Tree spraying news and information from Owen Tree Service
Although this is more of a pest in Christmas tree plantations, every once in a while we come across pine root collar weevil damage on landscape trees. Pine root collar weevil will attack both young and large pine trees. Host trees include Scotch pine, Austrian pine, red pine and occasionally white pine. The larvae feed in the phloem tissue around the root collar, killing the cambium in the process. This girdling of the tree will eventually cause it to die….
Cottony maple scale in Fenton can be a problem not just for the trees they infest but also for cars, patio furniture, or anything else that is under the tree the scale insect is feeding on. Cottony maple scale causes damage by feeding on the sap of a tree. A particularly troublesome side effect that Fenton homeowners experience is caused by the honeydew that the scale insect exudes from its body as it feeds on a tree. The honeydew drops…
Three common ground covers used in Michigan are pachysandra, vinca (aka myrtle or periwinkle), and English ivy. Although these ground cover plants are mostly problem-free, on occasion they can be subject to disease problems. In most instances of diseases on ground covers a fungicide program in combination with good cultural practices can eliminate the problem. Pachysandra. Volutella leaf and stem blight is the most common disease on pachysandra. The disease is usually promoted by excessive moisture for long periods of…
Maple Petiole Borer An unusual, but benign, insect we often cross paths with in the spring in Michigan is the maple petiole borer. The damage caused by maple petiole borers can cause anxiety with homeowners because soon after the maple leaves fully emerge they start falling from the tree. A close examination of the fallen maple leaves will often reveal a darkened area on the petiole of the leaf. The petiole is the stem that connects the leaf to the…
One thing about many of us plant health care providers is that we like a challenge. Not only do we find new plant varieties and species introduced into landscapes each year, but also new pests and diseases. A newer tree disease in our area, pear trellis rust, is one of those new (and challenging) diseases that we are going to be forced to face. European pear rust, or trellis rust, behaves a bit differently than our native cedar-apple and cedar-hawthorn…
The Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development contacted Owen Tree Service to set up an advanced training seminar covering invasive pests that have, or could, threaten Michigan’s environment. As a result, approximately 30 Owen Tree Service & Owen Tree Service-Herbicide Division employees had the opportunity to attend two seminars given by Lauren Walsh and Caitlin Burkman from the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development. The majority of the morning was spent with Lauren discussing invasive pests threatening Michigan….
We would like to extend our congratulations to our consulting arborist, Kay Sicheneder. Kay was among the 18 initial arborists, foresters and land & tree care professionals to participate in a pilot program in Michigan to combat the deadly oak wilt disease. The new training program, which qualifies an individual as an Oak Wilt Qualified Professional was developed by the Oak Wilt Coalition in response to the increased incidence of oak wilt throughout Michigan over the last several years. Oak…
The pine spittlebug isn’t especially damaging to trees, in most cases, but is an interesting insect to run across. Host plants include Scotch pine, Austrian pine, white pine and all spruce and fir trees. Spittlebug nymphs and adults suck sap from the tree and form a protective covering of froth around themselves. Unless they are exceptionally abundant on a tree, they seldom cause more than a discolored or slightly deformed branch tip. The worst problem is that Diplodia tip blight…
As our landscapes come out of their winter hibernation so do the insects that like to feed on our trees and shrubs. Here are five common insect pests that our arborists are looking for in the early spring. Euonymus Scale Crawlers start to hatch in mid to late May. A 2nd generation will hatch out in late July to early August. Foliar treatments that target the newly hatched crawlers is one of the most effective methods to control Euonymus Scale….
I think everyone looks forward to April, I know I sure do. Everyday the landscape is more and more alive. About the only thing I don’t like is that on the warmer April days the mosquitoes start to make their presence known. While their bites are mostly just a nuisance, I could live without them. I guess, for the most part, we’re lucky in Michigan because we don’t have too many mosquito-born diseases. At least not as many as a…
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