Spring 2005
Love Letter
Spring 2005
Dear Fellow Tree Lovers,
Spring has sprung. And as usual, I didn’t get all of my winter work done. At 55 years of age, I’m finally figuring out that I get over committed. That always creates a problem for someone like me, with a limited mental capacity. I find my self forgetting things; maybe some of it a product of age. One change that we are making to try to help that problem is more computerization of the office and the field.
The program will help track calls from initial contact through progress of the work until final billing. So, I won’t have any more excuses. Hopefully, this will streamline a lot of things and help keep track of you and your trees.
At some point, we should be able to incorporate insect and disease alerts. So, for those purposes, as well as sending this letter, if you didn’t get this letter by email, please send us your email address. Donna’s email is donna@treelovingcare.com and mine is james@treelovingcare.com.
We hope that you have a great spring and may the forest be with you.
James Tuttle Certified Arborist TX 0117
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. Amendment IX US Constitution
CRITTERS AND CRUDS
This is the time of year that the critters are coming out. The first generation of pine tip moth and elm leaf beetle should be out about the end of March. The biggest problem on Live Oak is Oak Leucanium Scale. Over the next month, it will grow from a spot the size of a period on this paper to the size of a split BB and suck a lot of sap from last years twigs in the process. They will need to be sprayed when they hatch in mid-May.
If we have anything like the wet spring we had last year, you can count on lots of Powdery Mildew on a number of different shrubs. That needs to be treated before the disease makes headway in the new foliage. In other words, it needs to be sprayed with a fungicide within two or three days after it quits raining and the sun comes out, and that is after rainy spell in spring and early summer.
Aphids are a perennial problem that can be solved with a single application of Merit. We soil inject this product so there are no drift problems nor is there does it harm beneficial insects.
If you need help with these or any other disease or insect problem, call 785-TREE to set up an appointment.
GIVE YOUR TREES TLC
There are still lots of broken hanging branches from the snow storm in November. These need to be removed because they may cause even more damage if blown down by spring winds. Stubs need to be removed. Wood rot fungi will decay that stub and the decay will be more likely to move down the parent limb. And of course, the falling limb may damage other targets on the way down.
One great thing about all the rain and snow is that it has flushed some of the salts out of the soil. If you have been watering with Lubbock water for years, you probably still need an annual application of gypsum. It is time for spring fertilization. Call and ask about the Humega soil activator that we are now using.
Along with the onset of warmer weather, here comes the thunderstorm season. Along with thunderstorms, we get high swirling winds and lightning that rip trees apart. Narrow crotches have a higher risk of failure because of poor attachment. They may need to be braced or cabled. Since lightning can be so devastating to a tree, tall and high value trees should be considered for a lightning protection system.
TREE OF THE QUARTER
It was great to see in the Texas Electric Coop magazine an article on small trees suitable for planting near power lines. One tree that was on the list was ‘Bradford’ Pear.
I think that tree is grossly over planted and prefer a couple of other varieties of Callery Pear. ‘Capital’ is a narrowly upright tree that may get to 30’ tall and 8’ wide. It is fairly susceptible to Fire Blight but that doesn’t seem to be much of a problem in drier climates like ours. It is encouraging that some nurseries are carrying this and other varieties.
TLC UPDATE
Since the last letter, the TLC family has a new addition. Congratulations to Erik and Angel on a new baby, Jonathon. Mom and baby are fine and Dad is proud.
At the end of January, James and Donna went to Albuquerque for the 19th annual Think Tree Conference. It was as usual a great conference. It’s always good to get together with people that love trees as much as we do and know even more.
The Texas Tree Climbing Championship will be held June 10 & 11, in Austin. TLC will have 3 and maybe 4 contestants this year.
-Love Letter From TLC
** This edition is available online only.
10.10.2006. 08:00