance to flies or wasps. The larvae are also similar, though sawflies have one simple eye on each side of the head and five
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Tree Advice
Bacterial leaf scorch (BLS) is caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. This disease impacts certain shade trees resulting in uneven ‘scorching’ of leaf margins in late summer and early fall.
Two common causes of root disease in California are species of the fungus Armillaria and species of Phytophthora, which are fungus-like organisms. There are many differences between the two pathogens,
When native desert plants are irrigated regularly, they can produce a tremendous amount of new growth. This can be good from the perspective of shade and screening, but the new
Leaf curl and leaf blister are a group of diseases caused by the fungus Taphrina. Taphrina caerulescens is the causal agent of oak leaf blister, and Taphrina deformans is the
Here in Santa Barbara we understand that the ground is far from sedentary. Whether it’s construction of new homes or mud sliding from recent storms, we are in a constant
One of the most under-diagnosed causes of tree failure are root rot pathogens. Here in southern California we have a few rots that plague our trees and I want to
To be an arborist one must establish a basic level of experience and comprehension in the field of tree care. The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) is the organization that
Trees are meant to grow in a natural environment where they thrive without any intervention. They are not adapted to live in commercial landscapes where the growing conditions are vastly
The work of landscapers and arborists is not as interchangeable as it may at first seem. Each role requires a unique skillset, experience and equipment. Lumping this work together appears
Extreme weather events happen in nearly every geography, leaving a lasting impact on the trees and shrubs in a landscape. Once the rain or wind has stopped, the snow has
Lack of water is the most common plant stress encountered in urban and suburban landscapes. In areas with persistent drought conditions, or those with a true dry season, selecting drought
Autumn is a key time to prepare trees for the upcoming winter and following spring. It is important to reach out to a professional arborist at this time to tend
The trees in your landscape will continue to grow and change whether there’s money to care for them or not. Consider that preventing tree problems is nearly always going to
Many homeowners use herbicides, commonly known as weed killers, to battle persistent plants like ragwort, pigweed, crabgrass, dandelion, purslane, clover, poison ivy, and others. Of the wide variety of herbicide