So we had so much rain this spring my trees are going to do really well this year, right? Well, yes and no.

Trees that are susceptible to the common diseases will likely see an increase in disease activity this year.

Rain is good for our trees, however, with all the wet weather we had this spring, and with the cool temperatures, fungal diseases are thriving now. When new foliage first emerges from the bud, is is very prone to fungal attack as the leaf is soft and without a protective cuticle layer. At this point it is easy for a fungal spore to penetrate the leaf's surface and begin an infection.

I have seen many diseases on deciduous trees this spring, including oak and dogwood anthracnose, scab and rust on apples and crabapples, leaf spot on birch, brown rot on cherry, and verticillium wilt on many Norway maples. Many evergreens are pushing out new growth now, and we will likely see lots of diplodia and ploioderma on hard pines, needlecast on spruce and fir, and phomopsis and other tip blights of juniper.

So what can I do now?

It may be too late to begin preventative fungicide treatments on deciduous trees, but treating evergreens now may be beneficial for this year. You should also consider overall tree health- keep the tree as vigorous as possible by treating with bio-stimulants and fertilization. Also, water your trees this summer when it becomes hot and dry to further reduce stress. At Mayer Tree Service, we are here to consult with you and make recommendations to promote the health of your landscape.

Jeff

Well what a spring we have had! The wintermoth caterpillar has come and gone, and in some areas left quite a wake of destruction. Areas that were hit hard included Boxford, Lynnfield, Topsfield, Saugus, Manchester, and others. I have seen many properties with 60 foot tall red oaks without a leaf on them. Complete defoliation. Red oak seemed to take the hardest hit this spring, while sugar maple and cherry also seemed to be preferred. Norway maples seemed to suffer less damage this year than in the past, although I'm not sure why this is. Anyone that had significant damage to their trees this spring from wintermoth caterpillar should get onto a treatment program for next year, as the pest will likely be back in higher numbers next spring. For now, the caterpillr has dropped to the ground to begin its pupation, until it emerges as an adult moth this fall.

So what do you do now? If your tree did suffer damage by the caterpillars, now is the time to consider some remedial action. The trees that were heavily damaged will need to refoliate. This causes a large drain of energy reserves from the tree, which can leave it susceptible to secondary invaders and pathogens. If the tree continues to get defoliated in the next 2-3 years, you may see the tree go into decline. Begin treating the tree(s) with a bio-stimulant now, to strengthen the root system. Water the tree(s) this summer when it gets hot and dry to reduce stress. A fertilization in the fall may be advised if the tree is not too stressed. Consult your certified arborist to inspect and diagnose your trees for a more complete forecast.

On the horizon for insect activity is our typical summer pests, like Japanese beetles, lacebugs, and spidermites. Since temperatures have been cool, these pests have not been very active yet, but keep scouting your shrubs and trees for these guys.

As always, Mayer Tree Service is here for your tree care needs.

Jeff

It is now mid-April, and I have received several calls about evergreen trees, such as hemlock, pine, cypress, and spruce, that have turned brown over the winter.

While there could be a few different reasons for this, the primary culprit in most of these cases has been winter freeze injury. Most of the trees I have seen are located adjacent to driveways and roadways, and the damage had been caused by temperature fluctuations this winter. When we had warmer days, followed by cold nights, plant cells were damaged, and caused the dieback of the foliage facing the asphalt.

Other causes for browning could be desiccation injury (caused by cold winds) or salt damage (due to excessive de-icing salts). These types of injury can be prevented if this is a regular occurrence at your property. Consult your arborist at Mayer Tree Service to learn more about this.

So what do I do? Some of the damaged trees may recover partially or fully; others may be beyond repair. Unfortunately, there is little that can be done to prevent freeze injury. These trees that are now stressed due to this injury may benefit from bio-stimulant treatments and/or other remediation efforts. Before pruning out damaged sections, allow them to break bud- some of these trees may still have viable buds, which may replace some of the lost foliage.

If you have any other concerns about your landscape, we are here to help offer you with solutions. Contact us today for an appointment.

Jeff Bourque