Tree Disease | Waukesha Tree Services

 There are hundreds of different tree diseases that can attack a tree in Milwaukee.  Green Man Tree Services of Waukesha can help you figure out what is attacking your trees and how to treat them.

Symptoms of Tree Disease

Common symptoms of tree disease include dead or hanging branches, rotten wood or cavities in the trunk or roots, major splits, fungal fruiting bodies at the base, and the presence of insects. Many of these symptoms are obvious signs that something is wrong, but insects can be kind of tricky. You should identify the insect before you start to worry. Some insects are actually good for your tree. Ladybugs eat aphids, for example. If you're not sure if something is harming your tree, it's probably best to play it safe and talk to an arborist.

Root Decay

Root decay can cause all kinds of havoc for your tree. Most people know that roots provide all sorts of functions for plants, in general. They extract water and nutrients from the ground and anchor the tree to the ground. A tree suffering from root decay is significantly more likely to be felled from a wind storm. Often, the only way to detect root decay is from broken roots (if they're visible) or the presence of fungus. The size of a fungal growth is not indicative of root damage. Even a small fungal growth can destroy an entire root system. If root decay is extensive, often little can be done for a tree, but keep in mind what caused the root decay in the first place and plant more wisely for your next tree.

Read More Here

Green Man Tree & Landscape Services Serving Waukesha and Surrounding areas 414-301-9807 http://thegreenmancompany.com Waukesha Tree Services, Tree Removal, Mulch, Landscaping and wood products. All trees & wood by-products removed from your property will be reused to make fine furniture, firewood or re-purposed into high quality compost and soil for gardeners.

Waukesha Landscaping Tips | Green Man Tree And Landscaping

Choosing plants for your yard is an important step in making the landscape sustainable. Besides the usual consideration of how the plant looks, there are other important factors to keep in mind when selecting the plant materials for your garden. Visit the Virtual Garden Tours & Plant Database for plant lists tailored for Santa Barbara County.

Low water using plants:
In Milwaukee, the water requirements of a plant are an important consideration. There are many beautiful, low-water using plants available locally. To avoid maintenance conflicts, group plants with similar water, sun, shade, and soil requirements.

Reduce size of lawn:
Lawns can be an attractive and useful part of a landscape, but are not considered “sustainable landscaping” due to the large inputs of water, labor and often chemicals to keep them healthy. Many people find that even while reducing the lawn area, they can still meet the need for children’s or pet’s play area. A smaller lawn requires less labor and resources. When mowing the lawn, clippings can be left on the surface as mulch. Although there are no truly "drought tolerant" turf grasses, some varieties do use less water.

Anticipate plant size and reduce pruning:
Choose plants that will grow to an appropriate size for the area you are planting. If a plant that grows into a tree is selected for a hedge, the result is endless pruning: more work for you and more material for the landfill. Many reference books will include the mature size of plants.

Decrease plant disease:
Before you select a plant, find out if it has pest problems locally. Some plants are more susceptible to disease and insects, requiring more effort and pesticides or herbicides to keep them alive. If plants do develop disease, look for biological controls (insects) or non-chemical means of easing the problem.

Go Native:
Native plants are low-water, fertilizer and pesticide users. They require little maintenance and they provide habitat for local wildlife. Native deep rooting bushes can decrease erosion with little maintenance.

Careful of Invasive Plants:
Some semi-arid exotic plants grow like crazy. This seems great for your garden however, some can take over wild native plants that keep our watersheds healthy and provide habitat and food for wildlife. Here are a few examples of invasive plants: Pampus Grass, Fountain Grass etc.

Green Man Tree & Landscape Services Serving Waukesha and Surrounding areas 414-301-9807 http://thegreenmancompany.com Waukesha Tree Services, Tree Removal, Mulch, Landscaping and wood products. All trees & wood by-products removed from your property will be reused to make fine furniture, firewood or re-purposed into high quality compost and soil for gardeners.

Waukesha Tree Service

Waukesha Tree Care Tips.

As a Waukesha Tree Service Company, we've all seen trees gashed by car bumpers, and limbs blown off in storms, but these are just a couple of the many ways trees get injured.
Others include chafing or scrapes and cuts from lawn mowers being pushed into the lower trunks, or by improper staking; line trimmers cutting away bark week after week; rubbing away of the bark caused by touching branches; and improper pruning.
All of these things create injuries, similar to a person being cut by a dull knife. If you get too many such cuts, you're going to be in serious trouble from infection or loss of blood. Trees react in much the same way, so it’s important to avoid damage if possible and to provide proper tree care when it occurs.

Repeated Abuse Is The Worst

Of all the damaging things we've listed, the worst may be the repeated damage from lawn mowers and trimmers. When grass grows right up to a tree, the base of that tree is nearly guaranteed to take some direct hits by mowers or trimmers or both. What makes it all worse is that it continues week after week, compounding the injuries over time. A simple and effective tree maintenance fix is a border of mulch around the base of your trees. This makes mowing a heck of a lot easier and protects the trees at the same time. You can read more about proper mowing techniques on our mowing tips page.

Avoid Staking Trees When Possible

Staking of trees should always be avoided when possible (to encourage stronger growth), but if needed, should be done right. Don't stake by tying stakes directly to the tree; avoid tightly binding straps; and remove all stakes as soon as the tree can stand on its own.

Proper Pruning

When pruning, make sure all cuts are clean, and keep heavier branches from ripping when your saw is 2/3 of the way through by doing an initial cut from the bottom.
As part of your tree maintenance, also remove one of each pair of branches that are rubbing and chafing against each other.

When You Discover Damage

When you do discover damage, it’s important to clean the wound. All tree injuries provide entry points for disease and insects, while interrupting the flow of water, food and nutrients between the roots and the leaves. Removing any loose bark and brushing out any dirt that is lodged in the wound will expose the damaged area to sunlight and air and promote healing. Fertilization also helps speed up recovery from damage and general plant health.

Remember:

• Mechanical damage causes wounds that allow entry of diseases and insects into the soft tree wood.
• Mulch all lawn trees to eliminate mower and trimmer damage.
• Dress all wounds to promote fast healing and reduce disease or insect problems.

Green Man Tree & Landscape Services Serving Waukesha and Surrounding areas 414-301-9807 Waukesha Tree Services, Tree Removal, Mulch, Landscaping and wood products. All trees & wood by-products removed from your property will be reused to make fine furniture, firewood or re-purposed into high quality compost and soil for gardeners.