Why do we need Tree and Shrub Care?
The Need for Fertilization
Trees and shrubs in our yards need much more care than those in a natural or forest environment. A forest is a natural compost pile. Plants receive their nutrients from dead leaves and trees that have died and are in the process of decomposing. Sometimes, a fire will come through and thin out damaged or weakened trees and get rid of the grass and weeds, creating more sunlight for existing trees and shrubs and reducing the competition for available nutrients. In a natural environment, the ecosystem works perfectly.
But in our yards, we rake up the dead leaves and prune out the dead branches, robbing our trees of the natural recycling of nutrients. We plant grass or ground cover or flowerbeds under them, providing competition for available nutrients. And we expect them to be strong and healthy, anyway.
Many people don’t even consider the fact that their trees and shrubs need fertilization, and many think that it’s just not worth the money, since results are not quickly visible (as compared to lawn fertilization, for example.) But what we don’t stop to consider is that our investment in our landscape (trees, shrubs, flowerbeds) is often much greater than our investment in our lawns. It’s expensive to replace a lawn, but it’s very expensive to replace trees and shrubs and flowerbeds.
The Need for Insect and Disease Applications
Many of our native trees and shrubs actually have some ability to create their own natural insecticide. In a forest, there are usually a couple predominant species in an area. When an insect invasion occurs, the trees of the same predominant species will communicate through chemical signals that an insect invader is present. This will allow the other trees to create their own chemical defenses, warding off an attack. Some might sustain damage, but most of the trees are not affected.
In our yards, the plants don't have that natural protection. Fairway Lawns’ Insect & Disease applications help reduce the insect populations so that the plants don't need it. We do not strive for 100% insect elimination, which is neither possible nor environmentally sound. We strive to keep the insects to a manageable level so they will not endanger the health or the beauty of the plant. Our program includes several treatments throughout the year because different insects become a threat at different times of the growing season, and some have more than one generation in a growing season. It is not unusual for fall webworms to begin in July and have three or four generations by September.
Most common leaf diseases aren't very harmful to trees and shrubs, but they make them look bad. Usually, when a disease attacks a leaf, the damage stays on the leaf, even after the disease has been stopped. Fairway Lawns’ treatments attempt to keep those diseases under control.
Some common insects and diseases we can control:
Anthracnose
Aphids
Apple Scab
Bagworms
Blight
Canker Worms
Elm Leaf Beetles
Fall Webworms
Lace Bugs
Leaf Spot
Mealy Bugs
Mites
Powdery Mildew
Scale
Tent Caterpillars
White Flies
Some plant problems we can’t control
Borers
Cankers
Construction Damage
Freeze Damage
Galls
Improper Planting
Improper Plant Selection for the area
Mower/Weedeater Damage
Transplant Shock
Pruning
Pruning your trees and shrubs removes dead or diseased branches, controls the size and shape of the plant, and can stimulate growth. A good rule of thumb is NOT to prune when leaves are forming or falling.
Spring bloomers produce flower on wood from the prior season. If you want a heavy flower growth next year, prune plants such as forsythia and azaleas, after the flowers have wilted.
Summer bloomers follow the opposite theory. Their flowers grow from new wood produced the same season. A late winter pruning will encourage the growth of new wood and abundant flowers.
Evergreen trees generally need less pruning than deciduous trees. But when necessary, needle evergreens, such as pine and spruce, also prefer a late winter/early spring trimming just before their growth spurt.
Avoid fall pruning. Heavy pruning is usually best done in late winter, when the plant is dormant and temperatures are above freezing.
Avoid topping. Proper pruning should not be confused with topping. Topping removes a tree's main leader and branches, resulting in stubs. Topping will severely disfigure trees and results in "watersprouts" and weak limbs that are susceptible to damage from high winds or other adverse weather. (You've probably seen trees that have been topped by utility companies to keep them out of electrical wires — not very pretty!)
We can all find examples of particular species that may go against these pruning guidelines. If you are in doubt, check with a professional arborist or your county extension service.
Planting Trees and Shrubs
Don't plant trees and shrubs at a time when they are already stressed or will have a hard time getting acclimated, such as during the heat of the summer or periods of drought.
If you want the freshest plants, make your purchases early in the season. Most nurseries dig their trees in winter and ship them along with new container-grown plants in early spring. If you are on a budget and have a little bit of a green thumb, buy in the fall. You'll have to take some leftover plants but you can really get some good deals. Winter is fine for planting, as long as the ground isn't frozen.
You should dig a hole twice as big as the root ball when planting. Always remove the material from a balled tree or shrub before planting. Some of the items you'll find are plastic buckets, wire baskets used for transporting, regular untreated burlap, treated burlap, burlap with nylon or plastic woven into it or any kind of string. We regularly find these items still attached to the root ball, when customers ask us to investigate why a tree is doing poorly.
We feel it is best to wrap tree trunks for the first year after planting young trees. This protects them from sun scald or winter freezing, to which they are susceptible when they are small and transplanted.
It is usually necessary to stake a tree after it has been planted. Normally one year is long enough. You can damage a tree from leaving the staking materials on too long!
Mulching around a tree can provide many benefits – controlling weeds, keeping the area moist, and keeping the soil temperatures moderate. But be careful to limit it to 2 or 3 inches, and never put it right next to the tree trunk. Too much mulch can cause drainage problems, provide a great place for insects to proliferate, and can rot the trunk if it’s piled around it. Also, if you use a plastic sheet underneath your mulch to control weeds, be sure you use one specifically designed as a porous landscape fabric, or your tree will suffocate.