While Colorado weather tends to make its own rules in the summer, there are some key rules to follow if you want to keep your yard looking beautiful all season long. The Denver tree specialists at American Arbor Care have some recommendations on what to do, including details on pruning your early spring blooming shrubs.

What is pruning?

There are several different methods of pruning you might consider. Fine pruning removes smaller limbs simply for aesthetic purposes. Standard pruning takes care of the tree’s branch structure in general, improving the appearance as well as the structural integrity of the branches. Hazard pruning removes branches and limbs for safety purposes — such as heavy limbs dangling over your roof, or into the street. Crown reduction pruning is used primarily after storm damage.

Denver tree specialists give some major reasons for pruning your trees. General trimming is like giving a tree a haircut–it improves the appearance, as well as the health of the tree by removing dying or dead branches. When you do this, you also open up space for more sunlight to peek through, bringing benefit to your landscaping and even allowing more sun to filter inside your home at times.

What Needs to Get Pruned?

In late spring to early summer, it’s time to prune your early spring bloomers. Some examples of these plants, specifically ones found in Denver, are lilacs, forsythia, and magnolia trees. If you wait too long to prune, you run the risk of having fewer flowers in the following year.

Lilacs

The key to pruning lilacs, the iconic shrub with the purple flowers and a distinct smell, is to wait until after they’ve flowered. Your tree specialist will take a look at the plant and figure out what needs to be cut — but generally, they first remove any diseased parts, scaly growth, suckers, and flower heads.

Forsythia

Many people use the wrong technique when it comes to pruning their forsythia shrubs. Typically planted in an overcrowded space, it’s unwise to shear them back to reduce the size. Instead, prune the tallest, oldest canes which sit more closely to the ground. This will help avoid cutting off the newest growth, including the flowers waiting to bloom next year. Pruning too much from the top of these shrubs will result in spotty growth that may never fully  return.

Magnolia

Magnolia trees are another example of what should be pruned after the tree has finished blooming. In Colorado, these broad-leafed evergreen trees finish in late spring. Because of their height, for these trees it’s important to first prune any dead or dying limbs. However, use caution when pruning an older magnolia tree. Because older trees heal more slowly than younger ones, the potential for diseases grows when they’re pruned.

Instead of gambling with the right times and ways to prune your early spring blooming shrubs, call the best tree trimmers in Denver. At American Arbor Care, not only do we have experts on staff who can help you figure out the best schedule for pruning your trees and shrubs, but we will also be able to suggest different methods for taking care of the rest of your lawn as well. Call us today at (303) 639-8584 to schedule a consultation.

As spring eases into summer, tree insects such as scales and borers begin to rear their ugly heads. Certain trees are susceptible to certain insects, and now is the time for specialized treatments to protect them from pest infestations. On the radar for the coming months for Denver tree pros are scales, borers, aphids, and mites.

Scales are some of the hardiest and most insidious pests in Colorado, causing branch dieback and even death in the infested tree through the long-term removal of the tree’s sap. The European elm scale, Oystershell scale, Striped pine scale, Juniper scale, and other scales are tiny, armored insects that secrete a waxy material from the pores on their back. This coating not only protects them from the hazards of Colorado weather, but also insulates them from some sprays used to contain them.

Aphids and mites, as well as scales, are sucking insects that cannot digest the sugars in plant sap. They produce a liquid called “honeydew” that drips onto the lower branches of whichever plant they have taken over; these shiny, sticky leaves are clear sign of infestation. Aphids and mites prefer tender, green buds and can be found on any new growth on your plants. Keep an eye out for these signs, as early detection and the development of a treatment plan with professionals is best for preserving your woody plants.

Emerald ash borers tend to do the most damage to ash trees in their larval stage, between August and October. These borers can infest ash trees for years before visible signs of decline appear. Infestation symptoms include sparse leaves or branches toward the top of the tree, along with vertical splits in the bark and damage to the leaves from feeding. Honey locust borers and oak borers are also active during this season, after hatching from eggs laid underneath the bark of honey locust and oak trees.

It’s vital that trunk treatments, either injections or sprays, are applied at the proper time for effective treatment against these pests. Scale eggs hatch in June and July, where the nymphs (or “crawlers”) then reside on the undersides of tree leaves until late summer. Borers need to be sprayed when they are newly hatched and emerging from the bark. Trunk injections every other year is recommended for keeping borers at bay.

Trunk injections are a treatment that uses a special injection tool to place and seal insect control directly into the tree, allowing the tree to distribute a minimal amount of pesticide from root to leaf tip. Trunk sprays are applied only to the bark of the trunk and lower branches; however, foliage doesn’t need to be treated. Both methods are quick and effective, with low environmental impact.

If you think your trees may need treatment, contact American Arbor Care, your Denver tree, shrub, and lawn specialists, dedicated to tree and shrub health management. Call (303) 639-8584 for your pest assessment, evaluation, and resolution needs.