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Why are There Still Leaves on my Tree?
I recently received a question from a person asking why their ash tree still has leaves on it at this late date. The person stated that some leaves were turning brown during the summer and that they figured it was due to the drought that much of the Midwest experienced this year. There are some trees that keep leaves that turn a fall color for a long time. Some of them remain on the tree all the way until spring. Ironwood, certain oaks and beeches are a few of the trees that keep their leaves on for a longer time than most other deciduous trees. Sometimes this is just the quality of the tree and sometimes it can be the result of some other stress factors. In the
Tree Burls - Why Are There Heads Growing Out Of My Tree?
Outside my dining room window is what I call the world's largest silver maple. I know it is not, but it is really big and has a 48 inch diameter. The other day, I was looking at it through the dining room window and noticed this weird growth developing on the side of the tree. I never noticed it before, and it seems to have grown in the last couple of months. The more I looked it, the more I noticed what looked like heads protruding out of the side of the tree and it is a little bit creepy. These growths are known as burls. Burls are odd shaped bumps, lumps or bulges that develop on the trunks of many trees. Sometimes they look like just a big bulge, but some take on human facial characteristics like noses or even faces. There hasn't been a lot of research on what causes burls to dev
My Evergreen Tree is All Brown, What Should I Do?
Evergreens are prized for their year-round beauty and vibrant foliage, so it can be alarming to see brown patches on your tree. While it’s natural for evergreens to shed some older needles (a process called seasonal needle drop), widespread browning often signals a problem. Here's a guide to why it happens and how to help your tree recover. Common Causes of Browning in Evergreens
What Causes Oak Galls?
I recently received some pictures of some weird looking growths in an Oak tree. They looked like a growth called a gall, which looks like a tumor growing on a branch or leaf. They are usually the result of the feeding or egg laying of certain insects that cause the plant's cells to multiply at a dizzying rate. Immature stages of the insect or the larva feed on the inside of the gall and often use the gall as protection from predators. The g
Cedar-Quince Rust
Many ornamental fruit trees are showing signs of Cedar-Quince Rust this year due to the very wet conditions that we have experienced. Cedar-Quince Rust, Cedar-Apple Rust and Cedar-Hawthorn Rust are three very similar tree diseases that require two hosts to complete their life cycle. Along with the trees mentioned, the presence of a cedar tree is also required as the disease goes back and forth between the two plants. In the case of Cedar-Quince Rust on c
Identifying & Treating Evergreen Diseases
I often receive pictures from franchisees or from the general public of an evergreen tree that appears to be dying. Although evergreen diseases generally cause a certain pattern when they affect a tree, it sometimes is difficult to provide an exact diagnosis without seeing the tree in person. For example, in the picture to the right, it appears that this Blue Spruce is suffering from a disease, but then again it could be caused by an
How to Properly Remove Christmas Lights on Trees
Properly removing the Christmas lights from trees and shrubs when the holiday season is over is important for your plants’ health. If you’re not being careful, it’s possible to damage those plants. I have seen too many people pull on the strings of lights while standing on the ground instead of using a ladder or reversing the process that was followed when the lights were hung. Unless you are careful, the tender branches can easily snap, as they
Lawn Diseases: Caring for Warm Season Grasses Like Centipede Grass
I recently attended the South Carolina Landscape and Turfgrass Association annual conference and tradeshow in Columbia, SC for the second year now. Since I’ve lived most of my life in northern Illinois, I always welcome the chance to learn more about warm-season grasses, and this show provides some appreciated insight. Warm Season Lawn Disease: Centipede Decline One of the presentations I attended was ab
What Do Trees Do? A Lot More Than You Think.
Trees are an important element in our lives as human beings. If you go to Arbor Day Foundation’ s website, you can find all sorts of information on the environmental and economic benefits that trees provide. Spring-Green has worked with with Arbor Day Foundation since 2010, donating to the effort of planting over 50,000 trees across the country. It is part of our commitment to
Our Top Trusty Tree Care Tips
Caring for your trees and shrubs may seem like a fairly straightforward task, and one that almost any homeowner can handle. When it comes to trees and shrubs, you can plant them, water them, spray them, feed them, and even prune them—which all sound like simple tasks, but the devil is in the details. To help you, we put together a list of our top trusty tree care tips. Choosing Your Tree Most homeowners are fairly good at
What You Need to Know About Bagworms
If you have junipers or arbor vitae in your landscape, you could have bagworms! To determine if you do have these little fellows in your plants, you can check for small, teardrop shaped bags or cases of tied-up plant material. These cases will be anywhere from ¼ to 1 inch in length. The larvae that are within the bags will emerge to feed on evergreens as well as deciduous trees and shrubs. The overwintering larvae hatch in June and climb to the top of the pl
Fall Yard Chores: Get a Head Start on the Spring
Yes, it seems crazy to think about the spring already while we're still enjoying the fall season, but now is a great time to get ahead and prepare for next year. For those planners and do-ers out there, here's our list of chores, tips and tricks to do now to be ready for the springtime: If you have a sprinkler system in your yard and haven’t had it winterized yet, now is the
Have You Seen Weird Growths On The Leaves Of Your Trees?
At this time of year, I receive pictures from Spring-Green employees of weird growths on leaves that are causing concern from their customers. Often times, the leaves have fallen to the ground and covered with weirdly-shaped structures growing out of the leaf surface. These are galls. Galls are abnormal growths caused by various organisms, such as insects, mites, nematodes, fungi, bacteria and viruses.
Bumps On Leaves? Learn About Leaf Bladder Galls
While doing some yard work last weekend, I saw the first leaf that had dropped due to an excess of Maple Bladder Galls growing on it. The leaf dropped not because of any direct injury to the leaf by these wart-like structures, but because there were so many of them that formed on the leaf that it could no longer stay attached to the branch. Every year I receive numerous pictures from our Field Service Professionals asking about these weirdly shaped growths or galls form on the leaves of Maples, Ash, Oaks and Cottonwoods. The growths take on many shapes such as: the wart-like growths on map
Tree Care: Benefits Of Trees In Our Environment
Trees are a quintessential part of our global ecosystem and our own community environments for so many reasons! On Arbor Day each year, we celebrate and promote the importance of trees in our lives, but here at Spring-Green, we think about and celebrate trees all year round. In fact, we’ve made it our business, literally, to help home and business owners create the perfect landscapes full of trees to enhance all of our lives. And, we don’t stop there, tree care is important to protect that environment
Top Tips for Spring Tree Care
As we enter into spring and embark on the warmer months, many homeowners are left grappling with caring for their trees . Questions concerning trees as they come out of dormancy and keeping trees healthy in the spring swirl around tree-loving homeowner’s minds. These questions and so many others are about to be demystified, so you can feel confident that your trees are going to th
Fruit Tree Care Tips
Having a fruit tree in your backyard can be one of the most rewarding things. Enjoying freshly picked berries, apples, mangoes, avocados, and others can create delicious delicacies and family memories that last a lifetime. Proper care for your fruit trees is the key to keeping the fun flowing. The Spring-Green team , leaders in lawn care since 1977, wants your enjoyment of your fruit trees to last for years to come, so we put this guide together to help you understan
Why Are My Tree Branches Falling Off?
Have you noticed your trees are losing branches? Are more limbs collecting in your yard than normal? If so, you might be wondering if it is time to start worrying about the health of your trees. There are many reasons that tree branches fall. Some indicate a problem. Some don’t. Here are the questions you should be asking about your trees. Q&As about your trees' health Why do healthy trees lose branches? Not every tree that loses a few branches has an issue. Trees shed branches for many reasons that are not linked to illness. Typically, sudden branch breakage is the tree’s respons
How Do You Plant A Tree?
--> Trees bring so much beauty to your yard with the added benefits of shade and improvement to air quality around you. If planting trees is on your agenda, you are on to something good. Your neighborhood lawn care experts at Spring-Green have the guide you need to get it done. Let's go! What are the benefits of adding a tree to my lawn? Helping to reduce air pollution Increasing the absorption of carbon dioxide Reducing electricity costs as the
Battling Tree Damage: From Natural Causes to Bug Infestations
Trees are critical to our ecosystem, providing oxygen, improving air quality, and offering shelter to wildlife. However, they face numerous threats ranging from natural causes to more insidious dangers like invasive pests. One of the most concerning issues today is the damage caused by the spotted lanternfly, an invasive species that has emerged as a major threat to various tree species across certain regions. Native to Asia, the spotted lanternfly was initially iden