Plants naturally resist infections through a process called Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR). This is similar to our own immune system. The understanding of this phenomenon is quite complicated, involving numerous hormones, proteins and other compounds inside and outside of the plant...Continue Reading
Water from snow melt, excess seasonal rainfall, and overland drainage settling into the lowest area(s) of a property can cause a common spring experience—temporarily wet areas in the yard...Continue Reading
We’ve had it again: the kind of weather that breaks records. Three years ago, we had a record-breaking wet spring; this spring has broken that record...Continue Reading
Winter in Southeast Wisconsin is often picturesque, with snow-covered landscapes creating a winter wonderland. However, contrasting this scenic beauty, winter can also create problems for trees and shrubs..Continue Reading
A simple guide on tree fungus diseases commonly found in Wisconsin. Learn how to identify and treat your infected trees to keep them healthy. View our guide.Continue Reading
Like something out of a children’s story book, galls come in many different shapes and sizes. Galls are also a common type of damage affecting tree leaves, needles, and/or twigs. Their size and shape can range from pointy to round and small or large. The color of a gall can be a simple brown, a bright red, or even blue. This leaf damage can be quite visible and easy to search for too!Continue Reading
I often have clients who contact me because branches on their trees are dying. Their assumption is that there is something going on directly in the branches that is causing the dieback. While that can be the case, there are also a myriad of other reasons why tree branches can die. Here is a laundry list of what I commonly see causing branch dieback in my clinic.Continue Reading
A tree with yellow leaves in your landscape can be concerning. View our guide for causes of tree leaves turning yellow and how to revive your tree’s health. Continue Reading
Most healthy trees should have leaves with an even green color. Leaves should also have a similar size, density, and an even distribution throughout the tree. If a tree exhibits a yellowing of leaves with a network of darker green veins (interveinal chlorosis), this likely indicates a serious nutrient problem. In severe cases the entire leaf turns yellow and leaf size is stunted. Leaves may scorch or wither and drop prematurely. Symptoms may be on a few leaves, an individual branch, and portions or all of a tree.Continue Reading
Ten years ago, I wrote an article for this newsletter about the state of emerald ash borer (EAB) and what the future of ash trees looked like then. If you have kept past newsletters, you will find the full article in the winter 2013 issue. At that time, EAB was relatively new in our area and most ash were not yet affected by this destructive insect. Fast forward to today, we have progressed upward on the mortality curve. Thankfully, death does not overrun the current story for all ash trees.Continue Reading