Current Treatments and Eye Openers!
Things to Watch
Treatments for bagworm will continue through June. We are trying to control the amount of feeding that is occurring from the caterpillars. During the larval stage, the insect feeds on the leaves and needles of trees and shrubs. The chewing mouthparts of the larvae defoliate the stems and branches and can cause serious dieback or death if left untreated for an extended period of time. If a tree or shrub in your landscape has bagworm this year, it has the potential to become more infected next year so make sure you are having it treated! The treatment window for the bagworm is important as they are more vulnerable to treatments when feeding. As an extra preventative measure, in the fall it is recommended to remove the bags from the tree and dispose of them as the bags contain the next year’s larvae.
Shothole Leafminer
We have had a large number of calls coming in regarding holes in deciduous trees and especially oaks. After looking into this further we have found that there has been a large outbreak of oak shothole leafminer this year. This fly species is native to the United States and is active when buds are opening and new leaves are forming. Damage actually occurs while the leaf is still very small, but with the growth of the leaf, this becomes more noticeable. The adult female fly will position herself on the new leaves and begin to feed, she does this by creating a wound on the outer portion of the leaf and then withdrawing the fluids as they seep out. Eggs from the leafminer generally hatch and begin to feed with signs evident in May to June. As the leafminer does not generally have a large impact on the overall health of the tree, if there is extensive feeding treatments may be necessary.
Chlorosis
Chlorosis stands for the yellowing of the leaf tissue. This occurs when there is either a nutrient deficiency or soil issues like compacted or damaged roots and poor drainage. Trees can also experience chlorosis because the pH scale is too alkaline (basic). Although many nutrients may be lacking in the soil, the most common deficiencies that lead to the yellowing of the leaves are iron, manganese, and zinc. If the newly developing leaves on the outside of the canopy begin to change color, it is likely an iron deficiency. If discoloration begins in the center of the canopy on the older leaves this is likely a manganese or zinc deficiency. The beginning stages can be seen within the leaves when they produce a pale to lime green coloration that will progress to the bright yellow. In many cases the longer a tree experiences chlorosis the more severe it will become. If the tree has experienced chlorosis for long periods of time the tree may fail to produce leaves or fruit and will eventually die. We advise treating for chlorosis by first ensuring that the soil is not compacted around the root zone and there is proper drainage. After that, a tissue sample is taken from the tree to determine which nutrients it is lacking. After determining what the tree is not able to absorb from the soil the application of the nutrient along with organic matter will be applied to the soil.
For more information on our current treatment options, contact us today!