Tree Care Tips

Winter landscapes can be just as beautiful as those in spring and summer.

Trees and shrubs can be damaged by freezing and thawing when there are very cold nights followed by warmer sunny days. As temperatures fluctuate, two common tree injuries can occur.

Tree roots need porous spaces in the soil to allow for growth. When soil is compacted, cultivating that soil is critical to improving growing conditions.

Careful review of the trees and shrubs on your property can help ensure any visible issues are identified before they cause serious damage.

If your trees change color or lose leaves early, a serious problem may exist.

A long-lasting herbicide product may sound good, but there are dangers in applying some of these products to eliminate weeds.

Small scale insects often go unrecognized and can have a big impact on tree health if left unchecked.

The sustainable design, development and maintenance of a landscape requires an understanding of the biology of plants, soils and the environment.

When using mowers, tractors and trimmers, it’s common to bump or bang a tree or shrub. This can actually injure the plant and leave it vulnerable to insect and disease infestations.

Soil testing analyzes exactly what is in a particular soil, ensuring that fertilizer - and money spent on that fertilizer - aren't wasted by guessing at the problem.

Now is a great time to start planning your spring planting to get the most out of your landscape.

Given their critical role in overall tree health, it is important to provide proper care for tree roots.

Careful inspection of the trees and shrubs on your property can help prepare them for the colder, harsh weather that winter brings.

Plants that retain their foliage during the winter require special attention to help protect against storm damage and desiccation.

Fruiting structures like mushrooms and conks are a sign that a tree has been infected with a fungal disease.

Compacted soil can seriously impact a tree’s ability to obtain the water and nutrients it needs. Root Invigoration effectively addresses this issue.

Too often, young trees fail to thrive. Attention to a few details in care can improve a young tree’s chances of a healthy life.

Controlled release of beneficial insects and mites is a useful treatment for managing damaging pest populations. With this method, timing and management are critical to success.

Some normally well-behaved plants become problematic and resist efforts for control simply because they are able to out-survive the plantings around them. Learn more about invasive plant management.

Girdling roots circle a portion or all of a tree's trunk and limit that tree's ability to obtain water and nutrients.

Soil lacking in iron adversely impacts tree health. A common symptom is yellowing between the veins of leaves.

Trees with certain structural problems are more likely to fail, even under normal weather conditions.

Mulching is a great practice to keep trees healthy. It eliminates competition between tree roots and turf as well as conserving soil moisture and moderating soil temperature.

Shrub pruning in summer will help maintain the health and survival of shrubs on your landscape.

When planting new trees, proper care is essential to helping them survive.

After the cooler temperature of winter, spring is a critical time for practices that will help maintain health and help ensure a lush growing season.

During the extreme weather and high winds of winter, cabling can help reduce the risk of falling branches and tree failure.

With cooling temperatures and increased rain, autumn is a great time to plant new trees in your landscape.

Trees under stress display key symptoms indicating that a serious problem may exist or could develop if ignored. Learn about the warning signs that may denote trouble with your trees.

August is traditionally the hottest month of the year. Check irrigation systems or use soaker hoses to ensure your trees and shrubs are getting the water they need.

For flowering trees, it’s important to prune at the appropriate time for maximum blooms in spring.

During winter, trees should be inspected for structural problems that increase the likelihood that branches will break or the entire tree will fall.

Winter brings many challenges for trees that are exposed to harsh weather and extreme temperatures.

This time of year an inspection of all parts of the tree by a Certified Arborist is a good way to determine if there are any structural concerns that may predispose a tree to failure.

Fast-growing trees and shrubs need to be pruned regularly to manage their size. In some cases, growth regulators can be a good option to help reduce the need for frequent pruning.

Aphids are common sucking insects that feed on plant juices, causing discoloration and damage.

Wood-boring insects are some of the most destructive pests of trees and shrubs.

Tree topping aims to reduce a tree’s height, but unfortunately results in more harm than good.

Mulching around your trees and shrubs is one of the best treatments you can provide to improve tree health.

Autumn is a great time to plant trees and shrubs. The cooler air temperatures and rain encourage strong root growth. When planting, proper technique is very important.

Even without drought, high temperatures alone can damage the health of trees and shrubs.

The role of a landscaper and arborist are not interchangeable. Arborists have the specialized skills, experience and equipment needed to maintain tree health.

When trees are under stress from weather, insects or disease, potassium phosphite has been shown to improve existing natural defense mechanisms.

Often overlooked, Phytophthora Root Rot is a common tree and shrub disease. Though it impacts the roots, infection often results in wilting or discoloration of leaves.

It’s time to get outside and help your plants, trees and shrubs prepare for spring! A few simple practices can help you ensure a lush growing season.

Hedges have unique tree care needs, requiring special pruning and careful monitoring for insect pests. Proper care will help them thrive.

Plants that retain their foliage during winter require special attention.

Trees in urban and suburban settings are prone to structural weaknesses. Structural pruning helps these trees develop a strong architecture as they grow.

Tree inventories give detailed information on a property’s plant population including plant quantities, location, condition, size and maintenance requirements.

Ticks are a troublesome and dangerous pest, but it is possible to control infestations on a property.

Identifying trees can be a tricky endeavor, but some apps are available on your smartphone or mobile device to help.

If you want to use trees to attract more animal visitors to your landscape, the first thing you need to understand is which ones can help and which can cause damage.

Often used as a climbing ornamental or groundcover, ivy can actually cause many problems for trees.

Early appearance of autumn foliage is a reliable indicator that a tree is undergoing stress.

For fast growing trees and those close to structures or sidewalks, tree growth regulators are a great option for managing growth.

Boxwood is a popular shrub species that is unfortunately susceptible to many pests including boxwood leafminer.

Pruning trees while they are young extends the life of the plant and can help you avoid more expensive tree care practices later.

Unlike shade trees, everegreens retain their foliage year-round. As such, these plants require special attention throughout autumn and winter.

August is one of the hottest months of the year. Make sure you're watering trees appropriately.

If you enjoy spending time in your yard in spring and summer now is the time to consider your options for tick management.

Defoliation (loss of leaves) early in the growing season is extremely detrimental to trees.

With cooling temperatures and increased rain, fall is a great time to plant new trees in your landscape.

Young trees planted this past spring require special care to become established in your landscape.

Defoliating insects feed on leaves and tender parts of the plant. These pests are common and impact many tree species. Damage can be severe if left untreated.

Once deer establish feeding patterns, it is difficult to deter them. It is best to consider a repellent program now, before trees and valuable spring plantings are damaged.

It won’t be long before colder temperatures begin to threaten the health of your trees. Learn how winter pruning can help them weather the season.

Autumn is an ideal time to have your property assessed to minimize the risk of tree failure and damage to your property.

Premium Landscape Biochar, comprised of organic materials, improves soil quality to increase tree and shrub growth.

Scale insects can cause severe damage to your plants, resulting in discoloration and early loss of leaves.

Summer is the time when thunderstorms and lightning abound. Tree lightning protection systems can minimize the risk of devastating damage from a strike.

Once the colder weather of winter has settled, it may be time to have your trees inspected and ready for spring.

What are you feeding your soil? Be sure your fertilization is adequate to maintain healthy soil.

If your tree or shrub needs pruning more than once per year, it may be time to apply tree growth regulators.

Cable systems can help prevent breakage in small trees.

Shrubs are routinely pruned to maintain size, remove old branches and stems that do not flower well and to eliminate dead and dying branches. But don’t confuse shearing with pruning.

This time of year, it’s important to take notice of new growth on your trees. If a plant seems to break bud or have sparser growth than usual, it could indicate a problem.

Removing the snow from landscape plantings and evergreen shrubs and trees can help prevent breakage, but it must be done carefully.

While deer feed all year long, they cause the heaviest damage to trees and shrubs in winter. That is why it is important to take steps now to help keep deer away from your property.

Healthy plants require healthy soil. A basic soil analysis is the first step in managing soil health and identifying the nutrients needed for optimal tree health and growth.

Mosquitoes are an annoying pest of summer. Being aware of where mosquitoes like to live and breed is a great start to minimizing their presence on your property.

Ticks are a troublesome and dangerous pest, especially during the summer months when outdoor activities are at the highest. Find out how tick infestations can be controlled.

Foliage diseases in spring can cause unsightly damage to trees. Some simple practices can help keep your trees healthy and beautiful.

Heavy, wet snows, wind, ice and rain … that’s winter. A careful inspection of the trees and shrubs on your property can help ensure that any damage they have sustained will not cause problems later.

Salt stains are a common sight on cars and steps, but you may not know that salt deicing products can damage trees. Identifying and preventing damage is much easier when you know what to look for.

The last leaves have fallen, ushering in the cooler temperatures of winter. Now is an ideal time to have your trees pruned by a certified arborist.

Are deer making your trees and shrubs the main course at their midnight buffet? Find out how to help curb their appetite.

If you live in an area affected by hurricanes, now is the time to have your trees inspected for conditions that could predispose them to failure in high winds.

Feed them organic and watch them grow! Do your plants need a boost? If you live in an urban or residential area, it's likely they do.