Our team at Rick’s Certified Arborists has treated this condition firsthand with targeted, long-lasting remedies. We’ve seen how, left unchecked, once-beautiful trees get destroyed in record time, so we want to arm our community with the information they need to spot the signs and reach out to us right away for top-notch Tree Care Services, including Beech Leaf Disease Treatment and other insect and disease control solutions. 

What is Beech Leaf Disease, & Why Is It a Threat to Trees?

Beech Leaf Disease (BLD) is a serious and fast-spreading issue that’s putting Beech Trees at risk across North America. It starts with strange, dark bands on the leaves, eventually causing them to curl and wither, weakening the tree over time and potentially killing it. Scientists have traced the cause to a tiny nematode, Litylenchus Crenatae Mccannii, which invades the leaves and buds, messing with the tree’s ability to produce energy through photosynthesis.

BLD spreads through contaminated plant material, soil, or tools and might even hitch a ride via wind, water, or wildlife. As Beech trees are a key part of forest ecosystems, the rapid spread of BLD is raising alarms for conservationists and nature lovers alike.

The Dangers of DIY Treatment Attempts

Attempting to treat infected Beech trees without professional assistance often leads to unintended consequences that can exacerbate the problem. Unproven remedies and DIY solutions frequently fail to effectively eliminate nematodes, the primary culprits behind many infections, and can even compromise the tree’s overall health. In some cases, these approaches might inadvertently spread the nematodes to nearby trees, further endangering your landscape.

Additionally, improper application of treatments can disrupt the delicate balance of the soil, harming beneficial microorganisms that play a critical role in maintaining tree vitality. Without the guidance of a trained Arborist or Plant Health Specialist, what starts as a manageable issue can quickly spiral into a widespread problem, putting the health of your entire landscape at risk. Seeking professional care ensures accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and long-term protection for your trees.

Benefits of Working With Professional Arborists for BLD

Certified Arborists bring the know-how to tackle Beech Leaf Disease with precision and care. Their specialized training ensures treatments are customized to each tree’s unique needs, delivering targeted, effective results. With access to cutting-edge nematocidal solutions, they help safeguard your tree canopy and curb the disease’s spread.

Common Beech Leaf Disease Treatments

Treatment plans vary depending on the severity of the disease and the type of tree. Methods like Foliar Sprays, Trunk Injections, and Soil Treatments are commonly used to stop the spread of BLD. Each technique targets the underlying causes while strengthening the tree’s defenses against future outbreaks.

Foliar Sprays

Foliar Sprays coat the leaves with a protective layer designed to combat harmful organisms, including the microscopic worms linked to Beech Leaf Disease (BLD). While this treatment can be effective for smaller Beech trees, it presents practical limitations for larger trees due to the difficulty of reaching mature canopies. Additionally, environmental concerns and the need for multiple applications per year can make this approach less sustainable. When used appropriately, however, Foliar Sprays can help manage BLD infections in accessible areas.

Trunk Injections

Trunk Injections provide a direct way to deliver treatment to infected trees. The solution moves through the tree’s vascular system, targeting nematodes deep within. This method is ideal for mature Beech trees and those already showing significant symptoms. Arborists use specialized tools to administer injections, ensuring precision and minimizing damage to the tree trunk or other surrounding plant life.

Soil Injections

Soil Injections target the root zone of infected trees, introducing Phosphite or Phosphoric Acid to help combat the effects of Beech Leaf Disease (BLD). These treatments work to restore essential nutrients depleted over time and strengthen the tree’s natural defenses, promoting long-term resilience. Research recommends applying these treatments 2-3 times per year for optimal results. Arborists customize the application based on soil conditions and tree size, providing an efficient and sustainable solution for BLD management.

Prevent Future BLD With Expert Inspections

Regular tree inspections are key to staying ahead of Beech Leaf Disease and similar threats. Scheduling these checkups at least once a year—or more often in vulnerable areas—lets our experts catch issues like Beech Bark Disease, Beech Anthracnose, and more early on. With cutting-edge tools and techniques, we spot the first signs of trouble and take action before the damage escalates. These proactive evaluations help maintain the health of your trees, keep your outdoor space thriving, and ensure your greenery stays vibrant for years to come.

For the Best BLD Treatment, Call Rick’s

Protecting your trees demands expert intervention. Rick’s Certified Arborists stands ready to safeguard your landscape against Beech Leaf Disease’s devastating effects. Our team combines scientific knowledge with hands-on expertise, delivering unparalleled tree care solutions every time. Give us a call if you suspect BLD or any other tree-related issue, and see for yourself why we’ve become a trusted name in the West Chester, PA area.

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Rick’s Certified Arborists is all about helping property owners craft and sustain stunning outdoor spaces. We achieve this by offering a wide range of Tree Care Services, including Insect And Disease Control, and by sharing our industry expertise so folks like you can spot the signs of tree trouble before they escalate. Let’s explore some of the telltale indicators of this environmental threat so you know what to look for and can reach out to our crew right away for targeted BLD treatment. 

Beech Leaf Disease & Its Impact

Beech Bark Disease has long been a threat to forests, but a newer issue—Beech Leaf Disease—is emerging as a significant concern. This condition, caused by the Nematode Litylenchus Crenatae Mccannii, affects the leaves and buds of Beech trees, causing discoloration, curling, and thickening of leaves. Left unchecked, the disease weakens trees, making them more susceptible to pests and secondary infections that often lead to their death. 

The decline of Beech trees impacts more than individual specimens—it disrupts entire ecosystems. Beech nuts, a critical food source for wildlife, become scarce, and the loss of canopy cover negatively affects soil health, water retention, and biodiversity.

Beech Leaf Disease spreads through various pathways, including the movement of infected plant material, contaminated soil, and possibly natural vectors like wind or insects. Rainwater can carry Nematodes locally, and human activities, such as transporting infected saplings, further contribute to its spread. 

Understanding how this disease works and the mechanisms of its transmission is essential for developing effective strategies to mitigate its impact. Without intervention, the widespread loss of Beech trees could significantly alter forest ecosystems and the wildlife that depends on them.

Key Symptoms of Beech Leaf Disease

Green Stripes on Leaves

One of the most recognizable signs of Beech Leaf Disease is dark green stripes forming along the leaf veins. These stripes make leaves appear patchy, with alternating areas of healthy and diseased tissue. The contrast is subtle at first but becomes more obvious as the disease progresses. Monitoring trees closely for these stripes is essential, especially when surveying sapling-sized trees that might otherwise be overlooked.

Leaf Drop

When leaves start dropping unexpectedly, it’s like the trees are sending out an S.O.S. For Beech trees, this unseasonal leaf loss can be a subtle yet telling sign of deeper trouble. Leaves aren’t just decorative—they’re the tree’s lifeline, capturing sunlight to produce the energy it needs to grow and thrive. Without a full, healthy canopy, a tree struggles to fuel itself, leaving it weaker and more vulnerable to additional stressors. So when the canopy thins out too soon, it’s a sign the tree is losing its ability to sustain itself. 

Discoloration & Curling

Unlike the distinctive green stripes that mark another symptom, Leaf Discoloration manifests as uneven patches of gray-brown dullness or fading that takes away from the tree’s vibrancy. Alongside this lackluster appearance, the leaves begin to curl and twist unnaturally, creating a distorted silhouette that looks more like a withered, crumpled piece of paper than the lush, healthy greenery you’d expect from a thriving Beech tree.

Consequences of Ignoring the Warning Signs

Ignoring any problem, tree-related or not, unfortunately, doesn’t make it go away. Shrugging off the signs of BLD  lets the disease spread like wildfire, turning once-vibrant neighborhoods into bleak, tree-less zones. Losing Beech trees doesn’t just mess with curb appeal; it tanks property values, disrupts local wildlife, and robs the area of shade and cleaner air. Wildlife that depends on these trees—like birds and pollinators—are left homeless, while dead roots lead to soil erosion, flooding risks, and even foundation issues. So, if you suspect your property has been infiltrated by Beech Leaf Disease, don’t delay. 

Importance of Professional Beech Leaf Disease Treatment

Hiring Certified Arborists is crucial when dealing with Beech Leaf Disease (BLD), as they possess specialized knowledge about tree biology and have an arsenal of advanced equipment. This allows them to accurately diagnose the disease in its early stages and implement targeted treatments. These solutions include carefully timed soil and trunk injections with systemic nematicides, which can help suppress nematode populations and reduce disease progression. 

Arborists may also recommend pruning infected branches to remove diseased tissue and improve overall tree health, as well as implementing strict sanitation protocols to prevent further transmission. Additionally, pros develop comprehensive monitoring programs that track disease progression, assess tree health, and adjust treatment protocols based on ongoing observations and emerging research in nematode management.

Preventing Future Outbreaks With the Help of Certified Arborists

Preventative care plays a vital role in controlling Beech Leaf Disease. Certified Arborists offer valuable advice on strategies like monitoring trees closely, improving soil health, and addressing pest infestations before they take hold. Maintaining tree canopy health through pruning and fertilization strengthens Beech trees against future outbreaks. Professionals can also assist in conducting Beech tree inventories to identify at-risk specimens. This proactive approach helps communities protect valuable tree species for years to come.

Suspect Beech Leaf Disease? Speak to a Tree Care Expert Today

If you’re noticing signs of Beech Leaf Disease or want to ensure your Beech trees remain vibrant and strong, Rick’s Certified Arborists is here to help. We provide targeted treatments and personalized solutions to preserve your trees and protect your property. Don’t wait until the damage becomes irreversible—contact us today and let us restore your trees’ health.

The post Beech Leaf Disease Symptoms: Green Stripes, Leaf Drop & Color appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

As such, knowing how to identify and spot tree diseases is incredibly important if you care about keeping your landscaping healthy and vibrant. Let’s take a look at six common tree diseases in Pennsylvania and what causes them.

Apple Scab Tree Disease

Apple Scab is a common tree disease caused by a fungal infection from Venturia inaequalis. It mostly affects Crabapple Trees, cultivated Apple Trees, and other plants in the rose family. Infected leaves develop pale yellow spots in the early stages, which eventually turn into dull olive-green patches.

These spots can cause premature defoliation, leaving trees vulnerable to other diseases and damaging the tree’s health. As the disease progresses, black fungal bodies may form, especially on flower buds and fruit, which can cause them to wither or drop. Tree disease control measures, like treating common tree diseases with fungicides, help limit the spread and protect young trees from severe symptoms.

Anthracnose

Anthracnose is a fungal disease that affects many types of deciduous trees, including Sycamores, Oaks, Dogwoods, and others. Caused by a variety of fungi, this disease leads to irregular, dark spots along the leaf veins, and it often results in premature drop of the tree’s leaves. Twigs and branches can show signs of infection with twig death and wilting branches, especially in wet, cool spring weather.

Anthracnose weakens trees over time, making them more susceptible to other common diseases. Regular pruning of infected limbs and proper disposal of fallen leaves help reduce its impact.

Beech Leaf Disease

Beech Leaf Disease (BLD) is an emerging threat to American and European Beech trees, caused by microscopic nematodes that attack leaf tissue. The disease is first noticeable by dark banding between the veins on Beech leaves, creating a striped or patchy look. As BLD progresses, the leaves become discolored and misshapen, reducing the tree’s ability to photosynthesize effectively. Over time, this disease can lead to significant canopy loss, branch dieback, and, if left untreated, the death of the tree.

Early treatment of Beech Leaf Disease is vital to prevent severe damage and protect surrounding trees. Addressing BLD promptly not only slows the disease’s progression but also strengthens the tree’s resilience against other stressors, such as pests and drought. Proactive treatment can make a significant difference, preserving the health and beauty of beech trees and reducing the risk of spreading BLD throughout your landscape.

Dutch Elm Disease

Dutch Elm Disease, caused by the Ophiostoma fungi, spreads through elm bark beetles and is a serious threat to elm trees. The fungal disease invades the tree’s vascular system, leading to wilting branches, twig death, brown streaks beneath the bark, and leaves on the outer crown of the tree wilting and turning dark.

The disease can cause heavy seed production in an attempt to survive, but affected trees often die within a few years if left untreated. Early detection is key to managing Dutch Elm Disease, and removing infected limbs can help slow its spread. Tree injections with fungicides also play a role in helping reduce infection in trees at risk.

Fire Blight

Fire Blight is a bacterial tree disease that affects members of the rose family, such as flowering Pear Trees. The disease is characterized by blackened, dying buds that appear as though they have been scorched.

Affected branches develop wilting branches and may exhibit a distinctive “shepherd’s crook” shape. Infected trees can suffer from premature defoliation and flower drop, which hinders fruit production. Pruning and removing infected limbs can help manage Fire Blight.

Bacterial Leaf Scorch

Bacterial Leaf Scorch (BLS) is a chronic disease affecting a variety of tree species, including Oaks, Maples, Sycamores, and Elms. Caused by the bacterium Xylella Fastidiosa, BLS disrupts the tree’s ability to transport water and nutrients from its roots to its leaves. The disease first appears as browning or “scorching” along the leaf edges, which gradually spreads inward. Over time, infected trees may show significant canopy dieback and can eventually succumb to the disease if left untreated.

Addressing Bacterial Leaf Scorch early on is essential for managing its impact and extending the tree’s life. While there is no cure, properly timed Trunk Injections with an antibiotic (Oxytetracycline) combined with therapeutic soil applications of a Growth Regulator (Paclobutrazol) are extremely effective in managing this disease.

For Professional Tree Wellness Services, Call Rick’s Certified Arborists

Proper tree disease identification can be challenging on your own and without any experience, which is why calling a Certified Arborist who specializes in tree care is in every property owner’s best interest.

At Rick’s Certified Arborists, we provide professional Insect and Disease Control Services to keep health problems at bay, as well as an array of other trusted Residential Tree Care Services. Get in touch with our team today to learn more and to schedule a service for your landscaping.

The post 6 Common Tree Diseases in Pennsylvania All Property Owners Should Know appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

One method that stands out for improving tree health and soil is the use of an air spade. This essential tool helps us nurture our community’s urban trees by addressing issues such as compacted soil and poor root development. Here, we’ll discuss  how the Air Spade can enhance your tree’s health, and don’t hesitate to contact us for expert assistance.

What is an Air Spade?

An Air Spade is a specialized tool used in arboriculture to improve the health of trees and soil. This powerful device uses compressed air to remove soil without damaging the tree’s roots. Unlike traditional digging tools that can harm root systems, the Air Spade gently excavates the soil, exposing roots and improving soil aeration.

Benefits of Using Air Spade for Trees

Using an Air Spade offers numerous benefits that can significantly improve a tree’s health and its surrounding soil. Let’s delve into some of these advantages:

Enhances Root Growth

Airspading significantly enhances root growth by breaking up compacted soil and improving aeration. When the soil is compacted, roots struggle to expand and access vital nutrients. By using an Air Spade, Arborists can loosen the soil, creating an ideal environment for root development. This leads to stronger, healthier trees with robust root systems that can better withstand environmental stressors.

Soil Aeration

Soil compaction limits the amount of oxygen that reaches the tree roots, affecting their ability to absorb nutrients and water. The air spade effectively aerates the soil, increasing oxygen levels and promoting better root function. This improved aeration supports overall tree health, leading to greener, more vibrant foliage.

Applications of Air Spade in Tree Care

The versatility of the Air Spade makes it an invaluable tool in various tree care applications. Here are some common uses:

Root Collar Excavation

Root Collar Excavation is a process where the soil is carefully removed from around the base of the tree to expose the root flare. Using an Air Spade for this task guarantees that the tree’s root system is not damaged during the excavation. This procedure helps diagnose and correct issues such as girdling roots, which can strangle the tree and impede its growth.

Soil Decompaction

Soil decompaction involves loosening densely packed soil to improve aeration and water infiltration. An Air Spade is particularly effective in urban environments where soil compaction is a common problem. By alleviating soil compaction, the AirSpade promotes a healthier root zone, allowing urban trees to thrive.

Transplanting Trees

Transplanting trees can be a delicate task that requires careful handling of the root system. The AirSpade aids in this process by gently exposing the tree’s roots without causing damage. This allows for a safer and more successful transplant, preserving the tree’s health and longevity in its new location.

Vertical Mulching

Vertical mulching is a technique that involves creating vertical holes around the tree’s root zone and filling them with compost or other organic materials. The Air Spade facilitates this process by creating these holes without disturbing the tree’s roots.

Safe Steps for Using an Air Spade

Air Spading requires skill and caution to ensure the safety of both the Arborist and the tree. First, always wear appropriate safety gear, including gloves, goggles, and ear protection. The high-speed jet of compressed air can dislodge soil particles, which can be hazardous. Additionally, confirm that the area around the tree is clear of obstacles and debris to prevent accidents.

Next, position the Air Spade nozzle at a safe distance from the tree roots to avoid causing damage. Start with a low-pressure setting and gradually increase it as needed. Move the nozzle in a sweeping motion to evenly break up the soil without focusing too much on one spot.

Lastly, work in sections to control the depth and extent of soil excavation. This method allows for a thorough examination of the root systems without over-excavating or destabilizing the tree. After completing the task, cover the exposed roots with soil or mulch to protect them from environmental stressors.

Call Now for Air Spade Assistance

At Rick’s Certified Arborists, we are dedicated to providing premium tree care services, including the innovative use of the Air Spade. If you’re looking to improve tree health and soil with Air Spade technology, our team of Certified Arborists is here to help.

Whether you need decompaction for the soil surface, root collar excavation, or any other tree care service, we have the expertise and tools to get the job done right. Contact us today and let us help you nurture the beautiful trees in your landscape.

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At Rick’s Certified Arborists, we bring the best Tree Care Services, including Insect and Disease Control, to residents across West Chester, PA, and nearby cities. As a local company, we’re passionate about preserving the beauty and health of trees so they can continue to add charm, shade, and ecological benefits to our community. That’s why we’re here to help you learn how to monitor trees for signs of insects and diseases.

Why Timely Intervention for Tree Insects & Diseases is Critical

Trees require a delicate balance of nutrients, water, and sunlight to grow tall and strong. When tree pests or diseases attack, they disrupt this balance. Without timely intervention, what starts as a minor problem can escalate into a severe issue, potentially leading to the loss of the entire tree.

Plus, neglected problems don’t just affect a single tree. Fungal diseases and insect infestations can spread rapidly, endangering surrounding bushes, shrubs, and other foliage. Besides compromising the beauty of your landscape, such outbreaks can lead to costly removal and replacement tasks. Proactive monitoring and caring for your trees isn’t just about preserving aesthetics; it’s about safeguarding your investment and the overall ecosystem of your garden.

Insects that Most Often Plague Trees in Southeastern PA

In Southeastern PA, several tree pests can wreak havoc on your beloved trees. One common culprit is the Emerald Ash Borer, a shiny green beetle that specifically targets Ash trees. This pest burrows into the tree trunks, disrupting the flow of nutrients and eventually causing the tree to die. Another frequent invader is White Prunicola Scale, who are notorious for their voracious appetite, draining sap from trees and leaving them vulnerable to further damage.

Indications of an Insect Infestation

Now that you know the most prevalent pests in our area, we can dive into being able to recognize when they’ve built up residence in your trees. Here are some telltale signs that you might have an insect infestation on your hands:

• Unusual leaf damage: Look for holes, chew marks, or skeletonized leaves.
• Discoloration or wilting: Leaves turning yellow or brown out of season can indicate an issue.
• Presence of pests: Keep an eye out for visible insects on the tree bark, leaves, or branches.
• Sticky residue or mold: Honeydew from sap-sucking insects can lead to sooty mold growth.
• Bark damage: Cracks, splits, or small exit holes can signal boring insects.

How We Handle Insect Infestations

Handling insect infestations requires a nuanced approach. At Rick’s Certified Arborists, we start with a thorough inspection to determine the extent and type of infestation. Once we know what type of tiny terrors we’re dealing with, we can formulate the most practical plan of attack. But, we don’t just try one method to eliminate unwanted guests; we implement integrated pest management strategies for the most safe and effective removal. This includes a combination of biological controls, cultural practices, and, occasionally, chemical treatments.

Typical Tree Diseases Found Throughout the Region

Southeastern PA is home to various tree diseases that can pose a threat to your landscape. One common issue is Anthracnose, a fungal disease that affects many deciduous trees, including Sycamores, Maples, and Oaks. This disease causes leaf spots, wilting, and defoliation, weakening the tree over time. Another prevalent problem is Bacterial Leaf Scorch, a disease caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, that affects a wide range of trees and shrubs. It causes leaves to curl, wilt, and turn brown all over, often leading to the tree’s decline.

Yet another concern is Beech Leaf Disease (BLD), a disease that affects Beech trees and other specimens. This disease causes leaves to wilt and drop prematurely. Identifying and treating this disease at the earliest stages is key to preventing widespread damage.

Don’t Miss These Symptoms of a Diseased Tree

Tree and shrub care starts with disease management. Below are some of the changes in coloring or texture that can point to the presence of disease. Any of these should warrant a call to our team so we can come perform an inspection.

• Leaf discoloration: Yellowing, browning, or unusual spots on the leaves.
• Premature leaf drop: Trees shedding leaves out of season.
• Canopy thinning: A sparse or uneven canopy can indicate disease.
• Branch dieback: Dead branches or twigs.
• Fungal growth: Mushrooms or fungal bodies at the base or on the tree.

Our Tree Disease Treatments

When it comes to treating tree diseases, our staff at Rick’s Certified Arborists rely on a combination of expert diagnosis and tailored interventions. We also emphasize preventive care to boost your tree’s natural defenses. This includes proper pruning to improve airflow, ensuring adequate watering and nutrition, and applying protective treatments during vulnerable seasons. Our goal is to not only treat the existing disease but also to strengthen your tree’s health and resilience against future threats.

Get Tree Health Services from Experienced Arborists Today

Regularly monitoring for insects and diseases is vital for all types of greenery, from your average Pine trees to exotic species. They are all susceptible to illnesses and pest problems. With a renowned tree and plant health program, Rick’s Certified Arborists stands out from your average tree company that focuses on removal rather than treatment methods. 

Contact us today and keep your trees healthy and thriving for years to come. We know just what it takes to have every tree pest packing and every disease gone for good.

The post How to Monitor Trees for Signs of Insects & Diseases appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

At Rick’s Certified Arborists, saving trees has been the cornerstone of our company from the get-go. We offer a canopy of tree care services, including Tree Planting, Soil Injections, Trunk Injections, Deep Root Feedings, Growth Regulations, as well as Insect and Disease Control. Additionally, we provide homeowners like you with the resources and tools they need to preserve their lush landscape. So, let’s dive into the signs of a dead or dying tree so that you can spot them early on and contact us to bring it back to life.

Leaf Discoloration and Drop

The leaves of a tree are often the first indicators of its health status. In a healthy tree, leaves are vibrant, green, and abundant. Conversely, a sick or dying tree may exhibit a range of symptoms through its leaves. Discoloration is a common sign; leaves may turn yellow, brown, or black and may fall prematurely. In some cases, leaves may develop spots, blisters, or other deformities, indicating the presence of disease or pest infestation.

Another critical symptom to watch for is the thinning of foliage. If a tree that once had dense, lush foliage begins to show sparse, thin leaves, this could indicate a problem. Additionally, if you notice that new growth is stunted or absent, it could be a sign that the tree is dying. These symptoms often suggest issues with the tree’s internal nutrient and water transport systems, which are vital for its survival.

Bark and Trunk: The Tree’s Outer Defense

The tree bark and trunk are crucial in protecting the tree’s internal systems. Healthy trees typically have smooth, unbroken bark. However, when a tree is dying, the bark can tell a different story. Peeling bark is a significant symptom of a dying tree. While some tree species naturally shed bark, excessive peeling or large patches of missing bark can indicate underlying health issues.

Cracks and splits in the tree trunk are also concerning. These can be signs of internal decay or structural weakness. If the tree trunk shows deep cracks, it may indicate that the tree’s internal support system is failing, making the tree more susceptible to falling over. This is especially dangerous for large trees, as a leaning tree with a cracked trunk poses a significant risk to nearby structures and individuals.

Soil and Root Health

The health of the soil and tree roots is fundamental to the overall well-being of a tree. Poor soil conditions, such as compaction, poor drainage, or lack of nutrients, can lead to a sick tree. Healthy trees require well-aerated soil that allows roots to access oxygen and nutrients. If the soil around your tree is compacted or waterlogged, the tree roots may not be able to function correctly, leading to symptoms of distress.

Tree roots are often hidden from view, making it challenging to assess their health directly. However, symptoms such as visible roots at the soil surface, root rot, or fungal growth around the base of the tree can indicate problems. A dying or dead tree often has compromised roots that cannot effectively anchor the tree or provide it with essential nutrients and water.

Disease and Pest Infestation

Various diseases and pests can affect trees, leading to their decline. Fungal infections, such as root rot and canker diseases, are common culprits. These infections often start at the roots or trunk and can spread rapidly, causing significant damage. Symptoms of fungal infections include mushroom-like growths around the base of the tree, black or discolored patches on the bark, and a general decline in tree vigor.

Pest infestations are another significant threat to tree health. Insects such as borers, aphids, and caterpillars can cause extensive damage to a tree. Signs of pest infestation include holes in the bark, sawdust-like frass, and chewed leaves. Severe infestations can weaken a tree, making it more susceptible to disease and environmental stressors.

Structural Symptoms and Physical Damage

Physical damage to a tree, such as from storms, construction, or other environmental factors, can lead to symptoms indicating a dying tree. Broken branches, damaged roots, and trunk injuries can all compromise a tree’s health. If a tree has sustained significant physical damage, it may struggle to heal and become more susceptible to diseases and pests.

A leaning tree is often a sign of root or structural problems. While some trees naturally grow at an angle, a sudden lean can indicate that the tree’s root system has been compromised, possibly due to root rot or soil instability. If you notice a tree leaning more than usual, it is essential to assess its root health and overall stability.

Professional Assessment and Intervention

If you suspect that your tree is dying, it is crucial to seek professional help. Arborists, like those at Rick’s Certified Arborists, are trained to diagnose and treat tree health issues. They can conduct a thorough assessment of your tree, identifying the underlying causes of the symptoms and recommending appropriate interventions.

Early intervention can sometimes save a dying tree. Treatments may include soil aeration, fertilization, pest control, and pruning to remove diseased or damaged branches. In severe cases, tree removal may be necessary to prevent potential hazards to people and property.

Dealing With Dead Trees? Speak to a Tree Specialist Today!

In addition to being an eyesore, a dead tree poses significant safety risks to your landscaping and your family. By recognizing the signs of a dying tree such as bare branches, root damage, soil deficiencies, bark falling off, and more you can take action to address the issues and potentially save your tree. 

If you suspect your tree may be in need of some TLC, reach out to Rick’s Certified Arborists for comprehensive care.

The post Symptoms of Dying Trees: Leaves, Bark, Soil & More appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

Instead of grappling with the infuriating aftermath of gnawed bark, stripped stems, and mangled branches, why not prepare some tree protection from deer? As the go-to tree service in West Chester, PA, our team at Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists is here to share our expertise. 

Create a Hardy Garden From the Start

Outsmart your local wildlife with a bit of horticultural cunning! Incorporate young trees and shrubs that our hoofed invaders find less appealing. Some popular options include:

• Winterberry holly
• Paper birch
• Common boxwood
• Douglas fir
• White spruce
• Arrowwood viburnum

While these varieties are not completely deer-proof, they certainly tip the scale in your favor.

Don’t Ignore the Red Flags

Forewarned is forearmed. Use this handy checklist to identify if your specimens are the victim of a deer’s gourmet adventure:

• Stripping bark, especially at a height of up to four feet
• Mangled branches
• Browsing line, a visible demarcation where lower foliage appears bare and higher parts remain untouched
• Deep, torn gouges in tree trunks 
• Hoof prints
• Small, pellet-like droppings

Jumpstart Your Winter Preparation

So, you’ve spotted the telltale signs of these destructive intruders. It’s time to implement tree protection from deer.

Erect Physical Barriers

Snow fencing makes a fantastic first line of defense that keeps those wandering herbivores away from your precious greenery. Set up a high border (about eight feet tall) to dissuade leaping attempts by adventurous deer.

Do you prefer something less visually intrusive? You could opt for individual wraps and guards. They’re affordable, effective, and relatively easy to install.

Apply Chemical Deterrents

Look for deer repellents in your local gardening store. These products operate on two premises: they either smell repulsive to deer or impart an unpleasant taste to the plants, discouraging future nibbling. 

Remember, deer are smart creatures, and they can grow accustomed to the smell or taste over time. Keep rotating between different brands to maintain their efficiency. You should also reapply after heavy rain or snow to protect your trees from significant damage.

Eliminate Potential Food Sources

Minimize animal attraction by clearing out tempting nibbles from your yard. This includes compost containers, bird feeders, and fallen fruit; a cleaner yard equals fewer visitors! If you can part with them, consider removing nearby vegetation that herbivores love, like hostas, daylilies, and geraniums.

Consult a Local Arborist

Don’t let these forest raiders turn your property into their playground! If you notice deer damage, reach out to us at Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists. Our specialists will arrive swiftly to establish tree protection from deer.

We can also treat gloomy scale in plants, provide regular trimming and pruning sessions, and become your long-term partner in maintaining the vibrancy of your living landscape — so dial 610-840-2655 today!

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As the go-to tree service in West Chester, PA, our team at Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists knows that fall tree planting can give your saplings a head start. Do you want to know why? Stick around as we break down the nitty-gritty details, from the science behind the process to the practical tips for your gardening endeavors.

Fall Is a Sapling’s Best Friend

If you envision a lush, verdant oasis gracing your landscape, don’t purchase your saplings just yet! Wait for autumn and reap the bountiful rewards.

Ideal Soil Conditions 

During autumn, soil conditions are just about perfect. The ground, still warm from the summer heat, coupled with the cool autumn air, creates an ideal environment for root growth. 

You see, unlike the above-ground parts of a tree (which snooze during winter), roots continue to grow. This gives your newly planted trees extra time to develop an established root system before spring rolls around.

Moisture Retention

With the scorching summer sun out of the picture, the cooler autumn temperatures reduce the rate of water evaporation. What’s more, fall typically brings more rainfall. Both of these factors mean your new trees will require less manual watering, taking a bit of the workload off your shoulders.

Natural Mulching

Nature pitches in to help with your fall tree planting. As leaves tumble from nearby trees and shrubs, they create a natural mulch that locks in soil moisture and provides vital nutrients as they decompose. Talk about an effortless two-birds-with-one-stone situation!

Timing Is Everything

Start by observing nearby trees. If they still sport their glorious red and gold foliage, that’s your cue to grab your gardening gloves. Bare branches may indicate that it’s too late in the season for planting.

You might also want to invest in a soil thermometer. This handy tool will tell you when the ground has cooled down enough for optimal planting. Aim for temperatures consistently above 45°F. 

Is the ground already frozen? You should wait for a warmer time to plant trees. The ice and persistent winter winds might spell trouble for your fledgling specimens.

Planting Advice To Heed

Give your new additions the best shot at survival with these tried-and-true planting tips from our seasoned arborists:

• Consider identifying specimens endemic to your area and choosing those for their proven adaptability and resistance to local pests and diseases.
• When planting, ensure the root ball of the tree lies level or slightly above the ground surface.
• Don’t forget to give your trees a good soaking. 

Seek Help From Certified Arborists

From finding the best trees to plant in your yard to jumpstarting your fall tree planting project, our crew at Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists can make the process a breeze. Call 610-840-2655 today! We’re ready to help.

The post Fall Tree Planting: Why It’s the Best Time of the Year appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

This invasive pest has wreaked havoc in over three counties in the state, threatening to drive the Carolina hemlock and eastern hemlock species to extinction. All is not lost, though. In this post, we delve deeper to learn more about hemlock wooly adelgid and how to deal with it, as advised by one of Pennsylvania’s leading providers of residential tree care and inspection services. 

Identifying Wolly Adelgid – Common Infestation Signs and Symptoms

While wooly adelgids can infest all species of hemlock trees, they’re most unforgiving to the Carolina and eastern hemlock. These pesky insects target fresh growth, and you’ll often find them at the bottom of your tree’s needles. 

Once they hatch from eggs, they start feeding on sap. This drains the tree’s stems and needles, eventually killing the entire branch. The whole tree may also die in the end. 

Hemlock wooly adelgid can quickly spread from one tree to the next by wind or animals that come in contact with it, but how do know you have an infestation?

Look out for the following common signs and symptoms:

• You notice brownish-orange eggs in spring.
• The eggs hatch into minute brown crawling insects by early summer. The reddish-brown insects are less than 1/16th-inch long. 
• They create woolly-like white nests that mimic tiny cotton balls.
• You see tiny white nodes on the bottom side of your tree’s branches.

As the temperatures rise in summer, the wooly adelgids become inactive. They’ll return in the fall and start feeding again. Additionally, an adelgid-infested hemlock will often turn from a shiny dark green to a greyish-green color.

How To Treat Hemlock Wooly Adelgid 

You have several chemical and natural treatment options when it comes to dealing with this invasive pest. Let’s explore some of the options:

Chemical Treatments

You can use sprays and insecticides to control infestations on individual trees. However, you must saturate the trees to neutralize the adelgids. If you have larger trees, you’ll get better results by applying systemic insecticides to the soil around the base of the tree or directly injecting them into the tree. 

Insecticidal Soaps and Horticultural Oils

These options are often less toxic and easier on the environment. This doesn’t mean you can use them near water sources!

Biological Control

You can introduce pseudoscymnus tsugae to your property. This tiny black lady beetle feeds on hemlock wooly adelgid. 

Contact Your Local Tree Experts for Assistance

The best way to treat any tree disease or infestation is by contacting a local tree expert.

If you need help dealing with hemlock wooly adelgid and their unsightly egg sacs, Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists is your go-to local arborist in Chester, PA. Contact us at 610-840-2655 to request a quote and schedule an appointment with a qualified tree disease specialist today!

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Here’s more from top-rated providers of tree arborist services in West Chester, PA.

Chlorophyll Degradation: Green Means Go

Contrary to popular belief, trees primarily change color because of the changes in sunlight or a lack of sunlight rather than autumn’s chilly weather conditions. As the autumn days shorten, the change in the light triggers deciduous plants to stop transporting sugar production in leaves for growth. To do that, the plants kickstart the chlorophyll degradation process. 

You probably already know that chlorophyll gives leaves their characteristic green color. It also plays a primary role in absorbing sunlight so that the plant can photosynthesize. However, as shortened sunlight exposure triggers chemical changes in the plant, a corky wall of cells forms between the leaf stalk and the twig to stop this translocation.

As these cells multiply, they seal off vessels that supply the leaf with water and nutrients. They also partially block exit vessels, essentially trapping simple sugars in the leaves. So, the combination of reduced sunlight and less water and nutrients stops the trees from breaking down chlorophyll, which means the green color fades.

Only when the green color of chlorophyll fades do other color pigments shine through. Chlorophyll degradation simply reveals the underlying yellows and reds that make autumn special.

What Causes the Fall Leaf Color Changes to Bright Yellows and Reds?  

The following pigments explain the various leaf colors:  

• Anthocyanins give leaves their deep red and purplish hues  
• Carotenoids give leaves their brilliant yellow and orange colors  
• Leaves turn brownish or tan-colored because of tannins

Leaves typically have carotenoids all summer, but chlorophyll masks the color during the growing season. However, plants freshly produce anthocyanins as autumn conditions ramp up. 

Scientists have various theories to explain why trees would produce a new pigment while otherwise trying to save their resources for the harsh winter ahead. But the research hasn’t landed on an answer just yet.

Don’t Forget About The Sunlight and Temperature Effects  

While fall leaf color changes have daylight to thank for it, temperature and precipitation seem to contribute to the intensity of these color changes. For example, decreasing daytime temperatures lead to more vivid colors.

Count on Your Local Tree Experts for Help

You’ve invested a lot of time and effort into your property’s beautiful trees. Why not protect your investment with honest, accurate, and objective tree care maintenance and recommendations from Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists? Services include the following: 

• Residential tree care  
• Deep root feeding  
• Growth regulation methods
• Soil and trunk injections and more

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at (610) 840-2655 today to schedule a consultation. We’ll tell you everything you need to know, from why fall leaf color changes occur to the best trees for your front yard in and around Westchester, Pennsylvania.

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Air spading can help you fix the issue. As seasoned residential tree care and inspection professionals, we’ll explore in greater detail how girdling roots occur, potential remedies, and more.   

What Causes Girdling?

Roots girdle primarily because of poor planting technique, such as a tree that’s raised in a small pot. Under normal circumstances where root systems have sufficient space, the roots grow away from the trunk. When developing roots have nowhere else to go, they start growing in a circle around the pot’s interior. However, once roots growing in a restricted space girdle to the point where the main roots grow large and stiff, the roots won’t bend. As a result, the tree will grow with girdling roots.  

Stem girdling roots may develop because of planting trees too deeply. Burying roots too deep starves them of oxygen and water, forcing the roots to grow up towards the soil surface before they eventually encircle the tree trunk. Dealing with surface roots requires professional intervention. 

Effects of Girdling Roots  

While roots that girdle other roots may be harmless, stem girdling roots actually choke the plant and restrict the flow of water and nutrients between the roots and the rest of the plant. Before long, the tree will struggle to get enough nutrients, grow weak, and eventually succumb to death.  

A girdling root may also affect a tree trunk’s appearance. Tree trunks usually flare out when they enter the ground, but stem girdling roots may prevent root flares.  

How Air Spading Works  

An air spade works by blowing air into the soil to gain access to a tree’s roots and correct root issues such as girdling. The tool injects a supersonic jet of air into the soil, effectively removing the soil and exposing the root system without causing any harm.  

Once you have exposed roots, a tree care expert can then prune the roots and correct any problems caused by improper growth or planting.  

Hire Professionals  

Air spading is a delicate process that requires professional expertise. In the hands of an untrained professional, an air spade can easily compromise your tree’s health. If you have a tree that needs air spading or root pruning, seek the services of an experienced professional.  

Contact Your Local Tree Care Experts for Help  

Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists offers the exceptional tree care your trees and shrubs need to stay beautiful and healthy long into the future. We keep up with the latest techniques in arboriculture and offer several tree services, including:  

• Residential tree care  
• Growth regulation service 
• Insect and disease control  
• Deep root feeding  

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at (610) 840-2655 to request a consultation in West Chester, PA. Feel free to reach out to us for more information on how air spading resolves problems with girdling roots or to learn about root collar excavation.

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As a trusted tree arborist in West Chester, PA, Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists has witnessed the modus operandi of this malady often. If you’re concerned about your beloved beech specimens, keep reading to arm yourself with some essential knowledge.

Watch Out for the Red Flags

The warning signs of beech leaf disease are quite distinct, making it easier to spot them early. Stay vigilant about the following:

• Leaf symptoms: Beech leaves will slowly develop dark, irregularly shaped bands between the leaf veins. Over time, the whole leaf becomes deformed and may look smaller than usual.
• Unseasonal foliage drop: Who doesn’t relish the sight of fall leaves changing color and gently drifting to the ground? Sadly, infected trees shed their leaves prematurely, typically during the summer months.
• Unusual leaf texture: Infected leaves often take on a leathery texture, devoid of the usual suppleness of healthy beech foliage.
• Reduced leaf and bud production: A once lush and vibrant tree may begin to look sparse or be unable to muster its usual springtime spectacle.

Suspected Beech Leaf Disease Carriers: Nematodes

So, how does beech leaf disease spread? Experts believe that a nematode, Litylenchus crenatae mccannii, is the main culprit in BLD’s spread between trees. Since the discovery of this microscopic worm is fairly recent, the way it transmits the disease remains a subject of intensive research. 

Top Ways You Can Protect Your Garden

Do you want to minimize the risk to your beech trees? Follow these simple steps:

• Perform preventive pruning: Regularly trim your trees, removing dead or diseased limbs to keep the pathogens at bay. This practice also enables the trees to refocus their energies on healthy growth.
• Maintain a clean environment: Is the area around your trees free of fallen leaves or dead wood? If not, these could serve as breeding grounds for disease.
• Check new saplings: Do you want to add healthy beech trees to your landscape? Isolate the saplings from your old trees and inspect them for unusual changes before planting.
• Buy soil from reliable sources: A reputable soil supplier performs regular tests for pathogens, including the dreaded nematodes.

Remember, prevention is always better than cure — especially when it comes to plant health.

Effective Strategies for Managing and Treating Beech Leaf Disease

• Pruning and sanitation: Remove and destroy all infected leaves and branches from the affected beech tree. This can help to reduce the spread of the disease and prevent reinfection. Proper disposal of the removed plant material is crucial to prevent the disease from spreading to other trees.
• Fertilization and soil management: Maintaining a healthy and well-nourished beech tree can help it fight off the disease. Apply a balanced slow-release fertilizer to promote overall tree health. It is also important to ensure proper soil moisture and drainage to create optimal growing conditions for the tree.
• Pest management: Beech leaf disease is believed to be caused by a microscopic worm called a nematode. Chemical treatment options to control nematodes are limited, but some systemic insecticides might offer some level of control. Consult with a professional arborist for specific recommendations on insecticide treatments that may be suitable for your situation. Integrated pest management strategies may also include the use of beneficial insects or other natural enemies of nematodes to help control their population.

It is important to note that while these treatments may help manage the disease, there is currently no known cure for beech leaf disease. Monitoring the tree’s health, practicing good sanitation, and promoting overall tree vigor are essential for managing the disease’s impact..

Reach Out to a Local Arborist in West Chester, Pennsylvania

Don’t let diseases turn your majestic trees into a sad mess. Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists preserves the natural beauty of Pennsylvania one tree at a time. If you suspect a problem, our crew can prevent or address a host of plant diseases, such as:

• Beech leaf disease
• Beech bark disease
• Woolly beech aphid
• Erineum galls
• Anthracnose and more

How does beech leaf disease spread? If you’d like to know more about tree disease control, make your living landscape a priority and call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 today!

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While the adults don’t harm their host trees, the caterpillar will eat a substantial percentage of its leaves, making a case for proper infestation management. In this post, the seasoned residential tree care and inspection experts from Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists discuss how to identify this pest species and manage them to save your trees.

More About the Eastern Tent Caterpillar 

• Young caterpillars: black body with two barely distinguishable yellow stripes down the back. 
• Older caterpillars: a thick white stripe running down their backs between the yellow ones and hairs on the side of their bodies.

Controlling the eastern tent caterpillar on your trees starts with prevention, which requires an in-depth understanding of the moth and caterpillar life cycle. For example, once eastern tent caterpillars hatch in spring, they collectively build their trademark caterpillar web tents. These nests protect them from predators and typically sit in the branch fork and crotches of the host tree.

Adult female moths lay eggs on the small branches of host plants in the summer. These eggs overwinter on the branches, hatching the following spring. When the caterpillars emerge, they begin spinning their tents as they eat foliage (usually in mid-spring).

Then, once caterpillars mature, they crawl to the ground and make cocoons for shelter during the pupation phase. Adult moths emerge in a couple of weeks to mate, lay eggs, and complete the cycle.

Caterpillar Feeding Damage  

The caterpillars occasionally feed on various deciduous trees and shrubs, but they prefer trees in the rose family, such as:

• Apple
• Peach
• Cherry
• Crabapple
• Plum
• Hawthorn

While a small infestation of the tent caterpillars will have a minor impact on a large, healthy tree, younger or stressed trees may suffer severe damage.   

How To Control Eastern Tent Caterpillars  

Getting rid of an active eastern tent caterpillar infestation is easy with several options on offer, including the following:

Remove Tents Manually  

Wear work gloves, remove the tents and caterpillars by hand, and put them in a bag to dispose of them after squishing.

Remove Eggs Manually  

Watch for eggs on branches earlier in the season. Remove them by hand or prune affected branches.

Apply a Pesticide  

Apply a pesticide during the early stages of the pest’s life cycle before they grow bigger, stronger, and more resistant to pesticides.  

Attract Predators  

Foster an environment friendly to eastern tent caterpillar predators such as cardinals, robins, and blue jays.

Contact Your Local Tree Experts  

Are you looking for Certified Arborists that are deeply rooted in exceptional tree care? Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists’ dedicated team focuses solely on the health and wellness of trees and shrubs. We offer various tree wellness and insect and disease control services, such as:

• Residential tree care  
• Deep root feeding  
• Soil and trunk injections  
• Growth regulation

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at (610) 840-2655 for more information on managing eastern tent caterpillar infestations and other insect disease control measures for thriving trees!

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As one of the go-to residential tree care and inspection crews in Pennsylvania, the team at Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists knows a thing or two about this mysterious condition. Below, we break down the facts that can help to safeguard your trees and plants from this contagion.

Where Does the Bacteria Come From?

Bacterial leaf scorch is an unsightly symptom caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. It can make its way into the water-conducting tissue (xylem) of trees, leading to the plant’s inability to transport water and nutrients properly. The resulting distress signal is a scorched look to the leaf’s edges, which is why even the most veteran gardener can mistake it for drought or heat stress.

How Does it Spread?

Is bacterial leaf scorch contagious? Unfortunately, yes. BLS spreads via xylem-feeding insects, such as leafhoppers and spittlebugs. 

These insects feast on the infected tree’s sap and then flit from one tree to another, unknowingly serving as delivery vehicles for the Xylella fastidiosa bacteria. BLS can also spread through root grafts. So, when you attach an infected stem to a healthy rootstock or vice-versa, you run the risk of passing on the disease.

BLS Management Strategies

Now that you know how BLS spreads, you’re probably wondering how to keep it at bay. Consider these strategies to help minimize the spread:

Avoid Planting Certain Trees

BLS isn’t an equal opportunity offender; it favors some tree varieties. The most susceptible species include the following:

• Elm
• Red Maple
• Oak
• Sycamore
• Mulberry
• Dogwood

Maintain Plant Vigor

The first line of defense is to make your tree more naturally resilient to pests and disease. Regular watering, proper fertilization, and the use of mulch can improve your tree’s overall health.

Conduct Pruning or Removal

Sometimes, keeping the spread of BLS at bay requires a more drastic, direct intervention. When you spot a branch that’s showing signs of bacterial leaf scorch, prune it off. If the tree is beyond redemption, you might need a full removal, though. 

While it’s a tough call to make, removal might be the only way to safeguard the rest of your trees if the leaf scorch has got beyond a certain point.

Get Antibiotic Injections

Administering Oxytetracycline root flare injections during spring can effectively decrease bacterium levels and delay symptoms for a few weeks. However, this option is pricey and requires an annual reapplication. If you’re seriously contemplating injections for a beloved tree specimen, be sure to consult a Certified Arborist first.

Seek Help From the Tree Professionals in Pennsylvania

Is bacterial leaf scorch contagious year-round? Yes. And since the premature browning of leaves can have multiple causes, it helps to reach out to a Certified Arborist for advice or a full assessment of your trees.

Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists is highly proficient at diagnosing bacterial leaf scorch and helping manage it. So, call 610-840-2655 to give your trees the best chance of a full recovery!

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Sadly, every beauty has its beast, and for this illustrious tree species, the monstrous menace is the magnolia scale insect. Don’t worry; as West Chester’s trusted tree arborist, Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists know how to treat magnolia scale and keep your beloved trees safe from harm. Keep reading for everything you need to know about this tree pest, including how to beat it.

Know Your Foe: Magnolia Scale

Magnolia scale, scientifically known as Neolecanium cornuparvum, is a colossal pain. It’s a creepy-crawly terror but not your typical insect. Rather, it’s a type of soft scale, an insidious arthropod that clings to the branches of trees, quietly siphoning away at the life-giving sap.

By the time you spot them—the waxy bumps on the branches—it’s a clear sign they have already set up shop. Other symptoms to look out for include the following:

• Sticky leaves and branches due to honeydew excretion (a sugary liquid the pest produces)
• Yellowed foliage
• Branch die-back
• Sooty mold

What to Do To Help Your Trees Against The Dreaded Scale

Do you have an infestation on your hands? Learn how to treat magnolia scale with these tried-and-true countermeasures:

Manual Removal

Sometimes, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as rolling up your sleeves and showing these little devils the door yourself. With a soft brush and a bit of elbow grease, you can quite literally scrub these pests away. However, this route can be time-consuming, especially for larger infestations.

Pruning

By trimming off the infested branches, you can halt the spread of the scale to the rest of the tree. Just remember to dispose of these branches properly, or you might inadvertently build a bridge for the pest to another precious tree!

Horticultural Soaps or Oils

These are fantastic, eco-friendly alternatives to chemical insecticides. An application of horticultural soap or oil will suffocate the scale insects by clogging up their breathing tubes.

A Final Scale Solution: Chemical Insecticides

If you have a widespread infestation or the scale proves particularly resilient, chemical insecticides might be your last resort. These are potent concoctions designed to pack a punch. Use them sparingly due to the potential impact on beneficial insects and the environment.

Arborists typically recommend applying them in late summer, when the insects are still crawlers (juvenile stage) and not yet resilient to treatments. Do it at dusk to minimize the potential harm to bees and other pollinators.

Consult a Trusted Local Arborist in Pennsylvania Today!

Remember, while these magnolia scale strategies can indeed help, they do require a keen eye and a sure hand. Why not leave the task to trained professionals?

At Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists, we know how to treat magnolia scale and implement key preventative measures to protect your precious plants for years to come. Contact us at 610-840-2655 and say goodbye to scale insects forever!

The post How to Treat Magnolia Scale in West Chester, PA appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

As the go-to residential tree care and inspection crew in the area, Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists provides a few tips to help arm your plants against these unwanted guests.

Keep a Vigilant Watch On Your Trees and Act Quickly

With tree pests, the earlier you detect signs of infestation, the easier it will be for you to combat them. If peach tree borers have already made their way into your yard, you might spot the following symptoms on your trees:

• Sawdust-like frass (larvae’s excreted waste)
• Oozing sap
• Wilting leaves
• Stunted growth
• Diminished fruiting yields
• Girdling trees

While its name might imply that the peach tree borer (Synanthedon exitiosa) only targets peach trees, this insect also goes for other fruit and ornamental trees, including cherry, apricot, nectarine, plum, and apple. So, regularly inspecting your specimens can make all the difference when it comes to prevention.

Spotted a Peach Tree Borer? Here’s What to Do Next

If your trees are under siege, you have a battalion of treatments at your disposal to fend off these pests. A Certified Arborist will likely use the following:

Install Pheromone Traps for Eco-friendly Prevention

Pheromone traps are a non-toxic and eco-friendly method of preventing peach tree borer damage. They mimic the scent of a female borer, luring the males and preventing them from finding actual females to reproduce with.

To set up a pheromone trap, experts will position it at about chest height on the tree during early summer when the males start their quest for a mate.

Consider Regularly Applying Organic Sprays or Insecticides

Insecticides containing substances like Asana XL or Lorsban can help prevent borer eggs from reaching the larval stage, which is when they cause cambium layer damage. Most products require spraying the trunk and lower branches. It’s best to avoid the upper foliage or fruit as this can harm pollinators and other beneficial insects.

You can also try organic neem oil, kaolin clay, or citrus extract sprays as an alternative.

Investing in Biological Control Methods Can Help Maintain Your Trees

Many organisms effectively manage the borer population without causing collateral damage. For example, beneficial nematodes attack eggs, larvae, and pupae when regularly introduced into the surrounding soil.

Another option is Bacillus thuringiensis. This soil-borne bacteria has been used since the 1950s to control insect larvae. Spraying it inside borer holes can act as an organic pesticide that disrupts the pest’s lifecycle.

Consult a Local Arborist to Save Your Trees!

Each tree is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. Why not reach out to a professional for an effective treatment plan for your tree’s specific needs?

At Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists, plant health is a top priority. Call us at 610-840-2655 if you want a team that is fully committed to ensuring your trees stay healthy and bountiful. We can help you to prevent peach tree borer damage and other headaches caused by tree borer insects.

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As the go-to tree arborist in West Chester, PA, Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists has a keen understanding of drought stress in trees. Keep reading for ways to keep your trees happy and green, even when the weather’s dry enough to make a cactus feel at home.

Spotting the Symptoms of Drought Stress

Trees can’t ask for a drink of water, so it’s our job to read the signs and step in when necessary. Here’s a checklist to help you determine if your trees need supplemental watering:

• Are there wilted or drooping leaves?
• Are you noticing unseasonal leaf drops?
• Is there stunted growth?
• Is there foliage discoloration?
• Are there dead branches, especially near the outer tips or the top of the tree?

What to Do For Your Trees During Drought Conditions

Sprinkling a few drops of water won’t do the trick if drought stress in trees is imminent. It’s important to water the right way. Here’s how:

Timing is Important

You can’t just hose down a tree whenever it’s most convenient in your schedule. Particularly during a drought, early morning or late afternoon would be best to hydrate your specimens. This timing allows the trees to absorb enough water before it evaporates during the hottest hours of the day.

Water Deeply

A deep, slow watering is far more beneficial than a quick sprinkle. It “trains” your tree to dive deep into the ground and establish a strong root system. So, give your thirsty tree a long, deep soak at the outer edge of the drip line (where the foliage ends). 

Another good practice would be to keep the soil moist during drier seasons but not saturated.

Avoid Saline Water

The salts in highly saline water wreak havoc on a tree’s root system, leading to a condition known as salt burn. It may cause stress exacerbation or, worse, the kiss of death for the tree.

One Last Tip: Mulch Does Wonders for Soil Moisture Conservation

Mulching isn’t just for making your garden look neat and tidy; it’s a tree’s best friend during a drought. Mulch acts as a moisture-retaining blanket for the roots, especially when it consists of organic materials like wood chips, leaves, or straw. As a bonus, the right mulch will suppress weed growth and reduce the tree’s competition for water.

Reach Out to The Tree Experts for Healthier Gardens

Just like a well-balanced diet keeps us in tip-top shape, a nutritious mix of elements grows strong trees that resist the hardships of drought conditions. Unfortunately, applying the wrong type or amount of fertilizer can aggravate the situation. So why not let the experts handle this task and give your trees the best? 

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 today for more tips on minimizing drought stress in trees or other situations that call for an arborist tree assessment.

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Understanding Cottony Camellia Scale

Cottony camellia scale, scientifically known as Pulvinaria floccifera, is a type of scale insect that primarily targets camellias, hollies, and other host plants. These pests:

• Are most noticeable during their egg-laying stage
• Have a life cycle that includes one generation per year
• Can cause significant damage to plants if left untreated

Identifying and Monitoring Cottony Camellia Scale

Identifying cottony camellia scale early plays a crucial role in protecting your plants. These pests become most visible when they lay eggs, producing a cotton-like egg sac on the underside of leaves. 

To effectively identify cottony camellia scale, it’s important to know what to look for. Continue reading for some key indicators:

• Cotton-like egg sacs: These are the most visible sign of cottony camellia scale. You can often find them on the underside of leaves, and they can be quite large, sometimes up to half an inch long.
• Yellowing leaves: As the scale insects feed on the plant’s sap, they can cause the leaves to turn yellow and eventually drop off.
• Sooty mold: This black, powdery fungus grows on the honeydew excreted by the scale insects. While it doesn’t harm the plant directly, it can block sunlight and reduce the plant’s ability to photosynthesize.

For more detailed information on cottony camellia scale, including images and additional signs of infestation, check out this comprehensive guide. This resource can help you become more familiar with these pests, enhancing your ability to identify them early and take appropriate action.

Effective Methods for Treating Cottony Camellia Scale

Treating cottony camellia scale involves a combination of cultural, biological, and chemical control methods. Some effective strategies include the following:

• Regularly inspect your plants for early signs of infestation.
• Encourage natural predators like ladybugs and lacewings.
• Apply horticultural oil or insecticidal soap during the crawler stage.

Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists: Your Partner in Plant Health

Treating cottony camellia scale can seem like a daunting task, but with the right knowledge and resources, you can protect your plants from these pests. At Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists, we remain committed to helping you maintain the health and beauty of your green spaces. If you suspect an infestation, don’t hesitate to schedule an arborist tree assessment.

We offer a comprehensive range of services tailored to meet your specific needs. Our team of experts uses the latest techniques and products to ensure your plants are healthy and vibrant. If you live in West Chester, PA, or the surrounding areas and need help treating cottony camellia scale, call us at 610-840-2655. Trust Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists to keep your plants thriving.

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At Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists, we understand the importance of maintaining the health of your trees. In this guide, we will explain whether a pear tree can recover from fire blight. As West Chester’s reliable tree arborist, we’re here to help you understand this disease better.

Understanding Fire Blight

Fire blight refers to a bacterial disease that primarily affects trees in the Rosaceae family, including pear trees. Named for the burned appearance of infected trees, the disease can kill blossoms, shoots, and branches and, in severe cases, even kill the tree. Fire blight bacteria survive winter in cankers on the trunk or branches of infected trees. In spring, during warm, wet weather, bacteria begin to multiply and seep out of the canker as a sweet, sticky liquid known as bacterial ooze. Insects, rain, or even gardeners’ hands and tools can then spread the bacteria.

Can a Pear Tree Recover?

The answer to the question, “Can a pear tree recover from fire blight?” is yes, but it requires immediate and appropriate action. Let’s review some steps you can take:

• Prune Infected Branches: As soon as you notice signs of fire blight, prune the infected branches. This helps to prevent the disease from spreading to the rest of the tree.
• Avoid Excessive Nitrogen Fertilizer: Too much nitrogen can make your tree highly susceptible to fire blight. It’s best to use a balanced fertilizer that promotes overall tree health.
• Plant Resistant Varieties: If you plant new trees, consider varieties that become less susceptible to fire blight. While no tree stays completely immune, some varieties can slow the progression of the disease, giving you more time to take action.
• Monitor Regularly: Keep a close eye on your trees, especially during the spring and summer months when fire blight is most active. Early detection means effective fire blight control.

For more information on how to manage fire blight, check out this comprehensive guide.

Protect Your Pear Trees With Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists

So, can a pear tree recover from fire blight? Yes, it can, but it requires your attention and care. At Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists, we believe in proactive measures to keep your trees healthy. If you don’t know what fire blight looks like or need help managing an infection, we’re here to help.

Our experienced team deals with all types of tree diseases, and we aim to help you maintain the health and beauty of your trees. If you live in West Chester, PA, or the surrounding areas and need help with fire blight control, don’t hesitate to contact us. Remember, at Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists, we’re not just about treating diseases; we’re about ensuring your trees thrive.

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What Are Spider Mites?  

Invisible to the naked eye, spider mites are tiny bugs that suck plant nutrients from leaf tissue with their needle-like mouthparts. Signs of an infestation include webbing and stippling or tiny white dots on leaves.   

Spider mites create nasty webs, starting on the undersides of leaves and at leaf joints, making it difficult to notice them right away. When you use a magnifying glass to examine the leaves, you may notice some bugs and spider mite eggs.   

They often look like white spiders but can also appear tan, red, or black, depending on the species. Twospotted spider mites, for example, feature one or more dark spots on either side of their bodies, while spruce spider mites have a grayish-brown appearance.  

Do you suspect a spider mite infestation? Consider scheduling a residential tree care and inspection check.  

Spider Mite Prevention Tips  

Before adding a new plant to your home or garden, consider the following precautionary measures on how to prevent spider mites.  

1.  Isolate New Purchases  

Isolating a plant may seem drastic, but you want to eliminate any chance that an infested plant could affect other plants in your home or garden. Isolate new plants for a couple of weeks as you watch for signs of an infestation before reintroducing them to the rest of your collection.  

2.  Reduce Plant Stress  

Stress makes a plant more vulnerable to pests and disease. That said, keeping your plants strong and healthy will help prevent spider mite infestations. Ensure your plants receive sufficient sunlight, water, and nutrients to minimize plant stress.  

3.  Clean The Leaves  

Cleaning your leaves comes with several benefits. It eliminates dust, allows your plant to absorb more sunlight, and removes spider mites on your plants. Wipe down smooth-leaved plants with a damp cloth and use a soft-bristle brush for fuzzy-leaved plants.  

4.  Increase Humidity  

Spider mites thrive in warm, low-humid, or dry conditions typical of indoor environments. Increasing the moisture levels of your plant area will keep them at bay.  

Getting Rid of Spider Mites  

A spider mite infestation doesn’t mean the end of the road for your plant. The following tips can help you get rid of spider mites once they attack your plant:  

• Wipe down the leaves with soapy water  
• Spray horticultural oils on the upper and lower leaf surfaces   
• Hose down your plant with water at least once weekly  
• Introduce natural predators like ladybugs  

Contact Your Local Tree Care Experts  

Are you looking for professional tree health care experts? Look no further than the Certified Arborists at Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists. We proudly serve West Chester, PA, and beyond with the following services:  

• Residential tree care  
• Deep root feeding  
• Growth regulations  
• Soil injections  
• Trunk injections  

Contact us at (610) 840-2655 for more tips on how to prevent spider mites or guidelines on when to schedule a tree inspection. 

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As the most trusted tree arborist in Chester, PA, and surrounding areas, we discuss gloomy scale and answer the question: “Will gloomy scale kill my maple tree?” keep reading for more information.   

What Is the Gloomy Scale?  

Gloomy scales are armored scale insects that attach themselves to the host plant’s bark and suck out nutrients and water from the plant. You’ll find gloomy scales on red maples and other plants like elms, sweetgums, and tulip poplars.   

Most infestations go unnoticed, with light infestations leading to minimal damage. Heavy infestations typically result in stunted growth, discolored leaves, branch dieback, and overall poor health.  

At an advanced stage, treating gloomy scales may prove difficult because they have a protective covering that shields them from certain pesticides and predators. By the time you notice a heavy infestation, we recommend calling a Certified Arborist in West Chester, PA.  

If you’re still wondering, “Will gloomy scale kill my maple tree?” The short answer is: It may kill your tree, but it probably won’t.  

Most people probably won’t even notice they have a gloomy-scale-infested tree. However, the cost of managing or treating a gloomy scale infestation at advanced stages may exceed the tree’s value.   

The Urbanization Effect  

Urbanization and climate change impact the growth of gloomy scale insects. The overall rise in temperatures and dry conditions from urban warming can directly increase gloomy scale populations by creating conducive environments for them to grow and even survive winter temperatures. 

While currently not a problem in forested areas, trends suggest that gloomy scale insects may become a problem in future forests as global warming continues.  

Bottom line  

You may employ biological, mechanical, or chemical control measures such as systemic insecticides to try to keep gloomy scales at bay. However, cultural practices tend to be the most environmentally-friendly approach to minimizing gloomy scale damage, especially on newly planted red maples.   

Cultural control options include selecting less susceptible cultivars and providing proper plant care and maintenance that minimizes tree stress and promotes good tree health and establishment.  

Contact Your Local Tree Health and Wellness Experts  

If you notice something wrong with the trees and shrubs on your property, trust Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists for accurate and honest recommendations on tree care maintenance. Our tree doctors can properly identify, diagnose, and treat trees affected by insect attacks, disease, and environmental stress.  

We proudly serve the needs of homeowners throughout West Chester, PA, and surrounding areas. Our tree care services include:  

• Residential tree care  
• Growth regulations  
• Deep root feeding  
• Soil injections  
• Trunk injections  

Give us a call today at (610) 840-2655 to discuss the question, “Will gloomy scale kill my maple tree” or tips on treating Gloomy Scale in plants.  

The post Will Gloomy Scale Kill My Maple Tree? appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

Numerous clients call us wondering why European white birch trees are shedding leaves and experiencing branch dieback. Because birch trees encompass a broad range of cultivars and subspecies, landscapers and residents view them as desirable landscape specimens. However, they experience higher stress levels in suburban and commercial environments without professional care. Poor cultural practices and site selection leave them vulnerable to insects like the birch borer (Agrilus Anxius) and the birch sawfly (Cimbex Femoratus), which can cause tree death when left unattended.

What bronze birch borer symptoms should you watch out for, and can you save a heavily infested tree? Our licensed arborists will answer your birch pest-related questions in this article.

What Is the Bronze Birch Borer?

The bronze birch borer is one of the most well-studied and documented threats to birch trees in Canada and the United States. Throughout the 20s and early 30s, arborists thought they only resided in stressed and dying woodlands, living off the dead and decaying tissues of birch trees. Today, you can find them in virtually every suburban and commercial setting.

Birch species have varying levels of vulnerability to the bronze birch borer. For example:

• The whitebarked Himalayan birch, or Betula jacquemontii, is the most vulnerable type for infestations.
• The European white birch and subspecies of the Betula pendula are highly susceptible.
• The cherry birch and its subspecies are less likely to host the bronze birch borer.
• The heritage river birch and other Betula nigra subspecies are nearly immune to infestations.

Bronze Birch Borer Symptoms

Bronze birch borer symptoms of infestation include:

• Sawdust-packed tunnels beneath the hardened bark tissue of European white and whitebarked Himalayan birch trees
• Bumps and ridges on birch branches and limbs, with D-shaped holes lining the bark
• Dying or balding upper crown
• Sparse leafage

How Arborists Manage and Control Bronze Birch Borer Infestations

Female bronze birch borers tunnel D-shaped holes beneath the crevices and cracks of the bark of a vulnerable birch tree. Colonies form as they lay eggs that turn into larvae after two weeks. These larvae have piercing tissues on their mouths that can tunnel into the vascular tissues of trees, robbing them of essential sugars and life-supporting nutrients.

Arborists control bronze birch borer and gloomy scale populations by eliminating diseased and dying branches before newly hatched larvae can damage tree phloem in early May. We might spray approved chemical pesticides like permethrin and bifenthrin to eliminate fully grown colonies.

Birch trees are beautiful but are easily stressed and short-lived, making them vulnerable to infestations in urban settings. Lawn trees that receive sparse moisture and nutrients require customized fertilization methods. Strategic planting is essential for avoiding infestations.

Get Expert Help Today

Learn more about bronze birch borer symptoms. Contact licensed tree care services by calling Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 and asking for a consultation.

The post Bronze Birch Borer: Symptoms and Treatment appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

Many forest and ornamental species have the appearance of a waxy coating on the underside of the needles on their upper-surface cones and leaves, indicating the presence of elongate hemlock scale infestations. Some mistake elongate hemlock scale as a genetic disease or fungal infestation because of its odd name, but it’s actually an insect.

These pests are challenging to detect in deciduous forests because the slightly-powdered appearance of leaves is virtually unnoticeable from a distance. Diagnosing and managing elongate hemlock scale requires a trained eye and technical experience, which our arborists provide to dozens of five-star reviews every month.

We will outline signs of an elongate hemlock scale infestation in this article. We will also help you decide whether to eliminate or save your trees by describing how licensed arborists remove this insect.

What Is the Elongate Hemlock Scale?

The elongate hemlock scale is a winged insect related to the hemlock woolly adelgid and gloomy scale families. It feeds on a diet of spruce, hemlock, and fir tissue but can also derive nutrition from pine, cedar, and yew.

Arborists first detected its presence in Japan before lumber merchants brought it to New York in 1908. It has spread to the Midwest, primarily infecting deciduous forests in North Carolina and Maine in the northern and southern parts of America. Elongate hemlock scale infestations are commonplace in suburban and forest settings in Pennsylvania.

Signs of Infestation

Female elongate hemlock scale insects have a yellowish-brown waxy coating, while male colony members have wings. Crawlers emit waxy secretions that appear like tangled strands on leaves.

Female insects lay eggs during summer that hatch into nymphs after four weeks. The wind can disperse crawlers into neighboring trees, where they hide on the underside of needles.

These insects penetrate bark tissue with piercers on their mouths and ingest mesophyll cells trees need to distribute water to various parts of their crowns. They will cause massive needle drops on infested branches, eventually leading to branch dieback and tree death.

How Arborists Control and Manage Elongate Hemlock Scale Infestations

Arborists can spray registered insecticides on vulnerable trunks and branches from May to June to prevent infestations.

Untrained arborists commonly misdiagnose elongate hemlock scale infestations as the presence of hemlock woolly adelgid, which requires different prevention and treatment methods. The lady beetle and lacewings are natural predators of the elongate hemlock scale, giving new trees a better chance of survival in an infested forest environment.

Overusing nitrogen fertilizers is proven to increase the presence of the elongate hemlock scale and other armored-scale pests. Arborists can help you plant and fertilize strategically to minimize the risk of infestation.

Get Expert Help Today

Work with a licensed tree care services company and prevent elongate hemlock scale infestations. Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 today for a consultation.

The post Your Guide to Elongate Hemlock Scale in West Chester, PA appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

Gloomy scale insects infest thousands of trees in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Maryland. They are impossible to detect from afar, requiring close observation from a trained eye to recognize the early signs of infestation.

We will outline when you must call a tree care professional for help and lay out the life cycle of armored-scale insects and whether they can threaten your home garden in this article.

What Is Gloomy Scale?

The gloomy scale insect is an herbivorous species of Melanaspis native to the eastern seaboard of America and has now found its way to the southeastern forests of Canada. It responds well to warm weather patterns with high humidity, which allows it to produce more eggs, grow healthier, and overcome environmental threats. It first appeared in arborist literature in the 1904 Arkansas Agriculture Bulletin, which described it as an infestation that destroys red maples.

Today, gloomy scale insects infest nearly all types of trees in the states between Florida, Maryland, and Texas. You can find it in native hollies, sugar maples, buckthorns, box elders, and tulip poplars. Beneath their brown and grey convex scale covers are legless, wingless, and soft bodies with piercing mouths that penetrate tree barks to consume organic products.

Trees with gloomy scale insect infestations typically suffer from branch dieback as they cannot generate enough parenchyma cells.

The Gloomy Scale Life Cycle

Gloomy scale insects prefer trees between one to four years old, and arborists can detect them on the branches and trunks. Stressed trees living with limited soil moisture or excessive heat are more vulnerable to these pests.

Generations of gloomy scale insects can completely cover external branches and bark tissue, making them appear coarse, grainy, and warty. Gloomy scale insects typically have a life cycle of one year, overwintering on barks as babies and staying attached to branches and trunks for years after they die.

How to Treat Gloomy Scale in Plants

Gloomy scale infestations are challenging to eliminate. Arborists might use power washers and manual scrubs to remove them from branches and barks. Chemical-based pesticide regimens are also viable options, but might take a year of reapplication and monitoring to complete.

Strategic planting is essential for learning how to treat gloomy scale in plants. Lady beetles, lacewings, and midges are its natural enemies, and arborists might utilize them to preserve your landscape.

Contact the Experts Today

Contact a licensed tree care services provider and learn how to treat gloomy scale in plants. Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 for a consultation today.

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An early fall, early summer, or inconsistent humidity from dry and wet weather cycles can cause rust diseases for various tree species. We work hard to establish cultural control and help trees of all ages maintain the health of their leaves and digestive systems.

We will outline the features of pear trellis rust in this explainer and discuss when help from a licensed arborist is necessary to prevent tree death.

What Are Signs You Have Pear Trellis Rust in Your Home Garden?

Arborists also refer to pear trellis rust as European Pear Rust because it was prevalent in European countries for centuries until traders brought it into North America in the early 1990s. It comes from fungal pathogens called Gymnosporangium sabinae and fuscum, sub-species of the Gymnosporangium rust that infects millions of trees in the United States.

West Chester has a low instance rate of pear trellis rust, but arborists still see it in many commercial and residential landscapes. The disease affects pear and juniper trees, and its symptomology is easy to spot.

How Pear Trellis Rust Infects Pear Trees

Pear trellis rust usually infects pear trees in late May. It develops enlarged yellow and brown spots with a diameter of one or two centimeters on its foliage.

Black dots will emerge at the center of these spots, appearing like warts eating through the leaves. Spore-producing structures that look like twig cankers will grow after two months. It will mummify fruits and adjacent wood and produce grey strands that release spores, infecting surrounding trees. This infection can kill branches, thin crowns, and cause other problems.

How Pear Trellis Rust Infects Juniper Trees

Pear trellis rust infects juniper trees in wet seasons that have torrential rainfall or dry ones that have high humidity. It can live on branches and leaves for two years.

Jelly-like masses will emerge on juniper branches and release spores that will stay dormant until the following spring. Pear trellis rust does not adversely affect juniper trees.

When to Call an Arborist

You usually do not need to call an arborist when you find pear trellis rust on your juniper trees. However, if you want to plant pear trees, here are a few things we can help with:

• We can plant pear and juniper trees more than 150 meters apart to prevent transmission. The distance can depend on the average wind speeds in your area.
• We can remove brush from infected trees so they do not sporulate and spread to neighboring plant life.
• We can select rust-resistant junipers and pear species, like J. squamata or J. communis, to prevent infection.

Get Expert Help Today

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 for more tree wellness tips today, and prevent pear trellis rust from invading your home garden.

The post Are Your Plants Safe from Pear Trellis Rust in West Chester, PA? appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

But what does fire blight look like? If you spot leaves and branch tips wilting rapidly and turning brown or black without falling off, you likely have fire blight. This destructive bacterial disease derives its name from the diseased leave’s scorched appearance and commonly attacks the rose family trees.

Let’s dive deeper for more information about this disease and how to tackle it to ensure long-term tree wellness.

Think You Have Fire Blight? Here’s How to Spot It

This troublesome disease thrives in warm, humid, rainy weather and other environmental conditions that define the beginning of the growing season. You can easily spot it with its distinctive characteristics that include the following:

• Cankers on the tree bark that mimic discolored or wet patches—areas of decayed or dead sapwood usually surround these blights
• Dead or drooping ends of twigs, shoots, or branches (Don’t mistake them for a shepherd’s crook) 
• Dead leaves that look burnt
• Blighted flowers and fruit turning brown and decaying
• Weeping wounds

How to Treat Fire Blight

What does fire blight look like? Now that we’ve answered that question, you probably want to know how to tackle the disease. Here are seven easy-to-follow remedies:

1. Select tree varieties that don’t fall sick easily. 
2. While pruning is essential for healthy tree growth, keep it light. Also, go easy on nitrogen fertilizer applications.
3. When planting your trees, steer clear of wild varieties of apple, pear, or hawthorn. 
4. As soon as you discover fire blight, chop off diseased branches one foot below the affected area and destroy them. Dip your shears into bleach solution or 10% alcohol between cuts to minimize the risk of infection.  
5. Early liquid copper applications have proven effective in combating this bacterial disease. Add 0.5 to 2.0 ounces of liquid copper to a gallon of water. Apply the solution at the silver tip and bud break, and repeat the process at three to five-day intervals until the petal fall.  
6. You can prevent the bacteria from spreading by applying products with Streptomyces lydicus as the primary ingredient. Be sure to do this before the plant begins to bloom and 5-7 days afterward for the best results.
7. Tree care experts recommend a broad-spectrum bio-fungicide to control fire blight and other critical tree diseases. It’s best to treat entire trees before infection or as soon as you notice an infection. Repeat every seven days or as necessary. 

Contact Your Local Tree Experts for Assistance

What does fire blight look like? If you still need help with this question, turn to the experts at Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists. We’re your trusted source for all tree care needs in West Chester, PA. 

Got infected plants or need info about sycamore and anthracnose? Contact us at 610-840-2655 today. We’ll be happy to assist!

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Don’t panic; it won’t kill your plants. However, the effects of the infestation can be aesthetically uninspiring and cause stunted growth. 

Let’s dive in for more information regarding this pest and its possible remedies like soil injection and chopping of infested branches. 

What You Need to Know About European Pine Sawfly

This pest completes a single life cycle per year. It lives through the winter as an egg in slits along the needle edges. From April to mid-May, the eggs hatch into grayish-green, caterpillar-like larvae. 

The sawfly larvae have two light stripes and a dark green one on each side of their bodies. Their heads and legs are glossy black.  A fully grown larva is roughly one inch long. 

The larvae are highly sociable and stay in clusters as they feed on the old needles from shrubs, Scots, mugho, and red pine trees. Mature larvae fall to the ground, where they spin hard, brown cocoons in the duff. 

Some larvae may turn into pupa while still on the tree. Between August and September, adult European pine sawflies come out to mate and lay eggs. A female sawfly can lay up to eight eggs on one needle, and they use 10-12 needles. 

Since these pests only feed on old needles and not new growth, they often don’t kill the defoliated trees. 

How to Combat European Pine Sawfly

Got a European pine sawfly infestation? Here are a few easy-to-follow solutions to tackle them:

Natural Remedies

You can introduce various parasites on your property to control this pesky pest. While rodents feed on the pupae in the soil, native birds often eat the larvae. Unfortunately, this approach may not be effective if you’re in an urban setting. 

Mechanical Control 

Can you spot needles with overwintered eggs before hatching? Simply remove them from the tree and destroy them. Be sure not to throw the needles on the ground, as the eggs can still hatch!

Also, you can easily remove larvae clusters by chopping off the infested branches. Put the branches in a plastic bag and destroy them. 

You can use this method for a few colonies, but general spraying would be most effective for large infestations that affect at least 25% of your trees. 

Not sure about the right sprays to use? Ask your local arborist for pesticide recommendations. 

Biorational Insecticide Sprays

Insecticidal soap can be effective on small sawfly larvae, and you can achieve a thorough coverage of the colony.  

Contact Your Local Tree Experts for Assistance

Need professional assistance to deal with European pine sawfly infestation? Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists is your trusted source for quality tree care services in West Chester, PA. 

Need a quote or information about aphids? Give us a call at 610-840-2655, and we’ll be happy to be of service!

The post What Is a European Pine Sawfly, and How Does It Affect Trees? appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

With all their colorful attributes and hardiness, Japanese maples aren’t without some downsides. One common issue you’ll have to contend with is scale infestation. But don’t worry; these sap-sucking insects won’t kill your mature, healthy plants. However, besides being an eyesore, they can be unforgiving to young trees. 

In this post, we take a deeper look into how to get rid of scale on Japanese maple and the importance of residential tree care and inspection in tackling this menace. 

Think You Have Japanese Maple Scales? Learn How to Spot Them

Before you even think of how to get rid of scale on Japanese maple, you need to be sure you have an infestation. Lopholeucaspis japonica Cockerell (scale) is an insect notorious for attacking ornamental trees like the Japanese maple.

It siphons out plant sap with its sharp mouthparts. These insects don’t directly eat the phloem tissues of the host trees, so they don’t ingest too much sugar to excrete it as honeydew. 

Instead, they produce a detached waxy shell covering the body. You’ll hardly spot adult male scales, but they have wings and shed off their waxy cover. 

On the contrary, females aren’t winged, are about 2 mm long, and retain their waxy shells. You’re most likely to spot them clustered on tree barks, at the branch bases, and in the crevices and cracks on the bark. 

You may sometimes find them on your tree leaves. You need to look very closely to identify these pesky insects. They usually blend in with the tree bark’s patterns and colors, making them extremely difficult to spot. It’s worth noting that severely infested trees often exhibit branch dieback.

Tired of Scale on Your Japanese Maple Trees? Here’s How to Tackle It:

Can you see tiny, brown, or white insects attached to leaf petioles and lining the stems and twigs? If so, you’re dealing with scale!

You can’t easily dislodge them, so how do you get rid of them? Follow these simple steps:

• With your gardening gloves on, remove the scales by hand if the infestation isn’t severe. Drown them in a bucket of water. If they’re only on a few branches, chop them off. 
• Bring in natural predators like parasitic wasps and Ladybugs. The University of California IPM Online says these are an effective, natural way of combating scale. 
• Spray your trees with insecticidal soap or oil. You may need to repeat the process in case of severe damage. 

Contact Your Local Tree Experts for Assistance

Even if you know how to get rid of scale on Japanese maple, it’s best to work with a certified professional for the best results. Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists is your trusted source for all matters of tree care in West Chester, PA. 

Need a quote or to learn about bagworms? Give us a call at 610-840-2655 today.

The post How to Get Rid of Scale on Japanese Maple appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

Have you noticed the needles of your conifer trees turning brown and falling prematurely, leaving bare branches? Be wary! You likely have needle cast disease. 

While it may not kill your trees, this pesky disease can make them weak and more vulnerable to other diseases and pests.

Let’s dive in further for more information regarding this fungal ailment and how West Chester’s professional tree arborist suggests you tackle it. 

Got Needle Cast Disease? Here’s How to Identify It:

This disease shows itself in different ways depending on the fungus responsible for the infection. Nonetheless, some of the common tell-tale signs include:

• Discolored needles – You’ll probably notice the needles turning brown or yellow from the tree base to the crown. 
• Falling needles – Infected needles usually fall off prematurely, leaving you with sparse foliage and a thinning tree canopy. 
• Needle spotting – You may notice tiny brown or black spots on your tree needles. Sometimes a yellow halo surrounds the spots. 
• Twig dieback – The branch tips may die back, stunting the tree’s growth and limiting its vigor. 

You won’t always spot all these symptoms in every incidence of needle cast disease. Furthermore, the symptoms may vary in severity depending on the affected tree species and the prevailing environmental conditions. 

What Causes Needle Cast Disease?

Needle cast is among the common tree diseases that come from various fungi. Rhizosphaera kalkhoffii usually affects spruce trees, and Colorado blue spruce is perhaps the most vulnerable.

We also have Lophodermium pinastri, which is common in Scots pine and other pine trees. If you have fir trees in your yard, especially balsam fir, watch out for needle cast disease caused by Mycosphaerella dearnessii. 

Other fungi responsible for this disease include Dothistroma septosporum, Diplodia pinea, and Fraser fir. However, Rhizosphaera and Stigmina are the most common fungi that cause this infection and thrive in warm and humid conditions. 

Also, watch out for poor ventilation, excessive moisture, and overcrowding, as these factors can also promote needle cast disease. 

How to Combat Needle Cast Disease

Sick of this fungal disease? Here are some effective solutions to deal with it:

• Plant tree species or varieties that don’t fall sick easily, even if exposed to needle-cast fungi. 
• Make a habit of spacing your trees to ensure proper air circulation. 
• Watering your trees is essential, but too much can be unhealthy. Keep the water away from the needles. 
• Chop off diseased branches and keep infected needles and debris away from the trees. 
• Treat infected trees with expert-recommended fungicides. You can also do this before disease development, as prevention is the most effective way of managing Needle Cast Disease.  

Contact Your Local Tree Experts for Assistance

Got needle cast disease and need professional assistance? Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists is your trusted source for unrivaled tree care services in West Chester, PA. 

Need more info or an arborist tree assessment? Give us a call at 610-840-2655 today!

The post Needle Cast Disease: Identification and Treatment appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists offers a tree wellness program to maintain the health of trees and shrubs on your property. 

What is Cedar-Apple Rust?

Cedar-apple rust is an unsightly disease. It needs the perfect set of circumstances to form. It requires one infected evergreen tree in the Cyprus family and another in the apple family. 

The harm caused by cedar-apple rust is more severe in years when spring and summer are wet and humid. A professional arborist can help you identify host trees on your property if you are unsure of which species you have. If one species has symptoms of rust, check the other species to prevent further development of the fungus.

In severe cases, cedar-apple rust can kill trees. 

The Life Cycle of Cedar-Apple Rust

In the Evergreen Cyprus family, cedar-apple rust appears most commonly on Eastern red cedar and Rocky Mountain juniper trees. It is not life-threatening, but it can kill individual tree branches.

• Small, round growths called galls form on tree branches during the fall season. They have a woodlike texture and can grow up to two inches in diameter. 
• During early spring rain, the galls develop orange, fingerlike tentacles that can extend up to ¾ inch long. The tentacled gall produces spores that can migrate to apple trees hundreds of feet away. 
• As they dry out, the orange tentacles dehydrate, reforming into galls. This process can repeat several times during the spring season.

Cedar-apple rust on apple trees is more of a cosmetic issue. An untreated apple tree will grow fewer leaves year after year. Infection occurs in the spring season when spores from juniper trees adhere to the leaves of the apple tree, forming yellow rust spots. 

• Infected leaves often go undetected until the summer, when the fungus thrives, turning each infected spot bright orange.. 
• Black spots form on the upper surface of a fully mature leaf spot.
• Tiny, fungal tubes grow on the underside of each leaf spot.
• The tubes release chalky spores which travel to juniper trees to perpetuate infection.

As this process continues, the infection grows, and you may find yourself wondering, “Does cedar-apple rust kill trees?”

Treating Cedar-Apple Rust

For Evergreens, treatment is as simple as removing galls as they appear. Fungicide application may slightly reduce the appearance of galls.

For apples, preventative treatment is the only way to ensure the fungus is not present. In spring, fungicide applied to flowering buds is effective. Spraying the soil below can treat fallen spores and prevent them from spreading.

Professional Tree Health Care 

Tree health problems require an arborist tree assessment in order to identify and treat potential diseases. A professional arborist can offer a personalized treatment plan to maintain the health of your trees. 

Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists in West Chester, PA, answers all tree-related questions, including “Does cedar-apple rust kill trees?” Call 610-840-2655 to speak with one of our professional arborists.

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Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists uses soil injection to protect trees from the ground up without spraying harmful chemicals throughout the area.

Identifying Bagworms

Bagworms most often invade conifer trees such as spruce, juniper, or pine. They get their name from the baglike cocoons they form around themselves. If left untreated, bagworms quickly destroy nearby trees and bushes.

In the larvae stage, bagworms help themselves to trees and shrubs. When they finish feeding, they create “bags” around themselves by spinning silk threads with leaves and other organic matter. 

Female bagworms remain inside their bags throughout their life cycle, producing up to 1,000 eggs before they die. As the eggs hatch, the cycle continues until nearby trees become completely infested with bagworms. 

Because bagworms use parts of the tree to create their bags, they often go unnoticed as they infiltrate the area. When you know how to recognize the early signs, you can treat bagworms before they destroy the landscaping. 

Each bagworm builds a bag about two inches long. The bags are brown and can look like small pine cones from a distance. While female bagworms remain inside the bags, male bagworms emerge to feast on the surrounding trees. 

Male bagworms look like small, black moths. They are hard to spot, never growing longer than one inch.

Treating Bagworms

Depending on the level of infestation, there are a few different ways to treat bagworms on trees. 

Manual Extermination

If caught early, you can remove bagworms by hand. Carefully remove each bag and place it in a container with soap and water. This will kill the bagworm larvae. 

Manual extermination is only effective before the bagworms hatch. This method is best employed in early spring, as bagworms typically hatch from late May to early June.

Chemical Treatment

When there are too many bagworms to remove by hand, the best course of action is to use chemical treatment. Chemicals work best when applied in late spring on newly hatched larvae. An insecticide sprayer will allow you to reach bagworms high into the trees.

Avian Extermination

A chemical-free way to control bagworms is by introducing sparrows to the area. To invite sparrows to remain on your property, create shelters, areas for dust baths, and ground-level birdbaths. As they enjoy the habitat you created for them, they protect the trees by feasting on bagworms.

Professional Tree Service

The best way to maintain healthy trees is by hiring a professional. There are many reasons why hiring a Certified Arborist is a must, and exterminating bagworms on trees is just one of them. 

Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists in West Chester, PA, will inspect your trees for bagworms or disease and safely restore the health of your landscape. Call 610-840-2655 to request a quote from our Certified Arborists.

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Requesting residential tree care and inspection can help you maintain your trees for longer and keep them looking their best throughout their lives. Continue reading to see how a tree assessment can help you.

What Is a Tree Assessment? 

A tree assessment is a systematic process of inspecting each aspect of a mature tree for signs of poor health or damage. Without proper training, examining tree conditions proves exceptionally difficult and often ineffective.

Professional tree maintenance ensures the safety of people and inspects a tree’s structural integrity. Ideally, a mature tree receives assessments at least every three years or as needed. A professional will search for the following problems:

• Pests and diseases
• Damaged structural integrity
• Decay
• Broken limbs

When to Call an Arborist 

If you experience one of the following, you must request professional help.

1: Severe Storms

Severe storms cause damage to a tree’s structure and branches, creating risk to your property and nearby residents. Ideally, you can request professional services before a storm hits to ensure your property’s safety. After a storm, a professional can ensure the tree remains in ideal condition.

Either way, an arborist tree assessment can help you keep the tree healthy and remove potential risks before damage or injury.

2: During Droughts

If your property has not received rainfall recently, receiving an assessment can ensure the tree remains disease-free. Droughts stress a tree and stressed trees can quickly become sick. A professional can determine the tree’s health or potential pest infestations and help you return the tree to optimal condition.

3: Obvious Damage

If you notice a sudden drop in the health of a tree, you need an arborist. Any sudden inclement weather, heavy machinery, or lightning can cause obvious damage. Or, tree conditions such as decay, fungal infections, and pest infestations can cause a decline.

Your arborist will help you get the tree back to peak health when possible.

4; Deteriorating Health

A decrease in health requires an arborist. Pests, diseases, or other illnesses can cause a slow deterioration. Ideally, a professional will catch and repair the problem before the tree dies. However, depending on the circumstances, your expert may encourage removal.

Early Signs of an Unhealthy Tree 

Not all signs remain obvious. If you notice any of the following more subtle signs, consider requesting professional guidance:

• Irregular leaf shape
• Leaning
• Bite marks or holes
• Significant leaf drop during inappropriate times
• Loose bark

These signs may point to a reparable issue or may be cause for concern. Regardless, a professional can guide you.

Contact Our Team for Assistance 

When should your trees be inspected? If you don’t know your tree’s current health, requesting an inspection can help you determine proper tree care and potential health issues. If you need an arborist tree assessment in West Chester, PA, contact Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 and request an estimate.

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West Chester’s tree arborist from Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists explains why including native plant species remains necessary for the environment and urges property owners to consider the local wildlife when landscaping. We offer several gorgeous species to add to your property in the following.

Benefits of Using Native Plants 

You and the environment benefit from using native plants because of the following reasons:

• Saves on water: Local plant species grew accustomed to local levels of rain and function optimally on natural rainfall. You’ll spend less time and water using native species.
• Wildlife: Native plants provide a reliable and secure food source for the local birds, pollinators, and other animals. They offer a natural habitat, ensuring future survival.
• Fewer pesticides: These local plants evolved alongside the local insects, learning to defend against them when necessary. Nonnative species require more pesticide use to maintain attractiveness because they cannot protect themselves.
• Less maintenance: The local plants thrive in the Pennsylvania soil types and respond to the amounts of rain, sun, and pollination. Property owners won’t worry about their survival as much as nonnative plants.

Pennsylvania’s Native Tree and Plant Species 

Some of the many native Pennsylvania plants available for your landscaping project include the following:

1: Sugar Maple

Throughout the seasons, this native tree provides a vast array of vibrant colors, changing from dark greens to reds, yellows, and oranges. Sugar maples are large, deciduous trees adding a pop of color.

2: White Yarrow

White yarrow offers beautiful creamy flower clumps year after year. Its fern-like foliage remains resistant to disease, adds a great addition to any flower bed, and attracts butterflies.

3: Maidenhair Fern

The perfect foliage addition to any garden, this lovely fern offers a bright green color year-round.

4: Anise Hyssop

This perennial provides a sweet fragrance, and its purple flower spikes attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

Nonnative Plants Harm the Environment

Nonnative species may appear attractive, but they offer several disadvantages. Aside from the additional work in maintaining their beauty, these plants harm the local species by hoarding nutrients and invading space. They starve the environment and do not introduce more food sources or habitats, affecting the local symbiotic relationship between plants and wildlife.

Contact Our Team for Landscaping Assistance 

Learning about your local wildlife and plant species goes a long way to creating a long-lasting and beautiful landscape. For more information on tree maintenance or to learn more about invasive parasitic plants on trees and how to combat them, contact the professionals at Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists.

If you need help with landscaping or wish to include more native Pennsylvania plants, contact Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 and request an estimate in West Chester, PA, today!

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Check If Your Tree Needs Water

Usually, a mature tree can fend for itself during spring and summer. However, it requires gallons of water to survive, and during a drought, it is unlikely to get what it needs. Your tree may need water if: 

• The soil is dry about 12 inches into the ground
• You notice leaves turning brown 
• There is an unseasonal leaf drop
• The leaves are undersized
• Your tree has dead twigs near the crown

How Should I Water My Tree? 

The best method is to ensure the water saturates the top eight to ten inches of soil. This is where most of the feeder roots are. If the ground is flat, an overhead sprinkler provides an even spray of water. 

Set it up so that it wets the area between the outer edge of the canopy and the trunk, but do not allow it to soak the trunk. Doing so leaves the tree vulnerable to mold and other organic growth. It may also attract pests during a drought. 

Place an empty tuna can in the spray area and let the water run. This allows you to easily measure when your tree has two inches of water. When the tin fills up, you can turn the water off. We recommend periodically checking that the water is in the optimal zone the first time you perform this task. 

Your tree should be fine for at least a week. Check how it is doing at this time by performing the soil test. Drive a screwdriver into the ground, being careful not to pierce a tree root. 

If you drive a 12-inch screwdriver into the soil and dirt clings to it, you’re fine. If it is difficult to push the screwdriver into the ground and it comes out clean, the soil is dry.  

Get the Soil Moist

One thing few people understand when it comes to how to water mature trees during drought is that you can get too much of a good thing. Overwatering during a drought can be just as damaging as not watering at all. Too much water will suffocate the tree roots and kill the tree.

To make things even more confusing, the signs of overwatering are the same as those of drought distress. Keep the soil damp rather than soggy.

Keep Watering 

You will need to keep up this routine until the rain comes again. During winter, you can relax the routine to once a month, but you will have to step it up during hot summers. 

Contact Certified Professionals for Assistance

Do you have a treasured tree you want to save? Contact  Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at (610) 840-2655 to schedule a professional consultation. Not only will we teach you how to water mature trees during drought, but we will also explain growth regulation and other wellness factors. 

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Why Are Your Shrubs Turning Brown?

There are several reasons for shrubs to have brown leaves and dead branches. These include: 

• Extreme temperatures: A sudden cold spell can shock the leaves into turning brown. We commonly call this winter burn or winter damage, but it can also happen during a heat wave. 
• Disease or pests: Look for signs of insect infestation or disease. Boxwood blight will cause leaf discoloration, but you should also inspect the root system for signs of damage. Powdery mildew will cause discoloration and leave a furry residue. 
• Drastic weather changes: This is most likely to affect shrubs in a sunny, unsheltered spot. If the weather warms up during winter, it tricks the shrub into growing. However, there is unlikely to be enough water for the new growth. 
• Water issues: Over or underwatering are both causes of shrubs turning brown. 
• Fertilizer overload: Using too much fertilizer increases the levels of salt in the soil, thereby causing leaf burn. 

Is My Shrub Dying? 

Most people automatically assume this, but it is not always true. Inspect the bush to see if there are any green buds. If there are, your plant is still alive.  If not, perform a scratch test to see if there is any green tissue below the surface of the bark. Do this on a few branches.

If most of the branches are green and moist, your bush should recover. However, if most are dry, those branches are dead, and the shrub is either dead or dying. 

What Should I Do When My Shrub Turns Brown? 

Your best solution is to call in a Certified Arborist as soon as possible. Doing so eliminates the guesswork and can win valuable time that can save the plant. However, here are some first-aid tips in the interim: 

• If the leaves turned in the middle of a heat wave, give the shrub a deep watering. 
• If the problem occurred during a bitterly cold winter, use an anti-desiccant spray. 
• Do you see signs of insects or disease? Call us before the problem spreads. 
• Has winter featured fluctuating temperatures? Then watch for new growth and water well if you see any. Prune away dead wood that doesn’t sprout. 
• Check the soil. If it is saturated, stop watering until the soil has a chance to dry out. If it is bone dry, deeply water the area. 
• If you just fertilized the soil, it’s possible that the formulation was too strong. Water copiously to flush the excess nutrients away and ease up with your next application. 

Contact a Certified Arborist Today!

Are you unsure of your next steps and cannot understand why your shrubs are turning brown? Contact Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at (610) 840-2655 to schedule a consultation with a Certified Arborist and solve the problem quickly. 

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While some parasitic species produce only cosmetic changes on an infected tree, many can deplete their nutrient supplies and make them less resistant to adverse weather. In this post, the tree care experts at Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists outline the top three parasitic plants that could affect your trees.

Arceuthobium or Dwarf Mistletoe

You can find dwarf mistletoe on hundreds of acres of conifer forests across Delaware. It is a species that thrives in urban and rural settings, despite its inability to perform photosynthesis independently. Dwarf mistletoe looks like a woody coral or an aerial root, with colors ranging from green to bright yellow.

Arceuthobium and its subspecies infect tree branches by injecting root-like growths into vascular tissues to siphon nutrients and moisture. Infected trees become weak and prone to mold infections, and, unfortunately, this invasive species spreads quickly within woodlands.

Dodders

Certified arborists like Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists typically call them haustoria, and salt marsh, golden, and California dodders are the most prevalent in inland urban areas across the United States. They grow in shrubbery and small plants, manifesting as growths that resemble green or yellow hairy tangled locks. Some species create tiny flowers that extend from the main stem.

All three local species of dodders create intrusions on the outer bark of trees with their root-like tissues. They are aggressive parasites, sapping vital minerals and nutrients from host plants and killing them. Apart from being one of the most prevalent parasitic plants on trees, dodders also kill thousands of acres of shrubbery and marshlands across the country every year.

Wintergreens or Pyrola

When the trees do not receive enough aeration and oxygen from the ground, their base shoots upward to break the surface. Wintergreens grow on these exposed roots rising above the topsoil around host trees. Fortunately, wintergreens are often non-aggressive and will not cause as much malnutrition as a dwarf mistletoe or salt marsh dodder.

However, these parasitic plants can still kill small trees during droughts and other periods where moisture and nutrients become scarce. The pyrolas look like flowers with slim stalks, and some onlookers compare the inside of the flower to a bell-clapper shape. Plant lovers will even grow them in controlled environments because of their aesthetic value, but experts do not recommend this in compacted areas where trees live close together.

More About Tree Parasite Solutions

When should your trees be inspected for parasites and other issues? Chat with our Certified Arborists to learn more. We serve a wide range of communities in Delaware County, Chester County, Montgomery County, and the surrounding areas.

If you suspect a tree issue, call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 today for tips on handling parasitic plants on trees, removal quotes, and more.

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Residents and business owners work with Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists because we have a heart for trees and animals. Here’s more about how we’re partnering with Brandywine Valley SPCA to put our high-quality, affordable tree and plant care to even better use.

Tree Health Professionals and Animal Welfare: What’s the Link?

Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists is a leading tree health service provider in West Chester and surrounding areas. Why do we want to increase awareness about pet adoption? We believe it will break the cycle of animal abandonment so that the region’s animals get the homes they deserve.

The volunteers at Brandywine Valley SPCA welcome over 50 new animals daily, all of which need a new place to call home. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reports that over 6.3 million animals enter similar facilities annually, leading to nearly a million euthanasias. The needs are great, and every ounce of compassion makes a difference.

A Deep Commitment to Pennsylvania’s Animals

The licensed arborists at Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists work hard to care for plants and animals. They both reciprocate unconditional love, which is why this kind of work generates countless mental health benefits. In fact, well-loved pets and healthy plants are an amazing combination for a healthier household.

Our community partnership is a product of years of dedication. The team has been working with Brandywine Valley SPCA since 2019, donating much of their time and resources. John Rogalsky, owner of Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists, remains an active volunteer and corporate sponsor, as well as the proud owner of Roman, the company’s mascot and a former resident of Brandywine Valley SPCA.

What Can Pet Lovers Expect?

Today, Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists has donated over $30,000 to worthy recipients like Brandywine Valley SPCA’s West Chester shelter. Roman joined our family in 2019 and is one of the shelter’s flagship adoption stories. He was even featured on their calendar for two consecutive years!

Brandywine Valley SPCA is now an exclusive community partner so that we can help them make a greater impact. Our first pledge is to sponsor 100% of the adoption fees for one dog every month, so what are you waiting for?

Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists and Brandywine Valley SPCA Need You!

We expect this exciting partnership to thrive for many years. If you are interested in giving back to the community, taking care of West Chester’s plants and animals is a great start.

Contact Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 today to learn more about our community partnership and tree health care in West Chester, PA!

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What Are Bagworms?

Bagworms are insect larvae (caterpillars) from the species Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis. They grow from one-quarter inch long to nearly two inches throughout the season as they feed on needles and leaves. They are unique because they spend their entire larval period in a brown silk “bag” that protects them as they feed.

Bagworms pose a special danger to conifers like red cedar, juniper, pine, spruce, and arborvitae, but they also attack other types of trees. Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 to learn how to protect your trees from this pest and treat infestations.

Signs of Bagworm Infestation

If your tree has Bagworms, you will notice that it has taken great damage from hungry insects. Bagworms frequently defoliate trees, which weakens them and ruins their appearance.

The telltale sign of a Bagworm problem is finding small, brown bags attached to your trees, about 1 to 2 inches long. Some observers liken these bags to Christmas ornaments. The bags often have needles stuck to the outside, making them difficult to spot against the color of the branches.

Insect Control

To control Bagworms on small trees and shrubs, you can pick the bags off the plants before they hatch. You may need to use a knife. Rather than discarding these bags in the woods, put them in the trash so they will not reinfest your trees.

Several different commercial insecticide preparations can kill Bagworms. The right time to spray is in the first part of June. A Certified Arborist can apply an insecticide if there are too many bags to pick. Pheromone traps that prevent the insects from mating may also be available.

Prevention

While preventing a bagworm infestation is difficult, you can stop it in its tracks by applying pesticides early in the year, as described above. Pick as many bags as possible in the off-season to prevent the worms from hatching in the late spring. Ensure you apply the pesticides to the worms while they are still small.

Are You a Good Candidate for Bagworm Treatment?

Bagworms threaten conifers, but you can control them using the right methods. If you have noticed any sign of Bagworms, starting treatment early in the year is important. Ideally, treat Bagworm infestations before the larvae grow large. Even if you have an advanced Bagworm problem, a Certified Arborist will be able to help you control it and save your valuable trees. 

Why Choose Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists?

Certified Arborists have special knowledge and skills to diagnose and treat insect and disease problems and other tree and shrub issues. We have extensive experience with Bagworms and know the best ways to combat this common and destructive pest.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bagworms

Is the Bagworm a moth?

Yes, the Bagworm is a moth caterpillar. The adult female Bagworm does not metamorphose into a worm. It is a soft-bodied yellow worm resembling a maggot. The females never leave their bags but instead lay their eggs inside and die. The adult male Bagworm becomes a furry, black moth after metamorphosis.

Do Bagworms have any natural predators?

Wasps and birds can be encouraged to eat Bagworms. To attract wasps, place flowering plants near the infested trees. Sparrows and finches also eat Bagworms. Placing seeds, roosting shrubs, and fruit-bearing plants in the area attracts them.

Can Bagworms kill a tree?

In great enough numbers, hungry Bagworms can defoliate trees to the point where they do not survive. Repeated infestations are most likely to kill a tree if it cannot regenerate lost foliage.

How do Bagworms spread from tree to tree?

Bagworms use a “ballooning” technique to move from tree to tree. They spin a thread of silk and use it to float across to another tree.

Are stressed trees more vulnerable to Bagworm infestation?

If a tree is already under stress, it attracts insects and diseases. A weakened tree may be more likely to die and less able to regrow its foliage if Bagworms attack it.

Why are Bagworm moths uncommon to find in the woods?

The adult male Bagworm moth lives only a few days after mating, so many people have not seen them in the wild.

Call Rick’s Plant Health Care

Bagworms may be dangerous to conifers, but you can control them. Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 to find out what you can do to protect your trees from destructive Bagworms.

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What Are Aphids?

Aphids are small sucking insects that feed on leaves and shoots. They do not cause major damage to most well-established trees but can cause unsightly symptoms.

Signs of Infestation

Here are the most common symptoms of an Aphid infestation:

• Yellowing, wilting, and curling leaves
• Sticky liquid (honeydew) on lower leaves, lawn furniture, and sidewalks
• Dense, black mold growth (sooty mold) on lower leaves and nearby surfaces

Insect Control

Naturally occurring beneficial insects usually cut down Aphid populations to the point where they do not present a major problem for the tree.

Before spraying for Aphids, look for natural predators like Ladybugs and Lacewings. If you have a major infestation and no natural predators in sight, consider natural pest control methods like introducing Ladybugs or other predatory insects.

You can also spray the leaves of sturdy trees and shrubs with water from a garden hose to remove aphids. The aphids are unlikely to find their way back to the tree.

The most effective chemical method of aphid control is insecticidal soap. This soap is the safest insecticide available. You will have to spray multiple times and soak the leaves well. Horticultural oil, like neem oil, can also help. When using neem oil or insecticidal soap, you must ensure maximum leaf coverage for the method to work.

Are You a Good Candidate for Aphid Treatment?

If Aphids cause undue damage or make your trees and shrubs unattractive, you may consider calling a Certified Arborist for help.

Why Choose Rick’s Plant Health Care?

We can handle insect problems of all kinds and return your landscape trees to their former attractive appearance. Our skilled, Certified Arborists can answer any questions about Aphids or other insect infestations or diseases.

Frequently Asked Questions About Aphids

What do different types of Aphids look like?

Many common Aphids are about an eighth of an inch long. They are commonly light green or yellow. Certain Aphid species are gray, white, brown, or red. They use a small beak to suck the sap from leaves. They may or may not have wings.

Can I prevent Aphids from getting into my trees?

You can use ground covers around the base of your trees to deter aphids. Soil sprays can also work in extreme cases. Finally, a good rinse with a garden hose will prevent Aphids from becoming established.

Which trees are most vulnerable to aphid damage?

Fruit trees, Willows, Pines, Roses, Oaks, and Hawthorns, are some of the most Aphid-friendly trees.

Call Rick’s Plant Health Care

While Aphids generally do not cause major damage to well-established trees, you may still want to control them in your landscape. Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 to help you deal with Aphid infestations.

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What is Fire Blight?

Fire Blight is a pernicious bacterial tree disease affecting members of the Rose family. These trees and shrubs include but are not limited to Rose, Apple, Pear, Spirea, Mountain Ash, and Hawthorn.

Infection with the bacteria Erwinia amylovora causes the disease. The foliar disease is especially dangerous to fruit trees from the Rose family and can interfere with fruit, blossoms, trunks, and limbs. 

The disease spreads easily in humid, rainy weather at the beginning of the growing season. It takes its name from the appearance of infected leaves, which look burnt and dead.

Fire Blight overwinters in the cankers on affected plants. In the warmer months, it spreads due to animal and insect activity and wet weather.

Symptoms

The following are the most common symptoms of Fire Blight:

• Discolored, wet bark cankers
• Seeping wounds
• A cream-colored liquid that oozes from the cankers in wet weather
• Tree branches are dead or drooping (commonly described as appearing like a “shepherd’s crook”)
• Brown, decaying fruit and flowers
• Dead fruiting spurs on tree branches

If you have noticed any of these symptoms, call a Certified Arborist right away to have your trees diagnosed. Quick treatment can control the bacteria’s spread and keep healthy trees from contracting the infection.

Treatment

Unfortunately, Fire Blight is not curable, but you can control it with a Certified Arborist’s help. Controlling Fire Blight involves using antibacterial sprays and pruning.

Commonly, arborists use a spray called Bordeaux mixture. This mixture combines copper sulfate, water, and lime (calcium hydroxide). They apply the spray in the winter before the buds open. They will spray the trees regularly throughout the year. Other antibacterial sprays and copper sprays can also be useful.

Pruning is crucial in treating Fire Blight. All damaged branches and foliage will need removal. Disinfect the tools in between each cut to avoid spreading the bacteria.

In addition to pruning and spraying, practice good hygiene methods around your affected trees. Please pick up all diseased fruit and branches from the ground and throw them away in the trash. Do not compost them because the bacteria will grow.

Prevention

Planting Fire Blight-resistant varieties is the most effective way to prevent the disease from affecting your landscape. Blight-resistant Apple varieties include Jonafree, Melrose, Red Delicious, and Goldrush. Blight-resistant Pears include Moonglow, Honeysweet, and Blake’s Pride.

Are You a Good Candidate for Fire Blight Treatment?

If you have trees in the Rose family, Fire Blight can damage them heavily. Aggressive treatment can help to contain the spread of the disease to your healthy trees. If you treat your trees promptly, you will protect your investment and the beauty of your landscape.

Why Choose Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists?

Our expert Certified Arborists can accurately diagnose tree and shrub diseases and recommend the best course of treatment. We specialize in tree wellness and have studied many problems that could interfere with your trees’ beauty.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fire Blight

Here are several selected questions from homeowners:

Is Fire Blight curable?

It is not curable, but arborists can control it using proper care techniques. Unfortunately, many trees with advanced cases of Fire Blight will need cutting down.

Does Fire Blight spread easily?

Fire Blight spreads very easily among susceptible trees. Rainfall can splash bacteria from one tree to another, especially in heavy rain and wind. Irrigating trees with a spray can spread the bacteria as well.

Can I manage Fire Blight myself?

Treating Fire Blight is complex. Professional help from a Certified Arborist will more effectively treat your trees with Fire Blight.

Can Fire Blight spread to trees outside the Rose family?

Luckily, it is limited to members of the Rose family. It can easily spread between different species within this family.

Should I fertilize trees with Fire Blight?

If you use a fertilizer with excess nitrogen, the resulting new growth will be very susceptible to Fire Blight. A tree care specialist can help you determine which fertilizer to use and when.

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 to discover how we can help you control Fire Blight in your home landscape. While Fire Blight is not curable, we can contain its impact on your trees.

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What is Sycamore Anthracnose?

Caused by a fungal pathogen called Apiognomonia veneta, the disease kills new shoots, leaves, and buds. Trees appear distressed or dead. 

Symptoms

The fungal disease causes new leaves to turn brown and fall prematurely. The darkened leaves give the disease its name: Anthracnose means “coal” in Greek. Frequently, homeowners blame the leaf damage on frost.

Shoots and buds also feel the disease’s effects. The disease is at its worst in cool, wet spring weather when the spores germinate and the pathogen spreads.

After the initial leaf loss, the tree sometimes rallies and produces a second crop of leaves. The tree may also develop cankers, leading to the dieback of twigs and larger branches.

While Sycamore Anthracnose is generally not fatal to the tree, it can cause up to 90 percent of new shoots to die. Repeated disease cycles weaken the tree and make it easier to contract secondary infections and insect infestations. They also make the tree look abnormal.

Treatment

Treatment involves a combination of sanitation and pruning. Keep the area around the trees clear of fallen leaves and twigs.

Ensure the trees experience as little stress as possible—water well in dry winters. Protect them from injury and poor nutrition.

Trees also need to be pruned properly to treat Sycamore Anthracnose. Prune the dead branches and trim the tree to avoid excess moisture collection.

Disinfect pruning shears between each cut with a 10 percent bleach solution.

Prevention

A Certified Arborist can inject or spray preventive fungicides. These fungicides may include a Bordeaux mixture (lime and sulfur) or Daconil. The Arborist must apply these preparations before the tree’s new leaves appear for it to be effective.

Many types of Oriental and London Plane Trees carry resistance to Sycamore Anthracnose. These include the Bloodgood, Columbia, and Liberty varieties. Homeowners may wish to consider planting these trees instead of Sycamores.

Are You a Good Candidate for Sycamore Anthracnose Treatment?

Sycamore Anthracnose is treatable and usually does not kill trees. However, it may negatively affect their appearance. If you have noticed that the leaves on your Sycamore or Plane Trees are withering before their time, ask a Certified Arborist what they can do to help your tree return to health.

Why Choose Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists?

Our Certified Arborists know Pennsylvania trees, and they are ready to answer your questions. Our expert services save many trees, and we dedicate ourselves to learning more about tree wellness.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sycamore Anthracnose

Here are several questions and answers about this tree disease:

What weather conditions make this disease spread?

The disease thrives in damp weather, around 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. When temperatures hover in this range, the disease spreads quickly.

Is Sycamore Anthracnose largely cosmetic?

Some growers take this disease less seriously because it does not generally kill trees. However, it greatly damages their appearance and can lead to secondary infections by weakening the trees.

What does a tree infected with Sycamore Anthracnose look like?

After a few years of repeat infections, Sycamore and Plane Trees may have multiple dead branches. They may exhibit angled, irregular branches. They may have epicormic sprouts (“suckers” or “witches’ brooms”) where new growth has tried to appear along the trunk.

Will my trees recover from this disease?

If you call a Certified Arborist to treat your trees, they have an excellent chance of recovery. The irregular branches and “witches’ broom” will be lasting reminders of the infection. However, your tree should have a long life ahead.

Do I need to burn infected material from the tree?

Yes, it would be best if you burned or destroyed the pruned branches and raked leaves to prevent the fungus from overwintering in them.

Can other trees also contract Anthracnose infections?

Trees like Ash, Birch, Elm, Black Walnut, Dogwood, and Oak can also be susceptible to Anthracnose. However, these trees have their own fungal vectors and will not catch the disease from your Sycamores.

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 for help. Our Certified Arborists study tree diseases common in Pennsylvania and can recommend treatments and preventive actions to keep your landscape looking its best.

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What is Dutch Elm Disease?

The fungus Ophiostoma ulmi causes Dutch Elm Disease. It is a dangerous vascular wilt disease that spreads rapidly.

In years past, the disease decimated Elm tree populations across the United States and worldwide. For this reason, Elms were on the brink of being eliminated in the United States. Treatment protocols and the creation of disease-resistant varieties saved the Elm. However, Dutch Elm Disease is still a problem in Pennsylvania.

Symptoms

When a tree has Dutch Elm Disease, the leaves on a few branches will begin to wilt, turn yellow, and fall before they should. As the disease progresses, more branches will turn yellow. Looking at the sapwood inside the branch, you will see brown streaks.

Homeowners and Certified Arborists should have affected Elm trees lab-tested to confirm the presence of Dutch Elm infection.

The disease spreads when Elm Bark Beetles lay their eggs beneath the bark. These beetles carry fungal spores from tree to tree.

When untreated, Dutch Elm Disease can kill a young tree in a few weeks. For a larger tree, it takes one to two years. For this reason, homeowners and Certified Arborists must manage the disease promptly.

Treatment

Aggressive management is the best way to control Dutch Elm Disease. Unfortunately, many trees with moderate to advanced infections will need cutting down.

Homeowners should immediately remove all dying or dead Elm trees to cut down on the beetles’ breeding sites. Branches with signs of Dutch Elm Disease should come down as soon as possible before the disease has progressed to the main trunk.

Prevention

The best prevention for Dutch Elm Disease is to plant resistant varieties. Chinese and Siberian Elm trees, along with some American Elm hybrids, are resistant.

Fungicide injections can help to prevent tree infections. Certified Arborists should administer this treatment every 1 to 3 years. When Certified Arborists apply this treatment soon after symptoms emerge, they have the best chance of saving the tree.

Beetle control and proper wood sanitation can help slow the disease’s spread.

Are You a Good Candidate for Dutch Elm Disease Treatment?

If you have Elm trees with the beginnings of Dutch Elm Disease infection, you may be able to save them through pruning and trunk injections. Otherwise, these trees will need removal.

Why Choose Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists?

Our Certified Arborists are tree disease experts well-versed in problems occurring in our service area. They have vast expertise in treating trees with many problems that are difficult to manage. We can diagnose your landscape trees and shrubs if they show signs of illness and manage any outbreaks.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dutch Elm Disease

Where did Dutch Elm Disease first emerge?

The disease takes its name from two Dutch scientists who identified it. Scientists believe that the disease comes from Asia. Many Asian Elm species developed resistance to this pathogen.

Which tree species are most prone to Dutch Elm Disease?

The Slippery Elm and American Elm are two of the most vulnerable varieties. Consider planting Chinese Elms or other resistant varieties to replace affected trees.

If infected wood exists on my property, how should I deal with it to contain the spread of Dutch Elm Disease?

You should chip, burn, or bury infected wood. Treat both pruned branches and complete trees in the same manner.

Do root grafts spread the disease?

Yes, root grafts can spread Dutch Elm Disease. If you have any root grafts on your affected trees, remove them before treatment.

Why is Dutch Elm Disease so dangerous?

The pathogen spreads with incredible speed through intertwined root systems and the Elm Bark Beetle. Since there are two disease vectors, the disease spreads rapidly.

Irreversible damage occurs long before homeowners can spot the first outward symptoms. This problem means that trees are already in danger before anyone sees the symptoms.

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists

If you have noticed that your Elm trees are starting to show suspicious disease signs like yellowing and wilting leaves, call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 for help. Our Certified Arborists will examine your trees and put their resources into solving your tree problem.

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What is Bleeding Canker?

A fungus-like microbial species called Phytophthora causes most cases of Bleeding Cankers. This microbe infects tree bark and causes cankers which can appear year-round. It kills the inner sapwood and clears the way for future fungal infections and wood rot.

Pennsylvania tree species most vulnerable to Bleeding Canker include the European Beech, American Beech, Maple, Oak, Dogwood, Birch, Walnut, and Horse Chestnut. Apple, Willow, and Elm may be vulnerable as well.

Symptoms

Bleeding Canker usually makes itself apparent, but it is a good idea to check all your trees for this disease. The following symptoms could indicate a Bleeding Canker infection:

• Slits or holes (cankers) on bark oozing dark sap
• The bark itself appears stained and water-soaked
• Inner sapwood shows odd colors like brown, blue-green, pink, and orange
• Small foliage
• Fall colors appear too early
• Stunted growth

Not all bleeding cankers are a sign of Phytophthora disease. Other bacterial, fungal, and insect vectors can cause similar symptoms. For this reason, lab diagnosis is a must before treatment begins.

Treatment

While many landscape tree diseases are difficult to treat, Bleeding Canker has a simpler solution. Phosphite medications are effective against Bleeding Cankers. These medications should drench the bark but not touch the leaves.

Prevention

Phytophthora Bleeding Canker comes from the soil. Wet soils create the ideal environment for these microbes to grow. Ponding around the base of a tree, caused by soil compaction, can worsen conditions. Rainwater promotes the spread of the microbe from the soil to the bark, where it enters cracks and infects the tree. Avoid using a string trimmer or mower nearby. These can damage the bark and make infection more likely.

To help prevent Bleeding Canker, keep the areas around your trees as well-drained as possible, avoiding soil compaction.

Are You a Good Candidate for Bleeding Canker Treatment?

If you have noticed that your trees have cankers or dark-colored sap from the bark, you should have them assessed for Bleeding Cankers. Many types of this disease, including Phytophthora Bleeding Canker, are treatable with the right diagnosis and medication.

Why Choose Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists?

We are experts on diseases and conditions affecting landscape trees in our region. Our Certified Arborists have broad experience treating tree disease and promoting healthy growth. We can effectively treat your trees and restore your landscape to its full beauty. We can also help you with recommendations for actions that protect your existing trees from harm.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bleeding Canker

Here are several common client questions about Bleeding Canker:

Why is Bleeding Canker dangerous?

Bleeding Canker is a dangerous infection because it weakens trees, allowing pathogens and insects to enter. The tree will not be able to support its nutrition needs due to leaf loss, and branches may die back.

Does the infection threaten the tree’s life?

If this infection progresses too far, it could kill the tree due to cutting off its water and food supply. Secondary infections and insect infestations also contribute to tree death.

What types of medication do arborists recommend for Bleeding Cankers?

Phosphite preparations like Phostrol, Agri-Fos, and Reliant have been effective against Phytophthora Bleeding Canker. Other fungicides and antibiotics come into play when other organisms cause the disease.

Why should I keep power equipment away from my trees?

The microbe that causes Bleeding Cankers lives in the soil and can easily get into the tree through these injuries. Small bark cuts at the soil line could provide convenient entry points for bacteria, fungi, and insects. Trimming grass and weeds around your trees by hand is best to avoid unnecessary mechanical injuries. Protect your trees from vandalism as well.

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists

Bleeding Canker may be a serious condition for your trees, but it is treatable. Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 for expert diagnosis and treatment of your trees. Don’t hesitate to contact us if your trees have symptoms you can’t explain or if you have any questions about the exact cause of your tree issues.

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What is Bacterial Leaf Scorch?

Bacterial Leaf Scorch (sometimes called Marginal Leaf Burn) is a progressive disease caused by Xylella fastidiosa, a bacterium affecting nutrient and water-conducting tissues (the xylem) in many deciduous trees. When the xylem becomes infected, the tree cannot get enough water and nutrients to the leaves. The disease slowly progresses season by season. Tree species most commonly affected are Oak, Elm, Sycamore, and Maple. 

Symptoms

The primary symptom of Bacterial Leaf Scorch is browning leaves too early in the year. The first leaves affected are the oldest of the season, progressing to the newest leaves at the tips of the branches. When you closely examine the leaves, you will notice that the browning starts at the edges and progresses toward the middle. Leaves tend to start turning brown in mid-summer.

Bacterial Leaf Scorch is commonly mistaken for Dutch Elm Disease or Oak Wilt. However, these other diseases can kill a tree quickly, while Bacterial Leaf Scorch is slower to cause limb death.

The foliar disease can also be mistaken for environmental stress. However, environmental problems cause quicker reactions from the tree. Over the years, repeated Bacterial Leaf Scorch cycles weaken the tree and can cause death.

To reliably diagnose your tree, you will need to consult with a Certified Arborist or send your leaf material out to a government or university extension service for testing.

Treatment

If your tree has Bacterial Leaf Scorch, prune dead wood and branches with symptomatic leaves. Unfortunately, there are few treatments available for bacterial leaf scorch. Certified Arborists can apply antibiotic trunk injections with tetracycline to relieve some symptoms.

Prevention

Make sure to keep your wooded areas clean. After use, remove infected branches and disinfect your pruning tools with a bleach solution. Do not leave dead wood, leaves, or branches near susceptible trees.

Keep trees healthy by watering well, mulching appropriately, and fertilizing. Healthy trees are less likely to become infected.

Are You a Good Candidate for Bacterial Leaf Scorch Treatment?

If you have signs of Bacterial Leaf Scorch on your property, you may worry that you have no options to save your trees. Our Certified Arborists will examine your situation and create a plan to maximize tree survival.

Why Choose Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists?

Our Certified Arborists are experts at diagnosing and treating tree diseases. We are familiar with the local area and can formulate solutions to many of your tree problems.

No matter whether you have native trees or ornamentals on your property, we can make a plan to keep them healthy and attractive for years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bacterial Leaf Scorch

Here are customer questions about this disease:

How does Bacterial Leaf Scorch spread?

Insects called spittlebugs and leafhoppers spread the bacteria between trees. Root grafting can also spread the disease.

How can I tell the difference between drought damage and Bacterial Leaf Scorch?

Trees that are losing their leaves due to a severe lack of water and trees infected with Bacterial Leaf Scorch look similar on the surface. However, check closely for when and where the browned leaves appear. With Bacterial Leaf Scorch, the leaves will brown first on lower branches and older leaves closer to the trunk. Drought-affected leaves appear first on upper branches and younger leaves. A lab diagnosis is generally needed to confirm the presence of Bacterial Leaf Scorch.

Is there a cure for Bacterial Leaf Scorch?

Bacterial Leaf Scorch is not currently curable but treatable by qualified Arborists. Antibacterial trunk injections can relieve some of the symptoms.

How long does it take Bacterial Leaf Scorch to kill trees?

Typically, it can take about 8 to 10 years for an untreated tree to succumb to the disease. Pruning dead branches and affected limbs could extend the tree’s life.

What tree varieties are resistant to Bacterial Leaf Scorch?

Many tree varieties can resist Bacterial Leaf Scorch. These include Black Gum, Beech, and Buckeye. Consider planting these varieties to replace damaged trees in your landscape.

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists

If you’ve noticed possible signs of Bacterial Leaf Scorch, our Certified Arborists may be able to help. Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 for expert diagnosis and treatment of your trees.

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What is Pear Trellis Rust?

The fungus Gymnosporangium sabinae causes Pear Trellis Rust. The disease arrived in the United States from Europe in the 1990s and has caused a great deal of damage to ornamental Pears.

Pear Trellis Rust is a dual-host fungus that requires a Juniper to complete its life cycle. If you have Pears and Junipers, you should watch carefully for the symptoms of this disease.

Symptoms

Most homeowners notice the first symptom of Pear Trellis Rust is that the Pear trees begin dropping their leaves in the middle of the growing season. Examining the leaves shows red, yellow, and orange spots.

Later in the summer, brown “trellis”-like fruiting structures appear on the undersides of the Pear leaves, giving the disease its name.

Pear Trellis Rust can cause defoliation severe enough to weaken the tree. Repeated bouts with the disease could kill the tree.

Pear Trellis Rust can also affect twigs and fruit. Fruit may become mummified and fall early.

Treatment

Fungicide applied as a foliar spray and as a trunk injection can successfully treat Pear Trellis Rust. Fungicides approved for Pear rusts can be employed.

On Junipers, pruning infected branches is the best course of action.

Prevention

Since Pear Trellis Rust requires a Juniper to grow, removing Junipers from a 1,000-foot radius of the Pear tree should help. Avoiding planting Junipers will prevent the disease from affecting your Pear trees. Check your neighbors’ property as well as your own for this evergreen.

Are You a Good Candidate for Pear Trellis Rust Treatment?

Pear trellis rust is largely treatable but can be devastating if left to run its course. If you have Pear trees and any Junipers nearby, you need to watch this disease closely. If your Pear trees show any signs of Pear Trellis Rust, you should consider treating them before the infection spreads.

Why Choose Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists?

Our Certified Arborists expertly diagnose and treat tree health issues like fungal and bacterial infections and insect problems. We can handle complex infections like Pear Trellis Rust and other serious conditions. Our comprehensive services will allow you to maintain a healthy and beautiful landscape for your friends and family to enjoy.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pear Trellis Rust

Here are several client questions about this disease:

Why does Pear Trellis Rust only appear when there is a Juniper nearby?

The fungus that causes Pear Trellis Rust has two hosts: Pears and Junipers. The disease overwinters on the Juniper stems and spreads to the Pears in the spring using fungal spores. The Juniper develops galls (branch swellings) where the spores grow.

What does Pear Trellis Rust look like on a Juniper?

If your Juniper has Pear Trellis Rust, you will notice brown swellings about 1/5 inch long on the stems in the spring. When it is rainy or damp, you will see jelly-like orange masses of spores.

If I have Pears and Junipers, is there a way to keep them both?

While the best way of protecting your Pear trees against Pear Trellis Rust is to remove all Junipers from the area, there are steps you can take to help the plants coexist safely. You can carefully prune your Junipers, disposing of the infected material. Practice good hygiene around your trees and pick up all fallen Pear leaves during the summer.

Alternatively, you can plant rust-resistant Juniper varieties like Juniperus horizontalis, J. communis, and J. squamata.

Is the disease equally dangerous to Junipers and Pears?

Junipers usually do not receive major damage from Pear Trellis Rust infection. With careful pruning, Certified Arborists should be able to save them.

Does Pear Trellis Rust affect fruiting Pears as well as ornamental varieties?

The disease does not present as much of a problem to fruiting varieties as it does to ornamentals, though it can impact both.

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists

If you have noticed leaf spots or defoliation on your Pear trees, don’t wait to treat them. Your Pear trees’ survival could depend on addressing the problem quickly. Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 to learn more about Pear Trellis Rust and discover how you can combat this disease.

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What is Cherry Leaf Spot?

Cherry Leaf Spot (Blumeriella jaapii) is a fungal disease that primarily attacks the leaves of the cherry tree. When cherry trees have this infection, their buds and wood are prone to winter injuries. Defoliation may happen before harvest time, keeping the fruit from maturing normally.

Symptoms

The primary symptom of Cherry Leaf Spot is spotting on the upper sides of the leaves. The circular spots are very small and reddish-purple. As they mature, they turn reddish-brown and grow to 1/4 inch across. Underneath, the spots have white felt-like patches containing the fungus spores. Occasionally, the stippled areas may drop out and leave holes. Infected leaves may turn a shade of yellow and fall from the cherry tree.

Treatment

You can use fungicides to protect leaves if your trees have consistently dropped their leaves in September for the past several years. The Certified Arborist will start with the fungicide about two weeks after the blossoms emerge. The Certified Arborist will apply the fungicide at intervals suggested by the commercial packaging or according to their system.

Prevention

Orchard or backyard sanitation is a must. You should rake and compost all fallen leaves from cherry trees by October. This practice will disrupt the disease cycle because the fungus overwinters in fallen leaves.

Are You a Good Candidate for Cherry Leaf Spot Treatment?

If you have cherry trees affected by leaf spotting and poor harvests, you likely have Cherry Leaf Spots on your property and will need treatment from a professional. Call us to determine whether your cherry trees need intervention.

Why Choose Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists?

Our Certified Arborists know how to diagnose fungal and bacterial diseases and other conditions suffered by popular backyard trees. Our Arborists can take care of the most common issues and discover the reasons behind and treatment methods for obscure infections.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cherry Leaf Spot

Here are several customer questions:

Which varieties of cherry does Cherry Leaf Spot affect the most?

Tart cherries are generally affected more than sweet cherries, though both types are vulnerable to the disease.

What varieties of tart cherries have the least vulnerability to Cherry Leaf Spot?

Meteor and Northstar are two of the least-affected tart cherries.

What types of fungicides will the arborist use?

The type of fungicide used varies by the type of infestation, but the most common types of medication used to treat Cherry Leaf Spot are Daconil (mycobutanil) and Captan.

Do weather conditions affect Cherry Leaf Spot?

Yes, Cherry Leaf Spot is at its worst in damp years.

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 to assess your cherry trees for Cherry Leaf Spot infection. We can help you combat this pernicious disease and produce beautiful blossoms and fruit.

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Fortunately, Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists can help you deal with the effects of this devastating tree infection. Call us at 610-840-2655 to find out how we can help.

What is Apple Scab?

Apple Scab is a disease caused by the fungus Venturia inaequalis. It affects Pennsylvania’s pear, mountain ash, hawthorn, crabapple, and apple trees. The disease can ruin trees and destroy your chances of having quality fruit.

Symptoms

As mentioned above, Apple Scab causes black or olive-green spots on leaves. These spots usually have indistinct margins. In serious cases, the leaves could turn yellow and fall prematurely. “Corky” spots render the fruit inedible.

Treatment

Leaf litter needs cleaning up immediately. The fungus overwinters in the leaves, and getting rid of them will lessen the chances of a large infestation in the spring. Unfortunately, this tactic cannot prevent a major infestation.

Certified Arborists should apply fungicides at least every 2 weeks in the spring growth period.

Prevention

Luckily, several crabapples and apple varieties resist Apple Scab. Frequently, replacing affected trees with those resistant to the disease is your best course of action if the Arborist can’t get your problem under control.

Are You a Good Candidate for Apple Scab Treatment?

Any homeowner who has noticed the signs of Apple Scab is an excellent candidate for treatment. Treatment of this disease goes smoothly when it has not progressed very far. Otherwise, replacing the affected trees with a resistant variety works best.

Why Choose Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists?

Our expert Certified Arborists can detect and treat most tree ailments. Using a combination of common sense and highly advanced scientific skills, our Arborists can help you preserve your beautiful backyard landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions About Apple Scab

Here are a few popular questions from our customers:

What are some of the apple varieties that are resistant to Apple Scab?

Some less vulnerable varieties include the Redfree, Pixie Crunch, Liberty, and Jonafree.

How far apart should I place my trees to decrease the chances of spreading Apple Scab?

Your trees should be at least 30 to 35 feet apart for best results.

What hygiene should I practice where I plant my trees?

Apply urea to the trees after you harvest the apples but before the leaves drop. This practice will help the leaves decompose and reduce the disease’s chance of spreading. Destroy all raked leaves in the fall.

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 to find out how we can help you with your Apple Scab problems. We can use a variety of approaches to ensure your trees stay healthy.

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What Is Dogwood Anthracnose?

Dogwood anthracnose mostly affects Flowering Dogwoods (Cornus florida) and Pacific Dogwoods (Cornus nuttallii). It is a non-native disease that severely damaged populations of local Flowering Dogwood in New England. The native tree has no intrinsic defense against this pathogen. If environmental conditions are ideal, Dogwood Anthracnose can kill a tree.

Symptoms

Some of the symptoms of Dogwood Anthracnose include:

• Leaf Spots: Leaf spots may be blotchy or round. They are usually tan with reddish-purple edges.
• Death of Small Shoots and Succulent Stems: These appendages may die even if the infection does not progress.
• Cankers: Large knots in the bark or branches are known as cankers. These disease markers can disrupt the mineral, nutrient, and water absorption systems. This condition means that the tree’s canopy will die back quickly.
• Damaged Vascular System in the Wood: A telltale sign of damage in the vascular system is if the vascular cambium (also known as the cork cambium or area within the growth rings) appears to be a chocolate brown color instead of a healthy pale tan.

Treatment

To treat Dogwood Anthracnose, Certified Arborists can use fungicide in wet spring weather when the buds open. Pruning should happen as blighted stems and shoots develop. If infected leaves fall, be sure to pick them up promptly.

Prevention

The best prevention for this disease is planting disease-resistant Dogwood varieties: Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) and Tatarian Dogwood (C. alba). Redosier dogwood (C. sericea) is another excellent alternative. Hybrids of C. kousa and C. florida can also resist the disease. 

Are You a Good Candidate for Dogwood Anthracnose Treatment?

If you have planted valuable Dogwoods that are vulnerable to this disease, you may want to treat them rather than replace them with resistant varieties. Certified Arborists recommend planting resistant varieties if you have Dogwood Anthracnose issues.

Why Choose Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists?

Our company has multiple Certified Arborists who can diagnose your trees’ issues, present treatment options, and save your trees as often as possible. They dedicate themselves to ensuring your home landscape stays beautiful and untouched by common diseases.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dogwood Anthracnose

Here are several customer questions about Dogwood Anthracnose:

Why is Dogwood Anthracnose dangerous?

Dogwood Anthracnose can blight tree foliage almost completely. It creates angular spots and scars on the leaves. It causes cankers that disrupt minerals and water, causing canopy dieback that worsens over time.

Are epicormic sprouts a sign of Dogwood Anthracnose?

Yes, epicormic sprouts could signify that your Dogwood is not doing well. An epicormic sprout is a small-diameter stem that appears within the canopy. The stems mostly appear in the shade, meaning the infection can easily access them. These small stems are highly susceptible to Dogwood Anthracnose.

What weather conditions lead to Dogwood Anthracnose?

Like many fungal tree diseases, Dogwood Anthracnose prefers high moisture, shade, and humidity. These conditions cause the infection to spread and possibly move between trees rapidly. The spores spread due to splashing rainwater.

How should I treat Dogwood Anthracnose?

A professional’s expert treatment usually becomes necessary when Dogwood trees become infected. However, you can take important steps at home to lessen the chances of a severe infestation. First, avoid using a mower or string trimmer near the tree. Cuts in the bark could attract Dogwood Borer insects and other disease vectors. Irrigate the roots in dry times and put 2-3 inches of mulch over the roots.

Does Dogwood Anthracnose affect the ornamental blossoms?

Yes, it can blight the blossoms as well as the leaves. If you want your tree to survive, you should treat it regardless of whether the blossoms are affected.

When should the Certified Arborist treat the tree with fungicide?

If the tree has a known problem with Dogwood Anthracnose, it is best to treat it with fungicide. Applications should start when buds open.

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists

Call Rick’s PHC Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 if you have noticed that your Dogwood trees are not looking their best. They may have Dogwood Anthracnose, a serious condition that could compromise their health and safety. While this disease is somewhat difficult to treat, you can avoid it by planting resistant Dogwood varieties.

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Symptoms

The fungus Ventura inaequalis causes Apple Scab. The disease starts by infecting the leaves around blossom buds, making them twisted and dwarfed. The infection causes characteristic olive green or brown leaf spots and early leaf drop.

Trees may experience partial defoliation with a severe infection. While defoliation from Apple Scab does not usually pose a major danger, a normally healthy tree may be negatively affected.

When the infection progresses to the fruit, it causes distinctive olive-green spots with a rough texture. Infected fruits become misshapen. If fruits become heavily infected, they often drop prematurely.

Fruits affected by Apple Scab are edible but unattractive. For this reason, many home and commercial growers want to find a solution to this problem.

The Disease Cycle

The fungal spores stay on fallen leaves during the winter. When spring rain and winds arrive, they carry spores to the emerging apple leaves. Wet, cool spring weather is most conducive to infection.

More spores come about 10 to 20 days after the initial infection. These spores travel to the newest leaves. The infection cycle may continue as long as cool, damp weather persists. The disease usually stops spreading when dry, hot conditions prevail.

Management of Apple Scab

While there is no cure for Apple Scab, growers can take action to lessen its impact on their trees. One of the most important steps that growers can take is to clean up all infected leaf litter. Destroy these leaves as soon as possible.

Air circulation helps leaves dry and makes it harder for the infection to spread. Prune trees to improve air circulation.

Water trees well during dry spells. Healthy trees can withstand the defoliating effects of Apple Scab.

Apple Scab Treatment

Fungicidal sprays can help to control the disease before the spores spread in the spring. However, sprays do not work on an established infection. If you have noticed past symptoms on one of your trees, spray the younger and uninfected leaves to prevent the disease’s spread. Continue preventive spraying throughout the season.

Resistant Varieties 

The best way to reduce your trees’ chances of Apple Scab infection is to plant resistant varieties. These varieties include Liberty, Jonafree, and Novamac, among many others. Homeowners can purchase resistant crabapple varieties as well.

Fighting Back Against Apple Scab

While Apple Scab is not curable, you can manage it with careful attention to symptoms and growing conditions. Make sure to practice excellent hygiene around your trees, cleaning up and destroying all fallen leaves. Apply fungicidal sprays in late winter or early spring before the disease can infect leaves and fruit.

Contact the Certified Arborists at Rick’s Plant Health Care to combat Apple Scab and other tree diseases. We can help you manage and treat conditions that interfere with enjoying your trees.

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Picking fresh, home-grown fruit to share with your friends and family is one of the greatest pleasures of owning an apple tree. However, many would-be apple growers know that a lot can go wrong between blossom and fruit.

Here are the five top apple tree problems that could get in the way of enjoying a successful harvest, together with ways you can combat them.

1. Apple Scab

Experts can diagnose Apple Scab disease by examining the leaves and fruit. The leaves develop round, olive-green spots about half an inch across. The spots feel velvety to the touch. The leaf spots eventually turn brown and then black.

A fruit with apple scab disease develops a “corky” appearance and is inedible.

You can apply fungicides preventatively to suppress Apple Scab infection, but the best action is to plant trees resistant to the fungus.

2. Codling Moths

Codling moths are one of the most prevalent apple pests worldwide. In the past, growers controlled them with insecticide, but spray resistance has caused them to resurge.

The fruit looks fine outside with codling moths, but you see the worms when you cut or bite it. Codling moth larvae tunnel into apples and leave their “frass” or excrement behind.

Targeted insecticides may stop this disease. Growers can use pheromones to disrupt the mating cycle of codling moths and apply a virus that attacks the larvae. These methods are insecticide-free but may need expert application.

3. Fire Blight

Pears and apples often fall victim to Fire Blight. This disease grows in cankers on the trunk, branches, and old fruit. Infested trees often have characteristic hook-shaped leaves and shoots. Rain, pollinators, and pruning spread the disease from the cankers to the leaves and fruit.

Fire blight kills shoots and blossoms. If many shoots are infected, the tree may appear scorched. The cankers make branches die back. Fruit will turn brown and decay.

Trees need to be sprayed for Fire Blight in early spring before the buds open. Arborists have a variety of treatments at their disposal, including a Bordeaux mixture (water, copper sulfate, and calcium hydroxide) or a copper-based spray.

4. Aphids

Two types of Aphids attack trees in Pennsylvania: the Woolly Apple Aphid and the Green Apple Aphid. Both Aphids damage the leaves by sucking out their juice. They make the tree’s leaves yellow and die. Aphids also leave behind sticky honeydew that attracts ants.

The Woolly Apple Aphid is more dangerous to a tree’s health than the Green Apple Aphid. These Aphids cause the tree to form galls (swollen areas) on the roots. These aphids interfere with a tree’s growth.

Aphids have many natural predators, but their numbers could be affected by excessive spraying of insecticides. The best way to fight back against Aphids is to plant rootstock resistant to their infestation.

5. Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew is a fungus that prevents apple trees from growing fruit. Growers notice their blossoms and leaves with a light-colored powder in the spring. Infected leaves soon become powder-coated and curl upward.

Powdery mildew is more common in dry years. Home growers must spray their trees with mildew preventative early in the bud stage.

General Apple Tree Care Tips

Apple trees grow in full sun. They also need well-drained soil.  Homeowners should not plant them close to other trees or wooded areas. However, they should sit 50 feet or less from another apple tree of a different variety for pollination to happen.

Apples grow best in slightly acidic soil, around pH 6.0 to 6.5. Be sure to get a soil test from a nearby Cooperative Extension Service.

Examine your trees regularly for signs of disease. Talk to an arborist about what types of soil and spray treatments you may need. Be sure to time your sprays, so they will not harm natural pollinators.

After a few years of growing and planning, you may be able to grow a complete apple harvest to share and enjoy with your family.

Help Your Apple Trees Grow

While apples are beautiful trees, they are prone to many insects and diseases. The more you learn about growing apples, the more you realize how complex they are. Growing healthy, fruitful apple trees is a big undertaking. If you are having trouble nurturing healthy apples until harvest time, call Rick’s Plant Health Care at 610-840-2655. We can diagnose your problem and provide professional solutions.

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Your Boxwood shrub can be developing an infestation with Leafminer for months before you may ever know it – unless you are paying close attention to certain signs and taking steps to ensure the health and vitality of your plant. This can give you the best chance of overcoming its damage.

Understanding Boxwood Leafminer

It is important that you contact a Certified Arborist as soon as possible if you suspect that your Boxwood has been impacted by any size Leafminer population. Below are a few signs that may signal an infestation, but to be truly sure, you will need to seek a professional opinion.

Keep an eye out for these signs of Boxwood Leafminer damage: 

• Discolored yellowish leaves
• Dried out, unhealthy appearance
• Premature leaf drop
• Small blisters on the underside of the leaves
• Peel the leaf apart to expose larvae (tiny maggots)
• Skins left behind from the larvae may be dangling from the leaves (common in the Spring)

Finally, adult Leafminers are orange-colored midges that may hang around the area of the infested bush. Give the shrub a shake and you may send them flying. 

Boxwood Leafminer Treatment Tips

Once you have determined that you are, in fact, dealing with Boxwood Leafminer, it is important to seek treatment. There are a few things you can do to successfully save your Boxwood and get rid of the Leafminer altogether. 

Understand the Life Cycle

It is important to understand the lifecycle of these pests – especially when it comes to successfully treating them. Females lay eggs in the underside of the leaves until they hatch.  Then, the larvae move around inside the leaves until they force their pupal skin out and turn into an orange, mosquito-like flying insect. Life goes quickly after this – as they only live for about 24 hours. 

Only one generation of Boxwood Leafminer will occur each year. Having some knowledge about their lifecycle can help you understand what you are looking for and the best way to treat it. 

Shake and Spray

During the spring months – primarily May-June – the larvae begin turning into flying adults. Though they still tend to hang around the bush. When you give it a good shake, all of the midges will take flight. This could be a potentially ideal time to spray them down with insecticide. 

Keep in mind that this option will only be effective for those Leafminers that are out of the leaves. 

Start Pruning

By pruning back your plants about 10% to 30% you are essentially reducing the number of infected leaves you have. This step may not remove all the insects, but it will drastically cut down on the infestation. Just be sure to dispose of the branches and leaves that you cut off by bagging them up securely. 

Call a Certified Arborist

Reaching out to a professional Certified Arborist will help you address the Boxwood Leafminer most successfully. A full assessment and diagnosis will be made and the most adequate insect treatment will be performed. Due to their lifecycle, treatment often involves a systemic approach since this is really the only successful way to combat the Boxwood Leafminer.

Preventive and routine care is also just as important. After all, one that is thriving stands stronger against any threat from pests.

Boxwood Leafminer Treatment at Rick’s Certified Arborists

If you believe you may have an issue with Boxwood Leafminer or have witnessed Boxwood Leafminer damage on your shrubs, contact the Certified Arborists at Rick’s Certified Arborists at (610) 840-2655.

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It doesn’t take long for this invasive hard scale insect to consume all the vital nutrients the tree had to offer, causing both health and growth to be jeopardized. Thankfully, we’ve got 5 treatment tips to help you save your plants from White Prunicola Scale. 

Signs of White Prunicola Scale

Knowing how to accurately spot White Prunicola Scale is the first step. After all, you need the right diagnosis to know how to proceed with treatment. Look closely at the twigs and branches, paying careful attention to the underside of smaller branches. 

• The yellowing of the leaves
• White circular covers with a yellow center
• The appearance of snowy clusters
• Premature leaf drop
• Dieback (signs of dying that start from the tips of the leaves/branches)
• Cracking or splitting of bark

Keep in mind that there are many things that may be plaguing your plants – and White Prunicola is only one of them. To ensure you have made an accurate diagnosis and that you are following the proper treatment methods, it is always a good idea to confer with a professional arborist. 

White Prunicola Scale Treatment Tips

Once you have confirmed your plant is hosting White Prunicola Scale, it is time to take action. 

Tip #1: Maintain a Healthy Plant

Although White Prunicola Scale can make its way onto any of its preferred hosts, it cannot thrive unless it is allowed to. A healthy plant is one that can be strong and stand against the infestation because preventative measures have been taken. This includes partaking in routine pruning and preventative sprays or treatments. The more attention you give your plant, the healthier it will be. 

Tip #2: Use Horticulture Oil

Depending on the time of year – and if caught early – horticulture oil may help keep these pests from latching onto your plant. A good time to consider doing this would be during the early spring, after the emergence of “crawlers” also known as newly hatched scale. Be sure to spray it over all areas of the plant. 

Tip #3: Hire an Arborist

Just as you would take your kids to the pediatrician and your car to the mechanic, an arborist is skilled in caring for and treating your plants. And this includes those battling White Prunicola Scale. Help give your trees and shrubs the best chance for survival by seeking treatment from an arborist. 

An arborist understands the life cycle of these scales and will know just how to make the greatest impact – which often involves the use of an environmentally-friendly mix of insect growth regulator (IGR) and Horticultural Oil.  For instance, these insects have babies known as “crawlers” three times per year. This is when they are most vulnerable. Being able to properly time the treatment to save your trees with the “crawler” hatch. 

Tip #4: Take a Multi-Faceted Approach

White Prunicola Scale can be difficult to get rid of once an infestation is present. So the best thing you can do is to try a combination of different approaches. For instance, taking preventative measures, using properly timed Horticultural Oil sprays, investing in hiring a qualified arborist, and watering during drought like conditions will promote healthier plants that are more resistant to infestation. Combating the problem from different angles gives you the advantage. 

To learn more about how an arborist like Rick’s Certified Arborists can protect your landscaping from White Prunicola Scale and other pests, contact us today at 610-840-2655. Or, request a quote online. 

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What is a Foliar Disease?

Foliar disease is a disease that impacts the leaves of a tree, shrub, or other plants. And it is usually a response to an irritating agent. The majority of the time, this is a fungal or fungal-type organism. Other times it could be due to things like air pollution, nutritional toxicities, or less-than-ideal conditions for proper growth. And, of course, it should be mentioned how common it is for a plant to be a susceptible host for all kinds of nematodes and insects which can cause foliar disease as well. 

An arborist is one who can gather background information about the plant, thoroughly examine it, and determine the best form of treatment. 

Identifying Foliar Disease

Before you can begin treating foliar disease it is important to determine what is causing it. There are a few steps taken to do this. 

1. Accurately identify the type of plant, also referred to as the host plant. Knowing what you are working with can aid in determining the source. 
2. Know the characteristics of the plant. Sometimes certain plants may appear to have disease when it is really just a naturally occurring feature of them. 
3. Research the common diseases of the plant. Each plant has certain diseases that impact its kind. 
4. Look for the symptoms and signs of disease. Having all the background information and then looking for the signs and symptoms of foliar disease can narrow down the search as to what type of disease you are dealing with.

Many types of foliar disease can present themselves like another, having the same sort of symptoms or characteristics. This is why it is so important to have a professional examine the plant to make the right diagnosis – and plan for treatment.

Treatment for Foliar Diseases

There are different treatment options available for the foliar disease. Choosing the right one will be based on the disease that is troubling the plant. Generally, your arborist will use one of two main methods – trunk injections and foliar sprays. 

Rather than treating the leaves directly, getting the root cause of the problem usually yields much better overall results. 

Trunk Injections are beneficial for trees that are suffering from foliar disease that need results quickly. Small holes are drilled into the tree and pesticides are injected into it. Because you are injecting this directly into the root collar, the pesticides can go to work right away – spreading throughout the entire tree in about a week!

Foliar Sprays are also helpful, as they apply fertilizer directly to the leaves of the plant for faster absorption, instead of putting the fertilizer in the soil.

Preventing Foliar Disease

While there are methods to treat foliar disease, sometimes it is easier to avoid it altogether by taking steps to prevent it. 

Our biggest tips for foliar disease prevention: 

• hire an arborist for a management/spray program
• select disease resistant plants
• keep plants/shrubs/trees thinned to increase air flow
• remove diseased leaves during fall clean ups
• promote healthier trees as healthy trees can fight infection better

Finally, many diseases can spread. If you think one plant is ailing, don’t touch it and then touch another. This is a very easy way to get them to spread and can lead to even bigger issues. 

Professional Foliar Disease Treatment From a Certified Arborist

If you think you may be dealing with a foliar disease and you aren’t sure how to treat it, call in the professionals. Contact Rick’s Certified Arborists today.

The post What Are Foliar Diseases and How to Prevent Them? appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

Unfortunately, the plant that doesn’t require a lot of attention can end up under attack by crape myrtle aphids. Then, the beauty it so elegantly exhibits becomes hidden behind a black sooty mold.  

What are Aphids? 

Crape myrtle aphids are translucent green insects that suck the sap in the leaves, leaving behind a sticky mess referred to as honeydew. As they feed on it, they can cause cosmetic damage to the tree while also impacting the health of the plan. Here’s how. 

They suck the sap, taking only the nutrients they need and leaving the honeydew on the leaves – and even on surrounding areas such as decks, sidewalks, cars, etc. This honeydew, a sugary material that attracts ants, bees, hornets, etc,  then becomes a great food source for molds which then begin to grow on the surface. Black sooty molds can begin to appear and, with heavy aphid infestations, the mold can turn the leaves of the plant completely black. 

It is important to note that crape myrtle aphids don’t necessarily kill the tree or have any serious long-term effects, but they can definitely drag its appearance down. 

Treatment Plans

When it comes to treating these pesky crape myrtle aphids, there are many DIY options you can find online as well as over-the-counter solutions at your local lawn supply store. However, many of these methods of treatment only help you on the surface. They may appear as though they are solving the aphid problem, but they usually do not last. DIY treatments may also be harmful to pollinator insects/honey bees depending on timing when used, another reason why hiring a professional is important.

If you are looking for a treatment that can get rid of the aphids and help your crape myrtle return to its beautiful color and sense of vigor, then you are going to need to seek professional treatments from an arborist. Most commonly, soil and Foliar Sprays. 

Soil injections allow effective treatments to be applied near the roots so that it makes its way up into the trunk. These injections are spread evenly around the tree so that the pesticide treatment is thorough and effective. For those with pets and young kids, this method of getting rid of aphids is much safer than spraying the pesticide. 

Systemic Bark Sprays and Foliar Sprays are another professional treatment method that get rid of crape myrtle aphids. This is, perhaps, one of the fastest and effective ways of dealing with the pests. 

Prevention for Crape Myrtle Aphids

Preventing Crape Myrtle aphids from ever appearing on your tree is ideal. 

Avoid over-fertilizing your plant as aphids seem to be attracted to the excessive nitrogen that comes along with doing so. Further, working with a professional arborist and proactively treating your crape myrtle can prevent the aphids from appearing in the first place. 

There are pests that are predators who can keep the aphids at bay. By using the wrong pesticides,  you could be killing the predators and allowing the aphid’s population to explode. Rather than try to take things into your own hands, consult someone who can help you find the delicate balance and keep your crape myrtles looking fantastic all throughout the year.  

To learn more about the treatment and prevention of crape myrtle aphids, contact Rick’s Certified Arborists today at 610-840-2655.

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Thankfully, if you are proactive, there are steps you can take to protect your ash tree from this unwelcome pest.

The Dangers of Emerald Ash Borers

The Emerald Ash Borer invades an ash tree when a female lays its eggs on the outside of its trunk. As the larvae hatch, they bury themselves inside the tree. That’s right – they grow up within the Ash tree’s trunk digging their way through squiggly-shaped tunnels. They create these tunnels up and down the sides of the tree, interfering with the flow of much-needed nutrients to the upper portions of the tree. 

Fully grown emerald ash borers find their way out of the tree by boring tiny holes (hence their name) through the bark. Not only does this leave the tree susceptible to other creatures entering the tree or for woodpeckers to peck away, but the top of the tree starves for nutrients, growing sicker and sicker because it can’t receive them. 

The result? The ash tree will usually reach the end of its lifespan in about a year or two after the infestation. Older trees or those with minimal infestation may last about 3 to 4 years. 

Signs of the Emerald Ash Borer

While a professional arborist should be the one to confirm you are, in fact, dealing with an emerald ash borer, there are a few signs you can look out for. These include: 

• Crown dieback. Due to the lack of nutrients reaching the upper areas of the tree, it will begin to die from the tips of its branches inward toward the trunk. 
• Epicormic sprouting. This is when new growth appears along main limbs or even in the lower trunk. This usually happens in this instance due to the crown dying. 
• Bark splitting. The damage underneath the bark often causes vertical splits in the bark. 
• Woodpecker feeding. Woodpeckers feed on emerald ash borers. And, as their population within the trunk increases, they are an easy catch. 
• D-shaped exit holes. As the adults leave the tree (usually in spring), they will leave the tree with small d-shaped exit holes. 

Protecting Your Tree from Emerald Ash Borer

When it comes to treating your ash tree for emerald ash borers, you are going to want to do so before there is a big problem. Sadly, once they are given the freedom to wreak havoc on the inside of a tree, there isn’t much that can be done to save it. By this time, it may be too late. 

The best thing you can do to protect your ash trees from this unwanted invasive pest is to invest in preventative treatment. Trunk injections by a skilled arborist work to provide pesticides into the vascular tissue of the tree – and that gives it protection from the emerald ash borer. 

Keep in mind that this trunk injection needs to be repeated regularly in order to protect the tree.  

If you’d like to learn more about treating ash trees infested or vulnerable to the emerald ash borer, then contact Ricks Plant Health Care at 610-840-2655.

The post How to Protect Your Trees From the Emerald Ash Borer appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

Let’s talk about Bacterial Leaf Scorch – and how you can avoid it. 

What is Bacterial Leaf Scorch? 

Bacterial leaf scorch is a disease that impacts the look and health of shade trees. It comes on rather faintly – a leaf here, a leaf there. But it doesn’t take long for the signs of this disease to take over an entire tree. 

Caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, the first signs are necrotic leaves. They start to turn brown around the edges and look scorched, and will finally leaf drop. The center part of the leaf remains green and looks otherwise healthy. The exact coloring and impact varies based on the tree it is infecting. 

So, who is at risk? Bacterial Leaf Scorch generally affects these trees locally:

• Red Oaks
• Pin Oaks
• Black Oaks

However other parts of the country has reported infection in the following:

• Sycamore
• Red Oak
• Red Maple
• Pin Oak
• Sweetgum
• American Elm
• Almond
• Mulberry

Bacterial Leaf Scorch, if left untreated, doesn’t just go away. It will reappear year after year, spreading as time passes. 

How Bacterial Leaf Scorch is Diagnosed

This common disease usually begins to appear mid-late summer/early fall depending on your region. Visually inspecting the tree is one way to diagnose bacterial leaf scorch. You are looking for necrosis along the margin of the leaf in uniquely-shaped patterns. It is separated from the green center with a yellow halo. 

It takes a laboratory test to truly rule out every other disease or potential cause for the scorched-like appearance. However, a high-skilled arborist is able to examine the tree and determine whether or not it seems to have bacterial leaf scorch. 

Treatment can then be planned accordingly. 

Treating Bacterial Leaf Scorch

Many people try to prune their trees to remove the affected leaves. However, while it may temporarily improve their appearance, it does not heal the disease. 

To keep your trees healthy, you always want to make sure they have enriched soil and have healthy consumption of water. Although there is not a cure for bacterial leaf scorch, treatments can keep your tree healthy and strong as well as deter the leafhoppers that are known to spread the disease. This is often done with trunk injections of antibiotics combined with soil injections. The treatment suppresses symptoms and prolongs the life of the tree – and it should be re-treated annually.

You should never try injecting anything into the trunk of your tree without the direction of a qualified arborist. 

Call in the Professionals

Keeping your trees alive and well sometimes takes more than occasional watering. If you are dealing with Bacterial Leaf Scorch or some other type of tree disease, don’t attempt to heal it on your own. Call in the professionals at Rick’s Certified Arborists. 

Contact our office today at (610) 840-2655 or request a quote online.

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Flat-Headed Borers

Flat-headed Borers are beetles with a metallic-like shine and bold colors like green, blue, copper, and bronze. Don’t let their pretty appearance fool you, though—some of the most destructive tree borers are among this species. They tunnel under bark and into the vascular tissue of plants, killing trees from the inside. Flat-headed Borers include:

Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus Planipennis) – This invasive species has killed hundreds of millions of Ash trees throughout North America. Luckily Emerald Ash Borer treatment is highly effective in controlling infestations and mitigating damage.

Flatheaded Apple Tree Borer (Chrysobothris Femorata) – Although these borers can attack any hardwood tree that is compromised by stress or injury, they are most attracted to Crab Apples, Maples, and Hawthorns.

Bronze Birch Borer (Agrilus Anxius) – If you have White or Paper Birch trees in your yard, keep an eye out for signs of Birch Borer infestation, like D-shaped holes in the trunks and limbs. Damage from these tree-borer insects can eventually cause birch trees to die.

Two-Lined Chestnut Borer (Agrilus bilineatus) – These native beetles act opportunistically, attacking weakened oaks by feeding on the inner bark and cambium. Infested oaks usually die after two to three years of infestation if left untreated.

Clearwing Borers

These borers look almost like wasps as adults, but as with most borers, it’s the larvae that damage trees. Clearwing Borers include:

Banded Ash Clearwing Borer (Podosesia Aureocincta) – This type of borer only attacks Ash trees, with a particular taste for Green Ash.

Greater Peach Tree and Lesser Peach Tree Borers (Synanthedon Exitiosa) – As you might guess from their name, these borer insects attack peach trees, as well as other stone fruits, including cherries, plums, nectarines, and apricots. They destroy trees’ vascular tissue through borer and girdling.

Dogwood Borer (Synanthedon Scitula) – Dogwood Borers feed on Flowering Dogwood, but infestations only occur in trees that are already injured or compromised.

Lilac Borer (Podosesia Syringae) – Lilac trees add beauty and fragrance to your yard, but they can also attract Lilac Borers. The larvae also feed on Ash and Privet.

Ambrosia Beetles – Ambrosia beetles is a term used to describe several species of small beetles that breed and farm ambrosia fungus in the sapwood of stressed trees. The damage they cause is usually lethal. With more trees stressed due to harsh environmental conditions and climate, we’re seeing an increasing number of trees dying due to ambrosia beetle damage lately.

Round-Headed Borers

Also known as Long-Horned Beetles, Round-Headed Borer Larvae create tunnels beneath the bark, exiting their hosts when they reach adulthood to carry out the rest of their life cycle. These insects include:

Locust Borer (Megacyllene Robiniae) – These larvae bore into the inner bark of trees, where they live over-winter.

Cottonwood Borer (Plectrodera Scalator) – As you might guess from the name, this beetle attacks Cottonwood trees, although it also feeds on Poplar and Willow. Larvae tunnel inside these trees for 2 years before reaching adulthood.

Red-Headed Ash Borer (Neoclytus Acuminatus) – Because Red-Headed Ash Borers feed on a variety of trees, they are one of the most common borer species.

Red Oak Borer (Enaphalodes Rufulus) – Red Oak Borer Larvae attack Oak and Maple trees, living inside the trees for over a year and leaving trees susceptible to secondary diseases and infestations.

Twig Girdler (Oncideres species) – Twig Girdlers can cause damage to Pecan, Chinaberry, Mimosa, and Sweet Acacia trees. Adults girdle tree limbs, laying their eggs in the grooves they create, which leaves the limbs vulnerable to high winds and storms.

Twig and Branch Pruners (Elaphidionoides and Agrilus species) – These insects attack Pecan, Persimmon, Redbud, Elm, Oak, Maple, Hickory, Sweetgum, and other trees, girdling twigs and branches and weakening their hosts.

Schedule a Consultation With Our Certified Arborist

Contact Rick’s Certified Arborists today to schedule a tree inspection to look for signs of tree borer insects on your property.

The post What Are the Different Types of Tree Borer Insects? appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

What Are Scale Insects?

There are two types of scale insects: soft scales and armored scales. Soft scales are about 1/8 to 1/4 inch long, and they feed on the phloem tissue of trees and shrubs. As they feed, they excrete excess sap, which is called honeydew. Honeydew attracts flies, wasps, and ants, so if you see any of these flocking to a tree or shrub in your yard, you may want to spend some time looking for soft scales.

Armored scales are about half the size of soft scales, and they feed on plant cells. They don’t excrete honeydew and they often blend into the bark of the trees they attack, which can make identifying infestations difficult for property owners. They may only notice infestations once damage has already been caused; this is why regular residential tree inspections are so important! (Learn more: why hire an arborist.)

How to Prevent Scale Insects

There are a few ways to control scale insects, but not as many ways to prevent infestation from occurring in the first place. If you’ve had issues with scale insects in the past, or infestations are common in your area, you may want to consider using an application of horticultural oil prior to bud break, when plants are still dormant. The oil must be applied to all of the tree and shrub. You may also want to do a summer spray based on when eggs are likely to hatch.

How to Control Scale Insects

You can control scale insects through natural, mechanical, and chemical means. Some of these methods are more effective than others; an arborist can help you determine the best option for your property. (Learn more: what does an arborist do?)

Natural Control

Much of the time, Mother Nature takes care of scale insects on her own. Ladybugs and parasitic wasps feed on scale insects, providing natural population control.

Mechanical Control

Mechanical control may work in cases of small infestations in small trees or shrubs. The infested areas can be pruned and discarded, which will reduce the scale population.

Chemical Control

Chemical control is the best method for controlling large infestations. Dormant oil and summer sprays, as described above, can help control populations; a contact insecticide can be used when scales are active.

Systemic insecticides are considered the gold standard for scale infestations. They can be administered via trunk injections, foliar spray, drench, or soil injection. These insecticides circulate inside a tree or shrub, so they control scales without affecting beneficial insects or the risk of coming into contact with pets, animals, and children.

Learn More About Scale Insect Control

Contact Rick’s Certified Arborists today to schedule a residential tree inspection to check for signs of scale infestation or to learn more about insect and disease control.

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Carefully Time Your Tree Planting

Early spring and fall are the best times of the year to plant new trees. Don’t plant trees right before a week-long vacation—your trees will need some TLC just after planting, so plan on adding them to your yard at a time when you’ll be available to care for them properly. Even if you ask someone else to do the watering for you, you never know if they’ll forget, and the last thing you want is to come home to hundreds of dollars worth of dying trees.

Buy High Quality Nursery Stock

We recommend skipping the big box stores and supporting local nurseries here in our community. Not only do these nurseries carry higher quality stock, they’re also full of knowledgeable staff who can help you understand the best trees for your property, the amount of care they need, and how to avoid common tree planting problems.

Before you make your purchase, take a good look at the tree. Inspect for the central leader, damaged limbs or trunk, insects, and signs of disease.

Prepare the Tree and Planting Site

You should plan on planting your tree shortly after purchasing it, preferably the same day, if possible. Remove burlap and wire baskets before planting and loosen the roots around the root ball.

The hole you dig should be the same depth as the root ball, but a little more than twice as wide. Once planted, the root collar should be exposed, with the flare at the bottom of the trunk at grade, not underground. Amend the soil you’ve removed with compost or garden soil; place the tree in the hole, then fill in around the root ball with the amended soil.

Clear Excess Soil and Prune

Take another look and make absolutely sure that you’ve cleared any excess soil around the base to expose the root flare. Next, prune out any girdling roots. This is one of the biggest challenges we see on every property; if you didn’t plant your trees yourself, check the work of your landscaper to make sure they took these steps.

Water Thoroughly

Just like people, most trees don’t like to be parched! This is even more important right after planting. Watering is also important for establishing trees because deep watering helps guide the roots downwards, deep into the soil; shallow watering encourages the roots to stay closer to the surface, which isn’t desirable.

Water new trees immediately after planting, saturating the soil completely, and continue to water two to three times a week during the first month, adjusting as needed during stretches of rainy weather or droughts. To keep the soil around your tree moist, add mulch, being careful not to mound it against the trunk.

Plan an Inspection and Deep Root Feeding

A deep root feeding scheduled for the first fall after planting a new tree is an excellent way to protect your investment. Hire a Certified Arborist to ensure the treatment is done correctly—there’s a difference between arborist and tree service. It’s also a good idea to call an arborist to inspect your trees after they’ve been planted. In our experience, trees coming from nurseries often have insect infestations or poor planting practices, but owners often call us only once these issues have taken their toll. A preemptive inspection can save you money—and save your trees!

Learn More About How to Plant Trees

Contact Rick’s Certified Arborists today to schedule a residential tree inspection or consultation for more tips on how to plant trees and tree planting problems.

The post 5 Things to Look Out for When Planting Trees appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

Why Plant Trees in the Fall

Next to spring, fall is the best time of year to plant trees. By planting trees in the fall, you give them an extra growing season before the stress of summer heat. The cooler temperatures and rain allows trees to establish their roots before hot weather and droughts hit.

You might wonder if new trees can withstand the cold weather of late fall and winter, but there’s no need to worry. Trees are dormant in the winter, which means their metabolism, energy consumption, and growth slows.

Another benefit of planting trees in the fall is that you might be able to score some good deals! We always recommend purchasing from a reputable local nursery, rather than big box stores, but even those nurseries will often offer discounts in the fall.

Tips for Fall Tree Planting

Planting trees in the fall does not require any special steps or care; you’ll follow the same practices you would when planting in the spring. Here are tips from our Certified Arborist. (Learn more: why hire an arborist.)

• Purchase healthy, high-quality nursery stock. Visit your local nursery for trees, as they typically have curated a selection of trees that thrive in our area and their staff can help you choose the best options for your property. Before you make your purchase, inspect your tree thoroughly. Look for the central leader, damaged limbs or trunk, insects, and signs of disease.
• Plant the tree promptly and properly. It’s best to plant your tree shortly after you purchase it. Take off the burlap and wire baskets, then loosen the roots around the rootball. Dig a hole the depth of the root ball, but twice as wide. Your tree’s root collar should be exposed, with the flare at the bottom of the trunk at grade; if needed, clear any excess soil and prune out girdling roots.
• Do some deep watering. If you only get the surface layer of the soil wet, the roots of your tree will grow up, where it can get water. Deep watering encourages the roots to grow down, helping your tree become established. Water like this two to three times a week and add mulch around the tree to help the soil stay moist. (Do not mound the mulch against the trunk!)
• Plan a tree inspection. Our arborists provide residential tree care, which includes tree inspections. (Learn more: what does an arborist do?) We’ll let you know if your tree is in good health, planted well, and if it needs deep root feeding.

Learn More About Planting Trees in the Fall

Contact Rick’s Certified Arborists today to schedule a residential tree inspection or deep root feeding.

The post Why You Should Plant Trees in the Fall appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

The Cost of Emerald Ash Borer Treatment in Pennsylvania

Emerald Ash Borers are an invasive beetle native to East Asia that feed on the vascular tissue inside trees. Over time, this damage will kill an infested tree. At Rick’s Certified Arborists, we use trunk injections to treat affected Ash trees, however, treatment is best done as a preventative measure. The pesticide is injected directly into the vascular tissue; while it doesn’t harm the tree, it does kill the Emerald Ash Borers inside. For maximum protection, this must be repeated every two years.

The cost of EAB treatment depends on the size of the tree. As an example, if your tree is 14 inches in diameter, the cost of trunk injections can be between $150-$175. In contrast, it can cost up to $2,000 to remove an Ash tree, so treatment is a worthwhile investment.

If you have a smaller Ash tree that won’t cost as much to remove, you might do the math and figure that treating the tree with trunk injections every other year will cost you more than simply removing the tree. Financially, this may be true, but Ash trees have value beyond a simple dollar amount. They shade your home and yard, provide habitat for birds and other wildlife, make your property more attractive, and slow runoff from rainstorms.

When to Cut Down an Ash Tree

That said, there are some circumstances in which you may be better off removing your Ash tree rather than treating it with trunk injections.

Ash trees can be quite dangerous when they die, as they become brittle. This means branches and limbs may snap off unexpectedly. If your Emerald Ash Borer infestation was not caught early enough, a trained arborist can examine the tree for damage and determine if it’s best to remove the tree before it becomes a hazard, rather than attempting treatment on a tree that is already badly compromised.

Other reasons to consider removing an Ash tree include:

• The tree was already in poor health before the Emerald Ash Borer infestation.
• The tree is very young.
• The tree is in a bad location (too close to your home or the road, etc.).
• More than 30% of the tree canopy is compromised.

As arborists, we always like to save trees whenever possible, but if you’re torn between the decision to remove an infected Ash tree or treat it, we can help you do a cost-benefit analysis of both options to help you determine the best course of action.

Schedule a Consultation With Our Certified Arborist

Contact Rick’s Certified Arborists today to schedule a consultation for our Emerald Ash Borer treatment services.

The post How Much Does Emerald Ash Borer Treatment Cost? appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

Tree Care

One of the most important services offered by Certified Arborists is caring for the health of trees. This is our focus at Rick’s Certified Arborists. Tree care includes regular inspections to ensure that the trees on a property are healthy. It also includes preventive care to help trees grow healthy and strong, as well as treatments for pests and disease. This is why arborists are often known as tree doctors!

Arborists are trained to identify the subtle signs of disease and ill health in trees. Anyone can look at a tree with a canopy full of dead leaves and branches and know that something is wrong. An arborist can diagnose the problem before it gets to that point, or provide the regular tree care needed to prevent the problem altogether.

At Rick’s Certified Arborists, our tree and shrub care services include:

• Residential inspections
• Deep root feeding
• Growth regulations
• Spotted Lanternfly treatment
• Emerald Ash Borer treatment
• Soil injections
• Trunk injections

Tree Trimming and Removal

Some arborists also provide tree pruning and removal services. When it comes to tree trimming, it’s critical that you hire a knowledgeable expert. Simply cutting branches at random or lopping off the top of a tree can have devastating effects on its health. An arborist will strategically remove branches and limbs to optimize the health of a tree.

Even tree removal is best managed by arborists. Some trees are more difficult to remove than others. Ash trees, for example, can become brittle once they’ve died and hazardous to remove. Arborists understand this and have strategies to mitigate any risk of property damage and injury.

Tree Planting

When you’re considering planting new trees on your property, call an arborist who specializes in tree planting. Arborists have a keen understanding of the tree species that are appropriate not only for your region, but also specific areas of your property based on their exposure to wind and sun. They know how large a tree will get and choose its location accordingly.

Arborists can also match you with the right trees for your needs and lifestyle, whether you’re an experienced gardener who’s always up for a challenge, or you prefer trees with minimal maintenance.

When it’s time to plant your new trees, arborists have the skill and knowledge to ensure that it’s done right—it’s not just a matter of digging a hole in the ground and dropping in the tree! They’ll set you up with all the knowledge you need to care for your new trees as they become established on your property.

Schedule a Consultation With Our Certified Arborist

Contact Rick’s Certified Arborists today to schedule a consultation with our Certified Arborist and find out how we can optimize the health of the trees on your property.

The post What Does An Arborist Do? appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

The Spotted Lanternfly Lifecycle

So when do Spotted Lanternflies die? The good news is that the adults die in winter, but the bad news is that the eggs they lay will last through the winter and hatch when warmer weather returns.

Every summer, Adult Lanternflies mate and then lay eggs. Although Lanternflies lay these eggs on a variety of outdoor surfaces, you’re unlikely to notice them since they have a coating on them that looks like mud. The next spring, these eggs hatch, and the black and white nymphs soon turn into 1-inch long adults with red, white, black, and beige patterns on their wings. These adults then mate, lay eggs, and the cycle continues…until you break it.

Spotted Lanternfly Treatment

There are two ways to break the Spotted Lanternfly cycle: either the trees in your yard die and the insects move onto another property, or you hire an arborist for Spotted Lanternfly Treatment. (You can also remove and destroy egg masses manually before they hatch, but if there are Lanternflies in your neighborhood, that might only make a small dent in the problem!)

Left untreated, Spotted Lanternflies will weaken your trees, shortening their lifespans and making them vulnerable to other pests and diseases. When you hire a Certified Arborist to take care of your Spotted Lanternfly problem, you can rest assured that you’ll be rid of these pests and the damage they cause for good.

We recommend regular tree inspections to catch Spotted Lanternfly infestations at their earliest stages before they begin to seriously impact the health of your trees. Arborists have the training and education to identify Spotted Lanternflies at any stage in their lifecycle.

At Rick’s Certified Arborists, we use a treatment process that is recognized by the US Department of Agriculture as the most effective available. This proven approach involves injecting an insecticide called Dinotefuran directly into the trunks of infested trees. As the Spotted Lanternflies feed, the insecticide kills them, breaking their lifecycle. For smaller trees, we deliver the insecticide via a bark spray, which is safer than trunk injections for younger trees. You’ll begin to see results in as little as 24 hours.

Schedule a Consultation With Our Certified Arborist

Do you have Spotted Lanternflies attacking the trees in your yard? Are there Spotted Lanternflies in your area and you’d like to set up regular tree inspections with our Certified Arborist to ensure that your trees stay healthy? Contact Rick’s Certified Arborists today to schedule a consultation for our Spotted Lanternfly treatment services.

The post Spotted Lanternflies: When Do They Die? appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

Arborist vs. Tree Company: Defining Tree Care

“Tree company” is a broad term that can mean many different things. Some tree companies provide tree trimming and removal services; others offer fertilization and pest control, or plant trees for property owners. Tree care, too, can have many different meanings. These terms simply don’t tell you enough about what a business does and what their qualifications are—which means these services can be offered by anyone, whether or not they have any education or experience in tree health.

A Certified Arborist is accredited by the ISA, which means they meet the following criteria:

• At least 3 years of full-time, practical work experience with trees
• Passed a rigorous exam for certification
• Participate in continuing education to maintain their certification in arboriculture

(Read why hire an arborist vs. landscaper for more about the differences between arborists and other tree and landscaping services.)

When you see the phrase “Certified Arborist,” you immediately know that you’re choosing a professional who is educated and experienced in both the art and science of tree care. A tree service or tree company might be able to remove a dead tree without issue, but do they know how to maintain the health of your trees? Only by hiring a Certified Arborist like Rick’s Plant Healthcare can you be certain that you’re getting the best possible tree healthcare.

Arborists Are Specialists

Because a tree service may only offer trimming and removal, their interests may be in conflict with the best interests of your trees. As tree specialists, arborists have training in evaluating the health of your trees and experience knowing when a tree can be saved from needing to be removed. Our tree care services include treatments for common pests and diseases.

Even when it comes to trimming trees, a specialist is needed. For example, some tree services may recommend “topping,” or cutting the top branches off of your trees rather than pruning. This leaves trees stressed and vulnerable to disease and other serious health issues. Furthermore, what you may believe are just a few dead branches that need to be removed by a tree service could actually be a sign of disease, something a Certified Arborist can easily identify.

Arborists Offer Preventive Care

Just like your doctor, arborists provide preventive care to keep your trees in tip-top shape. Your annual tree inspection cost includes a walk around your entire property to thoroughly examine all of your trees and bushes to determine if any nutrients are missing and identify signs of pests and disease. By taking a proactive approach to your trees’ health, you can maximize their lifespan and ensure they thrive year-round. In the long-term, this will save you money.

Schedule a Consultation With Our Certified Arborist

Contact Rick’s Plant Healthcare today to schedule a consultation for our tree care services or read our FAQ to learn more about what sets Certified Arborists apart from other tree companies.

The post Arborist vs. Tree Service: What You Need to Know Before Hiring appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

Best Trees to Plant in Your Front Yard

Bloodgood Japanese Maple

Acer Palmatum Atropurpureum Bloodgood is a stunning Japanese Maple with year-round appeal. The leaves are a deep, purple-tinged red in spring and summer, then turn to a brilliant scarlet in the fall. These trees grow slowly and won’t get any larger than 20 feet, so they can be planted relatively close to your home to provide both visual interest in your landscaping and a bit of shade for your front porch.

White Oak

White oaks are large, strong trees with short trunks and impressive horizontal limbs. They can adapt to a wide range of soil types, although they prefer deep, moist, and well-drained locations in a front yard. White oaks are an excellent choice if you’re looking for a tree that provides beautiful fall colors, and because they’re slow growing, they need little pruning (why hire an arborist for pruning).

Paper Birch

There’s something a bit magical about the Paper Birch, with its elegant white bark and yellow fall colors. If you have soil that tends to be damp, a Paper Birch will thrive in your yard, and its peeling, papery bark gives the tree visual interest year-round. The only downside is that Birches have relatively short lives, but because they can grow up to two feet a year, they’re a good choice when you want to fill in a space quickly.

Sun Valley Maple

Maple trees are always a classic for a front yard, and this variety is a stunner. It’s also a multitasker—in addition to adding curb appeal, Sun Valley is fast-growing, provides good shade, produces no seeds, and is resistant to Leafhoppers. If you don’t want to add a huge tree to your yard, Sun Valley is a good choice because it only grows to a height of 20 to 25 feet.

White Fir

White firs are hardy evergreen trees with fragrant blue-green needles. These slow growers are easygoing and tolerate a wide range of conditions, which makes them a favorite for urban landscaping. Planted in a grouping, white firs can be used as a windbreak, for a border, or to create more privacy.

Beech Trees

Looking for a tree that offers spectacular fall colors? Consider a Beech tree. Fagus Sylvatica Var. Purpurea, also known as the Purple Beech or Copper Beech, is one of our favorites. To make even more of a statement, choose the weeping branched Fagus Sylvatica Pendula or Fagus Sylvatica Purple Fountain, which has a cascading form and purple leaves.

Eastern Redbud (Cercis Canadensis)

With bright pink flowers on bare branches, the Eastern Redbud is a sight to behold in the spring. This tree is a complement to any landscaping, and its size makes it a great centerpiece for a front yard garden. You might be surprised to learn that the Eastern Redbud is related to the Pea plant, and both its flowers and its young legumes are edible.

Schedule a Consultation With Our Certified Arborist

Contact Rick’s Plant Health Care today to schedule a consultation and learn more about the best trees to plant in your front yard and the difference between an arborist and tree service.

The post What Are the Best Trees to Plant in Your Front Yard? appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

Hire a Certified Arborist

Naturally, taking care of your trees is top on our list—we are a tree care business, after all! Trees that shed their leaves early or have a canopy full of dead branches are an eyesore, but having a Certified Arborist come out to inspect your trees can keep them in tip-top shape. There’s a difference between arborist and tree service—a tree service can trim and remove trees, but only Certified Arborists are required to pass a rigorous exam and take ongoing education in the science of tree care (find out more: why hire an arborist).

Arborists can also advise you on new trees to add to your home landscape, and help you decide if a particular tree needs to be removed. Beautiful, healthy trees create shade and add curb appeal, making them a valuable part of your property.

Invest in Lawn Care

A lawn full of weeds and bare spots doesn’t make a great impression, but once you let your home landscape slide, it can be hard to get back on track. Stay on top of watering, mowing, fertilizing, aerating, and pest control and it will pay dividends, giving you a lush green lawn that’s the envy of your neighborhood. If all that lawn care isn’t for you—and you don’t want to pay someone else to do it—consider a trendy moss lawn or add large garden beds with native plants to your yard so you have less grass to maintain.

Add a Deck or Patio

What better way to enjoy your beautiful trees and gardens than to sit out on a patio or deck? You’ll get a lot more use out of your outdoor space by adding either of these features. A deck is more expensive and requires more maintenance, but it will also add more resale value. If you prefer a patio, flagstone or brick are attractive choices, but if they’re not in your budget, a stamped concrete patio looks great too.

Consider a Water Feature

While pools are notorious for tanking property values, a low-maintenance water feature can add value. A pondless waterfall adds soothing white noise to your yard and requires little upkeep, or if the idea of water gardening appeals to you, you might want to choose an ecosystem pond, which is more-or-less self-sustaining once it reaches a good equilibrium. A Japanese maple or weeping tree looks stunning next to a pond.

Create Privacy

No matter how much you like your neighbors, sometimes you want to just sit outside and enjoy your yard without having to strike up a conversation. An attractive fence can increase your property values, but privacy hedges and shrubs can do the job too. Although we specialize in tree care, we’re happy to talk to you about some fast-growing privacy options the next time we stop by for your annual property inspection.

Schedule a Consultation With Our Certified Arborist

Contact Rick’s Certified Arborists today to schedule a property inspection or consultation for your home landscape.

The post 5 Tips to Help You Upgrade Your Home Landscape appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

Water Your Trees Before the Ground Freezes

Trees go dormant in the winter, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need water. Tree cells need to remain hydrated and the best way to do this is to water your trees all the way up until the ground freezes. Even during winter, you may want to water your trees on warmer days if there hasn’t been much snowfall. 

Apply Fertilizer

Fall is an excellent time to fertilize your trees. Our arborist services can help prepare trees for winter with deep root feeding, which keeps them healthy during the dormant period and enhances their growth in the spring and summer months. Using a Certified Arborist for fall fertilization is a good idea, as doing it yourself with the wrong formulation can result in late season growth.

Consider Trunk Wrapping

Young trees and trees with smooth or thin bark, including honey locust, crabapples, maple, and linden, should have their trunks wrapped in the fall to help them withstand winter sun exposure and temperature fluctuations. Sunscald and frost cracks damage the bark on these trees, which can leave them susceptible to fungal infections. Use flexible white tree wrap that protects the entire trunk, up to the first branches. Once freezing temperatures have ended in the spring, the wrap should be removed.

Refresh Your Mulch

Spring isn’t the only time to mulch your trees! You should refresh mulch in the fall too—just make sure you don’t mound the mulch around the base of the trunk. There should be about two to three inches of mulch over the root zone, which will provide much-needed insulation from frigid winter weather and improve water absorption. Rather than running out to your local garden center for bags of mulch, you can use the leaves you raked up instead for an environmentally-friendly solution.

Prune Wisely

If you want to prune your trees in the fall or winter, it should be to remove dead, dying, and diseased branches and to improve your trees’ overall branching structure. Water sprouts and basal sprouts can also be removed in the late fall and early winter, but green wood pruning should be limited, as you don’t want your trees to spend their energy reserves on healing these wounds. 

Learn More About How to Prepare Trees for Winter

Our tree wellness program takes a comprehensive approach to the health of your landscape and includes a year-round management plan to keep your trees thriving. If you’d like to find out how to protect your trees this winter, contact us today at 610-840-2655 to schedule a consultation with a Certified Arborist. 

The post 5 Tips to Prepare Your Trees for Winter appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

Why You Shouldn’t Mound Mulch Around Trees

Think about trees in the forest. Other plants grow around the base. There may be a layer of leaves, twigs, and other debris that breaks down over time and enriches the soil, but there isn’t a big mound of mulch or dirt around tree trunks—yet somehow this has become a common practice in landscaping.

Piling mulch or dirt around a tree trunk suffocates it because the entire trunk is meant to be above ground, in the dry air. When, instead, the trunk is kept moist, its cells become damaged. This is bad news for the rest of the tree—when the base is ailing, it can’t transport nutrients and water as efficiently as it should. You may start to notice that the tree’s leaves are smaller from one year to the next and that they drop off earlier than they should, not knowing it’s the mulch you put at its base each spring that’s causing the problem.

With all that moisture kept near the trunk, your tree’s roots will start growing up and around the trunk rather than under and away from the tree. This is the root girdling we mentioned above and it further compounds the problem. Now, the cells at the base of the trunk are damaged from moisture and the tree is effectively strangling itself. This stress makes it susceptible to disease, insects, and fungi.

How Root Collar Excavation Helps

If you guessed that the solution for root girdling is to remove the mulch or dirt around the trunk, you’re correct—but there’s a very specific way to accomplish this goal. Using a shovel or spade can damage already-stressed roots; instead, we used compressed air to avoid harming the tree. 

Once we’ve exposed the entire trunk in order to keep it dry, we carefully rearrange your tree’s roots. If you do a lot of gardening, you know that before planting anything; you need to tease apart the roots so they don’t grow into a tangled ball. The same principle applies here, on a much larger scale. Some roots will be pruned, while others will be repositioned to encourage them to grow away, rather than around the tree. When the process is complete, your tree’s health will be restored.

Preventing Girdling Roots

Does this mean you shouldn’t use mulch at all? If you like the look of mulch, you can use it, but only a thin layer—don’t pile or mound it around your trees. The common saying among arborists is “your trees shouldn’t look like telephone poles.” In other words, the part of the trunk that flares out and spreads as it reaches the soil should be visible.

Or, even better, grow some native shade-loving ground cover plants under your trees instead for a natural look that replicates how trees grow in our local forests. We’re happy to offer suggestions!

Schedule a Property Inspection

Do you suspect that one or more of your trees may need root collar excavation? Learn more about us, then schedule a property inspection today by calling 610-840-2655 and our Certified Arborist will come out to determine whether your tree is experiencing root girdling.

The post What is Root Collar Excavation? appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

What Is Bacterial Leaf Scorch?

You might not have heard of bacterial leaf scorch (sometimes known as BLS), but it’s becoming endemic in eastern Pennsylvania and spreading westward from there, particularly on pine and red oaks. Even if you’ve never heard the term used before, you’ve likely seen a tree that has fallen victim to bacterial leaf scorch—the telltale sign is leaves that are browned along the margins.

Bacterial leaf scorch is caused by Xylella fastidiosa. The disease was first identified in the United States in the early 1980s and it has continued to spread thanks to leafhopper and treehopper insects. The infection partially blocks the flow of water to the leaves, which is why the edges of the leaves brown. Trees that are under stress typically develop more severe symptoms.

Signs of Bacterial Leaf Scorch

Whenever we perform a property inspection, we look for signs of bacterial leaf scorch. Because the symptoms are most noticeable in the fall—a time when leaves are naturally changing color anyway—many homeowners don’t give it much of a thought. Those who do may blame unusual weather or other stressors.

Aside from the fact that the margins of the leaves turn brown before the centers, the browning from bacterial scorch occurs earlier in the season than the normal leaf changes that occur in the fall. Left untreated, trees will leaf-out normally the next spring, but experience premature browning again. Every year, more branches have leaves that turn brown prematurely and eventually, limbs begin to die.

Bacterial Leaf Scorch Treatment in Pennsylvania

Unfortunately, there is no cure for bacterial leaf scorch. The good news is that there are ways to manage it and prolong the life of a tree infected by the disease – trunk injections of tetracycline cause symptoms to go into remission. Annual injections can allow you to enjoy your tree for many years to come. The University of Kentucky has found that pin oaks and red oaks treated with trunk injections can retain their leaves for weeks longer in the fall than untreated trees.

Knowing that your tree will require annual trunk injections to keep symptoms at bay, you may decide that it’s best to remove it and start over with one that is not susceptible to bacterial leaf scorch. The decision is yours to make, and we understand that it’s a difficult one for many homeowners. We do suggest that you either decide to treat your tree or remove it; leaving diseased trees on your property poses a safety risk. Although the earliest signs of bacterial leaf scorch are prematurely brown leaves and defoliation, the disease will eventually start to kill branches and limbs. A dead tree branch can fall to the ground on a windy day—or even on a day with no wind at all. It’s not a risk you want to take with your family.

Schedule a Property Inspection

Fall is a fantastic time to inspect the trees on your property for bacterial leaf scorch and other diseases. If you’d like to learn more or set up an appointment with our Certified Arborist, call Rick’s Certified Arborists today at 610-840-2655.

The post Diagnosing Bacterial Leaf Scorch (BLS) appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

Here’s what you need to know about tree inspections.

What Happens During a Tree Inspection

Whenever you look out a window or enjoy dinner al fresco, you see your trees. But when was the last time you really looked at them? With a property inspection, our professional Certified Arborist will walk through your property with you (or without you, if you prefer), thoroughly examine your trees and shrubs to assess their health, and discuss with you solutions for any problems we identify and also treatments to help your trees thrive.

Although we can perform tree inspections in the summer or winter when needed, the ideal time of year is in the spring or fall, as both of these seasons are critical for plant health. Because preventive care is key when it comes to landscaping, we recommend annual property inspections to keep your trees and shrubs looking their best year after year.

Tree Inspection Cost

The cost of a tree inspection with a Certified Arborist depends on the size of your property and the number of trees and shrubs that need to be inspected. As you can imagine, a standard lot in a subdivision with three or four trees takes much less time to inspect than a country estate, so we adjust our prices accordingly. When you call to schedule a property inspection, we’ll provide you with a cost estimate.

Other Times When Tree Inspections Are Necessary

While annual property inspections are important, there are some other circumstances in which you may want to have a Certified Arborist come out to inspect your trees:

• When Buying a Home – Not all home inspectors take the time to look at the trees on a property—in fact, most don’t. They may tell you if a tree needs to be trimmed to provide more clearance, but they may not spot signs of Emerald Ash Borer infestation or realize that a tree is diseased or decayed and needs to be taken down as soon as possible. You can potentially save thousands of dollars by identifying costly tree problems and having them taken care of before you close on your sale.
• When Pests Are in the Neighborhood – If your neighbor has Emerald Ash Borers or Spotted Lanternflies, it’s a good idea to be proactive and schedule a tree inspection to ensure the infestation hasn’t hit your property.
• After a Major Storm – Your trees may look fine after a severe storm comes through, but damaged branches can fall days and even weeks after a storm, creating a hazard for your home and your family.

Learn More About Tree Inspections

If you’re ready to book a tree inspection, contact Rick’s Certified Arborists at 610-840-2655 or request a quote online.

The post How Much Does a Tree Inspection Cost? appeared first on Rick's Certified Arborists.

But how much does an arborist cost?

The Cost of an Arborist in Pennsylvania

Because arborists perform so many tasks, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer we can give you. A tree that only needs a few small branches removed is going to cost far less than a larger tree that needs a significant amount of pruning. Tree removal costs even more, as it requires a great deal of planning, time, effort, and manpower. 

If you’re still in the process of getting quotes and finding an arborist to take care of your tree, look for one that is certified. At Rick’s Certified Arborists, tree care is all we do and we do it right. Don’t trust businesses that don’t have certification or that can’t tell you the science behind the treatments or pruning they plan—cutting branches at random or, even worse, topping a tree can cause irreparable harm. Tree trimming services and landscapers that provide cheap work or supply rates online without looking at your trees first should be avoided.

Advantages of Hiring a Certified Arborist

Maintaining the health of your trees pays dividends. Certified Arborists perform a variety of services to keep your trees in top-top shape. Some of the specialized services offered by arborists include:

• Growth regulation treatments that can reduce the need for pruning maintenance
• Inspection of trees and shrubs to assess their health and determine whether any additional care is needed
• Treatments to encourage deep root feeding for healthier trees
• Control of invasive insects and other pests through soil and trunk injections

In order to receive and maintain certification, all Certified Arborists must take ongoing continuing education coursework. This is important, as the science behind tree health, pest management, and disease is constantly advancing. A landscaper who doesn’t specialize in caring for trees or the stranger who knocks on your door asking if you want to have your trees trimmed simply doesn’t have this kind of training or knowledge.

Certified Arborists can also identify small issues before they become big problems. We are trained to examine the details, so we can spot the earliest signs of infestations, disease, and stress. By treating these issues early, we can often save your tree. Landscapers and tree trimming services may only be able to identify disease or infestation when the damage is so significant that your tree must be removed, which can cost thousands of dollars, depending on the size and age of the tree.

Get a Consultation

The best way to answer how much an arborist costs in Pennsylvania is to contact us today for an estimate. Only when we visit your home and assess the health of your trees in person can we provide you with an accurate quote for the costs of our services. 

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Why Emerald Ash Borers Are So Harmful

Emerald Ash Borers have a very limited flight range, so they primarily travel via ash tree firewood, wood chips, and nursery stock. Despite this, they’ve quickly gained foothold in the area. Ash borer larvae live inside ash trees and bore through their tissue; trees use this tissue to transport water, so the larvae’s tunneling eventually kills trees by damaging this vascular system.

Signs of Emerald Ash Borer Infestation

Because the tunneling that ultimately kills ash trees occurs inside the vascular tissue rather than on the outside of the trunk, it can be difficult to identify an Emerald Ash Borer infestation. Most people enjoy having trees in their yard, yet they rarely pay close enough attention to them to notice that something is wrong. The most common signs of Emerald Ash Borers include:

• Crown Dieback – The ends of the tree branches begin to die, causing a thinning canopy.
• Epicormic Sprouting – New growth starts to occur along the main limbs and lower trunk.
• Bark Splitting – You may notice vertical splits in the bark, which is caused by tissue damage underneath.
• Increased Woodpecker Feeding – Woodpeckers feed on Emerald Ash Borer larvae, so you’ll see more holes in the trunk from their feeding.
• D-Shaped Exit Holes – When adult Emerald Ash Borers emerge, they create D-shaped holes in the bark.

If you notice any of these signs, time is of the essence—it’s important to get prompt treatment in order to save your ash tree. 

Best Treatment for Emerald Ash Borer

The most effective treatment for Emerald Ash Borer infestation is trunk injections. This involves injecting pesticide directly into the tree’s vascular tissue. The pesticide is harmless to the ash tree, but kills the larvae that are tunneling inside. Trunk injections offer two years of protection, which is good news for property owners who don’t want to have to remember to schedule more frequent treatments.

While soil treatments are also available, the best treatment for Emerald Ash Borers is injections because they ensure that the pesticide reaches the larvae. We drill through the bark at the base of the tree in order to inject the treatment, which means it is absorbed quickly and transported throughout the entire tree.

Although it’s best to time trunk injections after trees have grown leaves in the spring but before Emerald Ash Borer eggs have hatched, when an infestation is identified at other times of the year, treatment should begin immediately rather than waiting for the next growing cycle.

The Importance of Hiring a Certified Arborist

Certified Arborists are tree specialists—there’s simply no one better to protect your ash trees. We have advanced training in identifying the earliest signs of infestation and acting early gives us the best possible chance of preventing deadly damage to your tree.

If you have ash trees on your property, we suggest annual inspections to monitor their health. As they say, the best defense is a good offense—taking down a tree is much more expensive than maintaining its health through wellness checks and trunk injections.

Schedule an Ash Borer Treatment Consultation

Call us today at 610-840-2655 and we’ll come out to assess the health of your ash trees and provide an estimate for trunk injections, if necessary. You can also contact us via email or request a quote online.

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The saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” must have been coined when discussing this topic. Ricks Plant Health Care uses this time of year to evaluate the current condition of our customer’s landscapes and the level of recovery the trees have made since the last treatment they have received.

Here are the top 3 reasons for Winter Tree Care:

1. Leaves are all but non-existent.
   As humans, we protect ourselves from the winter extremes by pulling out the hats, fleece boots, and blankets and fleece. We add the layers. Trees work in reverse fashion, shedding foliage to begin preparations for energy conservation and root development during the harsh winter months.It is when trees expose themselves, that a qualified Certified Arborist welcomes the opportunity to gain a clean and unfettered look at the condition of the tree. Cracks, weak branch attachments, and bark damage, as well as Insect Infestations, are clearly visible now and are unable to hide in plain view as they are in spring, summer, and fall. For example, Spotted Lanternfly egg masses can easily be overlooked while the tree is in full canopy during the growing season. However, once the leaves have fallen, there is a better opportunity to scout for the upcoming seasons’ infestation.
2. Diseases and insects are in a dormant state. 
   With the winter cooperation of the tree and shrubs, we can assess the state of the situation and begin to formulate a strategy to treat disease and insects, if necessary, well before they awake from their long winter’s nap. Recognizing issues that threaten the health of your trees before they become a problem and preparing a management blueprint in the dormant season will, in the majority of cases, yield better results and greater control of these issues with properly timed treatments.
3. Planning and Budgeting.
   Once our Certified Arborist assesses the condition of your trees and shrubs, we then create a program that aligns with time-sensitive treatments required to prevent the spread of infectious fungal and bacterial disease and insect damage. Having a plan of attack in place also allows our clients to plan and budget, making the cost of professional Plant Health Care as manageable as the treatments we provide.Your trees and shrubs provide a lifetime of value and pleasure, so remember, “An ounce of preventions IS worth a pound of cure” when it comes to maintaining the beauty and value of your home.

See you soon!

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Their beauty we often take for granted, but there are many benefits that go unnoticed such as shade, filtering clean air and improving oxygen, control erosion, filtering rainwater and even providing habitats for local wildlife.

For the past several years, the area’s trees have been under siege by many damaging pests, including the Emerald Ash Borer and the Spotted Lanternfly. To assure your trees remain healthy, it is vital that a professional tree care expert inspects them.

Only a Certified Arborist can provide a professional inspection, accurate diagnosis, and recommendation of an effective treatment plan to rid them of insects and disease.

“We have seen increasing demand from residents from Media to Pottstown and just about every town in between in need of quality tree care looking for an experienced arborist, said John Rogalsky, Certified Arborist at Rick’s Certified Arborists. “The media has helped bring some of these issues to light, and we have seen increasing demand from residents from been providing inspections to confirm and treat for these damaging insects when appropriate”.

Trees, like people, need regular checkups. A Certified Arborist has spent time learning, experiencing and becoming certified through the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). A Certified Arborist knows what to look for when he inspects your property’s trees.

Consumers are much smarter these days and, in most cases, realize the need for qualified professional to diagnose and treat and that a tree removal company are no longer considered a viable option.

Indeed, a Certified Arborist promotes tree health care and longevity and whose goal is to prevent others from “hacking down a tree” to make a buck.

When is the proper time to do a tree inspection?

So, we know who should be inspecting your trees but when should it be done? The only way to answer that question is as it relates to the frequency of inspection and that is at least once a year.

When is less important than how often. Homeowners that schedule yearly inspections may be the ones that have little or no damage to their trees from the villains mentioned earlier. Often times, homeowners will wait until a favorite tree begins to wilt or starts to drop its leaves at an uncommon time of year. When we are called to rescue the tree, often there are treatments we can employ but occasionally, the problem goes undetected or ignored, it becomes when undetected time to call “the guy with the chainsaw”.

We will again have the attack of the spotted lanternfly come summer but don’t panic. There is still time for you to schedule an arborist visit to inspect your trees for possible damage due to insects, disease or even damage from the winter gone by. Having an inspection in the next week isn’t necessary but before it becomes a passing thought, give us a call to get time on the books for us to visit, inspect and speak with you about the current health of your extended family. You could be heading off a serious issue or even better, we may give your trees an excellent bill of health and you can rest at ease.

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For your tree investment to last for generations, you need a professional tree expert to evaluate and design a program for your trees’ health.

A Certified Arborist is the Only Person to Call for Tree Evaluations

Trees, like people, need regular checkups. If you want your trees assessed for health, you need to hire a Certified Arborist to do the job.

Why?

A Certified Arborist has spent time learning, experiencing and becoming certified through the International Society of Arborists (ISA). A Certified Arborist knows what to look for when he inspects your property’s trees.

And a certified arborist is more than a guy with a truck and a chainsaw. Indeed, the goal of a Certified Arborist promotes tree health care and longevity—not removing it to make a buck.

Tree Inspections

So, what is a tree inspection? We all take our trees for granted. Often times, homeowners only think of their favorite tree is after it is struck by lightning or collapses during a snowstorm. But, then it is too late.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Instead of waiting for a tree to come crashing down, an arborist can assess the health of homeowners trees throughout the Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery County area before there is an issue.

Your arborist will spend time looking, measuring and developing a wellness plan to preserve the trees on your property for many years to come. He’ll also provide information on how to protect your trees from certain diseases and pests, such as Emerald Ash Borer and the Spotted Lantern Fly.

In the greater Philadelphia region, an arborist inspection and report costs between $75 to $150.

Your arborist will examine your trees to indicate:

1. Tree size: Your plant expert will provide an estimate of the height of each tree as well as the diameter of their trunks. Your Certified Arborist will also measure the branch spread and bark thickness of your trees.
2. Tree species: All trees have value but some species are even more valuable than others, such as oaks, American elms, honey locusts, and Eastern black walnut trees.

Conversely, there are trees that no one wants on their property.  For example, ginseng trees are gorgeous in the fall, but their fruits stink—literally. So, many homeowners don’t want ginkgo trees in their landscape because of the horrible scent that the fruit emits when stepped on.

3. The condition of your tree: Your arborist will assess the structure and overall health of your trees including trunks, branches, twigs and For example, if one of your trees has early leaf drop, it indicates that it may have a disease or an insect problem.

Your arborist will also look at your trees’ vitality to make sure they’re not at risk for falling during a storm or dying prematurely.

4. The trees’ location: Your arborist will also evaluate the safety of your property, people and the trees’ location. A tree inspection prevents problems before they happen such as a heavy limb falling on your car or the neighbor’s roof.

A tree inspection also includes your trees’ placement concerning aesthetics and functionality. Do your trees provide ample shade, privacy, and beauty to your landscape?

Conversely, are your trees’ roots causing your sidewalk to buckle, or do the branches hang so low that they’re scraping against the side of your house?

Your Arborist Evaluation Report

After the arborist is finished inspecting your trees, he’ll write up a report and suggest the following services to keep your trees alive and thriving for the long term:

1. Bracing older trees to steady them as they grow and to protect them during storms
2. Trimming and pruning your trees one to two times a year to keep their natural shape as well as to allow air and sunlight to penetrate through the leaf canopy
3. Releasing soil compaction so the tree roots can absorb water and nutrients
4. Deep root feeding, so the nutrients go straight to the roots and through the vascular system of the tree
5. Soil or trunk injections to protect your trees from invasive insects such as emerald ash borer, spotted lanternfly, Eastern tent caterpillar and other harmful insects.

You Need Rick’s Certified Arborists for All of Your Philadelphia Tree Needs

When it comes to your property’s value as well as the richness that trees bring to it, you need a Certified Arborist to take care of them for you. At Rick’s Certified Arborists, our plant experts perform property inspections to keep your favorite trees healthy and majestic.

This spring, let us at Rick’s Certified Arborists evaluate your trees to make sure that they’re vigorous and sound.

Our Certified Arborists will catch diseases and insect invasions in the early stages, so we can develop a plant health care plan to keep your trees alive and vibrant for generations.

Call us today for your property inspection at 610-840-2655 or fill out our contact form.

Rick’s Certified Arborists serves homeowners in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties in Pennsylvania.

Sources:

Emad, Eric, “Determine the Value of a Tree.”

Higgins, Adrian, “Considering Trimming or Getting Rid of an Old Tree? Not So Fast.”

Wallin, Craig, “10 Most Profitable Trees to Grow.”

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If you needed heart surgery, would you go to your family physician? Of course not! You would seek out a cardiologist who specializes in heart care. Likewise, you really should hire your local arborist to work on your valuable trees. All lawn care company specializes in lawns, not trees.

Here are the 10 Reasons Why You Must Hire a Specialist (like Rick’s) and not a Lawn Service to Care for Your Trees

1

An arborist is a specialist

Your arborist specializes in trees. He understands trees from their roots to their leaf canopies. He can diagnose damaging diseases and pests beyond Spotted Lantern Fly and Emerald Ash Borer.

2

An arborist will give your trees a thorough examination

When your arborist works on your property, he’ll give your trees a complete exam. He’ll determine what nutrients are missing and what pest controls are needed. Your plant health care technician will also prescribe a program that helps your trees survive and thrive despite weather conditions, drought, diseases, and pests.

3

An arborist is educated and experienced in the art and science of tree care

To become an ISA Certified Arborist, your plant health care technician needs:

To have at least three years of full-time, practical work experience with trees. John Rogalsky, Certified Arborist for Rick’s Certified Arborists, has over 13 years of experience working with trees.

To take a rigorous exam for certification through ISA.

Continuing education to retain their certification in arboriculture.

4

Rick’s Certified Arborists is NOT a franchise

Rick’s Certified Arborists, founded by Certified Arborist John Rogalsky, was originally formed under a division of Ricks Tree Service.

Rick’s is a local company based in West Chester, PA and, no they don’t do lawn work. They are highly educated tree experts and adept in diagnosing the latest problems, enabling them to help homeowners from Media to Pottstown and just about every town in between, stay ahead of the most recent pest and disease issues.

5

Your arborist reassures new homeowners about the condition of their trees

Just because your trees have Spotted Lantern Fly, Emerald Ash Borer or scale insects, it doesn’t mean it’s a death sentence for your woody plants.

Yes, the pest or disease needs to be treated. But if you also address the nutrient needs of your trees through a feeding program, they are more resistant to diseases, insects and drought.

6

Your arborist will identify all of your tree problems in addition to Spotted Lantern Fly (SLF) and Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)

Just about everyone knows about the SLF and EAB issues because they’ve been on the news. Rick’s hasn’t entered the tree health care market for a quick buck. They will be here long after the attack has ended
There are many causes of poor tree health care. Here is a brief list of common tree diseases we deal with almost daily:

Anthracnose

Bacterial Leaf Scorch

Dutch Elm Disease

Fire blight

Rhizosphera Needle Cast

Trees also suffer from other more common insects, such as:

Aphids

Japanese Beetles

Bagworms

Borers

Scale insects

7

Your arborist will identify and clearly explain what, if any issues your trees’ are dealing with

When you visit a specialist, you expect to receive a proper diagnosis of your problem and a clear plan to lead you back to heath. It’s the same with an arborist. He’ll properly diagnose your trees’ problems and set up a program to help them heal and thrive for decades.

8

Your arborist will save you money:

You might think an arborist will be extremely expensive, but that just isn’t true. In fact, you will save money in the long-run. The cost to remove a tree, haul it away and repair the ground where it stood is much more expensive than keeping the healthy with a planned care and feeding program. And, you will be sure to preserve the investment in your tree and surrounding landscape.

9

Your arborist is thorough in his job—he’ll employ plant health care

The primary focus of arborist is to save your trees and have them thrive despite environmental stressors. A “tree doctor” will employ a plant health care program that includes diagnosis, a plant health care plan for longevity, fertilizers, proper irrigation, disease and insect controls. And the best part? He will eliminate the need for the visit from the “chainsaw” doctor.

10

Unlike many of the new players into this arena, a professional arborist will almost always visit your property to truly inspect your trees.

Your local arborist will examine the canopy, leaf and twigs, bark, root collar as well as the soil and area where your tree calls home. Then consult with you, the homeowner, when you can ask detailed questions about the health and diagnosis of your trees and shrubs. Although many so-called “landscaper/tree experts” attempt to shortcut this step, it CANNOT be done through email, a phone call or Google Earth.

We are tree specialist and treat MORE than the “in-the-news” Spotted Lanternfly and the Emerald Ash Borer.

Many companies are attempting to capitalize solely on the SLF and EAB frenzy. If you think your trees have SLF or EAB, then you certainly need an arborist to visit your property and take a look at your trees. Whether your trees are suffering from attacks from the Spotted Lanternfly and the Emerald Ash Borer or not, there are many other insects and diseases that can attack healthy trees.

The arborist at Rick’s is an ISA Certified Arborist with 13 years working in the tree care industry. He and his team will take care of your trees holistically and will not make a diagnosis over the phone. There are no shortcuts to providing proper diagnosis of tree disease and insect infestation.

For a professional, thorough and honest inspection, call Rick’s Certified Arborists today 610-840-2655 or fill out our contact form.

Rick’s Certified Arborists serves homeowners throughout Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties in Pennsylvania.

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