Quality Tree Surgery, Inc.

Icky, sticky, gooey stuff…

Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 05:14:30 +0000

Did you experience a clear sticky substance or black mold on your deck, lawn furniture or car last summer? If you did, you may be experienc-ing the symptoms of the Asian woolly hackberry aphid, Shivaphis celti. Middle Tennessee hackberry trees experienced severe infestations during the summers of 2003 through 2006. The aphids mysteriously vanished during the summers of 2006 and 2007 and reappeared again in 2008.

Hackberry, Celtis occidentalis and sugarberry, Celtis laevigata are the host plants for this aphid. The aphids are small, about 2—2.5 millimeters long and are conspicuous due to the large amount of bluish white wax secretion from their abdomen. See Photo. The adults are winged and give the appearance of small pieces of cotton on the undersides of leaves.

Overwintering eggs hatch into females that, without fertilization, give birth to living females. The ability of females to reproduce without mating is termed parthenogensis. This ability allows young to be brought forth throughout the summer, accounting for rapid increases in population. The largest populations usually occur in late July or early August in our area. In late fall, males and females are born. After mating, the female deposits overwintering eggs, and the cycle contin-ues the following year.

During severe infestation the aphids excrete large amounts of honeydew, which coats the lower leaves and drips onto objects below the tree. The honeydew attracts ants, bees and other insects and serves as a medium for the growth of sooty mold fungus. In most cases little injury occurs to the trees; however, staining of wood, painted surfaces or fabric may occur from prolonged exposure to sooty mold.

If you are experiencing staining of decks, lawn furniture or other valuable items, you may want to consider treatment for this pest.

Prevention can be obtained by soil treatment in April or May with a systemic insecticide, such as imidicloprid. Reduction of populations can be obtained by spraying small trees with a contact insecticide or microinjection of larger trees in July through September.

The Long Race of Summer!

Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 21:16:52 +0000

Imagine if you will, a group of racehorses
pacing in a field. They look eager for the
run; it has been a long off-season. You
can see the restlessness in their eyes, the
anxiousness in their body movements.
You can almost see them speaking with
one another, conversing about the challenges
to come and the obstacles to hurdle
over. As they gallop in the field and
spring around the practice track, you can
tell that they are driven beyond something
of duty, they are driven by a passion. Isn’t
this what makes them great and why they
are so quick and efficient on the track?
That love of the race?
They are no different than us, the workers of Quality Tree, Turf
and Landscape. When the long season ended last year and the
days became shorter and cooler we were relieved and enjoyed the
lighter, shorter work weeks! But not anymore. With spring comes
that anxiousness, that drive to once again put our skills and performance
to work. Yes, you can see it in our eyes; that push. Yes,
like an eager racehorse we have begun to pace. And why not?
This is what we love, this is our passion. You may see us during
our race in your yard, looking tired and exhausted, but also you will
see a deep satisfaction. You will see smiling faces streaked with
dirt and sweat and maybe even a thankfulness to do a job so rewarding.
For once again we are in our element – going the distance.
We are now beating our hooves on the ground waiting for the gunshot
to ring out so we may once more run the long race of spring
and summer.

By Joe Giansante

Winter Tree Care

Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 02:50:50 +0000

Should I be DOING anything for my trees during winter? I get this question a lot from homeowners. The answer is “Yes”. Fertilization is an important tool. Although trees appear to be asleep in winter, they are active growing new roots and taking up nutrients for next year. Fertilization is an important step which ensures that trees and shrubs have what they need to continue growth and have a healthy look next year. We use the finest slow release fertilizer formulated just for trees and shrubs. In addition to this, we add other key ingredients: Biostimulants to feed the colonies of microbes in the soil (which greatly helps the tree do its work), beneficial bacteria, and Mycorrhizae spores, a beneficial fungus for the root system. Just remember, the next time you are looking out the window at that lonely tree out there, he is working hard to get ready for next years growth.

Featured in the pictures to your left is one of the few Douglas Fir trees you will find growing in the Brentwood area. It was probably planted as a Christmas tree 40 to 50 years ago.

Larry Loiseau/Certified Arborist

What is my Landscape Worth?

Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 02:48:48 +0000

Most people are aware that trees and other living plants are valuable. They provide beauty to our properties, manufacture oxygen, reduce rain-fall runoff, provide sound barriers, and help us save energy by provid-ing cool shade in the summer and reducing the harsh winds in the winter. However, trees and other landscape plants are a part of your property and have a dollar value that can be measured by competent plant appraisers.

A U.S. Forest study conducted in Amherst, Massachusetts shows that real-estate appraisers estimated that trees contributed as much as 27 % increase in dollars for two thirds wooded compared to open land with no plants. Another study by Arbor National Mortgage, Inc., revealed that “ 84 % of the real estate agents feel a house on a lot with trees would be as much as 20 % more saleable than a house on a lot with no trees.” (Arbor National Mortgage 1993).

If you have trees or shrubs that have been damaged or destroyed, you may be able to recapture your loss through insurance claims, litigation, or as a deduction from your income tax. The extent of damage and how the damage occurred will determine which avenues are available to you to compensate for the lost value. If you have a portion of your property condemned for right of ways, utility easements or other condemnation proceedings, the value of any trees and shrubs on that portion of your property should be considered in determining your compensation for the loss of that property. In the event of a loss or damage to your landscape, you should obtain a written appraisal by a qualified plant appraiser to insure that you are properly compensated for the dollar value of your landscape.

Kim Cross

Wood Chips

Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 02:40:44 +0000

Did You Know?

Wood Chips…..

Are easy to recycle and store, making them more stable than the markets for other recyclable materials.
Will prevent weed growth
Conserve moisture in soil
Cool surface and stabilize soil
Reduce soil erosions on slopes
Keep fruits, vegetables, and flowers cleaner
Improve aesthetics of a land-scape and add to property values.

Benefits of Wood Chips

Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 02:29:57 +0000

Saves Water – far less watering needed, and more rain absorption.

Saves Labor – no weeding, less time watering.

Stimulates growth – mulched trees grow faster than unmulched trees.

Keeps soil and roots from overheating in hot summers.

Eliminates injury to trunk from mower collisions.

Reduces soil compaction over roots.

Nourishes the soil by adding nutrients as it decomposes.

Reduces erosion under heavily shaded areas.

Reduces bruising of fallen fruit under fruit trees.

For FREE Wood Chips, delivered by the truck load, give us a call!!!

ANTS

Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 02:27:12 +0000

Those poor little creatures get blamed for so many things! It’s not uncommon to hear that those pesky little ants have “eaten my tree, and now it’s dying!” It’s quite the opposite! Ants cannot actually “eat,” for they cannot chew or swallow solids. Instead, they suck out juices which they squeeze from pieces of food. Ants actually can and do wonderful things for us. They aerate the soil and their diet consists of things that eat trees and plants.

The biggest enemy to our trees (other than human beings) is fungi. Fungi thrives in dark, moist ar-eas. When a tree has a cavity inside, fungi will slowly eat up the wood, and that can become a big problem for the tree. Ants, on the other hand, are opportunists, and seek trees with this problem to set up a home. There, they work really hard and carry out the rotten fungi infested wood and make little baby bedding gal-leries for their young. Given time, a subdivision develops to house thousands in their community.

The beneficial side effect of this ant farm creates air movement inside the open wound area helping it to stay dry, thus making it unfavorable for fungi to thrive. The presence of ants is actually helping the tree, although seeing a colony living inside of your tree may be an indication of a more serious problem. Some fungal cavities may become so big that it detracts from the structural integrity of the tree, causing it to be-come unstable. In a nut shell, while ants are good in nature, they remain bad in your kitchen, and indicators of possibly larger problem in a tree.

Ruel Jones

Fall Facts

Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 02:23:23 +0000

Did You Know?

Fall Facts

The more light a leaf is exposed to, more likely it will become red.

Fertile soil enhances the intensity of red in leaves.

Leaves actually stay orange and yellow throughout the summer, but the chlorophyll (green) covers it.

Rainy, cloudy days dim leaves from becoming brilliantly colored.

Fall, Best time to Fertilize

Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 02:20:53 +0000

Common questions concerning fertilization are: What exactly is in fertilizer? What brands should we use? When to use it? Why it works? What are the proce-dures? In this article, you’ll find out why this process is incredibly beneficial to your trees.

What does going to the dentist every six months to clean your teeth accomplish? Keeps cavities away. What does visiting your doctor once a year accomplish? It keeps you attuned to your body’s strengths and weak-ness. What does eating an apple a day accomplish? I don’t know. But fertilizing your trees after November, when they begin dormancy, is extremely beneficial in preserving and main-taining the trees’ health and beauty. Tree roots are grow-ing any time the ground temperature is above forty de-grees, which is most of the time in the middle Tennessee area.

Truth is, fertilizer is not food for your trees. Trees make their own food independently, by absorbing sunlight and making starches and sugar from the car-bon dioxide, water and a combina-tion of nutrients from the soil. Trees are always eating something, and it’s called sunshine! Nutri-ents do play a very important role in this process, as sixteen nutrients are needed for a tree to grow and be healthy. If there is a lack in any of these nutrients, the tree falters and weakens. This imbalance is more common in urban areas where recent or past soil disturbance has occurred.

Deep root fertilization will promote a greater amount of foliage in the coming year. When it is injected into the root zone of the tree, it helps loosen soil and increase oxygen transfer. Fall fertilization is very good for the trees that have taken a toll throughout the year from insects and environmental damages (heavy turf, compacted roots, or construction). The basic life-altering motto we have to keep in mind for our property is the same as for our bodies: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”!

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By: Kaitlin Jones

The Healthy Sweet

Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 02:18:18 +0000

What do most folks commonly know about honey? It’s sweet, sticky, and the life source that keeps Winnie the Pooh alive. Some people use it for baking and on biscuits. But, oh, there’s so much more!

And regarding the long range health benefits, recent science has proclaimed honey is now wildly considered nature’s perfect food!

Honey has natural sugars that our body needs in order to create energy. Honey eaten before exercise is digested and released into the blood flow at a steady rate not being exhausted too quickly as other commercial sport supplements’ sugars might. Even during post-workouts, honey promotes muscle recuperation and glycogen restoration. It also contains minerals, vita-mins, anti-oxidants, amino acids, and enzymes that can help with digestion! Antioxidants pro-tect our skin from the damage of UV rays and aid in skin rejuvenation. Honey is also sweeter than table sugar and makes baking more fragrant and tasty. And as storage of honey at room temperature will not result in spoilage, stocking it anywhere in the kitchen is convenient. This is possible because the high sugar concentrate kills bacteria and air born yeasts, allowing no germs to live in honey for more than 24 hours, making it one of the most clean foods one can eat.

Tupelo, clover, and orange blossom honeys are the most famous, though there are countless others to choose from. Light-colored honey is usually milder in flavor, while the darker honeys usually possess a bolder taste. Also, make sure to buy unfiltered, uncooked, and 100% pure honey from a local distributor if available. As a son of a beekeeper, rarely does a day go by that I don’t consume honey on something, and it’s always in my coffee. Honey is good on just about anything. Chances are anything that tastes good to you now will improve with honey on it. So, take your honey some honey and enjoy!

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

Makes eight 8 oz. servings

Calories 60

Sugar 16g.

Sodium 77mg. Carbohydrate 17g.

Potassium 85mg.

-1/4 cup honey -1/2 teaspoon light salt -1 package unsweetened soft drink mix (similar to Kool-Aid® packets) -7-1/2 cups water