Tree-related emergencies can happen at almost any time – all that is required is a sufficiently powerful wind storm, or an unlucky lightning strike. Or a weakened branch could simply crack one day and come crashing down.
Often, the terms pruning and trimming are used interchangeably by homeowners to indicate the removal of unwanted foliage from their trees, bushes, and shrubs. However, these two terms mean different things to horticultural experts, such as the professional and certified arborists at Stein Tree Service. Knowing the difference between pruning and trimming shrubs in Wilmington can have a huge impact on the overall health and appearance of your landscaping.
Stein Tree Service has announced that their new TreeFall Program, which is available in two service levels, can save homeowners both stress and money on emergency tree removal service in Wilmington.
Wilmington, DE – October, 2016 – Stein Tree Service has announced new TreeFall Programs designed to help homeowners save potentially thousands on emergency tree removal service in Wilmington this winter. Available in two levels, the TreeFall Program reduces out of pocket expenses for storm damage clean up that homeowners’ insurance is unwilling to cover.
Insurance, depending on each individual policy, often only covers the removal of a tree that has hit a home. Additional damage, clean up, and downed trees then become the responsibility of the homeowner, which can cost thousands depending on the severity of the damage. Stein Tree Service has designed their TreeFall Program to reduce these costs, and bring peace of mind to their customers.
The TreeFall Programs at Stein Tree Service include two levels; level one provides up to five hours of storm clean up, and level two provides up to ten hours. Each level offers homeowners drastically low annual prices compared to the hourly rate of emergency tree removal service in Wilmington, potentially saving thousands, and includes:
Those interested in learning more about the TreeFall Programs, or who would like to request a consultation, are encouraged to contact Stein Tree Service directly.
Stein Tree Service began as a one-man company in 1983, and over the years has grown to include industry experts, including ISA Certified Arborists. Stein Tree Service proudly works within Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania to provide individuals, businesses, and municipalities with expert tree service and storm clean up.
Stein Tree Service
3607 Downing DR
Wilmington, DE 19802
(302) 478-3511
Disclaimer: All correspondence including payments
should be sent to the Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 367
Rockland, DE 19732
For more information, please visit: www.SteinTree.com
Tree stumps are an inevitable part of owning property with trees. After a tree is downed, homeowners often decide to leave the stumps in the ground, either to reduce tree removal costs, or to avoid clean-up efforts. However, doing so can actually end up costing you more in landscaping and home maintenance, so having a Wilmington tree stump removal service remove the problem is a smart move.
Making sure the home and surrounding areas are free from safety issues should be high on any property owner’s priority list. As innocent as low cut stumps may appear, stumps can actually create hazards for both adults and children because stumps are easily hidden behind shrubs and grass. This factor can lead to tripping or can create issues when mowing occurs.
Unless stumps are artfully crafted into yard art by a highly talented and experienced wood carver, leftover stumps can reduce a home’s curb appeal, which could potentially affect the sale price of the property. Using a tree stump removal service in Wilmington, however, can transform the unsightly stump into a blank landscaping canvas suitable for giving the property a makeover, and actually increase the curb appeal.
Tree stumps are ideal locations for many harmful pests. Termites, carpenter ants, and other wood-boring insects quickly move into the rotting stumps. Insects play a major role in decomposing and are vital to a healthy ecosystem; however, insects can spread into the surrounding trees and buildings, causing thousands of dollars’ worth of property damage. Removing the stump reduces these pests and the risk to the home.
Particularly important when the tree was removed due to space or drainage issues, when left in the yard, stumps may grow new saplings. New growth, while slow and steady, will eventually lead to the same circumstances that led to the initial removal. Removing the stump minimizes the risks of a new tree causing the same problems.
Stumps create unique maintenance and landscaping challenges. Mowing and weed control can become difficult, especially for large and oddly shaped stumps. Simple upkeep can also take a lot longer than if the stump was removed, potentially causing property owners to allow the landscape around the stump to become overgrown, and creating a safety hazard.
An experienced tree stump removal service in Wilmington, such as Stein Tree Service, can reduce these risks and help you beautify your yard. For more information or to request a consultation, please contact the experts at Stein Tree Service today.
Landscaping maintenance, such as trimming shrubs in Wilmington, is important for curb appeal, and also for the health of your trees, shrubs, and other plants. The timing of pruning or trimming in particular, can mean the difference between an explosion of beautiful foliage or the loss of a beloved tree.
The exact timing for pruning depends a great deal on the desired outcome. However, unless you notice damage on the tree or shrub, pruning should be avoided in the fall, during droughts, and at the coldest part of winter. Trimming shrubs in Wilmington during these times opens the shrub or tree to infection by fungal spores, or disease.
Generally, late winter to early spring is the best time to trim or prune, allowing for the greatest burst of new growth. Plants, which are dormant in the winter, will have greater reserves to nurture more vibrant and lush growth. The type of plant in question will also play a large part in deciding the best time for maintenance.
Homeowners plant flowering trees and shrubs to enjoy the beautiful blooms, sweet scents, and wildlife drawn to the plants. Pruning can enhance these flowers by encouraging new blooms, and the timing depends on when the plant flowers. Those that bloom in the early spring should be pruned after their flowers fade. Summer bloomers are best trimmed in late winter to early spring.
Summer trimming slows the growth of the plant by limiting the plant’s access to sun and nutrients. When done after the growth cycle, trimming shrubs in Wilmington stunts the tree or shrub. A few reasons homeowners decide to prune in the summer include:
Plants are delicate and improper trimming and pruning can leave the plant disfigured, open to disease, or can even kill the plant. Knowing the best ways and times is important to maintain the beauty of the landscape. Before you attempt trimming shrubs in Wilmington, you should learn about the best methods for particular plants, or contact a professional tree service provider.
To learn more about trimming or pruning plants in the Delaware, Maryland, or Pennsylvania areas, please contact the experts at Stein Tree Service today.
As fall works its way toward winter, homeowners need to turn their attention to winterizing their homes and property to prevent damage. However, homeowners often overlook the condition of their trees, which can result in costly damages to homes, vehicles, and personal property, as well as the cost of hiring an emergency tree removal service in Wilmington.
Winter storms are a leading cause of downed trees and limbs. Ice builds up on weakened branches, soil erodes under dry rotted roots, and strong winds knock down even thick set trunks. When tree limbs tear or fall completely, they can cause thousands of dollars’ worth of property damage, and can even cause personal injuries to loved ones. Prevention is key in reducing these risks, and should be completed along with other winter preparations.
Ensuring the home and property are safe from winter storm damages caused by trees and their branches is an important step for all property owners. To make sure your property is safe, incorporate inspecting your trees into your winter preparation ritual. In the event your property has very large trees, an experienced arborist, such as those at Stein Tree Service, should be contacted to safely perform the inspections.
While homeowners should contact a Certified Arborist to inspect larger trees, homeowners can perform basic inspections. When surveying your property, here is what you should look for to prevent the need for emergency tree removal service in Wilmington:
Basic maintenance, such as pruning, may be done by the homeowner. For more complicated large scale tasks, or in the event of a possible infestation, homeowners and business owners should contact the experts. Experienced arborists and tree risk assessors can inspect the trees in question, and safely address the problems.
While prevention is key to avoiding costly emergency tree removal services in Wilmington, accidents happen. Having a plan in place, such as the TreeFall Program at Stein Tree Service, can reduce unexpected expenses and stress.
Since 1983, Stein Tree Service has helped homeowners and businesses in the Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania areas with trimming shrubs and trees, evaluating tree health and removing unwanted tree stumps. To learn more about how to prevent winter storm damages caused by trees, please contact the professionals at Stein Tree Service.
Cottony Camellia Scale insects tap into plants and feed on plant sap, weakening and even killing plants over time. Cottony scale insects produce a cottony egg mass from which the mobile crawler stage hatches. The young crawler stage is also the easiest stage to control.
Scale insects are closely related to aphids but most don’t look like insects at all, appearing legless and attached to the plant’s leaves or stems (see photo right). Scale insects feed by tapping into the plant stem or leaf and withdrawing plant sap. Like aphids, they are often associated with sticky honeydew which supports the growth of black, sooty mold.
Some scale insects produce a cottony sac (see photo right) that contains hundreds or thousands of eggs. Scale insects that make these cottony egg sacs are called cottony scales. Eggs generally hatch in early summer and release the crawler stage, the only highly mobile stage in the insect’s life cycle. The active crawler stage is also the one that must be targeted for effective control.
There are many scale insect pests of ornamental plants and they have very complex life cycles and host plant interactions. One of the best comprehensive sources of information about these pests on ornamental plants is Insects That Feed on Trees and Shrubs by Johnson and Lyon (see Amazon below right).
Plant damage caused by scale insects
Plant damage is related to the sap that scale insects take from the plant. Over time as more sap is extracted the plant weakens, leaves may drop and eventually whole branches may die.
Plants that are stressed by drought, root damage or disease are better hosts for many pests including scale insects. These same stressed plants may be killed by high scale insect populations. In addition, sooty mold growing on the leaf surface can interfere with normal processes and can further weaken the plant.
Scale insect control
The most important part of scale insect control is timing. Control measures must be timed to coincide with hatching of the crawler stage which usually occurs in early summer for cottony scales. If properly timed, and good spray coverage is achieved, soft insecticides like insecticidal soaps and oils are just as effective as conventional insecticides (see Using Insecticidal Soap For Garden Pest Control). Over the long run soaps and oils may be more effective since they preserve the natural enemy complex which may account for most of the long term control of these plant pests.
Scout plants starting in late spring. Use a hand lens to look for scale crawlers on the underside of leaves or near cottony egg sacs. Scale crawlers will be about the size of spider mites but amber in color. Once crawlers are found control treatments can begin. It may take several seasons to completely control a severe scale infestation. Scale infestations often take years to develop and it is unlikely that you’ll eliminate them overnight.
Birch leafminers Fenusa pusilla (Lepeletier) are sawflies, which are closely related to bees and wasps. They are among the most common insect pests affecting Birch trees (Betula spp.) in North America. Areas inside the leaves are consumed by the larvae affecting the leaves’ ability to produce food. Yearly browning of birch leaves are noticed in mid-July and August, but the leafminers have been feeding inside the leaf tissue since early spring.
Life cycle
Leafminers overwinter in the soil as prepupae. Adults emerge in May to late June to early July, depending on temperature and humidity. Oviposition (egg-laying) peaks during the last week of June. Adult birch leafminers are small (about 1/8 to 1/4 inch long), black and fly like. Females deposit their eggs singly in slits cut in the central areas of young leaves, usually near the tips of branches. More than one female may lay eggs in a leaf.
The eggs hatch into legless, worm-like larvae. These immature larvae feed individually between the leaf surfaces, creating blotchy kidney shaped mines. The immature leafminers feed for several weeks, then drop to the ground where they enter the soil layer to develop into pupae. They pupate and remain there until the following spring. After overwintering as prepupae in the soil below the tree, the adults emerge just as the birch trees are leafed out. Adults are almost all females.
Damage
The areas of leaves that are consumed by the amber marked birch leafminer larva turn brown. Because people often do not see the early signs of birch leafminer feeding, it often appears the tree has suddenly dried up or become diseased. This browning is caused by the outer layers of the leaf drying out after the leaf miner larva has consumed the green tissue between the outer layers of the leaf. Early mines appear as light green or whitish discolorations on the leaves.
Larvae sometimes can be seen easily when leaves are held up to sunlight, especially as the mines and larvae grow larger. Feeding over several weeks causes the blemish to take on a blister-like appearance. A single leaf can contain as many as 40 larvae whose mines may merge to destroy the total photosynthetic area of the leaf. Heavy infestations of leafminer larvae can seriously affect a tree’s photosynthetic capacity. Repeated attacks will generally cause stress which may induce susceptibility of the tree to other injurious agents.
Species Responsible
There are two species mainly responsible for defoliation and browning of birch trees in the United States and Canada. In Northern forests, it is the Amber Marked Leafminer, Profenusa thomsoni, which were accidentally introduced from Europe to North America early in the 1900s. The other is the Birch Leafminer, Fenusa pusilla, which is more common in Eastern forests.
Biological Control of Birch leafminers
Presently there is no commercially available biological control agent to control Amber marked birch leafminers, however Canadian trees in the Edmonton area have been successfully controlled with releases of a parasitic wasp, Lathrolestes luteolator. Populations of the tiny parasitoid wasp selectively attack the most damaging birch leafmining pest (Profenusa thomsoni) have developed and drastically reduced the problem in the Edmonton area of Canada.
Following trials in 1995 that supported a dramatic reduction in birch leafminer damage by the first parasitoid, the City of Edmonton, Canada discontinued pesticide treatments to almost 3,500 city birch trees in 1996 and 1997. These trees continue to show very little leafminer damage without any treatment.
Chemical Control
Spinosad can be used to control birch leafminers prior to extensive damage. Spinosad is a new chemical class of insecticides derived from a soil dwelling bacterium discovered in 1982. It is considered practically non-toxic to humans, pets, and beneficial insects. Unlike other insecticides, Spinosad will not harm beneficial insects including the Amber Marked Leafminer parasite.
Horticultural oil applications applied at the right time may help kill eggs or tiny larvae within the leaf tissue. Oil applications should be made as soon as adults have emerged in the spring and egg laying has occurred and should continue weekly until mid June. Pesticides made with botanical plant oils may be especially useful to prevent egg laying. Neem oil acts as a repellent and may interfere with the egg laying activity of female leaf miners.
Systemic insecticides are chemical pesticides that are absorbed into the tissues of plants. These pesticides make the entire plant, or parts of the plant, poisonous to insects that feed on the plant tissue. Most systemics are very toxic to people and pets. Trunk injections are confined to the tree’s cambium layer, where it is carried to the leaf tissue by the movement of the tree’s sap.
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Content sourced from Wikipedia
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Insects and diseases can threaten tree health. As soon as you notice any abnormality in your tree’s appearance, you should begin a careful examination of the problem. By identifying the specific symptoms of damage and understanding their causes, you may be able to diagnose the problem and select an appropriate treatment.
Stress
Basic elements that influence plant health include sufficient water and light, and a proper balance of nutrients. Too much or too little of any of these environmental conditions may cause plant stress.
Environmental stress weakens plants and makes them more susceptible to insect and disease attack.
Trees deal with environmental stresses, such as shading and competition for water and nutrients in their native environment, by adjusting their growth and development patterns to reflect the availability of the resources. Although trees are adapted to living in stressful conditions in nature, many times the stresses they experience in the landscape are more than they can handle and may make them more susceptible to insects and diseases.
Diagnosis
Correct diagnosis of plant health problems requires a careful examination of the situation.
FREE, No Obligation Consultation
Call Stein Tree Service at (302) 478-3511 or Click Here to request your Free, No Obligation Consultation with one of our ISA Board Certified Arborists.