Tree Problems & Diseases
Urban Arborist Can Diagnose Tree Problems and Improve Their Health
Tree Learning Center
Enjoy our free learning center to identify tree diseases and learn how Urban Arborist can help improve your tree health while protecting your overall property value. Urban Arborist specializes in arboriculture and looks forward to helping you improve the health of your trees.
Mycorrhizae
Mycorrhizae is a fungus that is used by 95% of all of Earth’s plants and is essential to plant growth. However, it can be destroyed by human activity such as construction, compaction, and lawn-applied fungicides. When planting new trees or helping stressed trees recover, the Urban Arborist uses a biological cocktail, which includes mycorrhizae fungi, to help them regain their natural, healthy, vigorous condition.
Root Collar Disorders
A tree root collar is the area of transition from the above-ground parts of the tree to the below-ground parts of the tree. If the tree looks like a telephone pole when it enters the ground, this tree has a problem. Symptoms include yellowing of foliage, early leaf coloring and drop, and an invasion of canker fungi and insect borers. Urban Arborist’s team of certified arborists can treat a root collar disorder by re-positioning the tree, removing the soil, and managing fertilization.
Rhizosphaera Needle Cast
The infected needles will be yellow, purple, or brown and begin to fall off the lower branches of the tree. If a tree consistently loses needles for 3–4 years, the tree is under a lot of stress and could die. To prevent this disease, you need to be proactive. Fungicide applications need to be applied at the proper time, and you can only protect those needles that are not yet infected. Urban Arborist utilize a couple of different methods to control this disease. Talk to one of our certified arborists to determine which method works best for you.
Pine Tree Diseases
There are four common pine tree diseases in our Midwest area: pine wilt disease, diplodia tip blight, dothistroma needle cast, and lophodermium needle cast. These diseases can be identified by the discoloring of needles, the premature shedding of needles, and the presence of insects. If you notice something strange in your trees, it’s time to contact the Urban Arborist.
Girdling Roots
If you notice your tree’s roots grow in a circular or spiral pattern, your tree may have girdling roots. This problem compresses the vascular tissue of the tree, causing it to decline and making it vulnerable to secondary vectors, further stressing the tree. The trained eye of an Urban Arborist representative will recognize potential problems in time to take corrective measures. This is one of many problems we look for during our routine inspections of your property.
Drought Stress
Drought stress is very common in our landscape plantings. When drought conditions persist for several months, our trees can be severely adversely impacted. Plants stressed by drought become more vulnerable to boring type insects, stem cankers, and root diseases. These secondary vectors are very often responsible for the eventual decline and death of the plant. During periods of drought, your plants need to be monitored closely. Good cultural practices and proactive plant health care programs are critical to maintaining the health and vigor of your trees.
Chlorosis
Chlorosis is a term used to describe the yellowing appearance of your trees’ leaves, generally due to the lack of one or more micronutrients. This is something you cannot completely avoid, but you can help to reverse it. To combat this disorder, the Urban Arborist utilizes the powers of mycorrhizae to improve the capacity of the tree’s root system to absorb nutrients from the soil. We can also surface-apply sulfur to help acidify the soil. Utilizing both of these techniques in combination with a micronutrient product will help correct these deficiencies.
Tree Removal Municipal Laws
Some towns have no tree removal ordinances whatsoever. This means you are free to take down any trees you wish on your property (excluding the parkway). Others require you to notify them after the tree is removed, while others have tree removal permits that must be submitted and approved before any removals can be done.
Although you may like the idea of not having to go through any red tape before taking down a tree on your property, do you really think this is the best system? If you live in an area with many mature, valuable trees, wouldn’t you rather there be safeguards in place to keep people from cutting them down willy-nilly?
Tree preservation usually deals with the effect new construction, additions, sidewalks, and decks/patios will have on existing trees. The ordinances can vary greatly from town to town. Some require remediation techniques, such as using an air tool to dig for utilities instead of a trench digger, because it does not damage tree roots. You also might have to put down a layer of mulch to help prevent compaction caused by heavy equipment driving over the root area of trees. Treatment with mycorrhizal fungi may be mandated to repair the damage done to roots.
Check your town’s website before removing any trees or constructing any structures. If you can’t find the information there, contact the forestry or public works department. A lot of municipalities have a forester or arborist on staff. Please respect the laws that are meant to protect trees in your area.
For the Kids
Our company has been built on solid family values. As days turn into years, your trees mature, and your children grow within the blink of an eye. To help you capture those simple moments in your children’s lives, please enjoy these free drawings. Print them for your children to color. Hang them on the fridge. Share them with friends and family. And, who knows, you may all learn a little something new about trees while enjoying a family coloring night.
