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  Spring
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  Summer
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  Fall
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  Winter

Summer

This is a good time to inspect your trees for structural weaknesses.  Most people worry about protecting their trees from winter ice storms, but late summer is when we see the most storm damage of the year.  The foliage and fruit on the branches not only add a tremendous amount of weight to the tree, but collect huge amounts of rain water.  The increased weight and wind resistance created by the presence of foliage combine to create perfect conditions for tree failure.

The second generation of Hemlock Wooly Adelgid has hatched out and settled to feed on the twigs of hemlock trees by mid-July and will go into summer dormancy by the end of the month.  This is a good time to apply control measures as long as weather conditions are favorable.  No new generations will disperse until next April, so a single application will provide control until next year.

By the end of July we begin getting calls from clients whose crabapple trees are losing their leaves prematurely.  The primary cause of this early defoliation is a fungal disease called Apple Scab.  Apple Scab will not kill a tree, but reduces the aesthetic value of the tree.  Unfortunately, by the time symptoms appear it is too late to control the disease.  Infection occurs in early spring.  Make arrangements now to have preventive applications made next spring.