Homeowners around the Colorado area may see their trees (particularly those with needles or evergreen trees) begin to brown, become partially brown and partially green, or become completely browned. While it is completely normal for these types of trees to lose needles regularly, when it happens to large portions of the tree, it is a sign of something more serious – winter desiccation damage. 

What is Winter Desiccation Damage?

Essentially, this type of damage is a burning or scorching of the leaves due to climate conditions. The most prevalent time for this to happen is when the winter days give us warm sunshine, but are extremely dry with very little to no humidity in the air as well. Because the temperatures fall in the lower degrees, watering has halted, and many trees can be affected negatively. Generally this happens more with trees which were recently planted or are fairly young, as their root systems have not fully grown into the ground deep enough not to be affected. It can, however, happen with all trees, so it is important to know the warning signs. The dryness of the soil is the main culprit here – with little to no moisture available at the roots, the leaves or needles will begin to show the damage with discoloration. 

How Can You Prevent Desiccation Damage?

One way to take your trees from the temperate fall months into winter is by watering well during the fall months and into early winter. This year, we experienced an unseasonably warm start to the winter, so watering should have continued for a prolonged period of time. Because we have not had much moisture, it is smart to continue watering your trees in the morning or the late afternoon to allow for absorption at the roots. Although it is important to ensure your trees and shrubs receive proper hydration, be careful of overwatering in cold weather, as ice can be treacherous in walkways and paths. 

How Does One Combat Desiccation Damage?

A method of managing desiccation damage comes in the form of a spray. Anti-transpirant sprays on your plants will prevent the moisture from being expelled from the plant’s leaves in the transpiration process. This process occurs when the weather warms and water cools the plant by expelling and evaporating on the leaves. Another factor in this process is the depletion of water from the plant and root system – and it would need to be replenished. Anti-transpirant sprays, however, eliminate this function of the plant and prevent moisture from leaving. It acts as a coating over the leaves – and should only be applied when temperatures during the day are above freezing, which is luckily quite often in our Colorado climate. Not sure how to solve your tree or shrub problem? Make sure to contact the team at American Arbor Care – serving the Denver Metro Area for over 25 years. If you suspect your trees or shrubs are in the midst of withstanding desiccation damage, let us assist you in nursing them back to full health. Allow us to give you an estimate for your services, and also recommendations for future treatment to ensure your landscape is lush and healthy come spring.

The diverse plant supply you’ve enjoyed with consistent availability of varieties and sizes may be in short supply this year, and in the coming years. You may not have been aware, but this has been happening for the last 10 years. Five nursery pros from the front range share their stories about the struggles with plant supply and keeping up with demand in this article.

While the leaves may have fallen off the other trees in your yard, your evergreens will be flourishing. Such a wintertime staple, the evergreen is the perfect tree for the season. They can last all year long, especially during droughts and harsh conditions. By properly caring for them during the winter, your evergreens will keep up their beauty and luster. Now that we’re entering into the winter months, make sure you care for your evergreens and other landscaping in Denver. It’s also important to know when to call in experts too that can help your lawn stay beautiful.

Evergreen Maintenance

During the winter, evergreens can be susceptible to winter burn. This is when the tips of their needles turn red or brown, or just fall off altogether. It occurs for a variety of reasons—one due to the large temperature dips in the evening, leaving the tips to freeze. Another reason is because of photosynthesis. Evergreens will gather energy then release water. If unable to replace that water due to the ground freezing, winter burn can occur. To help avoid this, you can water your evergreens in the winter. It also helps to wrap them. By reviewing the guide “Winter Tree Care in Denver: Trunk Wrapping,” you can learn why this method will help all of your trees and shrubs. It also helps to keep your evergreen trees in areas of the yard with a full range of sunlight.

As the winter months roll by, monitor the health of your evergreen trees. If evergreens are negatively impacted by the drop-in temperatures, you may notice cracks in the bark and other areas of the tree. This is an issue wrapping the tree can fix (if the evergreens are small).  You can discuss with your neighborhood arborist to see if you need to take any additional precautions. Also, while dehydration is not as likely in evergreens during the winter, it can happen. Over the winter, watch the color of the trees. If you have used a synthetic mulch, it can be the root of the problem because it prevents water from penetrating the mulch and into the soil. Make sure to use an organic mulch in the future. Last, you may also notice damage due to critters in your yard. If you find there is damage, invest in repellents to prevent further damage.

Additional Winter Maintenance

Denver is home to cool season grass, which is a type that can handle freezing temperatures, as well as warm ones. To aid in their vitality, you must fertilize your soil before the first freeze of the season. To also help your lawn, keep debris such as leaves or twigs, lawn tools, or other items from sitting atop the grass for too long. This includes parking vehicles in the lawn that can damage the grass. If you have plants outdoors, potted plants should be in larger containers. You also need to continue to give them water. For these and other planted shrubs, bushes, and more, make sure to wrap them just like you have for your evergreen trees. This will serve as an insulator to help retain heat and protect them from the elements. Watering of your lawns on warm days will also reduce the amount of spider mite activity in full-sun, sloped areas. (Don’t forget to water your trees/shrubs/perennials too!)

For your evergreens and other trees in your lawn, consider adding an anti-desiccant to them. This is a spray for their leaves that will help them retain water as the temperatures drop.

It is also important to monitor your lawn in the late winter to early spring for snow mold. As the snow melts, this problem can occur, causing you to see a grey or pink mold in your grass. Each are different and have negative effects on your lawn. If you find this in your yard, be sure to work with your local landscaping company to restore it back to life.

Spring Preparation

Throughout the winter months, make sure you have your checklist ready for spring to keep your evergreen trees healthy. In March and early April, examine your trees to see if any of their needles are browning, or if the tree looks distressed in any way. To help bring them back to life, they must receive fertilizer. While organic fertilizers are best for evergreen trees, you can work with your local arborist to find the perfect fertilizer. You can add fertilizer anytime through the summer, but ideally, the sooner the better. Aim to have your evergreens fertilized by the beginning of April. Ask your local arborist if a deep root fertilization is best for your trees. This type of fertilization places the fertilizer deep within the ground, ensuring it gets to the roots of the tree. Trunk injections can also be applied to help with nutrition, as well as combat disease and insects.

You will also need to add pruning to your spring checklist. When you inspect your tree after the winter  look for any dying or diseased areas. Damaged branches will need to be pruned. Prune using a thinning method to remove the dead or injured areas. Make sure you do not prune all the way to the center of the branch as it can hinder future growth. A guide to successful pruning, pruning evergreen trees will help you learn the best technique to encourage growth.

Calling in the Experts

If you are experiencing your first winter in a new house with evergreens, or are looking for ways to ensure your plants make it through the winter, calling on an expert will help. An arborist will look at your current situation and tell you of any warning signs or areas to improve upon. From there, they will provide you with the tasks that need to be done, as well as areas they can work through to keep your trees and plants healthy. This is a great asset for the overall value of your home.

For an expert you can trust to make sure your evergreens and plants survive this winter, contact American Arbor Care. We have been a trusted source for tree care in Denver for over 20 years. From lawn care and landscaping, to trees and shrub pruning, we have you covered. Call us today at 303-639-8584 or email us at lita@americanarborcare.com to see how we can help.

Seeding your lawn is something to do to your lawn and landscaping each spring and fall. Fall is typically the time you will add in new seed to your lawn and spring is the time to over-seed. Why? It is crucial to help your grass grow and become healthy after the harsh winter months. Learn how to tackle damage from larva activity and turf diseases as well as reasons to use a pre-emergent for weed protection.

Lawns damaged by larva activity

One of the dangers to be aware of in your yard and landscaping are larva or lawn grubs. After a few years once these insects are fully grown, they turn into the many forms of scarab beetles. In the larva state, these are small insects eat the roots of grass to survive. Even though you can’t easily see them, these insects can do some extensive damage to your lawn as they eat the roots of your grass and plants. They do a lot of their damage in the winter as they dig deeper within the soil—but can damage your yard at any time. Keep an eye out for patches of brown, dead grass. In other areas, the ground may have a squishy feel as you walk across it. You may also notice outside animals damaging your lawn, which is a red flag that they may be in search of larva in the soil. To combat this issue, you can invest in chemicals that won’t hurt your lawn, but will eliminate the problem. Learn more in Better Homes and Gardens Stop Grubs in your Lawn.

Turf diseases

Just as people get sick, so can our turf lawns. Those who do not tend to their lawns and give them proper care are more likely to have their turf fall victim to disease. When this occurs, a variety of issues will become noticeable in your lawn. One of the most common types of turf diseases is necrotic ring spots. It is a fungus that kills grass in ring-like patterns that can make its way through a yard. Snow mold is another disease that can affect lawns, especially post-winter. Grass blades can become damaged if snow falls onto it but the weather is not cold enough where the grass freezes. Therefore, it can develop mold that kills the grass. Learn more about this disease in How to Manage Snow Mold in Denver Lawns. Last, leaf spots, also known as melting-out disease, are another issue to turf. This happens when a fungus sets in and produces brown spots along the grass blades. You can work with your local tree service to find solutions to help bring your diseased turf back to life!

Using a pre-emergent for weed prevention

Spring is also the time to make sure your lawn is protected from weeds. To accomplish this, you will utilize pre-emergents. Pre-emergents are herbicides that help to stop the growth of weeds. By using one of these early, you can get ahead of a problem so weeds never sprout out of the surface.

For all your lawn care needs, American Arbor Care is here to help. From helping your trees bloom this spring to having perfectly green grass, we can give you the assistance needed as we transition into spring. Give us a call at 303-639-8584 today to get started.

’Tis the season for specialty borer applications to rid your trees and shrubs of honey locust borers, black locust borers, and viburnum borers. Like all borer species, these pests lay their eggs in the bark and the larvae which hatch then burrow beneath the bark to feed. Heavy infestations will kill a tree. Unfortunately, infestations are all too often detected too late to save the tree. When it comes to borers–not bores, that’s entirely different–Denver tree service companies advocate prevention over treatment.

The Morton Arboretum and U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service describe honey locust and black locust borers, which are similar.

Honey locust borers attack small and medium sized honey locust trees and branches, preferring diameters exceeding two inches thick. They prefer stressed trees to healthy plants. Adult honey locust borers emerge in June and feed on the foliage. Females lay eggs covered with a frothy substance that hardens. When the eggs hatch, the larvae burrow beneath the bark to feed. Honey locust borer infestation causes gradual decline of the tree and dieback of twigs and branches in the crown.

Black locust borers don’t eat honey locust trees, just black locusts and its cultivars. The larvae tunnel into the wood and weaken the tree’s structure, making it susceptible to breakage in strong winds. Adult black locust borers are easy to spot: about three-quarters of an inch long with reddish legs, black antennae, and bright yellow bands circling a black body. Adults often feed on goldenrod in the fall. Egg laying occurs in late summer through mid-autumn. Larvae emerge in spring and early summer. This native insect has a range that spans the Allegheny Mountains to Georgia to the Ozark Mountains.

Viburnum borersfeed on the lower parts of viburnum trunks, branches, and roots. Adults are day-flying moths that look like wasps with one-half inch long, bluish-black bodies with yellow markings and clear wings. Larvae are pinkish white caterpillars with reddish brown heads. Like most borer species, these prefer already stressed plants and aren’t fussy about which variety of viburnum they eat. Only arrow-wood viburnum is reported to be resistant.

Treatment is applied either as a spray or soil drench. Spray insecticides should contain permethrin or carbaryl to be effective and should be applied directly to the bark of the plant from the soil line upward. Preventive sprays should be timed just prior to egg laying for best results. Because timing spray applications is important, pheromone traps can be used to capture adult males to confirm insect activity.

As with all chemical applications, check to see whether certification or licensing is required before heading out to the local garden center to purchase a gallon or six. Because timing of the application is just as crucial as coverage, application of preventive sprays is best left to the experts to tree service company experts.

Should you discover too late that trees on your property have succumbed to borer infestations, the trees will have to be removed. Especially with locust trees and their long, sharp thorns, it’s best to hire a professional tree removal service to safely cut down the tree and remove the infested wood. Infested wood should not be composted.

American Arbor Care specializes in tree and shrub health. Trust your Denver tree service professionals to accurately determine the pest infestation and to know how and when to control it. Also experts in tree removal, our team can cut down infested and diseased trees safely and dispose of the damaged wood. Call them at (303) 639-8584 to schedule a consultation to protect your valuable trees.