Maier Tree & Lawn News

There are probably plenty of reasons why you haven’t had that sick tree removed from your Winona, MN, lawn: lack of time, indecision on whom to contact, or perhaps, lingering attachment to the tree that has yet to completely die. But a dying tree isn’t necessarily a lost cause. Leaving it to its own devices may seem easier at first thought, but as more time passes, the potential risk factors that a dying tree poses can increase. And if a tree is lagging or is simply a little under the weather, ignoring those symptoms can seal the tree’s fate. Relying on the Maier Tree and Lawn tree care professionals to discern, diagnose, and treat your trees is the perfect way to help spruce up your trees and nurse them back into tip-top shape.

Expert tree care can accomplish several goals at once. Not only does it restore a healthy look to your yard, but it also helps ensure that your property is safe for visitors and family members alike. It can be difficult to tell at a glance, but sick trees may have interior decay and structural weaknesses, causing instability. Depending on how long the tree has been sick and its location on your property, it could also be a potential fire risk. Having your sick tree evaluated can alleviate those risks, including additional side effects that the sickness may be triggering.

Sick trees can also be something of an attraction for all manner of pests—burrowing, infesting, or roosting on the branches. Whatever is killing the tree in the first place may still be alive and thriving inside. This may encourage these types of unwelcome visitors to set their sights on the dying tree as well as other nearby trees and plants. Without intervention, pest and fungus infestations can spread fast when sick trees are in the equation. Tree care and mitigation can kill pests before they spread and potentially even give your tree a chance to bounce back.

Regardless of how long the tree in question has been sick, it’s important to remember that extensive tree care should not be attempted without the assistance of a professional. A professional consultation not only ensures that the sick tree is treated safely, but it’s also the perfect chance to get tips on how to keep your trees healthy and intact for as long as possible.

Even if you thought that sick tree was done for, there might be a chance that recovery is possible. Tree care professionals can evaluate the state of the tree and the potential risks it poses while considering options for possible recovery. Instead of allowing dying trees to dictate the overall health of your yard, contact the tree care professionals with Maier Tree and Lawn today. Winona, MN, area residents with tree care needs can call at (507) 454-7000 or visit our website here for additional information.

Keeping a lawn healthy year-round can be a bit of a struggle for Rochester, MN, area homeowners. There are a multitude of factors that go into well-maintained grass and turf, and sometimes long bouts of dry or excessively hot weather can leave your lawn looking wilted or a little worse for the wear. Spotting signs of health trouble for your grass is sometimes straightforward, but getting the treatment you need requires a little bit of know-how and enough concern to request a visit from the lawn care professionals with Maier Tree and Lawn.

One of the simplest visual indicators of lawn health is tied directly to color. The color of your grass likely goes through a variety of hues throughout the year, but sudden or drastic color shifts may be indicative of an underlying issue. Yellow patches, brown spots, or even unusual grayish hues can all be signs of poor grass health. Even one or two spots that appear dead or dying could be a precursor to a long-lasting, frustrating lawn care conundrum. Having a lawn care expert check out unexpected changes is a great way to prevent a small brown spot from becoming unmanageable.

Another indicator of problems that sometimes goes unnoticed is feel. This might be the blades of the grass feeling dry or brittle, certain patches feeling slimy to the touch, or it could be an odd, mushy spot in the soil that is signaling something amiss under the surface. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to go around petting your lawn to check for good grass health, but it also isn’t something to ignore when encountered. Following up on irregularities is a vital tenet of long-lasting lawn care.

And finally, a surge of visible insects on your lawn are a pretty obvious sign that you have a pest problem, but it might not always be that clear. Instead of seeing the perpetrators themselves, you might be faced with the results of their attraction to your lawn. Depending on the type of grass you keep and the time of year, the actual culprit can vary, but some of the side effects of a pest problem are fairly consistent: webbing, thin sections, patchy dead spots, and occasionally, chewed-down crowns. Any irregularities that look somewhat gnawed are worth an investigation as pests don’t always tend to stay in one place.

Signs of declining grass health can be treated best if they’re caught early. Follow up your Rochester, MN, area lawn care concerns with the experts at Maier Tree and Lawn. Our professionals can be contacted regarding any questions and concerns at (507) 286–8733. Residents can also visit our website here for details on how to schedule a lawn care checkup appointment.

Trees are fairly low maintenance when it comes to the wide world of gardening and yard care, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a certain level of technique required in order for your boughs to really flourish. Living in Rochester, MN, means dealing with harsh, rapidly changing weather, and for certain tree types, these conditions plus poor care can result in tree death. Sometimes, getting a little tree care advice from the professionals at Maier Tree and Lawn is all you need to help your Minnesota tree species grow up big and strong.

There are a wide variety of popular tree types in the Midwest, and getting good tree care advice is only possible if you know what you’re dealing with. Some trees with a long history flourishing in Minnesota can often be left to their own devices while other less common trees require a little more awareness. The success of your trees also depends on the age of the tree, the abundance of pests in your area, and any unexpected damage from storms and wind.

Tree care advice isn’t always universal, even among the same species. There is a lot of variation in a simple seeming designation such as elm. Elm trees include plenty of subtyping such as the Patriot Elm or the Cathedral Elm, and depending on what you’re growing, there may be minor subtleties in what tree care advice applies. Plus, the soil quality, how crowded your yard is, and the availability of water can also dictate whether or not a tree thrives. But even with this variety, tree owners can learn to spot trouble for all sorts of tree types with a little bit of training.

Wilting leaves, rotting trunks, discoloration, and significant foliage loss are all fairly universal warning signs that anyone interested in tree care can watch for. Sometimes these warning signs can be subtle, or they may manifest in different ways depending on the tree type. Regardless, in the event of these signs, contacting professionals for follow up tree care advice can help put your boughs on the road toward recovery.

If you are dealing with a specific tree health issue or would like tree care advice for any of the tree types that you have on your Rochester, MN, property, contact us today for more information. Call Maier Tree and Lawn at (507) 286–8733 or visit our website for hands on tree care advice.

Summer is the time for wild storms in Winona, MN, and that can be bad news for even the toughest trees on your lot. Storm damage has the potential to catastrophically injure trees in mere moments, and without some emergency tree first aid, you could be left with trees that just can’t survive the trauma.

Contacting Maier Tree and Lawn’s tree care experts is the best way to guarantee that your trees will get the care they need to make a full, post-storm recovery whenever possible.

Once the storm has passed and damage has become apparent, tree owners must resist the urge to jump into action. Hasty choices after tree trauma can lead to further damage very quickly. One of the most common mistakes is over-pruning. Not only is pruning after storm damage dangerous, it’s also very easy to go overboard and cause additional, undue stress to the tree.

Instead of trying to perform all aspects of emergency tree care on your own, contacting tree care professionals is usually the best way to be sure that you’re maintaining your own safety as well as the health of your tree. Storm damage teams will assist with debris removal, loose branch removal, and also help you conduct an expert tree care assessment.

Tree care professionals can inspect cuts and abrasions to judge if your tree might be susceptible to further damage. Though they seem simple on the surface, trees are concealing a complex structure beneath their outer layers. If certain parts of a tree are compromised, it could prevent the entire tree from receiving the vital nutrients that keep it alive. Plus, damage to the bark or trunk can leave trees vulnerable to infestations or other pests. Tree care experts can identify these risk facts and assist with mitigation wherever possible.

Ignoring storm damage is one of the worst mistakes you can make if you want to keep your trees healthy and flourishing. If your Winona, MN, trees have been impacted by storm damage, contact the tree care professionals at Maier Tree and Lawn immediately at (507) 454-7000 to discuss your options.

Oak wilt is a fungal tree disease that’s notorious in over 20 states in the U.S., including Minnesota. It’s fast moving, deadly, and can rapidly spread between oaks which makes it a frustrating opponent for oak owners. Once oak wilt appears, requesting Maier Tree and Lawn’s professional tree disease control services is essential to prevent it from spreading further. Rochester, MN, residents who are concerned that their oak trees have contracted oak wilt should watch for telling symptoms and be prepared to quickly request professional intervention as soon as possible.

The symptoms of oak wilt vary from species to species, but as the name indicates, wilting is a common sign of trouble. Specifically, rapid wilting starting from the top of the tree and moving steadily downward. Wilt is also accompanied by discoloration of leaves and bark and significant leaf death. For red oaks, this process is often swift and brutal. For white oaks, it may appear more gradual. Knowing what type of tree you’re dealing with can make oak wilt much simpler to identify.

Identifying oak wilt can also be difficult as some of the symptoms are similar to other common tree afflictions. For novice arborists, the signs can be mistaken for bur oak blight, certain borer infestations, or other types of common fungi. Depending upon how intense the summer heat is some may also mistake the wilting for dehydration or sun damage. The identification of oak wilt matters because treatment is only possible when tree disease control experts know what they’re treating.

Unfortunately, tree disease control is a process that isn’t always a find-it and fix-it situation. Tree diseases can spread quickly and be hard to identify without a trained eye, and sometimes the disease moves so quickly that containment becomes more vital than recovery. If your oaks are too sick to save, tree disease control professionals will instead be able to focus on preserving all of the other trees on your property. This process entails separating the root system of the affected tree from others nearby.

Thanks to the efforts of tree disease control experts, oak wilt isn’t always a death sentence for your trees. If you notice signs of oak wilt on your Rochester, MN, property, contact Maier Tree and Lawn for information on how to proceed at (507) 286–8733 or visit our website for additional information.

Spring has finally begun in Winona, MN – just in time for summer! That means lawns have finally emerged from their snowy prisons. The grass is greening in full force, which is great news for lawn care. But along with that grass may come a few unwelcomed weeds. Luckily, the weed control and lawn care services experts with Maier Tree and Lawn have the tools and know-how to keep your grass weed-free this spring so your lawn can flourish.

Though many “weeds” are simply local native types of vegetation, they can look messy, steal nutrients from healthy grass, and overtake a lawn when left unattended. Generally speaking, the word weed refers to any plant that grows where it isn’t wanted. Weeds are highly aggressive plants that are very interested in taking over as much of your lawn as they like. Because of this, weed control is an important part of any effective lawn care service. Leaving them to their own devices can cause trouble not only for your own lawn, but for the entire local ecosystem in your neighborhood.

Part of the lawn care process is deciding when, how, and how much to practice weed control. Too many chemicals, powders, and sprays can result in a patchy, damaged lawn. Too little too late, however, can trigger a nasty weed infestation. Making this judgment call on proper lawn care and weed control can be difficult for new and experienced homeowners. Weed control can be erratic and inconsistent, which is why a professional touch always comes in handy.

Weed control, when done by lawn care professionals, can often be bundled with other forms of lawn care to maximize the effectiveness of the weed control solution. A trained lawn care professional may also be able to assist with fertilizing, aeration, and seeding along with the weed control process. This way, each aspect of lawn care has a chance to do its job properly.

If your Winona, MN, area lawn needs weed control assistance or you’re interested in a weed control and lawn care service bundle, contact the lawn care professionals at Maier Tree and Lawn today at (507) 454-7000, or visit our website for more information!

Keeping a healthy lawn in Rochester, MN, takes a fair amount of attention and expertise. It’s not always as simple as misting a little water and leaving your grass to its own devices. Maier Tree and Lawn’s experts remind homeowners that healthy lawns come in contact with a plethora of outside influences whether they arrive via shoes, animals, wind, or other nearby lawns. Sometimes the result is some minor weed growth or physical damage, but in other cases, your healthy lawn might come in contact with a lawn pest. With a little bit of regular lawn maintenance, however, you can keep your lawn happy and in great shape regardless of what sort of pests your grass encounters.

There is significant variety in the world of pests. Minnesota alone is home to worms, beetles, grubs, and all manner of troublesome creepy-crawlies that can cause trouble for your turf. For instance, Japanese beetle grubs are one of the many potential pests that may pay you a visit. These pests eat grass down by the roots, preventing new blades from growing and killing healthy grass. They can create extensive brown spots and dead spots over time. Because these visitors can be tiny and hard to spot, you may have to keep your eyes peeled for those signs of damage in order to search them out. Part of your normal lawn maintenance process should include noting troubling spots and paying attention to how and if they degrade further.

If you notice discoloration, webbing, dead spots, or visible pest movement in your grass, you may need to consider incorporating pest removal options into your lawn maintenance routine. The nature of pests is that they don’t only cause damage, but also attract other creatures that reside above them on the food chain. Grubs, bugs, and mites attract mammals and birds who may peck or dig them out for food. This can cause additional damage to the root systems due to frequent intrusions and root trauma. Without lawn maintenance, your lawn could be pecked-away little by little.

Alternatively, lawn maintenance professionals can also assist you with pest mitigation tools and techniques. If you don’t want to wait until damage becomes apparent, you can request anti-pest lawn treatments from your local lawn maintenance professionals. Regardless of which option you choose, the only wrong choice is to ignore a lawn pest problem until it’s too late to save portions of your previously healthy lawn.

If your Rochester, MN, lawn is showing signs of pest problems, contact Maier Tree and Lawn for information on how to treat damaged lawns and fight back against lawn pests. Call us at (507) 286-8733 or by visiting our website here for additional info on our lawn maintenance services today!

Living in Rochester, MN, means that, at least for part of the year, you’ll be sharing space with a wide variety of insects. Sometimes this simply results in a few ants in the kitchen or some boxelders in the garage. A minor irritant and annoyance to you, but for your trees, there are bugs out there that pose a real and lethal threat.

At Maier Tree and Lawn, we take insect control seriously when it can put your trees at risk. Knowing how to identify signs of resident tree pests is a great way to ensure that your trees get the help they need before the damage becomes irreparable.

Tree pests come in all shapes and sizes, and the damage they are capable of varies just as widely. In some cases, you might just be dealing with a few webbed nests here and there. Tree pests are also capable of boring out trunks, devouring leaves, and infesting neighboring trees with the power of sheer numbers. Professional insect control can either eliminate the issue entirely, or, in especially severe cases, give your trees a fighting chance.

You may not always need the eyes of a professional to identify a tree pest problem. If you’re lucky, the tree pests will have left some type of obvious evidence of their existence. If you find yourself spotting chewed up leaves, excess webbing, trunk holes, or anything else that indicates your tree might have undesirable visitors, contact insect control specialists immediately. Catching tree pest infestations early is the best way to ensure they don’t spread to other nearby trees.

Now that spring has come, your Rochester, MN, trees are likely springing back into action. If you catch sight of a potential tree pest interfering with the spring blooming process, contact insect control experts immediately. At Maier Tree and Lawn, we offer expert tree pest knowledge and professional insect control services. Don’t let some little pests become the end of your otherwise healthy trees. Call us today at (507) 268-8733 or reach us by visiting our website.

Finally getting to spring is an arduous process for Winona, MN, residents. Often, the first thaw is quickly overthrown by the thousandth snowfall, and even moderate temperatures during the day can be followed by freezing temps overnight. Because of this, trying to judge when to start your lawn care when winter is still lingering can be a game of luck and an exercise in frustration. When it comes maintaining a healthy lawn, the lawn care professionals at Maier Tree and Lawn encourage homeowners to exercise patience, because managing your timing is the most important skill to master.

Acting too soon or too late can put unnecessary strain on an otherwise healthy lawn.

Watering is one of the simplest aspects of lawn care that’s the hardest to resist doing too early. Though it’s true that your lawn will likely need a little extra moisture heading into spring, watering too early can leave the water sitting on frozen ground instead of soaking into the soil. A great way to stress a healthy lawn after a tough winter is to turn it into a lake as soon as the temperature creeps above freezing.

It’s also important to remember that your lawn is likely coming out of its dormant state gradually. Treating it too aggressively right off the bat could cause side effects like growing delays. For instance, you should try to delay your lawn mowing until things perk up a little bit. If the grass is still dormant, frozen, or brittle, then mowing it won’t be doing it any favors. Once the growing season has begun, feel free to tackle your lawn with a bit more vigor.

It’s unlikely that you’ll kill your lawn if you make a minor misstep like watering or mowing a little early, but ensuring a healthy lawn year-round sometimes means easing off on the lawn care until your grass can fend for itself.

If you’re itching to do some lawn work or you’re worried about the state of your Winona, MN lawn, contact the lawn care professionals at Maier Tree and Lawn for a consultation or to set up a lawn care appointment. Call today at (507) 454-7000 or visit our website for healthy lawn tips and more information.

This spring was the season for flooding in Winona, MN. After significant snow melt and rainfall this spring, plenty of lawns have already seen excess water and even pooling. Unfortunately, for some Winona locals, this has put their grass at something of a disadvantage. If you’ve noticed signs of damage to your healthy grass this spring, the lawn care professionals with Maier Tree and Lawn can help you get your lawn back on track for every season.

While watering your lawn regularly is important, too much of a good thing can do significant damage to grass roots and soil. Like any plant, grass needs water and oxygen to survive. If it’s getting plenty of one but not enough of the other, this can lead to significant health issues or even death. Unfortunately, with the excessive melting this year, parts of your lawn may have already been subject to this type of over-watering.

Over-watering otherwise healthy grass can produce very visible problem areas. Puddling, of course, is a sign that too much water has been used. If your lawn looks like a kiddie pool, there’s a good chance those grass roots are at risk. Other signs include dead or brown spots, mold or fungus growth, excess weed growth, or pest problems. Water tends to draw all sorts of life forms that aren’t exactly conducive to healthy grass. If you’re getting constant visitors, you could be fostering an overly damp environment. Consulting a lawn care expert in the event of any of these symptoms is a great way to ensure your lawn doesn’t sustain irreversible damage.

Healthy grass aside, over-watering your lawn can be a major waste of time, water, and money. For homeowners invested in global conservation, reducing lawn watering can be a simple way to cut down on resources without risking the health of your grass or other plants. Even if you don’t live in a drought-prone area, saving water and conserving where you can is always a great way to contribute to a healthy local ecosystem.

The lawn care professionals with Maier Tree and Lawn are well versed in treating mistreated lawns. If weather or any other factor has damaged your healthy grass this spring in Winona, MN, contact our experts for assistance. Call today at (507) 454-7000 or visit our website here for more information.