Trees are an essential part of landscaping for many of us and a costly one at that. After putting time, effort and funds into beautifying our landscape with trees, it would be devastating to see them destroyed by disease and insects. So, how do we protect our leafy friends? The key to protecting our trees is of course, prevention.

Be sure to plant trees that are a good idea for your location and resistant to the common disease and insect infestations for that area. Also, know that most disease and insects will take advantage of trees under stress. Just as disease can attack a person with a weak immune system, so it is with the trees. So, just as you need to eat healthy and take in plenty of water, make sure your trees are being properly watered, mulched and pruned to prevent outbreaks.

Diseases:

Powdery Mildew is a disease that makes your plants look as though they’ve been sprinkled with powder. Powdery Mildew is often found on Crabapple trees, Dogwoods, English Oak and catalpa trees. Generally, older leaves are attacked first. If a new shoot is attacked, you’ll notice leaf curling and shoot twisting. Powdery mildew can make your plants/trees look less beautiful but it won’t usually kill your trees. To prevent it, make sure there’s never standing water on the leaves for long periods of time. Water early in the day and make sure your tree is getting plenty of sunlight and air circulation.

Leaf Spots such as tar spot and frogeye, can cause homeowners worry but usually do minimal damage. Rarely are fungicides necessary. These diseases like to winter on fallen leaves and then re-infect trees in the Spring. The best protection for fungal leaf spots is to rake up leaves and remove them from the area.

Insects:

Chewing insects eat your tree’s leaves. Examples are cankerworm, tent caterpillar, gypsy moth, leaf miners and Japanese beetles. Trees usually bounce back from these kinds of intruders but if they’re continually being attacked, these bugs can eventually kill your them.

Boring insects tunnel into the stem, roots or twigs of a tree. Sometimes offspring from the eggs of these insects burrow even deeper into the tree cutting off the tree’s water conducting tissues.  In the case of serious infestations, the upper leaves can be starved to death and your tree can die. Keep an eye out for entry and exit holes in the bark, mounds of saw dust around the base of the tree and branch wilting and dying.

Sucking insects such as scales, do their dirty work by sucking the liquid from leaves and twigs. If you see scaly formations on branches, leaf dieback and sticky sweet secretions, suspect these guys. Aphids are also of this group of insects.

The best thing to do is to keep a watchful eye on your trees and plants especially during growing season. Note any changes as early detection can be treated best.

Just because it’s not Spring and Summer anymore doesn’t mean your landscape doesn’t need any attention. Show your property some love during the winter too with these helpful tips. Your landscape will say thank you by showing it’s truest beauty because you give it it’s best chance for health and survival.

Winter Tips:

1) If you have less hardy plants in exposed areas, put burlap windscreens around them. Also look into having a pro apply anti-desiccants.

2) Use a broom to gently brush snow away from Evergreen trees, IF they’re on the brink of snapping and breaking under the weight.

3) If limbs of trees do break due to the weight of snow or ice, have them removed as soon as weather permits. Why? Because broken limbs are prone to disease.

4) To avoid damaging the edge of your lawn when shoveling or plowing snow, place markers at the edge of your lawn and driveway ahead of time.

5) Avoid walking on snow covered or frosted lawns.

6) Remember, salt as a de-icing method could ruin your plants, grass, perennials and shrubs when it runs off of sidewalks and walkways. If you’re sure your landscaped areas are safe from run-off, salt away. Otherwise, use non salt de-ices that wont damage your landscape or prevent them from absorbing much needed water.

7) During periods of thawing check to see if any perennials have heaved up out of the ground. If they have, gently push them back down and add some mulch.

8) During this time of year, trees are dormant making it the ideal time to perform prescriptive structural pruning and remove dead wood.

Should you have any additional questions, special cases or concerns for your winter landscape care in this area, simply contact us  today!

Adding flare to your landscape adds curb appeal and increases your home’s value. Most things can be done yourself, but when it gets too complicated, hire a pro. It’s no longer budget friendly when it takes too long because you’re tired and stressed about it and because you have to go back and fix things you rushed through due to exhaustion. Sometimes saving money means knowing when to go pro. Here are some basic tips to increase property value through landscaping on a budget.

1) Aim for a multiyear project. If your yard needs a complete over haul, consider doing it in steps and realize it won’t be completed for a few years.

2) Plant to save energy and MONEY! By planting evergreens on the north side of your home and leafy ones on the south, you’ll block Winter winds and Summer sun. You can cut as much as 25% off your heating and cooling bill simply by properly positioning your trees!

3) Buy expensive items in the Fall as prices are always higher in the Spring and Summer.

Read more: 

• Should I Use Masonry or Wood for My Fence?

4) Learn to love mulch as it holds moisture and keeps weeds at bay. It also adds detail to your flower beds and gives your landscaping a finished and polished look without a lot of money.

5) Consider a good annual such as begonias. Begonias are “everybody’s plant”. They really perform as the life of the party in any landscape which is why they’re the most often used annual.

6) Consider a good perennial. Perennials are nice and budget friendly as they last more than one year.

The right landscaping really does increase property value by 7%-14%. That’s a considerable increase. You could even take up your landscaping project as a new hobby and obtain green thumbs! What better way to pass your time and gain a new skill than one that also increases your property value!

First of all, it should be stated that removing a tree is a big decision and should be considered carefully as once a tree is removed, it can take years and even decades to replace it. One might choose to remove a dead or dying tree due to the tree’s health, safety reasons or aesthetic purposes. However, occasionally live trees may be removed due to interference with other trees, buildings, or utility wires. Whatever the reason, don’t make choice lightly and take care of the removal properly. Also keep in mind, that removing trees can affect more than your property especially near a property line. To avoid legal action, make sure that there is good communication with all involved.

Tree removal doesn’t have to be as daunting as it seems. There are seven steps for removing trees of reasonable size, such as a diameter of about ten inches and height of 20 feet or so. These seven steps would also assume that the tree is on fairly level ground. If your property is on a bluff or shoreline, keep in mind, that root systems are different in these areas, and you may want to contact a professional. You will definitely want to call a professional for trees larger than the aforementioned.

1-2-3-4-5-6-7….TIIIMBEERRR!!!!!!!!

1) Check the surrounding area for interferences as obstacles. This may include other trees, your prize rose bushes, your cherry red convertible, over head wires or a fence.

2) Stand back, tilt your head, and stroke your chin as you studiously observe which way the tree is leaning. The best fall would be its natural angle of growth. Check the tree for safety hazards such as dead or hanging branches. Check the trunk for wounds. If there are wounds present, it may mean the tree is hollow or rotten. If you suspect a tree may be hollow or rotten, you will want to call a professional as this changes the direction the tree may fall and put you and others in danger.

3) Establish two escape routes once the tree is falling. One leading from each direction of the expected fall line.

4)Grab a hand saw or chain saw and UNDERCUT. You want a 90 degree V shaped notch cut into the side of the tree to serve as a guide or aim slot for the tree in the direction you want it to fall. Make this cut about one fourth of the tree’s diameter in depth. Even if a tree is skinny(small diameter) do not cut all the way through. It won’t fall the way you want it to. Do your undercut.

5) On the opposite side, about two inches higher than the hinge part of your under cut, do your BACKCUT. This is what will release the stress on the tree, allowing it to fall. NEVER make the backcut lower than the undercut or the tree will fall in the opposite direction. Also NEVER cut through the undercut or you will lose control of the tree. Additionally, it should be noted that especially sappy trees can clog up your chain saw causing your saw to kick back and cause you injury.

6)Once your tree starts to fall, take off down your chosen escape path. Do NOT stand there admiring your amazing tree cutting abilities as trees can bounce over the stump.

7) You’re now ready for LIMBING. Start removing the branches from bottom to top, working from the side opposite you. If you are on a slope, do not stand downside of the tree. FOLLOW STEP SEVEN EXACTLY for your protection.

Once you have a bare log, cut into lengths of about 24 inches for fire wood or bundle as dictated by your local collection bylaw.

Not ready to do this yourself? Call the experts at CPL Landscape and Tree. We know how to do this the easy and hassle-free way/. Call us for a free estimate on your tree removal for  Delaware County PA.

Trees do so much for us. They clean the air, provide shade, add beauty to our property and no one can dispute the sweet sound that is wind blowing through their leaves and branches on a breezy or even stormy day. Trees contribute not only to the atmosphere of our property but also to the environment in general. It’s important to know how to properly care for these important assets to ensure their longevity for generations to come.

Residents in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania know the value of trees and depend on experts like CPL Property and Tree to properly prune and care for these beauties of nature. Tree pruning and trimming is not an option. If you want to take care of your trees, it is essential and it is equally essential that it’s done right. Tree trimming and pruning done right can even cause trees to sustain severe permanent damage that causes them to die sooner. This is why many like to hire people with experience and expertise to get the job done right the first time.

Pruning is the most common and essential part of tree care. Sure, trees in the woods and forest flourish just fine on nature alone, but landscape trees require a higher level of care for their health and beauty. It’s important for the pruner to understand how a tree responds to each cut to avoid damage that can shorten a tree’s lifespan.

Each cut has the potential to change the growth of a tree. Therefore, no branch should ever be removed without a reason. Reasons to prune include: dead branches, crowded or rubbing limbs, and hazard elimination. You may also prune a tree to increase light and air penetration to the inside of the tree’s crown.  Mature trees are often pruned as a corrective or preventative measure.

For people and trees to coexist in urban or suburban harmony, it’s important to know when and how to prune. It’s for our safety as well as the tree’s.

Spring is usually the time most people attack major yard and landscaping projects. However, Fall is also the perfect time to work on landscaping. Fall is a great time for planting because after you get a few frosts, the plants go dormant, but soils can still be warm enough to get some root growth. THEN, when summer comes, your young plants are a little hardier and ready to take on a harsh Summer.

Fall is ideal for planting bare-root plants and some types of roses and perennials. Perennials that you order by mail come without soil. You should soak them in water for 24 hours and then plant them.

There are two ways to plant in the Fall. They’re the traditional ways of the balled-and-burlapped method and planting from containers. The balled-and-burlapped method is where nurseries dig the plant out of the field and transplant it during the dormant season. During this process, 90% of the roots are removed and this causes stress. This method has been used for hundreds of years and it works well, but YOU MUST plant during the dormant season due to the stress placed on the plant or tree.

Good trees to plant in the Fall include: overcup oak, Chinese pistach, Chinese fringe tree and Cherokee brave. When planting trees in the Fall, remember to dig wide and not necessarily deep. Also, it is recommended that you do a soil test before planting to see if you need to add any lime to amend the soil.

For more information on planting trees or doing a soil test, contact CPL Property and Tree.

Pruning a tree revitalizes its energy and makes it want to produce either better flowers, fruit or foliage. Letting a tree go creates sucker shoots and shabby appearances. Fruit trees usually benefit the most from pruning since you can train the tree and teach it to provide the best fruit from the nearest branches. But all trees should be pruned if there in your landscaping or you plan on maintaining them.

The best time to prune trees and shrubs is after the leaves fall off and during the winter before any new buds and leaves appear. It’s best to wait until all the leaves have fallen off which is typically later into winter or late fall. Pruning too early can actually harm your trees so procrastinate a little bit and take your time. Time is also a factor when it comes to actual pruning; it’s not something that should be done in 5 or 10 minutes before you run out for the evening. Pruning should take some time and be intentional about which branches to prune. Think about the overall health of the tree or plant and how you want it to grow.

If you prune too early, the wounds created by pruning can close more slowly and then the plant or the tree is at risk for diseases. Pruning always stimulates new growth and if this is done too early the tree or shrub have little time to harden before cold weather sets in.

But what if you need to remove the tree altogether?

If the tree is either dead, diseased or has damaged would it should be removed as soon as possible for tree health and your safety. Dead trees or those with rotten centers are prone to falling over during winds and with high branches or large limbs, it can certainly be a hazard if the tree is rotting from the inside out.

If you’re wondering whether pruning your tree or removing it altogether is the best option for you call our offices today. We can offer you a free consultation or on-site examination of your trees or shrubs that need to either be completely cleared, trimmed or just pruned.

I had a north facing lawn behind my house where the grass was reluctant to grow.  Feeding and aerating it did not help it.  Adding soil additives didn’t work.  Then I added 3 growing kids that played hard in the back yard which made it even worse.  The final straw was in adding a large dog the grass became scarce and the mud expanded. 

Final I decided I was tired of the mud being tracked into the house so I decided to put in a patio.  First, questions about what did our family want and need for the area needed to be answered.  We wanted to be able to put a copper fire “pit,” table, and chairs.  We wanted to cover the area that the grass was not growing so no more mud to be tracked into the house.  We wanted the 12 inch x 12 inch paver stones to have some kind of interesting design.  More cost effective.  We made a plan to fill a 20 by 12 for the area with grey and red pavers.  This area would have two parts a 12 by 14 area for the table and then a 10 by 10 area for the fire.  There would be a little bit of combining so it still fit in the 12 by 20 and not be a boring 12 by 20 rectangle.  The grey and red paver would help define each area.

Now it was time to have my family get out shovels and as a family, we tried to dig out the area so we could put sand down and put down 12 by 12 paver stones.  In the digging out of the area, we found plywood and a large sheet of construction plastic.  It was no wonder that the grass never grew well in the area due to having no area for a root system to grow.  Then as we dug down a little, further we hit clay!  It might have well been cement.  Water doesn’t go through this layer well, the grass roots can’t make it through this layer, and the layer of “good soil” on top had only been 2 inches thick with construction garbage.  The grass had no hope!

After digging as much as we could to get a level area for our new patio area we brought in sand.  Not owning a truck makes this difficult, but paying for less than 3 cubic yards of sand to be delivered cost over $200.  I drove my town and country with 3 recycle bins in the back and 4 plastic lined bins in the middle area.  I took out the captain’s chairs to make room in the middle area.  Two trips later, we had enough sand for the project.  It cost 10 and gas for each trip.  Saved myself at least $170!

We spread out the sand.  Then we laid a 4 by 4 piece of plywood down on the sand, jumped on it to level, and flatten the area, a 200 lb football-playing teenager helped with this part.  We used that same piece of plywood, holding it up and using one of its ends, to pull any high spots away from where we were laying the paver stones.

Even though the pavers were heavy, my kids enjoyed helping layout the pavers following the design.  The final project looks great.  We roast marshmallow over the fire and eat dinner outside on our new patio.  There is less mud coming into the house now!  We all have a great since of accomplishment.  Not every one has good helpers like mine so if you need help on your next project idea look up a lawn care & landscaping company to help. Guest Blog by Tammy Eichenberger

For more ideas and help for your property needs visit:

http://www.cpllandsapeandtree.com

If you’re working with a small space but would still like to have either fresh vegetables and herbs or flowers close at hand you might consider opting for over the railing Planters or flower boxes. These were really affordable at an outdoor gardening store and they fit on two different sizes of railings.

If you don’t want to discolor your patio or take up space on a smaller deck these are an ideal way to add color or fresh veggies and herbs to your deck so that they are within easy reach. We filled a few of these with herbs and let us that they can be easily

transferred out for year-round flowers or foliage. The bottoms have draining holes and due to the design of the box, it lends for easy drainage. Also, due to the shape of the box, these are not that heavy to tote around so if you want to slide them up and down your railings or remove them and repot them, it’s fairly easy.

Something to keep in mind with planters that either fit on your railing or just sit on your deck, which these could do both, is to move them around if you don’t want the sunshine to discolor part of the deck and not the rest. Any type of shade on a deck can alter the color of the wood over time.

Read: Perennial Gardens Make for Long-Lasting Health

Whether you’re just trying to save space or add to your gardening with additional patio containers, these railing boxes make an ideal an attractive addition to your front war back deck.

Give me a call if you’re interested in learning more about container gardening, landscaping or lawn care anywhere in Havertown, Springfield, or Drexel Hill Pennsylvania.

Your Professional Landscape and Tree Service for Delaware County PA

For great landscaping tips, ideas and layouts call us today. We offer tree trimming and topping services, full landscaping and lawn or yard maintenance and affordable lawn and tree care. Call Us: 484.433.1788

Four Classes of Pruning

The association has established four classes of pruning.

The first is fine pruning. This consists of small, premium cutting that improves a tree’s aesthetics.

The second is standard pruning. This involves slightly heavier cutting more devoted to enhancing the tree’s branch structure.

The third is hazard pruning, which is recommended when there are safety considerations. This usually involves the removal of branches two inches or greater in diameter.

The fourth is crown reduction pruning. This involves the reduction of the tops and sides of a tree. Major branches are usually removed. This pruning should only be done when there is storm damage, significant dieback or when branches are interfering with utility lines.

Your Professional Landscape and Tree Service for Delaware County PA

For great landscaping tips, ideas and layouts call us today. We offer tree trimming and topping services, full landscaping and lawn or yard maintenance and affordable lawn and tree care. Call Us: 484.433.1788