How to Improve Curb Appeal

The main objective of most landscaping is to improve curb appeal, since we all want to be the envy of the neighborhood. Here are a few things to remember when planning out your next landscaping project.

Have a Clear Path

Remember that the path to your front door should be immediately visible from the street. This will draw people’s eyes towards your home and give it an inviting feel. When lining the walkway with plants choose something low-growing. Also, stay away from larger trees or shrubs that will make guests feel enclosed. You can switch things up by replacing your concrete walkway with pavers, stepping stones or maybe bluestone treads.

Plan a Focal Point

Be aware of not doing too much when designing your new landscape. Properties with great curb appeal should involve an element that catches the eye of people passing by. This could be an ornamental tree or shrub, garden feature or the home itself. Its important that all of the other things making up your landscape supports the main focus – not take away from it. Utilize various elements to create a pattern that will be natural looking and pleasing to the eye. You can read more about focal points here.

Coordinate Colors for Curb Appeal

If your home is a neutral color, or has natural colored stone or brick, plant colorful plants. Make sure to stick to a limited color pallet, as too many colors can be overwhelming. One of the best ways to enhance your curb appeal is to add a few accents. You may also consider adding a more permanent pop of color by adding color to shutters or doors. If your home has a lot going on out front you may want to try sticking to neutrals that complement the home’s color scheme.

Don’t Forget the House!

Design a landscape that is appropriate to your home. Size, color and lawn size should all be considered when planning your new landscape. If you have a one-story house you may want to consider using lower to the ground trees, shrubs and other plant material that won’t dwarf your home. Sometimes less is more.

Consider Budget and Maintenance

It is a good idea to make a budget for your project. Creating this in the beginning can help prevent you from having to go back and remove items from your design. Remember to give yourself a buffer, just in case prices change or you run into unplanned issues.

This is also a good time to take maintenance into consideration. If you don’t plan on having the time or know how to keep up with your landscape, make sure to select low-maintenance trees and shrubs. This is a good way to ensure that your plants will look good year-round.

Need Help Getting Started?

At Tomlinson Bomberger, we help our Central PA neighbors re-imagine their property’s landscape through design and installation, hardscaping, edging and mulching, trimming, irrigation, and lighting. Our landscape service team – made up of highly trained, certified, and skilled workers – is committed to high-quality workmanship and customer service. Our landscape team will help you maintain your landscape and transform your dreams into a reality. Contact Us for a free consultation!

The post How to Improve Curb Appeal appeared first on Tomlinson Bomberger.

from Tomlinson Bomberger https://ift.tt/3gT50mX

Effective Termite Treatment

Pennsylvania…Home Sweet Home.  Roughly translated, Pennsylvania means “Penn’s Woods”.  It has been called home by William Penn, the Quakers, and many generations of Pennsylvanians since. The heavily wooded land that was given to William Penn by King Charles II was rich in hunting ground and farmland for the early settlers. Unfortunately, Penn’s Woods also came loaded with more. The soil was rich with subterranean termites.

Importance

Americans are known to go to great lengths to protect their homes. We hire alarm companies, place locks on all of our doors, install early fire detection, keep tree branches away from home, and take other safety precautions to make sure our homes are safe.

Termites cause about five billion dollars-worth of damage to homes in the United States every year.  Unfortunately, home owner’s insurance does not help to cover the cost of those repairs in most cases.

Subterranean Termites

Subterranean termites are a secretive pest that actually lives in the soil.  They randomly forage looking for wood that has fallen to the ground.  Once the wood hits the ground it’s game on!  Each termite colony is equipped with thousands of scouts.  24 hours a day, 7 days a week these scouts are charged with the task of finding new food sources.  Once they find a suitable source, they lay a pheromone trail connecting the colony to the food.

Termite Baiting

The colony has one primary task; gather enough food to feed its 60,000 – 1,000,000 members.  Since termites are basically blind (they can make out some light, but that’s it) and can’t use logic, they can’t tell the difference between a fallen log and your home.

Understanding the foraging behavior of the termite scouts was a key element in the development of termite baiting systems. These systems provide today’s homeowner with options when choosing how to prevent or solve their termite issues.

Termite control professionals can install a termite baiting system around your home. By strategically placing termite bait stations, the professional gives termite scouts something to look for, and when they find it, it’s game over!

How it Works

The stations are filled with a bait that is scientifically proven to be preferred by termites over real wood.  The active ingredient in the bait is an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR).  The IGR is designed to harden the shell of the young developing termites. Young termites need to molt (think of a snake shedding its skin) to reach maturity.

Worker termites share the food they gather with the entire colony, from the young termites to the Queen.  Once the IGR is consumed, the outer shell of the young termite hardens and they are unable to molt. The young termites die off because they can’t complete their maturation cycle. This breaks the natural life-cycle of the colony, eventually causing colony elimination.

 

Whether you install a termite baiting system to eliminate an ongoing termite problem, or as a way of preventing termite invasion, Tomlinson Bomberger’s termite baiting system will give you the peace of mind and protection you are looking for.  If you’d like to learn more about Tomlinson Bomberger’s termite baiting services, please contact us here.

The post Effective Termite Treatment appeared first on Tomlinson Bomberger.

from Tomlinson Bomberger https://ift.tt/36jvOrq

Good Mosquito Treatment

Summer is right around the corner. Holidays, stay-cations, and grilling season are finally here! But some many people have these joyous occasions ruined by high numbers of mosquitoes. Not only are they a nuisance, but they can carry diseases. Dengue fever, Zika virus, malaria, and West Nile virus are all carried and spread by mosquitoes. Read on to discover the secrets to good mosquito treatment!

Mosquito Biology

There are just a few quick things you should know about mosquitoes that’ll help with understanding how effective mosquito treatment works.

The first thing is that mosquitoes are very sensitive to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. When something – person or animal – exhales, that’s a trigger for mosquitoes. It’s like blood in the water for a shark; they know a meal is nearby.

Next, you need to know that mosquitoes don’t fly very effectively. In fact, they’re really inefficient at flying. Once they sense CO2, they start to fly, but must rest frequently. Often, mosquitoes will stop to take several breaks on their way to feed. Each stop takes them gradually closer to the source of the CO2.

Lastly, you need to know that mosquitoes’ bodies don’t hold moisture well. They dry out very quickly and can die. So, when they take pitstops on their way to feed, they look for specific places. Areas that are cool, damp, dark, and out of direct sunlight or wind are ideal.

Breeding Sites

My wife and I tend to go camping for our vacations. Once at a campsite, I saw a knothole in a tree that couldn’t have held more than an ounce or two of standing water. And yes – there were mosquito larvae in there!

Identifying and trying to eliminate breeding sites for mosquitoes is the first line of defense. If you can stop mosquito breeding, you help limit the number of adults that can feed. Makes sense, right?

This is a huge part of what is called “Integrated Pest Management,” or “IPM.” IPM practices basically say “Find the source, eliminate that, and the problem is more manageable.” Again, lots of common sense happening here.

One of the first things a competent Mosquito Control expert should do is look for breeding sites. Some are obvious – pools, ponds, birdbaths, nearby creeks or retention ponds are all obvious. Some are less obvious – unused flower pots, sagging gutters, and low spots in the yard that pool water are all prime mosquito breeding sites. There are mosquitoes that even lay their eggs on dry ground that will later fill with water (like a puddle). And if it’s cold and dry, those eggs can lay dormant for months. They sit and wait for the right amount of moisture to hatch.

For features that are intended to remain (like ponds or birdbaths), there are other options. Many mosquito control experts use something called “insect growth regulators” or “IGR’s.”  These products are non-chemical. They have a hormone that is specific to and only impacts mosquitoes. This prevents larvae from reaching adulthood without harming fish or birds in landscape features.

Identifying and reducing/eliminating breeding sites is only part of the fight.

Mosquito Spraying

After identifying and treating/eliminating breeding sites, your mosquito control expert should spray. Think back to the “biology” lesson – places that are cool, damp, dark, out of sunlight and wind. You may be saying “I don’t have anywhere like that on my property.” You’d be wrong – your landscaping is the perfect hiding place! Pest control experts call these places “harborage areas.”

These are where your mosquito control expert should be spraying. Foundation plants, mulched areas, tree trunks and branches within about 10’-15’ of the ground can all be treated effectively. If you have more landscaping, that should be treated, too. Tree lines and brush growing under them also provide excellent harborage areas.

Many companies now use equipment that is a modified leaf blower. This allows them to apply a very small amount of control product in hard to reach places. Think about it – how do you spray under a leaf on a plant? This elegant solution uses the breeze generated by the blower to coat all the plant material. Now, the mosquitoes have no place to hide.

One Final Note

Keep one thing in mind as you are shopping for a mosquito control expert: it won’t be perfect. Pest control companies have an easier time keeping bugs out of your home; there are walls and a roof. The structure itself helps them with the control.

Your mosquito control expert is trying to do something else: keep a bug off something outside. I’m not sure when you last tried to keep a bug off something outside, but it’s a challenge. By using good IPM and eliminating breeding sites, then getting good control applications, you should get good results. But it won’t be perfect. You should still wear bugspray and long sleeves if you intend to be outside for long periods of time (if this is practical).

 

If you have questions about good mosquito treatment, or you’d like a quote for service at your home in Lancaster or Harrisburg, please contact us here.

The post Good Mosquito Treatment appeared first on Tomlinson Bomberger.

from Tomlinson Bomberger https://ift.tt/3dJwbOB

How To Get Rid of Ants in Your House

Are you surprised to see ants in your home during the winter? Don’t be. It’s a common problem and it likely means that the ant colony is located somewhere inside the structure of your home.  In fact, most ant activity that troubles people inside their homes, no matter what the season, is the result of a nest that has developed inside the structure itself.  Ants are almost always inside coming in, not outside coming in. Read more about how to get rid of ants in your house!

Where ants live in your house

Different types of ants choose different places to nest.  Odorous House Ants love to nest inside the walls of a hollow block foundation.  The temperatures and moisture levels inside your foundation are nearly constant, and are ideal for supporting a developing ant colony.

House Ants, like Carpenter Ants, can also find a place within your walls where moisture penetrates the structure creating ideal living conditions.

Pavement Ants in your home are likely nesting beneath a concrete slab and entering your home through a crack.  But to be clear, all of these types of ants can nest in any of the places mentioned above.

How ants in your house behave

Some homeowners see ants in their home for a few weeks in spring, and then the ants seem to go away. But, if the ants are living in the structure of your home, they aren’t going away.

These ants are likely foraging for food indoors when it’s cool (sometimes all winter). Then when it warms up, the ants forage for food outside. One clue to ants’ behavior is found in ant trails entering and exiting your home. These trails almost certainly mean the ants are nesting in the structure of your home.

Ignoring this “seasonal” ant activity can lead to future ant problems. Carpenter Ants may be doing damage to your home out of sight. Odorous House Ants will be growing stronger with each passing day as they develop more worker ants and egg-laying queens.  The greater the numbers in any ant colony, the harder they can be to eliminate when you reach your breaking point (it WILL come) and you decide to take action – finally!

How to get rid of ants in your house

The first step in solving a home ant problem is identifying the exact species of ant. Next, the location of the ant nests need to be found. Lastly, based on the ant species and infestation level, an appropriate treatment strategy can be developed.

It’s important to remember that there are no short cuts to getting rid of ants in your home; doing the wrong things about the ants can lead to even more trouble.  For example, spraying ants with repellant insecticides or aerosols can result in a phenomenon (known as “colony budding”) in which the ant colony splits into multiple colonies amplifying your problem. Sadly, some of the worst House Ant problems are ones where homeowners have been trying for years to solve the problem themselves.

Tomlinson Bomberger Pest Control specializes in getting rid of ants in your house. We identify what species of ant is the problem, then we find the source of the infestation. We’ve been doing this for years across Lancaster County and beyond and we’re ready to help you rid your house of ants once and for all. Contact us today!

The post How To Get Rid of Ants in Your House appeared first on Tomlinson Bomberger.

from Tomlinson Bomberger https://ift.tt/37Jyy0e

How to Protect Your Trees and Shrubs for Winter

“Pumpkin Spice” season is in full swing, folks. That means we need to be aware that Winter is right around the corner. With that idea in mind, read some quick tips on how to protect your trees and shrubs from Winter damage.

Tree Pruning

This is a really important part of keeping your trees and shrubs healthy, and should be done regularly. Having it done before the uncertainty of Winter storms is even more critical.

The key point here is that you want to be aware of branches that are susceptible to damage. Snow and ice accumulation put the stress of added weight on branches. According to Richard’s Tree Service in Annandale, Virginia, you should “…start by encouraging proper angles: branches that extend upward at 30- to 45-degree angles.” This allows trees to take on some of that weight with enough support to handle the load. It also allows just enough flex in the branch to prevent damage. Removing branches with too much mass (already very heavy) can also be helpful.

Not sure which branches to remove? “It’s always a good idea to hire a certified arborist to get the job done right,” say’s Richard’s. We could not agree more! Contacting a Certified Arborist to get a professional opinion and quote on the work is never a bad idea. Here the old adage holds true: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Protecting your trees for winter is a preventive task! Making sure trees are properly pruned before the storms hit ensures they’re better able to withstand the forces put on the tree from the winds and added weight of precipitation.

Wrapping Vulnerable Trees

This practice involves a little more elbow-grease on your part as the homeowner. Also, it can look a little silly to some people. But it does go a long way toward protecting your landscape.

Basically, you’re literally wrapping trees up, like in a Winter coat, for the season. Certain trees have thin bark. What happens to these trees is that as sunlight warms them on bright days, it warms up some parts of the tree but not others. This can cause gaping holes to appear in the bark, which is obviously a bad thing.

According to Davey Tree Experts, the type of wrap should match the tree. “Take Damien’s Japanese maple, for example. It’s a tree that loses its leaves in the fall and has thin bark, so the best way to protect it is by wrapping the trunk in a plastic tree guard.”

Other trees benefit from basic burlap, like coniferous (cone-producing) evergreens. There’s two ways to do this. The first option is to lightly wrap the burlap all the way around the tree, and then tie it around at the top, middle, and bottom. Option two is using stakes that are the same size (or taller) than the tree, creating a triangle around the tree, and fastening the burlap around the stakes. This essentially creates a kind of “tent” around the outside of the tree, protecting it from damage caused by cold Winter winds.

Anti-Desiccant Sprays

In the Winter, high winds or heavy sunshine warming the leaves of an evergreen can cause what’s called “transpiration.” In essence, the moisture is leaving the leaf- or needle-tissue. During Spring, Summer, and Fall, this evaporation of moisture isn’t a big deal – they can simply pull more out of the ground.

In the Winter, however, this process doesn’t function the same way. The ground is frozen, and it’s nearly impossible for that fluid to move up and down the tree the way it needs to for damage to be prevented. So, what are you supposed to do about it?

Basically, anti-desiccant sprays prevent moisture from escaping through the leaf tissue. Think of it like lip balm – it’s a coating on the “green” of the evergreen that holds in the moisture and prevents damage to the plant from the extreme temperatures.

Anti-desiccant sprays are not a “silver bullet” for protecting the trees. These treatments are not 100% guaranteed (nothing is when you’re talking about plants and environmental conditions!), so don’t plan on this as a fool-proof plan. There are environmental factors (the dreaded “Polar-vortex” for example) that can prevent them from working as intended.

Also, they typically have to be done as a series of treatments rather than a single spraying. The weather and temperature dictate the timing of these sprays. Too long between treatments can also create an opportunity for the trees to be damaged.

Conclusion

Just because the thermometer is dropping doesn’t mean that your landscaping is done for the season! Be sure to examine your landscape for potential Winter hazards. If you have questions or would like a free consultation, please Contact Us.

The post How to Protect Your Trees and Shrubs for Winter appeared first on Tomlinson Bomberger.

from Tomlinson Bomberger https://ift.tt/36fkqws

Choosing a Pest Control Company

We’ve all heard the horror stories from a friend or neighbor who had a bad experience with a service.  It doesn’t really matter what the service was. It could have been a mechanic, a dry cleaner, or mower.  We all know someone, or have experienced for ourselves, lousy service. Choosing a pest control company is no different.  There are good ones and bad ones.

As Pest Management Professionals (or exterminators in older terminology), we often hear these stories of pain from new clients. The previous service provider over-promised and under-delivered. The technician tracked dirt in the home.  Sometimes they neglected to treat part of the property. Or perhaps their demeanor was less than professional.

Whatever the case may have been, have a quick read about our tips for choosing a pest control company.

Integrated Pest Management

Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, is a set of best practices for the industry. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a definition for IPM.  It reads in part:

“Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices. IPM programs use current, comprehensive information on the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment. This information, in combination with available pest control methods, is used to manage pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment.

The IPM approach can be applied to both agricultural and non-agricultural settings, such as the home, garden, and workplace. IPM takes advantage of all appropriate pest management options including, but not limited to, the judicious use of pesticides.”

What does that mean for you? It means that the Pest Management Professional (PMP) you choose to work with should use this approach.

In practice this can look a few different ways.  For example, in residential settings, we rarely treat for flies of any kind. We understand that flies have a particular source, and once that breeding site has been eliminated, they’ll go away. Because of this, we counsel potential clients to control the problem themselves without the use of chemicals.

What IPM means for you is that a real professional knows when to spray something in or around your home. It also means they know when not to spray. It’s peace-of-mind that they know what they’re doing.  They’re going to help you solve your problem, not just charge you to spray something.

Customer Service

Just as important as knowing what to do is knowing how to communicate it!  In other words, the company you choose to work with should be able to explain what is causing your pest problem and how to fix it.  They should explain things in a way you understand.

You should also be able to reach your service provider. Most importantly, when you call in, you should talk to a live person in a local office. Are your calls are being fielded by a call center in another state? There may be lag time in responding to your request.

Lastly, what is their policy about service calls?  Are these included with your services? Check to see if you’ll be charged for follow-up visits.

Professional Affiliations

There are a number of professional organizations that establish best practices for the pest control industry.  The company you choose to work with should be affiliated with one of these local or national organizations.  Often these organizations provide training, educate about best practices, highlight new products hitting the market, and host conferences. Affiliation is a sign that the organization is committed to maintaining their professional edge.

Here in Pennsylvania, there is the Pennsylvania Pest Management Association (PPMA) that many reputable businesses are associated with.  On a broader scale, look for affiliation with the National Pest Management Association (NPMA).  The NPMA offers different levels of certifications for professionals. These range from a base of industry knowledge and practices, to more specialized certifications in working in schools.

Reputation

What do others say about the organization you want to work with?  Checking out their online reviews and asking friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers for recommendations is important. Make sure you’ve done some homework about what services others have been pleased with.

A word to the wise here, too – no relationship with a service provider is going to be perfect.  There will be times you are disappointed.  Read the online reviews from the provider you’re interested in working with very carefully.  Specifically, did they respond when someone was upset? And if they did respond, how did they respond? Was it respectful and helpful?  Or did they cast blame on the unhappy client?  Did they bother to address the concern at all?

Knowing what you are getting into by looking at their responses on the front end might save you a lot of headache (and possibly money!) down the road.

Conclusion

There are a number of things you should consider when choosing a pest control company. An Integrated Pest Management approach, customer service, professional affiliations and some homework on their reputation will hopefully help you make an informed decision.

 

If you would like to talk to us about our Pest Control services, contact us here.

The post Choosing a Pest Control Company appeared first on Tomlinson Bomberger.

from Tomlinson Bomberger https://ift.tt/2ZQRtaq

Will it Kill My Tree? – Spotted Lanternfly FAQ’s

Our office has been getting lots of questions lately about the Spotted Lanternfly. Many clients want to know “Will the Spotted Lanternfly kill my tree?”

The short answer is “not immediately.” The real answer involves knowing a bit more about their life cycle and how they behave. Read up on some Frequently Asked Questions about the Spotted Lanternfly.

What is the Spotted Lanternfly?

The Spotted Lanternfly is a bug that feeds on specific trees. It’s a type of bug known as a “plant hopper” – in other words, it can fly, and moves from plant-to-plant. It feeds on plants by using its “piercing-sucking mouth-parts” (similar to a mosquito) to pull fluid underneath the bark of trees. The pest’s mobility makes control for Spotted Lanternfly a huge challenge for Tree Care and Arborist services.

Where did Spotted Lanternfly come from?

Spotted Lanternfly is a native of Southeast Asia. It is a native of China, Taiwan and Vietnam. Many experts believe it traveled here in a shipment coming from one of these countries through international commerce. It was first detected in Berks County in 2014.

Can you stop it?

Again, the answer is “no.” The best we can do is to slow the spread of this pest, and protect your landscape.

There are few natural predators for this pest here in North America. However, a study from Cornell University found that two fungi (B. major and B. bassiana) in North America seem to provide control for adults. I emailed back and forth with one of the study authors, and it is unclear at this time if the native fungi will also help control nymphs. Researchers are actively trying to determine if the bacteria only control adult populations, or if these fungi can be used to control nymphs as well. B. bassiana is commercially available in products for nursery managers, while B. major is “poorly known” at this time.

What should I be looking for?

At this point in the year, you will see the “1st instar,” or first-stage of development. They’re called “nymphs” at this point in their life cycle.  They’ll continue to look like this (black with white polka-dots) until they reach the 4th instar. The 4th instar is the last stage of their development before they become full-grown adults.

Right now, you might see them anywhere. Adults lay their eggs on just about anything. We’ve had clients reporting nymphs on decks, potted plants, and patios. You will see these nymphs feeding near where the leaves emerge from branches, or on very young trees. This is because they’re piercing-sucking mouth-parts aren’t well developed yet, and the bark is thinner on young plants and at the end of branches.

How Do I Get Rid of Spotted Lanternfly?

There are several things you can do to try and manage this pest on your your property. Some involve treatments, while others are cultural practices.

Sticky Bands

Right now, you can use what are called “sticky bands” to help control the nymph population. Basically, this involves applying something similar to a giant “glue trap” to your tree. The idea is that the nymphs crawl onto the trap, get stuck, and never further their development. You can buy these products online.

These products are falling out of favor, however. They’re so sticky they’re catching “non-target” organisms, like birds and squirrels in some cases. A decent work-around for this is to simply use some cheap duct tape and DIY your own.

Tree Identification

Knowing which trees you have on your property is critical as well. The Spotted Lanternfly is able to complete it’s life cycle on a wide host of plants. It seems to prefer Ailanthus altissima or “Tree of Heaven” for feeding and reproduction. Identifying this tree, and removing it from your property, is an important part of management. Simply cutting it down will seldom remove the problem. You should consider consulting with a professional who can help you remove this invasive plant for good.

Spotted Lanternfly feeds on other plants, too. It will feed on anything with a high sugar content in the sap. In our area, this means any time of fruit or ornamental fruit plants. This includes grape vines (cultivated or wild), maple trees, pear, apple, cherry and plum trees (fruit-bearing or ornamental), and birch trees. Knowing if you have these plants on or near your property so you can look for the Lanternfly is an important part of management. Google images of leaves and bark if you’re not sure what these trees look like so you can educate yourself!

Treatments

Now that you know about cultural management practices (removing Ailanthus trees and sticky bands), you should consider treatment options. At this time, I recommend treating only the plants in your landscape that are A) most at risk, and B) part of your outdoor living.

We thought long and hard about our treatment options. We even consulted with some university researchers about the program before offering it to the public. Our program is designed to give you the best, season-long control possible in the most environmentally responsible way possible.

Before contracting with a professional to treat your trees, ask lots of questions. Do they understand the pest’s life cycle? How many treatments are they doing? Why are they doing those treatments? Have they consulted all the available information before formulating their plan?

Will Spotted Lanternfly Kill My Tree?

Back to the original question – “Will it kill my tree?” The answer is “probably not directly.”

Damage caused by piercing-sucking mouth-parts opens the bark. There’s an open wound on the tree. This leaves the tree susceptible to other bugs and diseases.

Think of it like this – a chest cold doesn’t necessarily kill you. If you leave it untreated, however, it can develop into pneumonia, and the congestion building up in your lungs is what kills you. Leaving your landscape trees untreated is like that – a chest cold. It’s not going to kill them immediately, but over time, it’ll only get worse and lead to plant death.

What a mess!

The larger concern is that it will be a mess. As it feeds, Spotted Lanternfly secretes (translation: basically poops) a sticky substance called “honeydew.” The Lanternfly feeds in such high numbers, researchers often have to wear raincoats to keep dry. It’s even been described as being “rained on.” This picture at left is of nymphs, but the adults will be much worse.

This honeydew is also the perfect breeding ground for a fungus called “black sooty mold.” You can see some of it in this picture already forming. This is basically going to make outdoor spaces underneath these trees unusable. This will be especially true in public areas without treatment, like parks.

 

If you have questions about Spotted Lanternfly management at your home, business, municipality or school district, we’d love to speak with you. You may contact us here.

The post Will it Kill My Tree? – Spotted Lanternfly FAQ’s appeared first on Tomlinson Bomberger.

from Tomlinson Bomberger http://bit.ly/2Kr0rD0

A Day in the Life of an Arborist

It’s early morning on an overcast and slightly breezy Wednesday in early May.  The clouds look indecisive and the wind isn’t enough to be dangerous, just enough to make you wear a hoodie or a jacket. Today is the day I get my initiation, a glimpse into a day in the life of an Arborist.

Here’s some of what I learned.

Your lawn will (probably) be damaged

There are many factors that go into this.  The most common concern clients have is about the equipment moving around on their lawn.  This is a completely valid concern.

There may be times your tree pruning company tells you they cannot service your property. For example, after a rain, you wouldn’t want heavy equipment on the lawn.  The summer dry spells or frozen ground in the winter are great times to have your service completed; you don’t have to worry about this quite as much.

There are things some companies do to try and offset this damage, like using plywood where the bucket truck needs to drive across the lawn.  Depending on the distance the truck needs to move, this might be impractical or unnecessary.

Another consideration when it comes to lawn damage is from the pruning or removal process itself.  Trained and certified Arborists will often use pulleys (called “blocks”) to tie-off limbs and control the direction the limbs fall.  Depending on the size of the limbs being removed, trying to lower the limb is likely just dangerous.

As it is, on the day I was out, we didn’t have to worry about damage to the ground from the truck; there was a gravel path next to the tree we were removing.  We did still have to worry about falling limbs, however.  At one point, the impact of a limb hitting the ground on that gravel path sent a quarter-sized rock flying 30 feet across the jobsite (I was well out of the way) and hit me.  That type of weight hitting turf is still (probably) going to cause damage.

That brings me to my next point…

It’s dangerous

That limb I just described probably weighed a couple hundred pounds. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that this limb falling on you would really ruin your day.

According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), there were 45 accidents related to “tree trimming” nationwide, or one every 8 days.  Of those incidents, 35 of them involved a fatality.

Those are just the reported injuries and deaths.  OSHA only requires reporting for Tree companies if there’s a death, hospitalization, loss of eye, or amputation. As a result, other accidents undoubtedly happened that went unreported.  This doesn’t include homeowners who were injured or killed trying to prune a tree by themselves.

None of this mentions the personal protective equipment (PPE) that you should be wearing, which includes a hard hat, safety glasses, gloves, and long sleeves.  On this day, I was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, and I had to tuck the strings into the sweatshirt, making sure they didn’t get caught on anything.  The regular Arborists out on the job wearing sweatshirts had removed those strings altogether.

Then there’s the chipper.  This machine literally grabs limbs and feeds them into a giant grinding wheel, and shoots the debris into the back of a truck.  At one point, I was nearly injured when the chipper grabbed a limb and it turned sideways, bringing up part of the branch and almost hitting me in the face.

This is why we always recommend you allow a professional to service the trees on your property.  Owning a chainsaw does not necessarily make a person qualified to prune or drop a tree.

A working knowledge of Physics is critical

You can translate this as “experience” if you like.

Basically, when you’ve got someone 50 feet in the air in a bucket or tied-in to a tree with a harness, that’s dangerous enough.

Now add a chainsaw.

Now factor in that there will be limbs falling to the ground from that point.

If that person doesn’t understand where to cut, several bad things can happen.  As a best-case scenario, they will get the bar (“blade”) of the chainsaw pinched between parts of the branch they’re cutting, and unable to move it.

A scarier scenario is the limb falls where it damages property.

Worst-case is someone is injured or killed.

During my day out with our Tree Pruning crew, I watched that guy (it happened to be a guy in this case) with the chainsaw 50 feet in the air consistently drop limbs in places where no one was close.  He was conscientious of where the limb was falling, and more conscientious of where the people on the ground were.

Also, this takedown happened to be next to a chain link fence (no more than 15 feet from the tree trunk). It was pretty impressive that the entire day, a single branch fell and hit that fence, with no property damage.

It’s exhausting

I’m actually a fairly fit individual. Well, I’d like to think I’m more fit than most people, anyway.  I run about 10-11 miles a week, lift heavy weight, and kayak and bike for recreation.  I’m not necessarily a couch potato.

I was tired at the end of the day.  Like, really tired.

This job is physically taxing.  That “small” 20-foot tree you are thinking about taking down yourself is going to kill your whole weekend, my friend.  Especially if you’re doing it by yourself. Come Monday, you’ll wish you had another weekend to recover.

There’s hauling large limbs and chunks of the trunk around until you get them where you want them.  Then you have to clean up the smaller limbs and branches.  You have to rake a TON (you won’t realize until you’re knee-deep in the project – trust me).  For example, I heard one Arborist joke to another “I had a client ask me about a takedown like this.  I told him it was $1,000, but if I don’t have to rake, it’s eight bucks!”

Conclusion

As a homeowner, you have a lot to worry about.  There are always considerations you have to make in terms of balancing the “Do It Myself” versus “Hire A Professional.” For a job on this scale, please take the time to hire a real professional.

Check reviews, check to make sure they have insurance, check to see the company is a member of any relevant industry associations, check to see if there are Certified Arborists on staff. Don’t compromise on safety or quality in this area.

 

If you’d like to talk more about our services, you can Contact Us here.

The post A Day in the Life of an Arborist appeared first on Tomlinson Bomberger.

from Tomlinson Bomberger http://bit.ly/2WNnhux

How to Mow Less: Growth Regulators

There are some people out there who really enjoy mowing their lawns. They take great pleasure in spending hours meticulously spacing their passes, edging to perfection, and blowing the clippings off of sidewalks and walkways. Then, there are the rest of us, who are determined to mow less.

For those of you reading this who would rather spend time with your family, golfing, hiking, doing ANYTHING else, keep reading about Plant Growth Regulators (PGR’s) and find out how to reduce your mowing.

How they work

There are two types of Plant Growth Regulators.  One type works by actually halting the vertical growth of the plant itself. They contain a product that interrupts cellular division in the plant. This can be detrimental to the plant health, causing it to decline.

The PGR that we use for our clients works differently. It inhibits gibberellic acid (GA), which is responsible for cell lengthening in plants. Simply, it shortens the vertical growth of the stems and cells in the plant itself. This means the plant to continue to grow, but the growth will not be quite so “vertical.” This allows the turf to continue to fight off certain diseases and maintain overall health.

What are the benefits

So, why have a PGR applied to your property? Here are some great reasons…

Obviously, Less Mowing!

The less a plant grows vertically, the less mowing you have to do. Some PGR’s have shown 30% – 50% reduction in the number of times you need to mow while the product is working.

While you might have to mow less frequently, you will also likely have fewer clippings. Cutting the lawn while the grass isn’t as tall leads to fewer clumps, better mulching, and less thatch.

If you’d like to get your weekends back, you should consider this option.

Turf Density

All that growth in the plant isn’t stopping all together. The grass is still going to grow. But that energy needs to be sent somewhere! So, lawns with a TGR program tend to grow thicker. In essence, you’re trading vertical growth for lateral growth.

Studies have shown that turf actually grows thicker and healthier when PGRs are applied.

Shady Conditions

Homeowners with shady lawns should also consider using PGR on the turf. It sounds crazy at first – slow the growth of an area that is already thin and spotty? What are you thinking?

Think about the above point, though – it helps the lawn spread out. If you have an area that is thin, encouraging the existing turf to spread sideways will help it fill it.

This practice is something many professional turf managers will use for sports venues. Say a football or baseball stadium is hosting a concert. An application of PGR prior to covering the field (to prevent damage, or for stage set-up) will help the turf recover more quickly. Because it encourages lateral growth, it helps offset damage caused by lack of sunlight. This allows the field to be recovered to safe use for athletes more rapidly.

Better Color

Of course, there’s an aesthetic benefit to this, too. When PGR’s are applied to your lawn, the color improves.

Here’s an analogy. Let’s say you have 24 ounces of Coca-Cola Classic. You also have two bottles – a one-liter and a two-liter bottle.  You have a task to fill both bottles to full.  But, you only have 24 ounces, and a liter is a little over 33 ounces.

If you fill the bottle with 24 ounces of Coke, and had to fill the rest with water, which bottle is going to appear darker? The smaller, more compact bottle, obviously. And why? It’s the same amount of Coke in the bottle, it’s just less “spread out” or less “diluted.”

It’s not a perfect analogy, but you get the gist – smaller cells mean more chlorophyll in a smaller space. A higher concentration of chlorophyll in a smaller area equals a darker color.

Reduced Watering

A further benefit of having PGR applied to your lawn is improved drought resistance. Basically, Growth Regulators improves the way the lawn uses water. This can allow you to water less if you have an irrigation system. This is helpful if you live in a place with a water restriction, or if you’re simply worried about the water bill.

Frequently Asked Questions

We tend to get some questions about using PGR’s on a lawn. Here are some of them…

Do I still have to fertilize?

Yes, you still need to fertilize your lawn when using a PGR. The fertilization does NOT necessarily cause explosive plant growth. What it does is keep the plant healthy. Temperature, rainfall, and grass species are far greater factors in determining when and how much grass grows.

Proper fertilization and weed control are still vital with Growth Regulators. The plant didn’t stop growing; it is simply growing sideways instead of vertically. This means it still needs fertilizer to maintain plant health.

Will it wash off?

No, it should not. Many PGR’s will adhere to plant material quickly. The products we employ are rain-fast within one hour, meaning they will not “wash off” in a rain event.

Will it hurt my other plants?

No, it will not. Any overspray might affect the color of the flowers on your trees or shrubs. The GA-inhibitor will simply cause the plants to grow denser, but will not harm them. In fact, many nurseries already use these products to display plants that are more compact and attractive looking.

 

If you have questions about using a PGR on your lawn, we’d love to speak with you.  Please Contact Us for more information.

The post How to Mow Less: Growth Regulators appeared first on Tomlinson Bomberger.

from Tomlinson Bomberger http://bit.ly/2KcFxa3

Why Does My Lawn Look Patchy? – Rough Bluegrass

One of the most common calls we get throughout the season is about “patchy” looking lawns.  These calls can come from current clients or potential new clients.  Rough bluegrass isn’t picky about whether you have lawn care or not.

Background

Rough bluegrass (poa trivialis) is native to Eurasia.  This makes it a non-native, invasive species here in North America.  It was likely brought to the US by early settlers for use in pastures and marshy areas.

Rough bluegrass is in the same family as Kentucky bluegrass, but grows differently.  Kentucky bluegrass spreads by rhizomes (it puts out shoots underground).  Rough bluegrass spreads through stolons (it puts out shoots over the top of the ground).  Stoloniferous grasses tend to grow and spread more aggressively, like Bermuda, zoysia, or St. Augustine grasses do.  This means that, under the right growing conditions, rough bluegrass will spread much more quickly than our native grasses, and can overtake portions of the lawn.  This “crowding out” of native grasses is what causes rough bluegrass to look like there are these patches throughout the lawn.

What to look for

Poa trivialis grows best under very specific conditions.  It grows most aggressively when the weather is cooler and damp.  Soils with lots of moisture tend to be the places that you’ll see the largest strands of this grass.  Because poa trivialis prefers that moisture, you’ll also most likely find it growing in parts of your lawn with shade.

Rough bluegrass doesn’t do very well with drought stress or heavy traffic.  When the summer heat starts to arrive, and you’re actually using your lawn more often, that’s when these calls really begin in earnest.  The higher temperatures combined with the foot traffic often make a patch of poa trivialis look like a turf disease or grub damaged lawn.

Management

There are couple of different options for managing rough bluegrass in the lawn, once you’ve identified it.

Mechanical

You have some options for mechanical (non-chemical) management.

If you’ve identified poa trivialis in the lawn (when stressed, it often looks like a pile of spaghetti), you can literally rake it up when it’s cool and the soil is moist.  Do your best to pull it up by the roots as you rake. Another option is to get a flat shovel or a sod-cutter and remove the plant and root system together. Again, your best bet is to do this while the soil is damp and temperatures are cooler.

According to North Carolina State University, rough bluegrass is sometimes used on putting greens.  The University of California advises mowing at 1” – 2.5” in height to encourage growth of poa trivialis.  Why mention it?  Rough bluegrass has a tendency to mat, or lay down flat, in a lawn. The remedy for many homeowners is to simply lower the height of their lawn mower. Mowing too close to the ground may encourage rough bluegrass to spread and grow! If you’re trying to eliminate it, make sure you’re not mowing too low.

Lastly, you can limit the spread of poa trivialis by managing the amount of water it gets.  When we’re experiencing drought stress, water the lawn only enough to keep native grasses healthy. The drought-susceptible rough bluegrass will quit spreading so aggressively, and native grasses will have more of a chance to compete and spread.

Chemical

Both NC State and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation of Natural Resources (DCNR) agree chemical management is an option.  (The DCNR actually considers poa trivialis an “invasive plant.”)

For large areas where rough bluegrass has established, you’ll need to carefully treat it with a non-selective herbicide. Again, caution is important; non-selective herbicides kill everything, healthy turf included.  Once the desired section of turf is controlled, you should still manually remove the remaining plant material and re-seed or sod the area.

For large sections or many different sections in the same lawn, you may want to consider contracting with a professional company licensed to use these products.  This ensures less chance of harm to non-target plants or the environment.

Wrap-up

Rough bluegrass or poa trivialis is a pain to deal with.  It’s a non-native, invasive species that often looks awful in our lawns. Management options include culture and mechanical practices, as well as chemical treatment.

 

If you have questions about managing rough bluegrass in your lawn and would like to speak with a professional for a free consultation, please Contact Us.

The post Why Does My Lawn Look Patchy? – Rough Bluegrass appeared first on Tomlinson Bomberger.

from Tomlinson Bomberger http://bit.ly/2IUo1Ye

Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine in Dauphin County

For those of you unfamiliar with the Spotted Lanternfly, you can read more about it here.  The Spotted Lanternfly quarantine now includes Dauphin County.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA), Dauphin County is now part of the Spotted Lanternfly quarantine zone.  Let’s take a quick look at what this means for businesses and homeowners in Dauphin County.

Impact on Businesses

If you operate a business in Dauphin County that has commercial vehicles (company cars, service trucks, etc.), the quarantine applies to you.

Businesses that operate company vehicles inside the quarantine zone are required to register with the Department of Agriculture for quarantine compliance.  Basically, this involves someone from the business or organization passing a test on how to inspect for Spotted Lanternfly adults, nymphs, and eggs.

Once that training is complete, the individual in the organization that passed the exam is required to organize a training for the rest of the business to ensure compliance.  Once completed, you receive orange placards that you must display from your rearview mirror.  These placards indicate that you’ve inspected your vehicle to ensure you’re not transporting any Spotted Lanternfly adults, nymphs, or eggs.

It sounds pretty onerous and time-consuming, but it’s really not that much of a burden.  Once you know what to look for and how to do a quick inspection, it goes pretty quickly.

Final note: this applies to ALL businesses operating commercial vehicles inside quarantine zones.  This isn’t just something landscapers and lawn care companies are responsible for.  Plumbers, carpenters, roofers, you name it – if you’re operating a vehicle with a business name on it, you’re responsible for understanding the quarantine, and displaying a placard.

You can find more information about permit requirements here.

Homeowner Responsibility

Homeowners have some responsibility in this, too.

Spotted Lanternfly nymphs aren’t the brightest.  They’ll congregate in huge numbers in seemingly random places. I’ve seen a picture of thousands of stage 4 nymphs (the black and red ones, right before they reach adulthood) on the tires of a wheeled bulldozer.

This makes a homeowner’s role in slowing the spread of this pest even more important.  The PDA has compiled a checklist of things that homeowners should inspect prior to travelling.  You can find the full list here, but they include:

• Campers, RV’s, and Motor Homes
• Tents and tarps
• Firewood and lumber stored outside
• Propane or oil tanks
• Barbecue grills
• Outdoor furniture
• Bricks, pavers, and cinder blocks
• Dog houses, chicken coops, and storage sheds
• Yard decorations and garden tools, including lawn mowers
• Yard debris
• Trees, shrubs, and other plants, especially if purchased in part of the Quarantine Zone
• Kiddie pools and play houses
• Bicycles, scooters, etc.
• Old pallets

As you can see, there’s a lot of stuff to check out.  The adult stage, when they’re mating later in the season, will lay their eggs on any and all of these items.

Also, if you live outside the quarantine zone, please continue to report sightings of the Spotted Lanternfly.  This helps Penn State and the Department of Agriculture keep track of how quickly it is spreading, and expand the quarantine zone if needed.  You can use this site to report a sighting.  Click here to see if your county is currently under the quarantine.

Why is this important for me?

There’s lots of reasons this impacts us here Lancaster, Dauphin, York, and Lebanon Counties.  The economic impact of this pest alone is potentially catastrophic.

Spotted lanternfly is currently feeding on plants with a high sugar content in the sap.  According to researchers at Penn State, Pennsylvania is the number one exporter of hardwoods (like maple) in the United States.  We’re number four in the nation in apple and peach production, and fifth in the country in grape production.  We haven’t even mentioned the landscape and nursery industry. These are all targets for the Spotted Lanternfly to feed on.

The current value of these commodities that will potentially be impacted is staggering.  The value of the three fruit crops mentioned above is about 134 million dollars of the current Pennsylvania economy.  The landscape and nursery stock would mean potential damage to over 940 million dollars in commerce here in the Commonwealth.  The damage to hardwood production is potentially devastating – Pennsylvania currently earns almost 17 billion dollars from hardwoods each year.

The potential disruption of nearly 17.8 billion dollars in revenue in the State’s economy impacts us all.

In addition, there’s the potential for this pest to disrupt property values, tourism, and our native ecosystem.  It doesn’t have a natural predator here in North America (being native to Asia), so there’s no real way to calculate the havoc it might wreak with our native plant and insect balance.

 

Keep checking in with us regularly for updates on the Spotted Lanternfly as they become available.  If you have concerns about the potential damage to your landscape, feel free to Contact Us for a free consultation. We’re happy to talk to you about a tailored management plan for your property.

The post Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine in Dauphin County appeared first on Tomlinson Bomberger.

from Tomlinson Bomberger https://ift.tt/2FjBiqr

Shopping on Price Alone for Tree Pruning is Pointless

This short blog focuses only on the importance of proper tree pruning related to price shopping.  If you are interested in ‘topping’, ‘cutting back’, ‘shaping’ or having your tree removed for the ‘lowest price’ you can find, you should click to the next website now.  Shopping alone for tree pruning is pointless.

If your interest lies in healthy, strong, productive, aesthetically-pleasing trees with generational longevity, read on.

Considerations

Many extenuating circumstances can affect the pricing for pruning or removing trees on an owner’s property.  It is unfair to both the consumer and the contractor not to meet.  You should discuss in detail the pruning project in question.

Trees are and should be considered ‘legacy plants’ in your landscape.  It is common for well-maintained deciduous trees to live for over 100 years in an urban landscape.  Certain evergreen trees may even live longer.  The trees we plant and love today will be around for our great-grandchildren to enjoy, if we maintain them properly during our lifetimes.

Environmental factors, diseases, and insects can all affect a tree’s overall health.  We can mitigate these influences only by proper plant selection, installation procedures and pruning practices.

When to call a Professional

Weekend gardeners, enthusiasts and DIYer’s are encouraged to call on the professional when the pruning heights reach beyond a pole pruners capability.  Tree pruning is intrinsically dangerous.  A 2009 study done by the US Census for Fatal Occupational Injuries concluded that tree limbs falling in unexpected directions was the primary cause of injury in tree related accidents.  Improper equipment coupled with dual and unsafe chainsaw usage are huge risks.  These are compounded by a lack of general horticultural knowledge, which is a recipe for unhealthy trees.  Also, let’s not minimize placing yourself at personal risk!

So, you’ve reached the point that your trees have outgrown your ‘green thumb’s’ reach, what’s next?  First, you deserve credit for recognizing that fact.  Also, caring enough about yourself and your trees to look toward professional assistance is laudable!

Who to call?

Arboriculture is “the cultivation, management and study of individual trees, shrubs, vines and other perennial woody plants.  The science of Arboriculture studies how these plants grow and respond to cultural practices and to their environment.”

Reaching out to several Tree Care contractors to set-up and an onsite consultation is a great start.  Companies affiliated with the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) or the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) are a prudent first call.  These companies are deeply invested in their staff’s education and training, as well as, the culture and science of arboriculture.

Often you are likely to be introduced to a Certified Arborist who represents the company.  They will discuss your concerns and expectations regarding your proposed tree work.  This individual often has years of experience in the field.  They are also required to complete Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) annually to maintain their Arborist certification.

The Arborist or Account Manager should diligently listen to your concerns and expectations before conducting their own evaluation of the tree in question.  The evaluation will focus on overall plant health, safety and risk factors, and necessary pruning requirements.  Assuming the tree(s) pose no eminent danger to the public or any property, pruning and/or plant health care (PHC) recommendations will be made for the tree.

The service

Pruning is as much art as it is science.  One of the nicest compliments an Arborist can receive after completing a pruning job is, “It doesn’t look like you did anything to the plant!”.  A properly pruned plant should maintain the structure of its natural state while accomplishing the required outcome of the recommendations.

Arborists and tree care technicians use terms like – crown clean, crown thin, crown raise & reduce to direct pruning processes.  Percentages and specific feet/inch instructions are given for each process to be performed on the given tree.  A sample pruning spec for a tree may read something like this –

“Scarlet Oak (30” dbh), along right rear property line.  Crown clean all dead wood > 1” dia., crown raise to 12-15’ above ground grade, crown thin 8-10%, clean-up & haul away all generated debris.”.  

These instructions tell the pruning crew to look for the large Scarlet Oak tree in the back yard along the property line.  They’ve been instructed to remove dead wood in the tree one-inch or greater.  They will remove limbs of the tree that are within 12-15 feet of ground level.  They’re also going to remove about eight-to-ten percent of the canopy to allow air flow.  Finally, they’ll clean up the whole site.

While in the tree, Arborists will look for any dead, dying & diseased branches, any crossing or rubbing branches, and any weak or structurally poor branch attachments and remove or properly prune the structures.

Selecting a contractor

As an educated consumer of any skilled service trade or professional practice, it is apparent that price shopping and comparing “apples to apples” is a prudent fiscal responsibility before making a buying decision.  Our “apples to apples” comparison begins with the consumer realizing they are not asking for their plants to become “geometric shapes.”  Rather, a plant managed by a professionally-trained Arborist will ideally remain healthy and fruitful for decades.

As you select your service contractor, make sure they are properly licensed and insured.  This is particularly important in the tree care industry.  Review testimonials, references or even ask to see examples of completed projects.  One factor that will affect pricing is the size and quantity of trees to be pruned.  Another is the accessibility of the trees in relationship to the equipment needed for the project.  Also, the duration of time between the last time the trees were pruned and even the distance the contractor must travel to complete the project are considerations.

If a tree is within the proximity of power lines, contacting the utility company is mandatory before beginning the project.  Utility companies may complete some of the work at no charge to the customer if safety or potential power interruption is a threat due to the tree’s health or location.

Conclusion

We have touched on many of the extenuating circumstances that may affect tree pruning pricing.  More importantly attempted to point out the significance of proper decision-making when the time rolls around to have your “legacy plants” managed with stewardship and thoughtfulness for our next generations to enjoy!

Please Contact Us today for a professional tree and plant health care consultation.

The post Shopping on Price Alone for Tree Pruning is Pointless appeared first on Tomlinson Bomberger.

from Tomlinson Bomberger https://ift.tt/2NYS2FU

Will Ivy Kill My Tree?

Will ivy kill my tree?

We all see ivy growing up trees from the ground cover below.  You’ve undoubtedly seen it growing up the sides of buildings, too.  Clients often ask “will ivy growing up a tree kill it?”

Structural Damage

The short answer is yes, eventually.

Ivy damages the bark as it climbs.  Ivy will eventually overtake even a mature tree.  As ivy climbs, it weakens branches through its weight and prevents light from penetrating to the leaves. Weakened plants and trees are more susceptible to problems like pests or disease.

Think about it this way; trees are adapted to certain conditions.  They’re able to handle stresses from drought, wind, snow – you get the picture.  When you add a lot of extra weight to those very precisely adapted branches, and then it snows, the tree is unprepared.  Also, the ivy steals nutrients and that the tree would have been able to use. Lastly, the ivy can root into the tree and steal the vital carbohydrates and moisture that pass up and down through the tree.

What do I do about it?

A particularly tricky thing to do is to remove ivy from trees. It is best to remove the ivy from the tree and keep it away from the trunk of the tree. Ideally you want get it about 3 to 4 feet away to prevent it climbing up the tree again. If it has a head start or is considerably up the tree, remove as much as you can without harming the bark. Once you have created a tree ring at least 3-4 feet, this is a good time to create a mulch ring.  This allows you to see the ivy growing over the mulch, making it manageable. I would refrain from spraying non-selective herbicides around the base of the tree, as you can get uptake and harm the tree.

Start with a pair or loppers, hand pruners or a hand saw depending on the thickness of the vine.  Cut it, and start gently pulling it off the tree. Most often, any ivy up the tree will die off in dry weather.  If the roots are firmly hooked into the bark and pulling the plant off will also remove some of the bark, stop! You may damage the tree, so it’s time for “Plan B.”

Starting at the base of the tree, cut an inch or two section out of the ivy stem and remove it. Carefully paint the cuts on the still attached stem with full strength Round-Up. Repeat the process every few feet up the stem of the ivy as high as you can reach. You may need to repeat this a few times before you fully kill the ivy.

 

Once the ivy has died, you can then take the stems off the tree as the roots will break away rather than cling to the tree.  If you would rather not mess with the herbicides please Call Us and we can help you with this process.

 

 

The post Will Ivy Kill My Tree? appeared first on Tomlinson Bomberger.

from Tomlinson Bomberger http://bit.ly/2TVKbeq

Four Tips to Get Rid of Spotted Lanternfly

Lots of homeowners are concerned about the Spotted Lanternfly lately.  There are several ways you can help control the spread of this invasive pest.  Here are four tips to get rid of Spotted Lanternfly.

Removing Ailanthus trees

Spotted Lanternfly requires the ailanthus altissima to reproduce. This tree is the spotted lanternfly’s primary target.  Because of this, the first step you should take to get rid of this pest is removing these trees from your property.  This is a must for managing this pest!

Control for ailanthus trees is never simple – they’re very hardy plants!  What is generally recognized as the most effective control method is called “hack and squirt,” and involves cutting notches in the bark around the circumference of the tree.  Herbicide should be applied directly into the wound, once these notches have been cut into the tree.

A selective herbicide containing the chemical triclopyr may be used without damage to plants around the ailanthus tree.  However, if you are not a registered pesticide applicator in Pennsylvania and want to DIY this, a product with glyphosate (like Roundup) will work.  Use caution, however – not only are you applying an herbicide, but glyphosate is non-selective, meaning it kills any plant it touches.  If you don’t want to damage other plants around the tree, you may want to contract a professional to help.

Removing Spotted Lanternfly egg masses

During Fall and Winter months, and after a hard freeze, it’s a great idea to inspect your property.  Look closely at the siding on your home, your cars, your grill, the trailer or RV, mailbox, trees and shrubs on the property, old piles of debris – give it a thorough inspection!

You should also inspect your cars any time you’re leaving the quarantine zone for egg masses.  If you’re going to be travelling to York, Dauphin, Cumberland, or Perry Counties, you should be inspecting your vehicle before you travel to ensure you’re not transporting SLF outside the quarantine zone.

If you see the eggs masses from Spotted Lanternfly, scrape them into a bottle or sandwich bag containing rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer.  This will kill the eggs so they do not hatch.  If using a sandwich bag, we recommend that you “double bag,” just to be safe.  Scraped egg masses should be thrown away immediately.

Sticky bands to catch nymphs

When nymphs first hatch in late Spring or early Summer, they tend to migrate to the fresher, greener parts of the tree where the new growth is to begin feeding.  And this makes sense; it could their piercing/sucking mouthparts may not be as developed yet, and unable to penetrate more mature bark.  Whatever the reason, it gives people trying to control their spread another tool in the arsenal – “sticky bands.”

The basic idea is simple: wrap the trunk of the tree in a sticky material that the nymphs will get stuck on.  If they can’t get free and feed, they’ll certainly never reach adulthood!  The Spotted Lanternfly Management for Homeowners published by Penn State even recommends simply using duct tape, and wrapping in backwards, tightly around the tree as an effective method for controlling nymphs.

Homeowners who are concerned about slowing the spread of this pest should target the trees we’ve mentioned first.  Then, move on to other trees on their property with this same method.  Sticky bands should be re-applied weekly during nymph stages (late May to September) for best results.

Note: “Sticky band” picture supplied by Heather Leach at Penn State University, and used with permission.

 

Chemical control

This should be considered a final “backstop” to the other control methods we’ve outlined so far in this post.  There isn’t a ton of information about what’s really effective on this pest right now.  While experts agree that their nervous system is disrupted by available pesticides, none are presently labelled for use on the Spotted Lanternfly.

What seems to be working for now is a combination of two different pesticide approaches.  These are commonly referred to as systemic and contact pesticides.  Systemic pesticides are products that the plant material absorbs, and it stays inside the plant itself.  This is how products like grub control work for your lawn.  The product is absorbed into the plant.  Then when an insect feeds on the plant, they ingest that product.

By contrast, contact pesticides are just what they sound like – they work on contact with the bug.  Examples of contact products most homeowners are familiar with are Raid and Black Flag for things like spiders and ants.  And, like those over-the-counter products, many contact pesticides also include a residual effect.  This means that they’ll continue to kill bugs for a period of time (depending on the product used, rate of application, rainfall, etc.) after the application is completed.

Systemic products seem to be having a really good results with the nymph stage of the Spotted Lanternfly right now.  The adults are better controlled by contact products with regular follow up applications, because they’re far more mobile.

 

If you have questions about protecting your trees from this pest, please Contact Us.  We’d be happy to discuss your concerns.

The post Four Tips to Get Rid of Spotted Lanternfly appeared first on Tomlinson Bomberger.

from Tomlinson Bomberger http://bit.ly/2D1ci6b