Trees

/Trees

Cant Say For Sure

We're sorry but we can't specifically diagnose the droopiness from your photo. It may have been caused by several things, but we did notice in your photo that the soil outside the hole where the tree is planted is much different than the soil around the immediate root zone (or in the hole). If your ground soil is very heavy clay and you had difficulty digging a hole for the tree, and then put very different soil in the hole/around the roots when planting, this creates a poor drainage situation, and the potential for root rot. (you may be witnessing the first signs of failing roots because they are too wet). Additionally, many plants, including Avocado, won't grow a healthy root system if the roots cannot penetrate the very heavy clay and/or compacted soil outside of the hole they were planted in. You may want to consider replanting this tree in a much larger hole that is not limited by heavy clay at the bottom or sides of the hole. Organic amendments are a great choice for improving drainage in heavy clay soils but you have to amend a much larger area than the existing root-ball. Hope this helps, but we've included this link that will give you more specific info about growing Avocado trees. http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/avocados.html

By | 2016-01-08T06:37:18-08:00 January 8th, 2016|Trees|0 Comments
Read More

Ficus Problem

This looks like it could be a moisture problem-probably too much water. Also Is the drainage good? The soil looks compact. Is this your native soil or did you use a commercial, sterile potting mix? In containers, native soil tends to compact too much which may lead to root rot. Dig around in the soil and see if its wet. A weekly deep watering should be enough. You may need to water more as the weather warms, but twice a day is too much. Ficus do best with regular water but not soggy conditions. Feed with a slow release or organic fertilizer formulated for container plants. The mushrooms should be composted before adding to plants. Make sure you also examine the plant for any insect pests but we think this is more of a water or light issue. Outdoors, your Ficus will do well in full or partial sun. Indoors, it needs bright indirect light, and suggest you rotate the plant periodically so that all parts of the plant receives adequate light. Also, once it is happy in one place, keep it there - if you move it to a different location, it may drop its leaves to adapt to a new site with a different light situation.

By | 2015-12-31T21:37:55-08:00 December 31st, 2015|Trees|0 Comments
Read More

Probably Dead But You Can Try

Sorry to say, but this plant may be too far gone. You could try snipping off the top, back to some green stem, but its not likely to be successful. We notice that its in a large pot for the size of plant, so it could be a root rot issue (way too much moist soil around a very small root system). If you want to try, we recommend you also take the plant out of this pot and put it in a 4inch (or at most a 6inch) sized pot with well draining soil. Only water it in the smaller pot when the top 1/2 to 1inch of soil is dry and allow a bit of drainage every time. If the plant begins to grow and fill out the smaller pot, then you will increase water gradually to accomodate the growing root system, eventually transplanting it into a larger pot (about 2-3 inches larger than the first pot). This plant will grow in full sun, but don't shock it (burn it) by moving it into a full sun/hot location all at once. Gradually move it into full sun, and realize that when growing in sun, the soil will evaporate more water, so you will want to make sure a small pot gets watered properly, as needed depending upon temps.

By | 2015-12-31T00:45:22-08:00 December 31st, 2015|Trees|0 Comments
Read More

Extensive Dieback On A Shrub

From a photo it's impossible to tell what caused this dieback although it has the look of a cultural problem not a disease. Cultural problems can be winter kill, herbicide damage, physical damage (string trimmers, rodent eating the bark, something falling on the plant etc), hot water from a hose or other situations that are not caused by insects or diseases. But no matter what causes the damage you see, your options are to remove the dead leaves and stems and see what happens, or to replace the plant. In general, when 2/3 or more of the plant is damaged as you see in this photo it might be the best thing to say good bye and plant something else. On the other hand, sometimes plants survive and thrive against all odds, so if you're of the mind to "wait and see" the response would be to remove all dead material this year and leave what's left over the winter. Next spring cut the living stems down by about a third and fertilize the plant, both of which will stimulate new growth. Resist the urge to do this now as it's too late in the season to be stimulating new growth with fertilizer since it won't be hardened off by winter.

By | 2015-12-29T18:41:22-08:00 December 29th, 2015|Trees|0 Comments
Read More

Avocado Stem Leaf Death

If the symptoms started out with yellowing between the leaf veins, this could be a fungal disease called Verticillium wilt, but its hard to say for certain with a photo. You can cut the dead twig and look for the characteristic brown color in the center of the stem where the water carrying tissues have been infected and are no longer able to function, starving the affected stems, and consequently the leafs, of water. Unfortunately, there is not cure for this wilt disease. However, you can avoid having it affect other trees in the future. We've included a link about Avocados for your reference. (You'll see the link on this page for Verticillium wilt). Just to narrow down the possibilities of cause, you will also want to look for any oozing cankers on the trunk or stems, as these are signs of some of the other issues that could cause this kind of damage. We do recommend using a fertilizer formulated for Avo's - they usually need Nitrogen and Iron, and as you say, maybe some Zinc, especially if its in a pot with potting soil rather than in the ground, but Palm fertilizers are usually higher in Magnesium, which if in high enough concentrations and in the presence of calcium, can cause toxicity to Avocados. We've included another link with an article about Mg toxicity just in case.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/avocados.html
http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/repositoryfiles/ca1407p5-67224.pdf

By | 2015-12-28T22:24:49-08:00 December 28th, 2015|Trees|0 Comments
Read More

Die Back On Cherry Tree

Without seeing your tree in person it's impossible to say what is causing the die back pictured. But listed here are some possible of the causes of such damage. Keep in mind that sometimes what we see on plants isn't caused just by one thing, but a combination of two or more situations, so what you are seeing might be caused by one or more of the following:
1. Physical damage: If a branch is broken, bent, or otherwise damaged it can brown and die.
2. Borers or bark eaters: physical damage can also be caused by insects that bore into a stem, or by critters that eat the bark around a stem.
3. Drought: when a plant is growing in dry soil it may have die back on top since the roots dry up and there aren't enough roots to sustain all the stems and leaves up top.
4. Vascular diseases: there are some diseases that cause the vascular system in a tree to shrink so that the water can't flow from the roots up to the stems and leaves.
5. Bacterial Canker: One of the most destructive diseases in cherry trees - there is no cure.

Without culturing in a lab, and seeing the plant and the soil surrounding etc, it's impossible to know which one or more causes are the problem with your plant. But you, of course, want to know what you can do to help this tree in all ways possible. So here is what you can do:
1. If the stems that have brown leaves are dead, prune them off. If you don't know yet if they are dead, wait until next spring and once the plant starts to break dormancy, prune off any branches that don't have new life on them.
2. Look at the trunk of the tree carefully - if there are sunken areas, especially if there is sap dripping from those sunken areas, it's probably canker and there is nothing to be done.
3. Look at the stems that have wilted carefully: are there any holes or scrapped bark where the die back starts? If so, prune off these branches and throw away.
4. Next year after the plant starts to leaf out, watch for new signs of wilting. At the first sign, take a branch into your local cooperative extension or garden center to see if they can identify the problem. Don't take in branches that are already dead as it's difficult without lab culture to see what the problem is once the area has died. Try to take in samples of the problem just starting.

Cherry trees are prone to numerous problems in this area, both diseases and insects. If your tree dies, pick some other variety of tree to replace it.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:30-07:00 December 13th, 2015|Trees|0 Comments
Read More

Pear Problems

There are probably several things going on with your pear. We'll list all the possibilities so that you can consider which of these might be the problem. Know, however, that with plants it's often not just one thing that is the cause, but a combination of situations or conditions that results in what we humans ultimately take note of.
1. You say this plant is three years old. We assume you mean that you've had it for three years, yes? The trunk size looks as if the plant itself is older than three years but sometimes it's difficult to judge scale in these photographs. If the tree has flowered it is older than 3 years total and is old enough to bear fruit. If it hasn't flowered in the spring, and really is very young it's possible that this tree isn't out of its juvenile period yet and so not old enough to flower and set fruit.
2. Is this the only pear tree you have? If so, you'll need to get at least one more as most pear varieties aren't self-fruitful. In other words, they need another pear to pollinate them. Even those few varieties of pear that are self-fruitful end up setting more fruit if there is one or more other pears in the area to cross-pollinate with.
3. The cracked trunk may not have anything to do with the lack of fruit production although it's definitely a sign of a stressed plant. Cracks can occur because of summer or winter sun exposure, extreme cold (as you had last winter in your area!) or other environmental stresses. This plant is also stressed because it's bent over the structure, something that many young trees tolerate but also provides conditions that provoke damage in some cases. Cracks can also be a sign of canker, which is a disease condition that some trees are prone to caused by bacteria or fungi. If the tree is infected with a canker disease it will continue to rot and there usually isn't a good treatment.

SO - the bottom line, which you are wondering, is "What can I do?" There are a few things you can do to help this plant. First, plant at least one other pear if you don't have one, either on this structure or close by. If you know what type of pear you have, google the name with the term "cross pollinator" to get a list of the varieties that will pollinate your plant well. Secondly, keep the plant as stress-free as possible by top dressing the soil around the tree with a thin layer of compost or composted manure, and giving it a deep soaking once a week. (Deep watering less often is better than a little every day or every other day. Never hand water - it's not enough.) Third, you could try spraying with an organic fungicide intended for fruit trees, but as we mentioned if you do have canker this won't cure the problem. And finally, wait and see what will happen. Sometimes plants end up growing and doing OK against all odds, and what we need to do is help them as we can and then stand back and wait with patience.

We hope this helps!

By | 2015-12-10T09:30:13-08:00 December 10th, 2015|Trees|0 Comments
Read More

Dieback On Spruce Tree

Just from a photo alone it's hard to diagnose a problem, but here are some of the things that could be happening here.
1. You say the spruce is 2 years old - by that we think you mean that you've had this plant in your garden for 2 years. If this tree was a balled-and-burlap plant when you bought it then this die back may be the typical response to having a large part of its root system cut off as part of the B&B process. Sometimes this adjustment is compounded by periods of drought and hard winters, such as we just had.
2. Physical damage. Bare areas such as this can be caused by the plant getting physically damaged by heavy snow or ice, falling branches from other plants, something heavy falling on the plant etc.
3. Shade. If this side or part of the plant is in shade it will drop needles since the plant won't maintain foliage where no photosynthesis can happen. Spruce keep their needles in full sun, but if part of the plant is shaded it will shed needles and there is nothing that will prevent this.
4. Dry periods. If a plant doesn't get a good DEEP soaking once a week (not just periodic sprinkling from an irrigation system or hand watering) it will shed older foliage in order to protect the new growth. Water your plants deeply with a soaker hose or sprinkler once every seven days. Use a rain gauge to measure rainfall or sprinkler delivery - you're looking for about an inch a week in a gauge, not a carton or other container, once every 7 days.
5. Spruce spider mites. The least likely but worth considering. If you can honestly rule out the above, or a combination of the above, it might be mites. Call in an arborist or treat with a mitecide as insecticides won't treat mites.

By | 2015-11-13T20:36:29-08:00 December 9th, 2015|Trees|0 Comments
Read More

Mimosa Problem

From your description, we do not believe this is Mimosa wilt, but have provided a couple of online resources for more information. Albizias do best in well-draining soil, regular water, especially when young, a layer of mulch and feed with a slow release or organic fertilizer formulated for trees. Here are some more specific tips, but suggest you contact a horticulturist at your local garden center familiar with mimosa trees to confirm that this is not a disease but tip burn resulting from irregular water:
1. Apply a 3 inch layer of mulch out to the dripline of the tree allowing 2-4 inch space around the base of the tree
2 Needs 5-inch depth of water during first summer planted and then decrease to watering down to depth of 1 inch every 7-10 days except during rainy weather
3 Check for signs of pest infestation or disease periodically looking for wilted growth, galls on trunk or slowing growth
4 If an arborist or horticulturist familiar with Albizias confirms it is Mimosa wilt, you may have to destroy it based on their recommendation

Fusarium Wilt of Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) - Home ...
pubs.ext.vt.edu/2811/2811-1020/2811-1020.html
May 1, 2009 - Fusarium wilt is a common and lethal disease of mimosa (Albizia julibrissin)1, also commonly known as silktree. In the United States this ...
NMSU: Mimosa Vascular Wilt
aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h/h-160.html
New Mexico State University
Mimosa wilt is the most serious disease of landscape mimosa trees. The disease has spread rapidly throughout the Southeast and is limiting the usefulness of ...

By | 2015-12-07T10:03:50-08:00 December 7th, 2015|Trees|0 Comments
Read More

Yellowing Leaves On Cherry

This could be a few things on a newly planted cherry and without seeing the entire plant in person it's hard to say what you're dealing with specifically. Often the symptoms we notice on plants are the combination of more than one factor or cause, as well, so as you go through this list be aware that it might be a combination of the situations listed below.
1. Fall shut-down. At this time of year deciduous plants begin to close down their systems as they store energy for the winter and shed their summer growth. These leaves might be the beginning of this common fall "close out" so to speak. Cooler weather, cooler soil temperatures, and dry weather (less rain than normal) all signal a plant to pack it up for the season and yellowing or reddening foliage are part of that process.
2. Early close out due to a smaller root system. If this plant was a balled and burlaped plant (b&b) it had a reduced root system when you planted it. Although the plant spent the summer trying to replace those cut-off roots, it still has a smaller support system under ground than normal. As such it's more likely to "close up shop" earlier in the fall to guard it's resources. Be sure to water any b&b plant you put into the ground last spring once a week, well into the fall and early winter, as it will still be replacing it's roots.
3. Leaf spot fungus. The spots on these leaves are typical of a leaf spot fungus. These fungi first cause dark spots and later the entire leaf turns yellow and falls off. Be sure when you water that you're not spraying the leaves frequently as this contributes or causes leaf spot fungus to thrive. Be sure the plant isn't getting hit frequently with drift or spray from an automatic sprinkler system that's watering the lawn or other plants. In general, for turf and other plants, it's best to water deeply less often.
4. Weeping cherries are not the strongest of trees...they are prone to canker diseases and various fungal problems. For all the hundreds that are sold in Massachusetts every year only a few live and make it to maturity. Without an on-site examination of your plant it's impossible to know if any of the common canker or fungal diseases are playing into what you see on this plant or not. But be aware that in addition to the first three causes of leaf yellowing on these plants you might also be seeing early signs of other diseases that can cause the decline of weeping cherry trees. We hope not, of course, and occasionally these trees thrive and go onto grow into large, impressive plants. (They never stay the small "umbrella style" form that you buy them as - be aware.) So we're hoping that your yellowing leaves are merely a sign of common fall color.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:30-07:00 December 7th, 2015|Trees|0 Comments
Read More