Tree Trunk Injury
Incurring damage to the trunk of a tree is one of the more common problems that can weaken the health of a tree. The outer bark of a tree is the protection system for the inner support and nutrient system of the tree. Even a small amount of damage to the bark can begin to thin the tree's protection system. Small trees with thin bark layers are especially susceptible to damage.
The most common sources of bark damage are from mowing your lawn and using a grass trimmer near the base of the tree. Take special care around younger trees to minimize damage.
Transplant Shock
tree and lawn care
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tree and lawn care
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tree and lawn care
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tree and lawn care
industry glossary of terms found in this site at tree-tech aeration, ancaster, arbor, arbour, arborist, arborists, binbrook, bracing, brush, bugbarrier, burlington, cabling, canada, care, carlisle, cavity, cavities, certified, chipping, clearing, complete, conifer, conifers, coniferous, consultation, control, crack, crown, damage, disease, decay, dormant oil, dripline, dundas, emergency, environment, environmentally sensitive, expert, experts, feeding, fertilizing, fertilising, flamborough, foliage, foliar, forestry, fungus, garden, glanbrook, golden, grass, grimsby, grinding, gta, halton, hamilton, hannon, hazard, health, horseshoe, horticulture, horticultural, injection, injections, insect, inspection, inventory, inventories, isa, kilbride, landscape, lawn, lawns, licenced, licensed, line, maintenance, management, manager, managers, mcnair, mississauga, niagara, oakville, ontario, ornamental, ornamentals, pathogen, plant, planting, professional, property, protection, pruning, rbg, region, registered, removal, removals, report, research, root, roots, service, services, shade, shady, shrub, shrubs, specialist, specialists, stoney creek, stump, surgeon, surgery, technician, technology, tenders, thinning, total, treatment, treatments, tree, trees, trimming, trunk, turf, urban, waterdown, wentworth, arbor-care, shady lane, beswick, davey
tree and lawn care
industry glossary of terms found in this site at tree-tech aeration, ancaster, arbor, arbour, arborist, arborists, binbrook, bracing, brush, bugbarrier, burlington, cabling, canada, care, carlisle, cavity, cavities, certified, chipping, clearing, complete, conifer, conifers, coniferous, consultation, control, crack, crown, damage, disease, decay, dormant oil, dripline, dundas, emergency, environment, environmentally sensitive, expert, experts, feeding, fertilizing, fertilising, flamborough, foliage, foliar, forestry, fungus, garden, glanbrook, golden, grass, grimsby, grinding, gta, halton, hamilton, hannon, hazard, health, horseshoe, horticulture, horticultural, injection, injections, insect, inspection, inventory, inventories, isa, kilbride, landscape, lawn, lawns, licenced, licensed, line, maintenance, management, manager, managers, mcnair, mississauga, niagara, oakville, ontario, ornamental, ornamentals, pathogen, plant, planting, professional, property, protection, pruning, rbg, region, registered, removal, removals, report, research, root, roots, service, services, shade, shady, shrub, shrubs, specialist, specialists, stoney creek, stump, surgeon, surgery, technician, technology, tenders, thinning, total, treatment, treatments, tree, trees, trimming, trunk, turf, urban, waterdown, wentworth, arbor-care, shady lane, beswick, davey
When shrubs or small trees are transplanted, some significant portion of the root system is usually pruned or cut in the process. That means a portion of the water and nutrient absorbing capability of the plant has been taken away. It may be as long as 13 weeks before roots begin absorbing significant water from the immediate surrounding soil area, and up to 20 weeks from areas outside that.
To minimize the drought or water stress occurred during transplanting, water your shrubs or trees well near the drip-line of the tree or shrub, and not too close to the trunk where it will be off less benefit to the roots and may lead to rot developing.
Shade Tree Decline
Shade Tree Decline is defined as a loss of photosynthetic capability due to lack of growth development, dead leaves or a reduced ability to undergo the photosynthetic process. Over time this can result in a decline in growth of the top of the tree and the root structure, a reduction in the tree's ability to absorb nutrients and a decline in the tree's
defenses against diseases or other stresses.
If this decline continues without taking the proper steps, the tree will eventually die. Exposure to draught, disease or insect stresses will quickly accelerate the process of decline. Oak, ash, sugar maple and other maple trees are the most often affected by decline with the onset of diseases.
If you suspect your tree(s) are suffering from this process, it is best to contact a certified Arborist as there are a wide variety of reasons to choose from in diagnosing the problem, and offering a solution to correct it.
The most common avenues of prevention are to water trees during excessive dry periods, protect against bark damage and to plant in areas with good drainage.
Winter Injury
The weather in Ontario at both ends of the winter season can experience abnormally low temperatures or conditions, and when that happens trees and shrubs are more open to winter injury. Late fall warm periods can lead to some late season growth, followed by a return to low temperatures. Or late spring frosts after buds have begun to appear can kill off those buds and lead to frost injury, especially in low lying areas.
Bark injury, such as bark splitting and breaking, to deciduous trees like maple, walnut, willow, chestnut and apple trees is common in warm parts of winter where sap flows and then the colder nights cause the sap to freeze and harm the bark.
Root injury where there is bare soil, winter drying when low moisture, ice and heavy snow build-up on tree limbs and rodent damage to young trees are also other common types of winter injury.
Here are some steps you can take to minimize winter injury:
- Plant trees in well drained soils, and spread mulches around the base areas of shrubs and small trees to minimize moisture loss.
- Water trees and shrubs before the freezing temperatures come.
- On younger trees, wrap nursery paper or burlap around the bases of trees.
- Use wire mesh on bases, or spray rodent repellent to reduce rodent damage.
- Don't prune trees and shrubs late in the summer.
- Use wind breaks in exposed areas.
- Don't plant trees prone to cracking near tall buildings that will shadow them.
- Prune dead or damaged branches once new growth has begun.
A Tree Tech professional can help and advise you on any of these preventative maintenance steps.
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Cedar Tree Diseases
There are a number of diseases and insect related problems that can plague cedar trees, a common tree or type of hedge growth used by homeowners and commercial properties.
Leaf and Tip Blight where the leaves appear scorched by fire, or the tips turn brown.
Arbor-vitae aphids, leaf miners and weevils, cedar tree borer, mealybugs and scale insects can all cause various problems to leaves, roots and bark.
If you notice any changes in the conditions of your cedars or junipers, it is best to contact a professional in tree care at Tree-Tech so that we can assess the situation and determine the best spray or treatment for the problem.
Other Insect & Disease Problems
As discussed earlier, the health of your trees and shrubs is very dependent on the right amount of watering, sunlight and good nutritional attention. The wrong balance of any of these can lead to stress caused by diseases and insect problems.
If you suspect health problems, follow these easy diagnostic steps:
1. Provide the correct name of the tree or shrub, as many insect and disease problems are unique to certain plants.
2. Look closely for the changes or evidence of problems by comparing it to healthy growth of the same variety, and identify the exact nature of the abnormality (colour, shape, size, location, etc.)
3. Check the properties history or the conditions of surrounding areas for changes or evidence of similar problems.
4. The colour of the roots may provide a clue. Brown roots may suggest lack of moisture or too much chemical treatment, whereas black roots may indicate overly wet soil or root rot from insects.
5. Inspect the trunk and branches of a suspect tree for damage, which could provide an entry point for harmful insects and organisms.
6. Take note of changing appearance in leaves for evidence of dead leaves at top or curled up leaf conditions.
Diseases can be divided into two main categories: those caused by infectious or living agents such as fungi, viruses and bacteria, and
non-infectious diseases as the result of environmental or cultural deficiencies such as temperature, moisture, physical damage, pollutants and insufficient nutrient provisions.
With insects, although most are a benefit, some can be destructive if allowed to flourish. There are three categories of insects: chewing, sucking and boring, each with different methods of attacking and causing damage to trees, shrubs and plants.
Again, when confronted with evidence of diseases or insect damage, it is best to contact your Tree-Tech professional to properly ascertain the best treatment method.
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