Maier Tree & Lawn News

Your lawn is part of a complex urban ecosystem. The particulars of each individual system varies, but it may be made up of any number of interconnected processes and organisms, including your trees, turf, soil, and everything in between. Through symbiotic support, each level of the system interconnects and sustains the others. In particular, the soil in your lawn functions to redirect and absorb runoff, sustain plant life, and to harbor animals, insects, and microorganisms essential to a healthy lawn and healthy shrubs and trees. Maier Tree and Lawn takes a unique approach to lawn care services that considers the entire urban ecosystem, and for Rochester, MN, residents, this can mean excellent lawn health that lasts a lifetime.

Remember that every part of your lawn’s ecosystem is vital when administering effective lawn care services. Too often in lawn maintenance, factors like turf roots are addressed without also considering the roots of shrubs and trees as well. Without attending to all aspects of your turf, you may be neglecting areas that need attention or missing opportunities for better comprehensive lawn health. An ecosystem that promotes great lawn health does so by treating all components as equal contributors to a healthy whole.

Our first consideration when it comes to tree, turf, and lawn health is soil building. Maier Tree and Lawn’s lawn care services utilize green techniques to build the soil beneath your lawn and improve the growing conditions for your grass, trees, and shrubs. Our recommendations and lawn care services are proven to improve the soil that all vegetative roots need to thrive. Through proper nutrition, the right seed, green practices, and education, we can help create the right conditions for optimum growth of your lawn.

Promoting the healthy and beautiful growth of your Rochester, MN, turf, lawn, trees, and shrubs is our ultimate goal at Maier Tree and Lawn. If you’re interested in improving lawn health or are looking into other lawn care services, contact us today at (507) 286-8733.

It can be easy to feel complacent about your trees just after the snow begins to melt in Winona, MN. As residents ease their way into pleasant spring weather, it’s hard to picture that tree insects are really going to cause trouble so soon after the ice fades.

The fact of the matter is, however, that some tree insects are impressively efficient at gaining ground on your trees before you’ve even realized that spring has come. Maier Tree and Lawn offers comprehensive tree insect control so you can take a breather and appreciate all that the spring thaw has to offer.

Worms, mites, beetles, and all sorts of insects can make their way to your trees all too quickly in the early weeks of spring, and it can be hard to spot their handiwork when your trees are busy just trying to leaf out again. Most of Minnesota native pests are even able to survive winter temperatures. These tree insects may be laying eggs, hatching, or even beginning to munch away at the vulnerable parts of your trees.

Some signs that a spring tree insect has made its way into your tree includes browning leaves, unusual spots, unsightly webs and nests, and more. Depending upon the type of tree you have you may find yourself encountering eggs, chewed foliage, or even visible bugs. And, if you can spot tree insects on the surface, there’s a good chance there’s damage beneath as well.

Expert tree insect control includes several steps of pest management that can ensure a long, happy life for your trees. Trained arborists will evaluate the threat, the type of damage that has already been caused, and determine a carefully catered course of action for your individual needs. This may include pesticide application or other types of tree insect deterrent. Our certified arborists can help your trees recover and thrive regardless of the time of year.

Tree insect control can ensure that these pests, and others, leave your trees to their own business. If your Winona, MN, area trees are showing signs of being pestered by tree insects, call Maier Tree and Lawn today at (507) 454-7000, or contact us on our website for more information. 

Along with the changing of seasons comes some seasonal shifts in the tree care process in Rochester, MN. Regardless of the temperature outside or the green leaves sprouting in your neighborhood, keeping your trees safe from storm damage is just as important in the spring as it is in the winter.

Tumultuous spring weather and winds can lead to storm damaged trees. Knowing what to do and calling Maier Tree and Lawn’s tree care professionals in the aftermath may be the difference between trees that thrive and those that don’t survive.

Storm damage to trees comes in many forms. Some types of damage can be obvious, like uncharacteristic leaning or large, broken branches, while more subtle storm damage can be harder to spot with the naked eye. For instance, damage or wounds to the trunk may not seem especially dangerous, but if left unattended, may become entry points for pests, insects, or simply an avenue for further damage to occur.

Even if you can see the storm damage in question, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be a quick and easy fix. Tree care requires a careful touch and a thoughtful eye. Without proper care even minor looking damage can be exacerbated. Storm damage may require a wide variety of treatments such as cabling, pruning, staking, wound repair, and more. Even if the damage seems unimpressive or easily fixable, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s safe to tackle on your own.

When it comes to storm damage, significant or otherwise, consulting a tree care professional can protect your trees from further harm. In fact, post-storm tree care can save your trees from damage and keep you out of harm’s way as well. Storm damaged trees can be unpredictable, and trying to tackle the damage on your own can be hazardous in ways you may not expect. Tree care experts can provide the support, safety, and skills you need in order to guide your trees to a full recovery.

If your Rochester, MN, area trees have been impacted by storm damage, the tree care professionals at Maier Tree and Lawn can help. Call us today at (507) 286–8733 or visit our website for more information on our storm damage recovery services.

During the great freezing season of February, frigid temperatures are a given in Rochester, MN. Even if you’ve done everything right and received all the help you can before winter set in, it can still be disconcerting to see your beloved trees encased in ice and snow for the foreseeable future. The presence of these winter byproducts may not always be a death sentence, but they can still wear down even the toughest trees the longer winter weather continues. Maier Tree and Lawn’s tree health team recommends watching for signs of tree damage in the winter months, so your trees can emerge from the cold intact and ready to bloom again in the spring.

Snow and ice aren’t always an inherent danger when it comes to trees. If the trees on your property are native to Minnesota, they’re likely suited to surviving the cold temperatures. Trees that die at the touch of cold wouldn’t survive the winter with or without freezing storms, so if your trees are local, you’re already off to a good start.

But even local trees can be impacted by winter weather. In fact, native or not, the shape of your trees can have a significant impact on how vulnerable they are to winter tree damage. If you’re noticing that certain branches are beginning to bow under the weight, a tree health consultation may be wise.

Once ice has begun to accumulate on your trees, trying to manage this without the assistance of a tree health specialist could be dangerous. The risk of slipping and cold weather aside, you may also be dealing with some unexpectedly heavy branches and tree debris. But leaving weather-damaged branches until spring isn’t ideal either. Strong winter winds can jostle already-loose branches and lead to further damage to your tree or property. Instead of standing outside with a hairdryer after every snowstorm, contact tree damage specialists to facilitate safe branch removals.

Despite the fact that Minnesota trees are sturdier than you might expect, they aren’t completely invincible. If your Rochester, MN, trees have been impacted by winter weather tree damage contact the tree health professionals with Maier Tree and Lawn at (507) 286-8733 or by visiting our website here.

It’s all too easy to assume that the whole world takes a break during the frigid winter months in Rochester, MN. But, even if the world outside feels completely still, plenty of work remains to be done in the great outdoors. Maier Tree and Lawn offers extensive forestry services for urban and rural areas to guarantee well-kept and beautiful natural spaces year round.

A lot of vital environmental care takes place behind the scenes of daily life, and that’s especially true for forestry services. Forests are in many ways self-maintaining, but in urban settings, some care must be taken to ensure the trees are healthy and forest areas are safe. This includes large-scale tree services such as pruning, risk assessment, and occasionally, tree removal. These tasks are all extremely important for urban forest situations that may have frequent visitors. Without expert forestry services, forests can become hazardous for locals or even dangerous to wildlife.

Despite being somewhat wild, forests still benefit from regular care and upkeep, and this is especially true during the winter. When trees are dormant it’s easy to evaluate, trim, and treat trees on a very large scale. This allows landowners and city managers to benefit from significant early preparation before the snow melts. This can include taking inventory, evaluating hazardous trees, or treating diseases. In fact, professional forestry services do a lot of work to ensure that tree diseases don’t spread to other parts of the state and country.

Regardless of whether your needs are urban or rural, the benefits of effective forestry services are twofold; they bolster aesthetics and tree health simultaneously. For cities, expert forestry services can maintain a popular and natural local attraction, and for landowners, they can ensure safe hunting grounds or conservation areas. Tree services can help you cater your forest areas to whatever you want them to be without compromising their natural integrity.

If your Rochester, MN, area land is in need of winter tree services or forestry services, contact Maier Tree and Lawn’s certified arborists today at (507) 286–8733 or by visiting our website for additional information.

Winter can be a tough time for tree owners. Not only are your trees at the mercy of the elements for months on end, but so are you when you submit yourself to those same conditions to assess the damage to your trees. The weather can be frustrating if you hoping to emerge from winter in Winona, MN, with your trees intact. So, if you’re concerned about the health of one of your trees, you can ease these worries by getting winter tree care advice from a professional. Maier Tree & Lawn’s tree consulting services are available year-round, and yes, that includes during the deep Minnesota winters.

Keeping an eye on the health of your trees when they’re leafless or largely dormant is a tough task in itself. In every other season, checking on your trees may be as simple as walking outside and taking a good hard look at them. Discoloration, odd webbing, or missing bark are easy signs that some assistance may be necessary. A long winter brings new challenges in basic tree care assessments. Thanks to a heavy blanket of snow and ice, the physical signs may be literally or figuratively buried beneath the surface.

Trees can be impressively self-sustaining in the winter, but physical damage such as breakage and sun damage can still be a major problem for their long-term health. The real challenge for some tree care enthusiasts is knowing when to step in and how best to mitigate these injuries. Sometimes you may be able to spot winter tree care issues with your naked eye, but other times, the signs may be more subtle. Quickly fluctuating weather that causes repeated freezes and thaws can be damaging without being obvious.

Rather than ignore your trees until the thaw comes, schedule a tree care checkup for some professional tree care advice to ensure that you’re doing all that you can to help your trees hang on until spring. Winona, MN, residents can contact Maier Tree & Lawn today at (507) 454-7000 or visit our website here.

With fall rolling in, winter is just around the corner in Winona, MN. Though last year’s winter wasn’t as brutal as it could have been, that doesn’t mean the northern states aren’t in for a doozy this time around, and that includes their trees as well. Trees are notoriously able to withstand extreme weather, but for Winona area residents new to tree care, watching your beloved trees get pummeled by freezing rain, sleet, and wet, heavy snow isn’t exactly a fun way to spend a season. Here are a few Maier Tree and Lawn recommended methods for preparing your trees for the wintery madness.

Winter tree care isn’t terribly different from tree care throughout the rest of the year thanks to the self-sufficient qualities that hardy, regional trees possess. These trees are naturally prepared for extended periods of dormancy, so even significant leaf-loss and exposure to ice aren’t necessarily a detriment to their systems. However, as their tree care advocates, there are still plenty of things you can do to support them until spring. For instance, many tree consulting services recommend performing winter maintenance on your trees such as pruning and examinations.

Because of the natural cycle of trees, winter is the best time to really get a good look at them. A lack of foliage allows you to get up close and personal to the branches and trunk in a way that you can’t always do in other seasons. They might not be as pretty around this time, but it’s an opportunity to spot tree defects such as weak branch unions or areas that could use some winter pruning. If there are any discolored patches, dead branches, buggy-nests, or other signs of damage, they’ll likely be much easier to spot. The best thing you can do for your trees is report these issues as soon as you spot them. Relying on a tree consulting service during the winter is a great way to ensure your trees will be sturdier come spring.

If you’re trying to maximize the benefits of tree care, all you really need to do is take action and stay vigilant. It’s all too easy to be dormant yourself just because you know that your trees happen to be resting. Don’t be afraid to schedule some trimming while the shape of the tree is especially obvious. Request an overall checkup from a tree consulting service as soon as those leaves are done falling.

Winona, MN, residents looking for assistance from a tree consulting service can contact the tree care experts at Maier Tree and Lawn at (507) 454-7000, or visit our website for more information.

Winter in Winona, MN, can be tough on your trees, sometimes even in ways that you don’t expect. Being a tree owner in the winter months can feel like a bit of a vacation from more hands-on spring, fall, and summer tree care, but the reality is that your trees are just as susceptible to tree damage if not more so in the midst of winter storms.

Maier Tree and Lawn’s tree care professionals are experts at identifying and rectifying severe and moderate tree damage. Your job as a tree owner is to understand when you can take measures yourself and when it’s time to ask for help.

Physical damage from wind is a very real possibility during the winter months just as it is in other seasons with turbulent weather. Though you may not have to contend with tornadoes during the snowy seasons, there are still plenty of high-powered storms that pack a hefty punch. Your trees may lose bark, branches, or even sustain significant trunk damage. Even if you aren’t dealing with a full-fledged blizzard, winter winds still have enough push and pull to do some serious damage.

Winter tree damage is possible even without strong winds thanks to extremely low temperatures and ice buildup. Both of these can contribute to damage to the flesh or roots of the tree or lead to excessive dryness and breakages. Though trees do achieve some level of dormancy (depending upon the species), that doesn’t make them entirely invulnerable to severe weather. This type of tree damage can occur rather suddenly as the temperatures drop, and can be intensified by the addition of heavy snow.

While snow may appear soft and fluffy, it’s easy to forget how much sheer water weight it can contain. A light dusting won’t have much of an impact on your tree care needs, but once it starts to pile up, tree damage can occur rather quickly. Brittle branches can bend quickly under increasing weight, and smaller trees can even sway or fall under extreme snow conditions. Spotting these symptoms early is vital for keeping all of your trees upright and healthy.

If your Winona, MN, area trees have been impacted by winter tree damage or you’re in need of expert cold-weather tree care, contact Maier Tree and Lawn at (507) 454-7000 or visit our website for more information today. Breaks and cracks aren’t necessarily a death sentence for trees, but getting them the tree care they need can help ensure they survive until spring returns.

The weeks before winter sets in can feel like a delicate time for lawn care in Rochester, MN. Homeowners have to balance proper care and watering with freezing temperatures, and it can feel like snow will fall at any moment. However, when it comes to lawn aeration with Maier Tree and Lawn, fitting it in during the autumn months can be a great way to help your lawn retain nutrients through the upcoming cold season.

For the uninitiated, aeration is a lawn care process that helps relieve compacted lawns by manually adding a little “breathing” room. By removing small plugs of soil from your lawn, you can effectively give beneficial nutrients a way to seep deeply into the turf which will help the grass to flourish. Depending upon the type of soil in your lawn, aeration may be a once-a-year project.

The aeration process is great to do in the fall because it can help strengthen your lawn in preparation for the winter. An overly compacted lawn can increase the risk of improper draining, dryness, or even grass death due to inadequate nutrients. Aeration is a great way to give your lawn every advantage before the harsh winter sets in.

Along with eliminating compacted soil, aeration can increase the potential for nutrients in your lawn thanks to additional access points to the roots. It’s best to plan aeration after a peak growing period and before dormancy whenever possible to maximize the benefits of the process. However, like many aspects of lawn care, this timeline is a little flexible. If you’re not sure if aeration is right for your lawn, consulting a lawn care professional first is a great way to ensure you’re doing everything you can to help your lawn flourish after winter melts away.

If you’re interested in the benefits of aeration for your Rochester, MN lawn and are looking to update your lawn care techniques, contact Maier Tree and Lawn today for additional information at (507) 286-8733, or by visiting our website here.

When you live in Winona, MN, it’s easy to find solace in the fact that a good old-fashioned Minnesota winter can kill just about any pest under the sun. When it comes to certain tree pests, like the prolific emerald ash borer, your trees might not be so lucky. At Maier Tree and Lawn, we’ve seen the type of damage that emerald ash borers can do, and unfortunately, they may still be able to cause that damage after winter melts away.

Emerald ash borers are a sturdy sort of tree pest. Their ability to burrow deep into the flesh of trees plus their hibernation cycle allows them to survive in your trees through the winter. Even worse, a tough winter could actually be bad news for your trees in the years to come. Similar to how antibiotics can lose effectiveness over time, a brutal winter will only kill the borers that cannot withstand severe temperatures, allowing the hardier bugs that survive to pass along those traits through breeding. Assuming that winter will take care of your tree pests without further investigation will not only potentially doom your trees but may in fact be dooming other trees down the line.

With this is mind, tree enthusiasts looking to prevent these stubborn pests may want to familiarize themselves with the signs and symptoms of an emerald ash borer infestation. Spotting these signs in fall and winter means keeping your eyes open for subtle indicators of poor health that may be difficult to discern during the summer months when there’s an abundance of foliage. Bark splitting, S-shapes under the bark of your trees, and increased woodpecker activity may all be signs of impending trouble.

If your trees are infested with emerald ash borers, they can die within two to four years unless interventive steps are taken. Infestations can spread from tree to tree and even through the transportation of firewood, which becomes all the more relevant during the cold winter months.

If you’re concerned your Winona, MN, trees are showing signs of an emerald ash borer infestation, have them inspected immediately by our tree pest professionals. Call Maier Tree and Lawn at (507) 454-7000 or visit our website for more information on tree pests and how to fight back against the dreaded emerald ash borer.