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The Arbor Matters Newsletter

May 2015

In This Issue

Signs of a Hazardous Tree

The Fine Art of Shrub Pruning

Storm Season is in Full Swing

Plant Annuals Now

The Best Plants for Your Landscape

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The Fine Art of Shrub Pruning

Prune your shrubs correctly for maximum growth and overall health

There is a fine art to pruning shrubs. Prune too much and you can damage next year's growth; prune too little and you can have overgrown and out of control shrubs.

Like trees, the guidelines for shrub pruning should include removal of dead, diseased or broken branches, sucker growth, crossover branches, and reducing the spread to shape and encourage new growth. However, not all shrubs are pruned the same way. Knowing when, where and how to prune is important to the shrubs' growth and survival.

At Arbor MastersŽ, we have the expertise and equipment to prune your shrubs correctly for maximum growth and overall health. Contact the experts at Arbor MastersŽ today to schedule your shrub pruning.

Storm Season is in Full Swing

Keep trees pruned to help protect trees agains damaging storms

There is not much you can do to protect your trees in the path of damaging winds; however, you can hopefully lessen any potential damage

to your property with routine maintenance.

Distressed and improperly pruned trees can become a liability in a storm. Removing dead and diseased limbs, thinning the canopy to allow air flow and a routine checkup by a Certified Arborist can help protect trees against damaging winds.

Pruning and removing trees can be dangerous for the do-it-yourself person. If your trees are damaged in a storm, leave the removal and clean up to the professionals.

Plant Annuals Now

Time is running out for planting summer blooming annuals! The optimum time to plant annuals is after the threat of frost has passed. Click here to check out your planting zone.

The co-dominant trunk makes this tree more susceptible to damage due to storms

Signs of a Hazardous Tree

To the untrained eye, it can be difficult to spot a potentially hazardous tree. Trees that may look healthy could be hiding defects that may make them a hazard to your home and landscape. There are a number of indicators that can reveal potentially hazardous trees in your landscape. Below are a few of the more common signs:

Co-dominant trunks: A co-dominant tree has two or more main leaders. The two leaders make weight distribution uneven making the leaders more vulnerable to breakage due to wind and storms. The area between the two leaders is susceptible to further damage due to splitting at the leader juncture and decay from leaves and water that settle where the leaders meet.

Vines:Trees covered in vines may look pretty, but the fact is that the vines are robbing the tree of essential sunlight, oxygen and water needed to survive. The vines trap moisture against the tree trunk making it a perfect environment for insects and decay. In addition, the added weight of the vines can cause the tree to weaken, especially in the winter during snow and ice storms.

Conks or decay:Conks or mushrooms are fungi that can indicate wood decay. Conks can be the result of insects or disease in a part of the tree that has received some type of damage to the outside layer. Depending on the e Conks located at the bottom of this tree indicate decay xtent of the decay, some trees can be treated, however it may be difficult to know the depth of the decay and if the tree can be saved.

Cracks or Splits:

Cracks or splits can be caused by limb failure due to stress, storm damage or multi-trunk trees. In many cases, a rod or cable can be placed in the tree to provide stability and prevent further damage from cracking or splitting.

Tree Wounds:Trees that have been wounded by lightning strikes, lawn equipment or vehicle collisions can become an open invitation for insects and disease. Like humans, a trees' open wounds are susceptible to infection and if not treated, can cause extensive decay.

Topping:This outdated practice involves the removal of the tree canopy. It is a quick and inexpensive way to severely reduce trees that are too large for the area and is cheaper than removing the whole tree. However, the end result of topping is a weakened and disfigured tree with open wounds. While the tree is quick to produce new growth, it is weak and prone to breakage.

If you suspect your trees might be exhibiting any of these possible hazards, contact your local Arbor MastersŽ for a tree inspection, and make sure your trees are healthy.

Defoliating Caterpillars Rampant in Texas

The tent caterpillar can cause severe defolliation to trees

The Ft. Worth/Dallas area is seeing large infestations of canker worms and tent worms. These two are actually caterpillars that are different in appearance but have the same objective, to feed on your trees.

Canker worms are light green to brown and are quite small, less than one inch long. Eggs are laid in the cracks of the tree bark where they hatch in early spring and begin to feed on tree leaves. They are known for the silken webs they spin that allow them to travel from tree to tree. While a canker worm infestation will not kill a healthy tree, they can cause severe defoliation.

Canker worms hatch in spring and begin to dine on tree leaves

Like canker worms, the tent caterpillar has the same intent; to dine on the leaves of your trees. Tent caterpillars are hairy, dark grey to brown, marked with pale colored lines and are about two inches long. They produce silken webs which protect them from predators while they feed on the tree. Tent caterpillar eggs are laid the previous year and hatch the following spring.

While canker worms and tent caterpillars can cause unsightly damage to your trees, it rarely results in the death of the tree. However, for trees that have suffered from previous year's drought or struggled with past insect or disease problems, these pests can cause significant branch dieback and in some cases kill the tree.

Fortunately, both canker worms and tent caterpillars can be managed with an insecticide spray treatment. If you see these aggressive and destructive pests in your trees or shrubs, contact Arbor MastersŽ and request an insecticide treatment.

The Best Plants for Your Landscape

It's a new year, and we have a new category to provide ideas for your garden! We will provide the best annuals and perennials for the Midwest, offering both pros and cons as well as maintenance tips.

The bluebeard shrub thrives in drought like conditions

If your landscape gets full sun throughout the day, the Bluebeard shrub may be just the plant for you.This vibrant, flowering bush is popular with gardeners for being drought resistant and maintenance free. It can reach 1-3ft in height and up to 3ft wide. They produce vibrant blue blooms from July through September which attracts butterflies and bees. Their fragrant flowers are great for cuttings. Easy to maintain, they can be severely cut back in spring to promote new growth and spread and have very few disease issues.

A low maintenance shrub, the bluebeard provides color and attracts butterflies to your landscape

Arbor MastersŽ

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800-256-4193

www.ArborMasters.com

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