Advice from A Year Round Tree Expert

The Maryland State Fair begins today, August 27th at the Timonium Fair Grounds. The fair runs until Labor Day, September 6th and as always is a great place to see agricultural and forest exhibits and displays that are hosted by MD’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR).  All of Maryland, and especially Baltimore city, has been feeling the need for more green which DNR will be highlighting this year at the fair.

“Perhaps most disturbing is the absence of trees on Baltimore’s main street. There are no trees on the east side of Charles from Saratoga to Centre streets (plant-filled urns are no substitute for the real thing). And the five from Lexington to Saratoga look anorexic,” writes the Baltimore Sun.

It’s a good thing that the state’s goal is to plant 50,000 trees by the end of 2010! Marylanders that want to help can receive coupons worth $25 off the purchase of a tree to plant in Maryland. Hope to see you on the fairgrounds!!

Sources:

http://www.marylandstatefair.com/

http://delmarvatowncrier.com/archives/maryland-dnr-brings-our-natural-world-to-the-maryland-state-fair/

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-charles-street-20100810,0,3672395.story

We know that trees help cool the temperature around us, saving us money on cooling costs in the house and protecting the habitat that thrives beneath their canopy. But we wonder; what effect do hot temperatures have on our green friends?

The hot and dry weeks of summer and have as much of an effect on trees as they do on people. Especially vulnerable are the old and young. Trees that do not have access to a lot of rich soil, such as those planted in urban landscapes, can be easily damaged as well.

“The combination of drought and harsh site conditions provided in parking lots, along streets, on open squares, and surrounding pavement have led to a number of tree symptoms. The old term “heat stroke” fits trees where heat loads have been extreme and caused problems,” says University of Georgia forestry professor, Kim Coder.

According to the university, the best growing temperature is from 70°F to 85°F, depending on the type of tree. Hot temperatures that reach approximately 115°F can damage and kill trees. The temperature can vary depending on the duration of  the heat, age of the tree, thickness, water in the organism, and the ability of the tree to make adjustments to temperature changes.

Sources:

http://warnell.forestry.uga.edu/service/library/index.php3?docID=176&docHistory[]=4

We love going green…which for all purposes is a good thing for a tree company! We have been reading up about a lot of environmental factors and things ordinary citizens like us can do to help, and thought you might want to hear some of the ideas…
Unfortunately, this winter left a lot of chemical runoff from the de-icing methods that were used on the roads. A lot of the dangerous chemicals have made their way into local streams and the Chesapeake Bay, which has been hard for our native marine life.

On a positive note, there are a lot of “green” programs that are out there to help offset some of the bad news that we hear. There are programs from recycling, to helping us to stop getting paper junk mail, to planting more Maryland Trees. And if you haven’t heard about Maryland’s virtual plant-a-tree program yet, hurry and click here before the summer is over! If you want to plant your own tree, the good old-fashioned sweat and shovel way, check out these tips!

Maryland is also going greener through a “mowing reduction program” that has been instated this year to help re-establish vegetation. Montgomery and Prince George’s County have decided to take the steps and sacrifice some of their state-owned trees along the highway to build the Purple Line for Washington D.C.’s metro. It is a trade-off to remove healthy trees but the positive effect of more public commuting will do wonders for our local environment! More good environmental news is that a recent study shows that almost half of all farmed landscapes worldwide include significant tree cover.

Other green ideas that we like are: to use your bicycle, bus or metro more often and start bringing your own bags to the grocery store instead of using the plastic or paper ones that are provided.

Sources:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/11/AR2010021105258.html

http://www.moneybluebook.com/how-to-stop-receiving-paper-junk-mail-and-save-trees/

http://www.thebaynet.com/news/index.cfm/fa/viewstory/story_ID/13466

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/15/AR2009071503687.html

http://blog.sustainablog.org/7-environmental-lessons-from-living-in-europe/

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-08/24/content_11936117.htm

http://www.mpnnow.com/life/x1664766764/Be-careful-before-planting-that-tree

Local: Baltimore residents in the Patterson Park neighborhood are trying to buy their local park building. A non-profit development company, started by a local resident to fight drug infestation and crime by buying up vacant lots, went bankrupt this year. To continue fighting for their community, eight neighbors have pooled their money to buy the non-profit’s old gathering space and make an investment in the area that they have come to love so much.

National: The Maryland Department of Natural Resources  is asking Marylanders to plant virtual trees this summer. Maryland is competing with all 50 states in a tree planting program sponsered by the juice manufacturer, Odwalla. The more participation the state gathers, the more money it  earns from Odwalla toward reforestation and planting initiatives in Maryland. Click here to plant your tree! Your local Year-Round-Tree Expert might not be the most tech-savviest of people, but even he was able to do it!!

Sources:

Photo of a Maryland American Basswood Tree that won a place in the American Forests 2010 National Register of Big Trees last month. Courtesy of SoMdnews.com.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2010-05-23/business/bs-bz-patterson-park-20100523_1_live-baltimore-neighborhood-137-acre-park

http://www.thebaynet.com/news/index.cfm/fa/viewstory/story_ID/18076

It’s no secret that trees add to your home’s landscaping and can add significant value to your property. They purify the air, the roots soak up storm water, and their shade helps cool your home. In fact, the U.S. Forest Service has reported the presence of street trees raised home values by an average of $7,000. Trees are good.

The fun ends, however, when a tree is dead or diseased. Removing a tree can dramatically alter the look and feel of your property, it is important to consider your options carefully because a lot of trees can be saved with proper treatment.  If you do have to remove your tree it can be very dangerous so please don’t hesitate to give us a call for a free estimate at A Year Round Tree Expert Co.(410-335-8675)!

Trees left uncared for are a hazard not only for your property, and that of your neighbors’, but also everyone’s safety. The ground this year has been softened by one of the snowiest winters in memory and has caused an unprecedented number of trees to fall.

Neglected trees overhanging a house not only blot out too much sun, which can cause moss to grow on roof shingles, but are extremely dangerous. Most home insurance policy’s cover the house that was damaged but if it is found that a neighbor neglected to care for a tree before falling on nearby property, a lawsuit may ensue. Always consider the ramifications, financial and otherwise, if one of your trees topples on your neighbor’s property.

Other things to keep in mind to care for your trees and property are leaves and debris from trees that can clog gutters and lead to drainage problems and roots that can invade sewer lines.

Sources:

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20090612/ARTICLES/906121011/1002/NEWS?Title=Who-is-responsible-when-a-tree-falls-on-a-home-onsible when a tree falls on your home?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124723900564523889.html
http://www.tree-removal-charlotte.com/tree-removal/what-to-do-when-you-think-you-need-to-remove-a-tree/
http://www.latimes.com/classified/realestate/sns-home-trees-and-home-buyers,0,4500663.story

The Emerald Ash Borer: We’ve wrote and talked and sighed and fretted about this beetle for quite awhile now. (Perhaps the next thing to do would be to “tweet” about it…but that might be pushing this tree guy’s computer skills to the limit)!

The Ash Borers’ metallic green color could actually be described as attractive, but it leaves your trees anything but. They thrive in a slightly cooler climate, making our Maryland temperature ideal in May and June. The Emerald Ash Borer lays approximately 300 eggs during this season and the larvae consumes the bark of the ash trees.

These beetles are quickly destroying our trees and have been a high priority on the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s radar – with good reason, the state has over 7 million ash trees at risk in its parks. The state has been spraying its trees, using a purple-triangle trap to monitor them and creating large statewide campaigns to ensure campers don’t transport firewood from one location to another.

If you have an ash tree on your property, you should inspect it for the beetle. Give A Year Round Tree Expert a call at 410-335-8675 if you find even one or if you are unsure about what you are looking at. We have the expertise you need to diagnosis and the pesticides needed to eradicate.

The Gypsy Moth: The tree industry has been seeing a decrease in the gypsy moth population. It reached its peak in 2008 and through a combination of regular life cycle drop-offs, “good” fungus,  an increase in natural predators, and aggressive spraying the gypsy moth is in the decline. The majority of gauzy “web” tents you will likely see (towards the end of summer and into fall) in the trees these days are not the work of gypsy moths, but of their less damaging kin, the fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea. If you see the webs in your trees this year you should still give us a call (410-335-8675) just to be sure you are diagnosing your tree correctly as it is difficult to tell the difference.

Bacteria: Trees can be infected by all kinds of bacteria as well. Both the bacterium Erwinia amylovora and Pseudomonas syringae, are just two examples of bacteria that can cause sudden wilting and the death of your tree. Pruning out infected branches is helpful, but is best done when the weather is dry to prevent the spread of bacteria. It is important to prune infected branches well below the point at which they are damaged to ensure all the bacteria are removed. You can learn more about a suspected bacteria and when to prune or fertilize by giving your friendly and local tree expert a call at 410-335-8675, as we are happy to come out and look at it for you for free!

Sources:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/23/AR2010022304526.html

http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/science-updates/new-jersey-reports-reduction-in-gypsy-moth-tree-damage

http://ezinearticles.com/?Ash-Trees-at-Risk-From-Chinese-Beetle&id=4530001

Here’s the run down that we’ve been keeping track of for you:

National: A scientific summary of how changes in climate can affect forest diseases has been recently published and can be viewed here.

Local: A Maryland Program announces that 23 trees in Maryland are now listed as National Champion trees by American Forests, a national nonprofit. The Maryland Big Trees Program reports all of these trees have been officially registered, measured and photographed, and they are located on both private and public Maryland land. The complete 2010 National Register of Big Trees is available here, along with facts about the champion trees.

Local: The emerald ash borer is again making it’s appearance and killing hundreds of ash trees this year. The Maryland government is now trying to control it by setting up traps all over the state.

Local: We’ve reported on this before but it has been a popular subject in the news recently that Maryland researchers are working on turning poplar trees into biofuel, which many hope will eventually replace the gasoline that we now use.

Local: Not tree related, but since we love our crabs it pains us to report that the Gulf spill could hike Maryland crab prices this year. The federal government has shut down fishing in Louisiana for aproximately10 days and because the state ships 2,000 bushels a day to Maryland we might be eating less crabs or paying more.

Sources

http://delmarvatowncrier.com/archives/maryland-adds-five-species-to-national-register-of-big-trees/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36935012

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-gr-poplar-biofuel-20100503,0,7876873.story

http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/how-will-tree-diseases-react-climate-change.html

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/Maryland-Does-Battle-With-Beetle-90282477.html

A Year Round Tree Expert Company has always offered the best of the best in our service and personnel for your tree care needs. We are now proud to announce the certification of our tree care expert Jamie Casto as a Certified Crane Operator through the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators. Jamie has been providing expertise in tree care to our valued clients for 15+ years at our company through tree work and crane operations as well as supervising our health program for your trees, which entails licensed pesticide applications, disease diagnosis and treatments, fertilization and much more. Although our state of Maryland did not adapt the requirement to obtain certification in crane operations, WE WENT THE EXTRA MILE to ensure the highest quality and safest full service tree care for you and your property! Using our in-house crane saves you money avoiding rental fees and surcharges that other companies may need to apply. You can rest easy that your crane work will be done safely and efficiently with us! Give us a call at 410-335-8675 for your tree care needs big and small; we are your TRUSTWORTHY, PROFESSIONAL TREE CARE EXPERTS!

Today marks the 40th Earth Day celebration! And as we celebrate Mother Nature and all that she does for us, we also commence a few annual battles: allergies and the emerald ash borer.

Hopefully you don’t suffer from sneezing and watery eyes. But as any allergy sufferer can tell you, pollen is back. This time of year, late April, is the start of the full allergy season, however, maple and cedar trees have already been pollinating for awhile. They typically start at the end of February but began at the beginning of March this year because of the snow.

Another cautionary tale, a total of 40 million ash trees have been killed by the emerald ash borer, which will be making its presence known in Maryland again this year. Cold winters do not stop this beetle and while other tree diseases such as Dutch Elm disease primarily affects only weaker trees, the ash borer attacks both healthy and sick trees equally.

Most experts agree that once a tree is infected it will die. You can prevent tree infection with pesticide application; call A Year Round Tree Expert Company at 410-335-8675 for more information on saving your Ash Tree.

More preventative measures include not moving firewood from campground to campground. We predict another anti-ash borer campaign this year by spraying state forests and educating camping enthusiasts about handling firewood through a series of billboards, the like of which were spotted along I-95 and other major Maryland arteries last year.

To sum up Earth Day this year we’d like to say: Take care of yourself and your trees! Oh yeah, and check out the Earth Day Network’s great list of fun Earth Day events!

Sources:

http://www.earthday.net/earthday2010

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/top/2010/03/16-23/ACHOO-Pollen-makes-its-seasonal-debut.html

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1971&dept_id=175429&newsid=20416661&PAG=461&rfi=9

Did you know that the largest concentration of pine trees in Maryland is in Frederick? Or, that our state tree is the white oak? It might just be our nature as tree people to find these Maryland tree-facts a fun source of trivia but since it’s Maryland Arbor Day we get the pleasure of sharing it with you too!

Other fun trivia you ask? Well, the Maryland-based non-profit, Trees for the Future, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The organization, located in Silver Spring, helps communities worldwide plant trees, distribute seeds and train agro-forestry personnel. It has planted more than 65 million trees throughout the world and worked with foreign governments to restore forests and fight illegal logging. They have even been recognized recently in Haiti for their work after the earthquake earlier this year.

Also, Washington DC’s cherry blossoms are expected to be peaking now.  According to National Park Horticulturalist Rob DeFeo,  Washington’s popular cherry trees’ peak blooming period this year is between April 3 and April 8, not far off the average peak date of April 4, despite the difficult winter our area experienced this year.

Sources

http://www.treesftf.org/

http://www.modernghana.com/news/267241/1/trees-for-the-future-celebrates-20th-anniversary.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/04/AR2010030401018.html?hpid=moreheadlines