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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 | 2017-09-11T15:49:31-07:00 December 5th, 2015|Trees|1 Comment
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Browning Thuja

There are a number of possibilities for your Thuja problem. A common cause of foliar browning in some cedars is due to root rot or root damage especially if there has been a wetter than normal season or the soil is not well draining. If your garden is on clay soil and drainage is slow, the heavier rains or too much watering this season might have caused problems at the root level. Other root-related issues include compaction of soil or mechanical damage. Thuja roots are relatively shallow/close to the surface, and at 10-12 years, your cedars’ root systems would be quite extensive – growing much further from the tree than you’d expect. So any new digging, for example, even if not immediately beside the trees might have an impact. Additonally, you should check closely to see if you detect any insects or diseases. Sucking insects such as mites or scale could contribute to the browning you see. This could also be winter or salt burn from the winter season. Once you determine the cause of the browning, then you can better treat it.

This could also be cedar apple rust fungus disease. It can attack cedars planted near apple trees or members of the apple family, including crabapples, hawthorn, Juneberry and mountain ash. These trees serve as "alternate hosts" for a fungus to develop and thrive. See if you can find gall-like growths on the branches. Cut out the galls. Then spray the cedar with a fungicide application to prevent new infestations.

We also recommend if you have eliminated bugs, which are treatable, and the majority of the tree is brown -- your cedar may be severely damaged. If most of the foliage is dead, the tree may not be worth saving.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:31-07:00 December 5th, 2015|Trees|0 Comments
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Winter Damage Magnolia

This is winter damage. Winter damage turns whole or part of broadleaf evergreens brown and often makes small leaf imperfections and leaf spots from the previous summer more noticeable. Winter damage is caused by cold winds and/or sunburn from the sun reflecting off of the snow. The plants that most frequently show winter damage are the broadleaf evergreens such as Cherry Laurel, evergreen Magnolias, Rhododendrons, Holly, Camellias etc. Boxwoods and Euonymus often turn dry and tan.

Because these plants have leaves that are scorched, the areas on the foliage that had some leaf spot damage from last summer are more evident. You'll see dark spots, or white spots where the leaf tissue actually died last summer or fall and now is turning tan or white. On some plants, such as cherry laurel, such dead leaf tissue often drops out and leave holes.

At this point there isn't anything that you need to do - the plant will drop this scorched foliage this spring and will put on new growth. Once you see that new growth appearing you can clip off any toasted twigs or branches that are not responding with new leaves, and prune any odd looking limbs away.

To help prevent leaf spot in the spring and summer, make sure that the plants aren't getting hit with water from a sprinkler on a frequent basis, as this is a prescription for leaf-spot fungi. To help protect broadleaf evergreens in advance of winter you can use an anti-desiccant product in October, although in a really cold or snowy winter plants will still show some winter damage.

By | 2015-12-04T14:40:41-08:00 December 4th, 2015|Trees|0 Comments
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Damage Looks Fungal Or Contact Created

Although it's impossible to diagnose a plant problem from a photo alone, especially of one leaf, this does not look like a pest or nutritional problem. Pests (bugs and larvae) do three types of damage: some chomp on leaves making holes, some scrape leaf tissues from underneath leaves creating a paper-thin or "skeletonized" look, and others pierce the leaf with tiny "soda straw" mouth parts making stippled leaves that might be contorted. Your leaf doesn't look like any of these.

Nutritional issues usually show up over an entire leaf, and aren't so blotchy/spotty. The entire leaf would be yellowed, for example, or the veins would all be yellow or dark green against a pale leaf.

Leaf spots such as this are usually either fungal or caused by something hitting the leaf and killing the tissue. Fungi are the most common cause of leaf spots - some plants are more prone to fungal damage, and others tend to get it when conditions are right. The most common cause of leaf-spot fungal issues on plants is when the foliage gets hit frequently with water, from rain, or drift from irrigation or a hose. Early morning dew on foliage from cool nights can also lead to fungal issues on many plants.

Another source of leaf damage is contact with hot water from a sun-heated hose, liquid fertilizer applied to the leaves, cleaning products used nearby (window or house cleaning) or other garden products that make foliage photo-sensitive. Although this is possible for your plant the fungal issue is more likely.

In general when we see damage on plants like this the best thing to do is to remove the foliage that falls and dispose of it, keep a plant well watered once a week if it doesn't rain, and monitor the situation. Don't be tempted to fertilize "to help", especially in the fall when the plant is naturally not in a growth cycle.

By | 2015-12-04T00:38:10-08:00 December 4th, 2015|Trees|0 Comments
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Canker Or Winter Damage Or Animal Damage

There are three possibilities for a maple tree with bark that looks like this. You will need to let some time go by and watch this plant to see which of these is the likely cause of what's going on with the bark. Note that sometimes more than one thing has caused the symptoms we see, and that could be the case here.
1. Canker disease is one possibility. There are several types of canker that attack maple trees and without seeing their "fruiting bodies" it's impossible to tell which type this might be. All of them are different types of fungus. They typically show up on trees that have already be stressed by drought, freeze injury (see below), or physical wounds. The fungi enter the bark through wounds and there is no cure for canker - if you see it on a side branch that stem can be removed but on a trunk there is nothing to be done. Fungicides are a waste of your time and money. The good news is that some trees live with canker for many, many years. It's a "time will tell" situation. You can read more about canker on maple trees here: http://maple.dnr.cornell.edu/pubs/diseases/bark.htm
2. Freeze injury. If this damage is on the south side of the tree, suspect freeze injury. In the winter the south side of trees freeze and thaw, freeze and thaw, as the warm sun heats them during the day and it gets cold at night. This can cause cracks and flaking bark. Usually the trees grow out of it or the new tissue covers or surrounds the cracks and the tree is OK. Occasionally one of the canker fungi enters these wounds, however, as we spoke of before.
3. Animal injury. In the winter time when food is scarce, mice, voles, chipmunks, squirrels, and birds all scramble to find any little thing they can eat. Animals often eat bark, or damage bark to get to insects that are underneath, or tucked inside, the bark. Trees usually grow out of this damage unless it circles the plant 360 degrees and the plant ends up girdled.

So what do you do now? Wait and see how the plant does over the summer. Support it with a good deep soaking every week to ten days if it hasn't rained - get a rain gauge and monitor rainfall...if Mother Nature delivers an inch or more of rain a week (measured in a real rain gauge not a carton or tin can, which isn't the same) you don't have to water. If there isn't that amount of rain use a soaker hose or sprinkler to soak the area under the dripline well once a week. An application of compost or composted manure 1" thick around the tree under the dripline is also great but don't be tempted to "help" by applying lots of fertilizer...that actually will make the tree weaker. Organic matter (decaying leaves!) is how nature fertilizes her trees and keeps them healthy - we gardeners need to take a hint.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:32-07:00 December 1st, 2015|Trees|0 Comments
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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 | 2017-09-11T15:49:32-07:00 November 29th, 2015|Trees|0 Comments
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Maple With Mildew End Of Season

Planting this into the ground would be the most important way to improve the health of the tree. Be sure that it has been planted with the root flare showing above the soil line. The root flare is where the trunk spreads out to the roots, and this should be above the soil - maples are especially sensitive about this and will sulk or die when the trunk is buried too deeply. If you go to Google Image and type in "tree root flare" you will see examples of this.

Don't worry about the mildew. In the northeast it was a bad mildew year because we didn't have that much rainfall this past summer. Also, at this time of year as the plants are "closing up shop" for the winter various leaf diseases become more pronounced. These plants will drop leaves soon, and just be sure to clear mildewed leaves out of the garden so that the spores don't linger around the plant for next year.

Maples commonly get leaf scorch on their edges when they dry up in between waterings. To help prevent this once your tree is in the ground mulch to a foot beyond the dripline every year using an inch of bark mulch but no more. Don't pile mulch against the trunk - keep it back at least 5" from the trunk. Water the plant once a week using a sprinkler or soaker hose (not hand watering) if it doesn't rain.

Maples, and trees in general, don't usually need fertilizer but do benefit from organic matter placed on top of the soil - compost, composted leaves, bark mulch etc.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:33-07:00 November 27th, 2015|Trees|0 Comments
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Browning Thuja

There are a number of possibilities for your ‘Emerald’ eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) problem. A common cause of foliar browning in ‘Emerald’ cedars is due to root rot or root damage. We have had a wetter than normal season. If your garden is on clay soil and drainage is slow, the heavier rains this season might have caused problems at the root level. Other root-related issues include compaction of soil or mechanical damage. Thuja roots are relatively shallow/close to the surface, and at 10-12 years, your cedars’ root systems would be quite extensive – growing much further from the tree than you’d expect. So any new digging, for example, even if not immediately beside the trees might have an impact. Additonally, you should check closely to see if you detect any insects or diseases. Sucking insects such as mites or scale could contribute to the browning you see. This could also be winter or salt burn from the winter season. Once you determine the cause of the browning, then you can better treat it.

This could also be cedar apple rust fungus disease. It can attack cedars planted near apple trees or members of the apple family, including crabapples, hawthorn, Juneberry and mountain ash. These trees serve as "alternate hosts" for a fungus to develop and thrive. See if you can find gall-like growths on the branches. Cut out the galls. Then spray the cedar with a fungicide application to prevent new infestations.

We also recommend if you have eliminated bugs, which are treatable, and the majority of the tree is brown -- your cedar may be severely damaged. If most of the foliage is dead, the tree may not be worth saving. Take a picture of the tree and show it to a professional at your nearest nursery -- or better yet, take it to your nearest cooperative extension office. An extension employee will confirm whether the tree can be saved.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:34-07:00 November 23rd, 2015|Trees|0 Comments
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Problems With Dwarf Alberta Spruce

There are a few things that can cause damage such as this to a dwarf Alberta spruce. Spruce spider mites cause areas to first brown and then die. The problem often spreads and can kill a plant. Secondly, winter damage from wind or salt exposure can make a DAS bare on one side as well. Thirdly, any plant that might have been hit with herbicide, salt, household cleaning products, hot water from a sun heated hose etc will experience dieback.

Our best guess for your plant is spruce spider mites. There is a way to see if there are mites: put a piece of clean white paper under a branch or two, then shake the tree/branch. Little moving dots are red spider mites.If uncertain, crush and smear the dots. Mites will produce a brown streak when smashed.

In our region, our hot, dry summers make these shrubs very vulnerable to attack from the mites. Unfortunately these plants don't regrow from bare wood, ever. So those parts of the plant that are dead now will always be dead, and the green growth on this plant doesn't look too healthy either.

Hose the plants down thoroughly, with a forceful blast of water from the hose, and make sure they are well watered -not soggy- but that the soil is wet down to at least 6 inches or more. We like to build a little "moat" z(about 3-4 inches deep) around shrubs, out at the drip line, where the ends of the branches reach. Fill that up with water and let it disappear a couple times. In a few more days, repeat the hose blast, and fill up the moat again.

See if this helps at all. The cooler weather is on its way.

Let us know if this helps.

Thank you.

By | 2015-11-13T20:55:26-08:00 November 16th, 2015|Trees|4 Comments
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