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

With the warmer temperature's, the insect activity in our landscapes have picked up. Wintermoth larvae are now 1-2 mm in length, still very small, but they are feeding and causing damage. I have seen heavy populations in Boxford, Manchester, Middleton, and Beverly. If you have not made arrangements for treatment, this would be a good time to call your arborist.

Other notable active pests observed: carpenter ants, mosquitos, ticks, and boxwood leafminer. Pine sawfly eggs are close to hatching as well, so watch your hard pines, such as mugo, red, Austrian, and scotch for these ravenous feeders.

Several evergreen trees and shrubs are still showing symptoms of winter damage. A certified arborist can help you assess the damage, and determine if they will recover.

Lastly, as you are preparing to lay down all that fresh new mulch- be careful not to put too much down at the base of your trees. I was recently at a property where the homeowner had applied too much over the past few years, and has trees that are dying. Too much mulch makes it difficult for a tree or shrub to get water and oxygen, which will stress them significantly and make secondary pests and pathogens more likely to target the tree. 1-2 inches at the base of the tree is sufficient, and 3-4 inches is acceptable away fron the tree's trunk.

As always, the Certified Arborists at Mayer Tree Service are here for you!

Jeff

Looking for a way to celebrate Arbor Day this year? Want to get to know your favorite tree service a little more?

We will be participating in the Massachusetts Arborists' Association's Arbor Day of Service this Friday. During this annual day of charity, Mayer Tree Service, along with several other companies, will be going to several host sites to provide complimentary tree care services to help promote Arbor Day. Each year Mayer Tree has proudly supported this initiative. Contact us to see where we will be!

This Saturday, Mayer Tree Service will be holding it's annual Arbor Day party, and all are welcome to attend. Employees and their families, clients, and friends of Mayer Tree will be there. There will be free food and beverages, children's activities, live bands, bonfire, and many other things to see and do. There will also be a storewide sale at our store, Mayer Power Products, where you can save on Stihl outdoor power tools, as well as all the necessary tree climbing and pruning tools.

Hope to see you this weekend!

So spring is here. Really?

We have had a very cool spring this year, unlike last year where at this time nearly all trees had leafed out. This has caused many of our typical insect pests, especially wintermoth, to be slow in emerging this spring.

Wintermoth has hatched in many areas, but has not been very noticeable to this point, but I have seen the fine webs around twigs and buds of cherry and blueberry in the past week. Once we get a few warm days, we can expect to see more trees break bud, and begin to see more insect activity.

Deer ticks and dog ticks are now active, so be sure to check yourself, your kids, and your pets if you are outside this weekend. I had to pull a tick off my son last weekend after doing our spring cleanup on Saturday. Some areas have reported mosquito activity already also.

Did you know that we can manage ticks and mosquitos at your property? If you live in an area prone to ticks or mosquitos, or if you are planning a big outdoor event like a party or a wedding, we can come to your property and treat for these pests. This will reduce your chances of coming into contact with these insects that carry Lyme disease or EEE or West Nile Virus. Call Mayer Tree if you would like to learn more.

Hopefully by my next blog post, I can talk about all the wonderful flowering trees. Happy Spring!

Jeff

Last night I took part in the celebration of the Endicot Pear, a tree that is over 380 years old in Danvers, MA. Mayer Tree Service has been caring for the tree for several years now, and I am happy to be a part of it. The following news article from the Salem Evening News highlights the festivities.

http://www.salemnews.com/local/x1142035303/Lecture-celebrates-Endecott-Pear-Trees-historic-living-legacy

This tree is reportedly the oldest living fruit tree in America, and has seen some difficult times, including hurricanes and vandalism. Today, the tree continues to thrive thanks to the efforts of Mass. General Hospital & North Shore Medical Center, as well as the Danvers Historical Society. Mayer Tree Service is proud to lend it's expertise to the tree's continued good health. Contact us if you would like to learn more.

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

So it is spring time, but it sure doesn't feel like it yet. Temperatures are still dipping below freezing at night.

I did see some crabapples, in a sunny southern exposure against a large brick building, that had broken bud, meaning it is starting to push out it's leaves and flowers. Not many other trees are at this point yet though.

It's not too late to prune your pome fruits (apple, crabapple, pear, etc) if you are trying to improve fruit production. Doing this now will encourage better flowers and fruitset.

Soon we will see wintermoth caterpillar larvae on newly formed foliage as other trees break bud. If your eyes are really good, you might be able to pop open some buds and find them inside. They are very tiny, so you must look carefully- let me know if you try this and have any luck!

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, which has been active since January, can now be easily seen in new cottony masses on the undersides of hemlock twigs. Having this pest does not mean you must remove these trees- it is treatable by several methods. Contact us to learn more. If left unchecked, this invasive pest will likely kill even the largest native hemlocks.

I am ready for spring, just maybe one more snowstorm later this week (please no more).

Jeff Bourque

Spring starts in 2 days, and I have seen Silver Maples and Red Maples beginning to flower in the Boston North Shore area. If you have a witch hazel, it is likely in full bloom now also. Looks like the warm temperatures will be short lived, as we get back to highs in the 40's, and lows below freezing again.

If you haven't already, this is a great time to get into your yard to start assessing your landscape needs, from cleanups to lawn maintenance to tree care programs and pruning. You can always contact us for more information if needed.

March 14, 2011

Spring is around the corner, as I saw snowbells in bloom and crocuses poking through the ground. It officially starts Sunday the 20th. I know, finally!

This is a great time to be pruning your pome fruit trees, such as apple, crabapple, and pear, as the buds are beginning to swell. This will promote better flower and fruit if done now. When temperatures get a little warmer, a dormant oil can be applied.

I have heard that this should be a good year for wintermoth caterpillar. Winter was relatively mild in terms of temperature. Last year was not too bad in many areas due to a late April frost that killed a lot of larvae. Keep an eye out for the caterpillars as they hatch this spring and pry their way into the unopened buds- a hand lens will make this easier. If you have a horsechestnut nearby, their sticky buds act like flypaper, and will catch many larvae preventing them from getting into the bud, so a good tree to use to check early populations.

The daffodils are just around the corner, and the Plant Health Care trucks will be on the road soon!

Jeff Bourque

Wintermoth Caterpillar Alert

The wintermoth caterpillar is an introduced pest to Massachusetts, and has become a significant threat to the health and beauty of most of our deciduous trees. You may have seen this small green inchworm in the spring chewing holes in, or even defoliating, your trees. This pest has no natural controls, so it is free to proliferate, becoming a bigger nuisance each year.

During the next several weeks, you may notice small, pale brown moths gathering around your porchlight, or heading for your headlights as you drive at night. These adult wintermoths will soon lay their eggs, and their brood will hatch next spring and renew the cycle of feeding damage to your trees. They typically feed from mid April through June, at which point they will drop to the soil and pupate until November.
There are a few treatment options available. Foliar tree sprays are the most effective control, during the time of spring feeding, and there are very good organic options. Tree banding now may reduce the number of female moths that are able to successfully lay their eggs on the host tree. There are also microinjection options when spraying is not desirable or practical. Consult your certified arborist for more information. You can also check the following link for a complete data sheet- http://www.umassgreeninfo.org/fact_sheets/defoliators/winter_moth.pdf.

Submitted by;

Jeff Bourque
MA Certified Arborist
Plant Health Care Manager
Mayer Tree Service

978-766-4365
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