Four Seasons: Tree Services Requirements

Knowing what to look for and plan for in each season is key to keeping your trees healthy. Below are a few tips for each season to help you plan the care of your yard or property.

Spring

• Is your tree behind when it breaks bud? Is your tree only half leafed out? These are both red flags in terms of your tree’s health.
• This is the best time to treat for leaf diseases including: apple scab, powdery mildew, rusts, needle diseases of pine and spruce, and anthracnose.
• Insects to look for include: plant bugs, leaf hoppers, tent caterpillars, pine sawfly.
• This is one of the best times to plant trees and shrubs (along with fall) so prepare for new additions to your landscape now.
• Now is an ideal time to treat your Ash trees for Emerald Ash Borer.

Summer

• Japanese beetles come out, so keep an eye peeled for these bad boys.
• If you see early defoliation on any of your trees, that’s a sign of stress and ill health.
• Insects to look for include: spruce sawfly, tent caterpillars, spider mites, aphids.
• Now is a good time to treat your Elm trees to prevent Dutch Elm Disease.
• Remember to enjoy the shade and reduced cooling costs that you get from your trees!

Fall

• Watch to see if your trees are turning fall colors at about the same time. If one is turning too quickly or delayed, it may be a sign of poor health.
• This is the other best time to plant trees and shrubs, so if there were additions you didn’t get to in the spring, you can still put them in now.
• Now is a good time to fertilize your trees.
• Consider pre-treating your trees for insects that emerge in the early sprint.
• If you haven’t treated your Ash trees for Emerald Ash Borer, now would be a good time to do that.
• Have your trees pruned in advance of winter storms that could knock limbs onto your house or car.

Winter

• Winter is the best time to prune trees and shrubs because they’re dormant and not exposed to additional disease and insect issues.
• Pruning trees in early winter can help you avoid storm damage to trees and property when there’s a heavy snowfall.
• Remember to enjoy the savings you get on your heating bill when your trees act as a windbreak.