Since the 1950s, oak wilt has devastated nearly every oak species. Transferring quickly from oak tree to oak tree, the contagious nature of oak wilt has prompted statewide actions such as the halting of firewood transportation throughout the state in order to limit the spread. Here at Maier Tree and Lawn, our tree care professionals provide careful pruning and treatment to Rochester, MN, trees suffering from oak wilt and other tree diseases to help limit this spread and curb the damage to oak trees nationwide.
Oak wilt is a fungal tree disease that can quickly spread and dispatch oaks in a relatively short period of time. The fungus works its way into the water transport systems within the tree and can spread rapidly throughout the tree’s internal system. This leads to wilting leaves, leaf loss, surface discoloration, and a decline in overall health that some oak trees, once infected, will only survive between one and four months.
Oak wilt can be spread by a surprising number of different avenues. Insects, root connections, and firewood transport can all disseminate the fungal spores across the state and to other areas that may not yet be impacted. During the months of active growth and active insects, the spread tends to increase. Because of this, pruning and treating trees suffering from oak wilt is best done by tree care professionals during dormancy, or more specifically, November through March of every year.
Timing the treatment of your trees that are impacted by oak wilt is important because it limits the potential spread. This treatment may include the aforementioned pruning, but it can also involve other tree disease treatments such as root cutting, tree removal, or fungicidal application. The best course of action can be determined following a consultation by a tree care expert. But, in general, taking action on your own without expert input is not recommended as the contagious nature of oak wilt can be unintentionally exacerbated.
If your Rochester, MN, oak trees have been impacted by a tree disease such as oak wilt, the tree care professionals at Maier Tree and Lawn can help. Residents or land owners can call us at (507) 286–8733 or contact us online for more information.
Tags: Tree Care and Tree Health
It’s easy to think that healthy trees in
the Winona, MN area are perfectly suited to their natural environment. They can
grow independently around the lakes, flourish without intervention on the
bluffs, and of course, survive cold, harsh Minnesota winters.
Unfortunately, while some trees are
indeed able to pull off this trifecta with very little help, it’s still
entirely possible for your trees to sustain damage from extreme winter
conditions. Luckily the arborists with Maier Tree and Lawn have the tree care techniques
that you need to get your trees safely to spring.
Tree care tends to be a little more hands-off
during winter compared to the rest of the year. This is because many tree
species are experiencing some level of dormancy. Even a healthy tree, however,
may need a bit of help once winter sets it. Cold and ice damage can happen to
trees and roots, and hands-off tree care may not be enough to prevent it.
Cold damage can manifest as a gradual
sapping of the overall health of a tree in the winter, or it can occur due to a
sudden onslaught of ice and snow. You may notice conifers browning rapidly,
cracking or scarring bark, branch or leaf loss, or breakage from the weight of
overwhelming heavy snow. These tree injuries may happen overnight or lead to a
slow decay that damages your trees after snowmelt. Luckily there are actions
that can be taken to prevent cold damaged to otherwise healthy trees.
Depending upon the type of damage in question, there are a variety of solutions that can serve to preserve the health of your trees. In some cases, carefully tying up weak or young trees may be all you need to ensure they survive the winter, but on occasion more intervention may be needed. Winter tree care performed by a professional arborist may include expert pruning to reduce snow stress cabling or bracing of branches to protect weak branch unions. No matter what your tree needs may be, our tree care professionals can help.
If your healthy trees in the Winona, MN
area have been impacted by ice or snow damage and are in jeopardy, contact Maier
Tree and Lawn at (507) 454-7000. For additional information on tree care and
winter tree maintenance, you can also contact us online.
Tags: Tree Care
Maintaining a group or forest of trees
doesn’t always mean leaving them to their own devices. Even developed areas
have a unique ecosystem that needs to be kept in good condition in order for
trees to flourish. At Maier Tree and Lawn, our forestry professionals provide
in-depth risk assessments and all the tools you need to ensure your Rochester,
MN area trees are healthy, managed, and looking their best year-round.
If you don’t have access to a staff
forester, knowing what actions to take to best benefit your trees can be a
complex and nuanced process. Even decisions that seem simple, such as tree
removal or pruning, may ultimately have adverse effects if they’re not done
with the health of the surrounding trees and plants in mind. In situations like
these, our professional forestry consultants can offer their expertise in order
to help all of your trees to thrive. The tree management team at Maier Tree and
Lawn pinpoints and addresses problem areas in each ecosystem through careful
assessments and tree risk management.
It’s important to remember that a tree
doesn’t have to be totally and visibly rotted for it to be a risk. A wide range
of factors may influence whether or not a tree is considered risky to a
property or the trees around it. Risk assessments, inventory, and management
completed by forestry service experts allows you to plan for the health and
safety of your entire property or an entire forest region. After assessments
are made, our forestry consultants can also assist you in selecting the appropriate
treatment or the next steps you can take.
Depending upon what is discovered during
risk assessment, treatment may be a possibility. In some cases, careful
pruning, soil care, or other treatments such as fungicides or insecticides can
remove the risk from the area and make it safe for trees and people alike. But
in other cases, our assessments may recommend tree removal, aggressive pruning,
or other large-scale changes. No matter the condition of the tree, our forestry
service professionals can help guide you towards a decision that will benefit
the forest and its ecosystem as a whole.
If your forest or local ecosystem would
benefit from professional forestry services, contact Maier Tree and Lawn today
for information on our tree risk management and more. Rochester, MN area
residents can reach us at (507) 286–8733 or online for additional details on our forestry
services and forestry consulting options.
Tags: Tree Care
September 12th, 2020 · No Comments
Selecting a fertilizer that suits your
lawn and its needs can require trial and error. Some may be too harsh, some
ineffective, and some may seem suitable until the season begins to shift.
Different grasses benefit from different care, and without careful application,
fertilizer may end up doing more harm than good to your property. At Maier Tree
and Lawn, our organic-based fertilizing options are a perfect solution for
Rochester, MN lawns in need of care but not in need of harsh chemical
intervention.
Selecting an organic-based fertilizer or
safe standard fertilizer is a delicate process. Fertilizing is, at its core, a
process that reintroduces necessary nutrients to your lawn. This can be done in
several ways, but depending upon the method you choose, it may result in
different and sometimes adverse outcomes. For instance, some chemical
fertilizers, when improperly applied, can be too harsh on your turf and lead to
toxic runoff, salt buildup, chemical burning, and more. Organic-based
fertilizers, on the other hand, provide the nutrients your lawn needs without
the excess risk.
Organic-based fertilizers are basically
just fertilizers made with natural and plant-safe ingredients. Some organic
fertilizers may include minerals, animal components, and other sources of
soluble nitrogen. These fertilizers are often slow to release but prove
effective with time and careful application. This is accompanied with the
benefit of being gentle on lawns and preventing burning or corrosion from
overly harsh chemicals.
Organic-based fertilizers ultimately
provide all the benefits of standard fertilization without utilizing any
harmful or harsh chemicals. For lawns that are patchy, recovering from damage,
or growing sparsely, fertilization may be able to restore some of the luster
that they are missing. Building up the health of your turf and restoring
balance to the ecosystem of your lawn is possible with the right tools.
If your lawn is struggling and in need
of a boost, organic-based fertilizers may be just the solution you are
searching for. Maier Tree and Lawn offers fertilization assistance and
application to Rochester, MN residents looking to restore their property to the
best version of itself. Call us today at (507) 454-7000 or contact
us online for more information.
Tags: Lawn Care Services
Winona, MN area tree enthusiasts are
likely familiar with the emerald ash borer thanks to its consistently troubling
presence in Minnesota. Maier Tree and Lawn’s comprehensive forestry services
include precise disease management techniques to help lessen the impact the
emerald ash borer infestation has on homeowner’s trees.
Emerald ash borers can tear through a
community’s ash trees quickly. They eat away at the bark of trees, burrow into
trunks, and divert the necessary nutrients that ash trees need to survive. In
this manner they can quickly kill trees and then spread to other ash trees
nearby. Because of the devastation they can cause, quarantines on wood and tree transport are frequently in
effect across Minnesota. If emerald ash borers have already been identified in
your area, disease management support may be the next best step.
Planning, planting, and tree maintenance
programs need disease management in order to mitigate the impact emerald ash
borer has on local trees. Disease management may include tree injections, tree
removal, and other risk-reducing care methods. Each step is catered to the
environment to best preserve every level of the ecosystem. Once an infested
tree has been identified, the proper steps are taken to ensure the health and
safety of surrounding plants and trees.
If any of your Winona, MN area trees
have been impacted by emerald ash borers or other tree diseases, the disease
management teams at Maier Tree and Lawn can help. Call us today at (507)
454-7000 or contact us online for additional information.
Tags: Tree Consulting Service
Unless your property resides in a bubble, you can’t
realistically expect to control every aspect of your Rochester, MN, lawn. Uncontrollable variables exist at every
turn and can manifest in any form from severe weather to pet or lawn mower damage.
But with proper lawn care such as weed control and mitigation, it’s possible to
guide the trajectory of your lawn toward consistent green success. At Maier
Tree and Lawn, our lawn care professionals can help you follow a healthy path
forward for your outdoor property.
By nature, weeds are often some of the sturdiest, quickest
growing, and fastest spreading plants in your lawn that you probably haven’t
planted or planned for. Some of the best-known Minnesota weeds include frequent
visitors such as dandelions and crabgrass, but different types of thistle, fox
tail, and more may also make regular appearances as well. In short, there is no
shortage of possibilities when it comes to midwestern weed growth. And along
with being a general eyesore, weed growth can lead to lawn care difficulties
that may impede the health of your lawn.
Excessive weed growth can prevent your desired plants and grass
from flourishing. Without weed control, undesirable weeds can overtake the
grass, flowers, or plants that you actually want. Like any other plant, weeds
need nutrients in order to survive. When they begin to overtake your lawn,
there’s a good chance that they’re sucking essential water, minerals, and
sunlight away from smaller or more delicate plants that may be struggling. And
even if you spot weed growth in the early stages, without employing some expert
lawn care techniques, it may be difficult to eradicate it on your own.
Depending on the ecosystem of your lawn, there may be several weed
control avenues worth exploring. Some common lawn care techniques such as
expert fertilization, aeration, and controlled sprays can all contribute to a
weed-free lawn. But the technique that suits your property best may not be the
same technique that suits your neighbor’s property. Requesting a weed control
consultation and discussing appropriate lawn care options is an excellent place
to start.
At Maier Tree and Lawn, we offer everything from weed spraying
to aeration. Cultivating a thriving Rochester, MN,
lawn that doesn’t allow for weed growth may not happen overnight, but with the
right techniques you can take a step toward a weed-free future. For weed
control options suited to your needs, call us today at (507) 286–8733 or contact us online for additional information.
Tags: Lawn Maintenance
Extreme heat, extreme cold, and during these last months of
summer, extreme storms are all part of the Minnesota living experience. For
Winona, MN, tree owners, such extreme weather can mean sudden, unexpected storm
damage that leaves their trees injured or damaged beyond repair. However, storm
damage doesn’t have to be a death sentence for any of your trees. With
effective first aid, tree health can be preserved even after storm damage
occurs. Maier Tree and Lawn’s tree health professionals can help you take
action and start your trees on their road to recovery.
Storm damage to your trees can come in many forms, ranging from
mild to severe. Sometimes hail and wind just knock some branches loose or shake
some leaves to the ground, but in more extreme cases, you may be dealing with
extensive tree injuries. Major damage to the tree trunk, large amounts of
snapped or loose branches, or even uprooting can be consequences of intense
weather. Yet, even if the damage looks deadly at first glance, you should know
that it’s always a good idea to request a tree health consultation for a
professional opinion. Depending on the type of tree in question and its
condition prior to the storm, the tree still may be salvaged and restored to
health.
Trees are more resilient than most people tend to realize. There
are, of course, conditions that render them more vulnerable, but once they are
grown and healthy, they can withstand a lot of what Mother Nature has to offer.
If your tree was healthy prior to a storm occurring, it will more likely bounce
back from minor storm damage. But it’s important to remember that without professional
expertise, trying to treat a storm damaged tree on your own can result in
further injuries to the tree—and maybe even yourself.
Minor tree injuries can sometimes heal without intervention, and
trimming or sawing when it’s not needed can cause a tree undue stress. Plus,
damaged trees can pose a physical hazard due to their heavy, unstable branches
falling or their risk of tipping. If any of your trees were injured during a
storm, our tree health professionals can help.
Our tree health experts examine each storm damaged tree,
determine the best course of action, and employ appropriate measures and first
aid in order to preserve the health of your trees for as long as possible.
First aid may include careful, precise trunk cutting; stabilization’ strategic
trimming; and more. But regardless of the steps needed, the health of your
trees and the safety of your property are our primary goals.
If you’re looking to save a tree on your property that has
sustained any amount of storm damage, contact Maier Tree and Lawn today.
Winona, MN, area residents invested in tree health and tree recoveries can call
us at (507) 454-7000 or contact us online for more information.
Tags: Tree Care
Maintaining a healthy ecosystem on your Rochester, MN, property
requires a healthy foundation. Effective plant healthcare is only possible when
the conditions of your yard are suited to consistent growth, and without proper
soil care, those vital conditions become much more difficult to realize. The
plant healthcare experts at Maier Tree and Lawn have the tools and knowledge to
help your plants thrive year-round with in-depth soil assessments and
treatments.
Great soil is truly the foundation of every great lawn and
healthy plant. Indeed, the quality and health of just about everything growing
on your property relies on the proper care of your soil. Soil care may feel
secondary to other types of plant healthcare, but if your soil is inadequately
cared for, your plants will have a much more difficult time putting down sturdy
roots. If the soil is packed too tightly, devoid of essential nutrients, or
otherwise unsuited to the plants you want to grow, you’ll likely run into gardening
difficulties.
Healthy soil is earth that provides the necessary groundwork for
the growth of all of your plants. Depending on the type of property you’re
managing, the components of its ground may change based on the time of year,
the types of plants you’re trying to grow, and how the soil was treated in the
past. All these factors mean that proper soil care varies from yard to yard.
Ultimately, proper soil care ensures that the plant healthcare process is never
impeded by unseen factors below the surface.
Plant healthcare means adjusting your care to the needs of the
plants in question. A professional consultation to develop a soil care plan my
include lawn aeration, tree root enhancement, and/or soil amendment and is the
first step in providing your landscape with solutions to growing in the urban
environment.
If you’re struggling with building a strong foundation for your Rochester, MN, lawn and plants, Maier Tree and Lawn can help. For soil care assistance, consultations, and maintenance plans, call us today at (507) 286–8733 or contact us online for more information.
Tags: Lawn Care Tips
The damage that lawn fungus can cause ranges from a minor
inconvenience to comprehensive devastation for lawns. Whether your Winona, MN, property
is commercial or residential, maintaining healthy and inviting turf makes a big
impact on the value and perception of your property. If left untreated, lawn
fungus can grow and flourish across the expanse of your lawn. At Maier Tree and
Lawn, our fungus control professionals can help you treat your property and
prevent lasting damage to your turf.
Lawn fungus can manifest in quite a few different forms. In some
cases, you may find yourself contending with unassuming dry patches, circles of
discolored grass, or oddly colored shapes and streaks, while in other cases,
you may even be able to spot webby mold or full-fledged mushroom circles. But
regardless of the form that it takes, lawn fungus can post a very real threat
to the health of your lawn. Without proper fungus control, lawn fungus can
spread and effectively kill an entire lawn.
Preventing fungus growth and turf diseases is in many ways just
an extension of proper turf care. Aeration and irrigation, proper fertilizing,
regular mowing and general turf maintenance may be enough to prevent quite a
few types of fungus. However, once a fungus has appeared, the method of
treatment should quickly shift to fungus control rather than general
maintenance. Depending on the fungus in question, its spread may be gradual,
but can be expedited by rain, mowing, wind, and more.
At Maier Tree and Lawn, our fungus control methods are fast and
effective in order to preserve the lasting health of your turf. Lawn fungus can
be resilient and stubborn, and if you don’t remove it completely, it can return
with a vengeance. With our expertly applied fungicides and careful mechanical
treatments, you can rest assured that your lawn will be rendered fungus-free in
short order.
If you’re in need of fungus control on your Winona, MN,
property, contact our lawn fungus experts today for additional information on
mitigation, lawn care, and complete fungus removal. Winona, MN, area residents
can call us at (507) 454-7000 or directly online.
Tags: Lawn Care Services
Like people, trees are susceptible to illness and disease. And
like human diseases, tree diseases can quickly spread from tree to tree. While
some trees manage to escape the worst of a disease, others prove more
vulnerable. Protecting your Winona, MN, trees from diseases requires a fair
amount of vigilance, especially if the disease in question is a fast-moving
fungal one such as oak wilt. Our tree disease experts at Maier Tree
and Lawn urge homeowners to keep their eyes peeled for signs of oak wilt so
that if it occurs our tree health experts can step in and ensure a full
recovery.
What trees are at risk for oak wilt?
As the disease’s name implies, oak trees are the primary targets
for this particular fungal strain. Red oaks are the most vulnerable, but white
oaks can also be afflicted with oak wilt. Depending on the species of oak, the
apparent symptoms may vary slightly or even quite significantly. Oak trees that
are growing close to each other may also be at risk of spreading oak wilt
depending on their underlying root structure. Staying on top of any visible
signs is especially vital if you have a tree grove or a lot of trees on your
property.
What are the signs of oak wilt?
Oak wilt is transported primarily via the internal water
transport systems of your trees. This means that it can spread very quickly and
lead to wilting and discoloration. The wilting can occur as quickly as in four
to five weeks. The tree’s leaves may turn brown or bronze starting from the
outside and then inward. The leaves may also begin to drop as the tree becomes
more ill.
What should you do if you spot symptoms
of oak wilt?
As soon as any symptoms are spotted, it’s important to act. Tree
diseases such as oak wilt kill thousands of trees a year, and depending on the
proximity and species of the trees on your property, it may spread rapidly among more than a single tree. Plus,
oak wilt can also be transmitted via insects, which means that homeowners
should not prune during the growing season. Immediately calling a tree disease
professional after identifying a symptom of oak wilt is the best way to protect
all of your trees.
If you’re concerned that an oak tree on your Winona, MN,
property has been impacted by oak wilt, call Maier Tree and Lawn today. Our
tree disease experts can help evaluate and treat your trees, no matter their current
condition. Call us at (507) 454-7000 or visit
our website
for more information.
Tags: Tree Disease