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DISEASE ALERT – Beech Leaf Disease in Fairfield & Litchfield Counties, CT

Dark stripes on BLD-infected beech leaves viewed from below.

If your beech tree has dark lines on its leaves, it’s probably suffering from Beech Leaf Disease (BLD).

Since it was first discovered in Ohio in 2012, BLD has quickly spread to other states. Scientists from Connecticut’s Agricultural Experiment Station first verified Beech Leaf Disease near Stamford, Connecticut in 2019.

Beech Leaf Disease is now found on American beech (Fagus grandifolia) throughout Connecticut. Symptoms are most severe in Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, and New London Counties.

Learn the most up-to-date news about beech leaf disease in Connecticut, including:

How to recognize beech leaf disease,
Which types of beech tree this disease affects,
What causes BLD,
Treatment options (hint: there currently aren’t any),
Preventing beech leaf disease, and
What to do if you spot signs of beech leaf disease on your trees.

Not sure if you have beech trees on your property? Check this beech tree identification guide.

Dark, curling leaves are a symptom of beech leaf disease.

Dark, curling, and deformed leaves are a symptom of Beech Leaf Disease.

Symptoms of Beech Leaf Disease

While some aspects of Beech Leaf Disease may look similar to other tree problems, there are distinct symptoms that clearly identify the issue as BLD. If you notice any of the following symptoms, call a Certified Arborist for a tree inspection and diagnosis.

Dark stripes on leaves – Beech leaf disease is best identified by bands of dark green tissue between the leaf veins. Stand under your tree and look up at the tree canopy; if any bands are present on the leaves, they’ll be more easily seen that way.
Thicker leaves – Infected leaves (those with dark stripes) tend to become thicker and have a leather-like consistency.
Curling leaves – Beech tree leaves may also begin to curl as the disease progresses.
Stunted leaf buds – As new growth emerges in spring, the buds will be smaller and have a yellowish tinge.
Smaller leaves – New leaves on affected trees tend to be significantly smaller than the previous leaves.
Branch and tip dieback – Smaller branches start to die from the tip.
Canopy thinning – The striped, curling leaves will eventually drop, and fewer new leaves will grow. All of these things lead to the entire tree canopy appearing thinner and less dense.
Dying trees – Young trees typically die from beech leaf disease within two to five years of becoming infected. Larger trees may survive up to six years.

Beech Leaf Disease often spreads from the base of a tree’s crown to its top, but there is no consistent pattern.

You may see healthy leaves interspersed with mildly or severely diseased leaves on the same twig or branch anywhere on a beech tree. It can be hard to spot Beech Leaf Disease in a large tree’s crown if there are only a few scattered areas of leaf damage showing.

Symptoms observed in foliage this year are the result of an infection that started last year. In autumn, nematodes migrate from infected foliage into nearby buds, where they overwinter and reproduce. When buds start to grow in spring, they’re already damaged, leading to stunted growth and smaller leaves.

BLD Has Worsened in CT in 2022

Symptoms of BLD have been particularly severe this year. Many leaves didn’t sprout at all, and the leaves that did grow were so damaged that they almost look waterlogged. We’ve seen leaves starting to fall as early as June. What’s been especially shocking is the impact on large trees – some have just a quarter of the canopy they usually have.

Beech Bark Disease Makes Trees More Susceptible to BLD

Many older beech trees are already impacted by another serious disease, called beech bark disease.

This unusual disease is caused by a combination of a scale insect that feeds on beech trees and a native fungus that ultimately kills the tree. The insect wounds the bark while feeding, leaving an entry point for the fungus. Over time, the combination results in extensive areas of dead bark and eventually kills the tree.
Researchers believe that bark disease weakens beech trees and makes them more susceptible to severe effects caused by beech leaf disease.

Types of Beech Trees Affected by BLD

Beech leaf disease currently only affects beech trees, but it impacts all varieties, including:

American beech (Fagus grandifolia),
European beech (Fagus sylvatica), including the ornamental copper or purple beech, and
Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis).

According to the U.S. Forest Service’s inventory data (from January 2021), the American beech is the third most abundant tree species in Connecticut, after red maple and black birch. Beech trees are found in just over 40 percent of the state’s forested lands and researchers estimate that Connecticut has about 57 million beech trees in total. Given the high mortality rate of BLD-infected trees, we could be facing a huge die-off that will completely change the makeup of our native forests.

Dark stripes on beech leaves are signs of beech leaf disease.

Dark stripes on beech leaves are a sign of beech leaf disease. Image courtesy of Dr. Robert E. Marra, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.

Causes of Beech Leaf Disease

Beech leaf disease is caused by a foliar nematode (microscopic worm) called Litylenchus crenatae subsp. mccannii.

Researchers aren’t entirely certain how the nematode spreads, but it does travel on water. It’s possible that frequent or heavy rains allow the nematodes to spread more easily, leading to more widespread and severe effects the following year.

Beech Leaf Disease has been found on isolated islands, such as Fishers Island 2 miles off the Connecticut coast. As a result, scientists speculate that the nematodes may also be carried by birds.

Beech Leaf Disease Treatment Options

As of the writing of this article, there is no treatment for beech leaf disease. Different treatment methods are being tested but nothing has yet been proven effective.

The one option that shows some promise involves treatments with a phosphonate-based product. However, it’s not a matter of treating your beech tree once and thinking it’ll be protected. Because BLD is widespread in forests, the nematode that causes the disease will continuously affect landscape trees – even those that have received treatment. This means that controlling the disease on your property will require ongoing, long-term treatment.

The tree care professionals at Barts Tree Service are monitoring the news about this and other tree issues. We’ll keep you posted about any new BLD treatments and will offer treatments that have been proven effective as soon as they become available.

Call us to schedule an inspection and to learn the latest updates on beech leaf disease in the Fairfield County and Litchfield County areas.

Preventing Beech Leaf Disease

Until there is a proven treatment for beech leaf disease, your best bet is to focus on prevention.

Keep Your Trees Healthy

Pests and diseases are more likely to attack trees that are already stressed. Proper maintenance, watering, and pruning can all help to keep your beech trees healthy.

Adding organic mulch around your trees can also protect them. Plus, it will add nutrients to the soil, as long as the mulch is applied correctly.

Fertilization may also benefit any trees that need a little extra TLC.

Check Your Beech Trees Regularly

Periodically check your beech trees for any symptoms of beech leaf disease.

Beech trees can suffer from other issues, such as beech bark disease, so it’s important to promptly treat any destructive pests or diseases on your trees.

Contact Barts Tree Service

With the many tree pests and diseases prevalent in our area, it can be difficult to tell what’s affecting your trees.

That’s why we offer professional pest and disease diagnosis through our consultations and tree health management services.

Trees are a valuable resource and we want to help you keep yours healthy and strong!

Contact us today to request your professional tree evaluation.

How to Identify Beech Trees in Connecticut

Beech trees (botanical name Fagus) are one of the most commonly found trees in Connecticut’s native forests. These beautiful shade trees have lime green leaves and a dense canopy that gives the tree a rounded shape. In spring, beech trees produce small clusters of yellow-green flowers that are followed by beech tree fruit or beechnuts. In autumn, the leaves turn from green to beautiful autumn shades of orange, yellow, and golden brown.

There are 13 species of beech trees, most of which belong to the genus Fagus. The most common types of beech trees in Connecticut are:

the American beech tree (Fagus grandifolia) and
the European beech tree (Fagus sylvatica), including the ornamental copper or purple beech.

Beech trees are easy-care, versatile trees that thrive in a range of conditions, although they prefer rich, fertile soil with excellent drainage. As a beautiful landscape tree, beech tree varieties are relatively resistant to pests, disease, and deer.

This article will help you identify beech trees by looking at their size, leaves, flowers, fruit, and bark.

Beech trees in Connecticut are facing a deadly infection by Beech Leaf Disease. See if your tree has Beech Leaf Disease and what to do if it does.

How to Recognize a Beech Tree

Loss of Leaves in Winter

Beech trees are deciduous. They lose their leaves in the fall and grow new leaves in the spring.

Large Size

Beech trees are tall (they can grow up to 40 to 60 feet), with a dense, rounded crown of leaves.

Smooth Gray Bark

Beech tree bark is smooth and light gray. As the tree matures, the bark can become more rugged, depending on the type. Ridges that look like shallow horizontal cracks can develop on the trunk over time.

Leaf Shape & Color

Young beech leaves are light or lime green. They turn a glossy dark green in summer. In fall, the leaves turn orange, yellow, or brown.

The leaf shape is described as “ovate to elliptical” (a little like a cross between an oval and a diamond) with a pointed tip. Beech leaves can be 2 to 6 inches long and up to 4 inches wide.

Beach leaf veins run parallel to each other from one end of the leaf to the other. Leaf edges are ridged or toothed.

Beech trees tend to have a lot of leaves, which is why they make such great shade trees.

Young beech leaves emerging in spring.

Spring Flowers

Beech trees have spring flowers that appear after the new leaves emerge in spring. But don’t let the word “flowers” fool you; they’re actually yellowish-green catkins.

Autumn Beechnuts

Beech tree fruit, or beechnuts, are brown, triangular, and contained in spiky husks.

Tips for Protecting Trees from Hammock Harm

Is there anything better than lazing away a summer day in a hammock under the shade of two beautiful trees?

The only thing to complete that relaxing picture is making sure your trees don’t suffer for your enjoyment.

If your idealized vision of hammock surfing includes tying a rope between two trees, it’s time to rethink your tree-tying strategy. Tree damage is especially likely if you use a thin rope when setting up the hammock.

Rope ties can cut into the bark of even the sturdiest of trees, opening it up to attacks of insects and diseases. Ropes can also strangle or girdle the tree making it difficult for it to access water and necessary nutrients to remain healthy. When tying ropes to smaller tree trunks, you can weaken the tree so much it won’t be able to recover.

If you’re intent on doing some hammock-swinging this summer, make sure you have the right trees and gear.

Choose Your Trees Carefully

Some people joke about hanging the hammock on the smallest tree possible, just in case it falls on you. Others say to set the hammock to the height you could easily fall without hurting yourself.

But personal safety isn’t a laughing matter, so look for two mature, healthy trees with trunks that can support your weight. Trees should be standing about 12-15 feet apart. Be sure to look up to check for any dead or hanging branches. Then look down to see what will be underneath the hammock.

Use Tree Saver Straps

Instead of cloth or plastic rope, protect your trees with special tree saver straps that minimize tree damage. These wide straps (at least 1 inch wide) are made from nylon or polyester webbing that will go around each tree’s trunk. Because of the wide webbing, they’re designed to reduce tree girdling and prevent damage to the bark and underlying layers.

As an alternative to tree saver straps, you could pad the rope with rope covers or lengths of garden hose that keep the rope away from the bark.

Never pound nails, screw bolts or fasten any kind of attachment directly into the tree.

Hang the Hammock

Find the thickest part of the tree’s trunk, about 4 ½ feet from the ground and wrap the strap around the tree. Straps will have a loop or ring for looping around the tree until it’s snug. Use heavy-duty S-hooks to connect the hammock to the strap and repeat on the other tree.

For safety’s sake, make sure the lowest point of the hammock is about 18 inches off the ground.

If you plan to leave your hammock up all summer, be sure to check the straps every time you use it. Make sure they haven’t become overtightened on the tree or loosened in between use.

At the end of summer, remove the straps and hammock. Not only will that make your hammock last longer, it will avoid the problem of tight straps girdling the tree as it grows.

If you want to avoid damage to your trees altogether, enjoy a portable hammock on a stand instead of one that hangs. You’ll still get to swing in the shade, without putting any stress on your trees.

5 Best Spring Flowering Trees For Connecticut

Spring-flowering trees offer the biggest seasonal show of bountiful blooms. And after a cold dreary winter, it’s just what we need to get spring off to a great start.

Many trees that flower in spring are fragrant and feed pollinators, in addition to beautifying our Connecticut landscape. Plus, the best don’t just offer spring flowers – they’re multi-season powerhouses.

My top picks for the best spring-flowering trees are resilient, beautiful, easy to maintain, and just right for growing in Connecticut. They include regional natives, in addition to well-behaved non-native trees with impressive spring flowers.

Serviceberries

The remarkably hardy downy serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea, 15-25 feet) is a vase-shaped small tree that produces lots of fragrant, delicate white flowers that feed bees in mid-spring. The tough Connecticut native is tolerant of both partial shade and clay soils, in addition to being disease resistant. The spring flowers are followed by edible, tart-sweet, purple-red fruits that are favored by songbirds. Exceptional orange-red fall foliage and smooth gray bark extend its interest into fall and winter.

There are several downy serviceberry hybrids that are offer exceptional landscape performance. Two of the best are ‘Autumn Brilliance’ (20-25 feet), which offers brilliant red foliage in fall and ‘Forest Prince’ (20 feet), which has an oval shape and wonderful orange-red fall color.

Dogwoods

American dogwoods are fantastically beautiful Connecticut natives, but they are so prone to the deadly disease anthracnose that I generally don’t recommend them. One variety shown to stand up to anthracnose is ‘Appalachian Spring’, which has pretty, white, mid-spring flowers and eye-catching red fruits and foliage in fall.

A better choice for us here in Connecticut is the Korean dogwood (Cornus kousa), a popular landscape dogwood with spectacular late spring flowers. You’ll love its four seasons of interest and reliable disease resistance. The multi-stemmed, picturesque tree produces white or russet pink spring flowers followed by attractive, round, coral red fruits that mature in late summer. The fall leaves turn shades of red, orange, and purple, and its beautiful mottled bark adds winter interest.

Flowering Cherries

Weeping flowering cherries lend classic beauty to spring landscapes and some offer added landscape interest after the flowers have faded. The Weeping Extraordinaire™ Double Flowering Cherry (Prunus ‘Extrazam’, 20 feet) is vigorous and bears spectacular double pink blooms in early spring. In fall, its crisp green foliage turns burgundy.

A stellar, non-weeping flowering cherry is the Kwanzan cherry (Prunus ‘Kwanzan’, 20-30 feet). It has a broad, spreading habit, and offers a wealth of fully double, pink blooms in mid-spring. In fall, its leaves turn coppery shades and younger trees have attractive, peeling mahogany bark.

Crabapples

Crabapples lost favor with Connecticut homeowners because of chronic disease problems, but newer varieties are wonderfully disease resistant. The red-flowered Prairifire crabapple (Malus ‘Prairifire’, 15-20 feet), is a perfect example. High disease resistance, colorful spring flowers, and persistent red crabapples have made it a top-notch landscape tree.

Two more remarkably compact and disease resistant crabapples include the white-flowered, orange-fruited ‘Adirondack’ (Malus ‘Adirondack’, 12 feet), and dwarf, spreading ‘Tina’ (Malus sargentii ‘Tina’, 5 feet), which has fragrant white flowers and red fall fruits.

Redbud

Native redbuds (Cercis canadensis, 20-30 feet) look like puffs of reddish smoke when in bloom and pair beautifully with American dogwoods. Brilliant, bee-pollinated, purple-red flowers line the bare branches in mid-spring. The trees have an attractive, broad, branching structure and heart-shaped leaves that look pretty through summer. Two unique landscape varieties include the purple-leaved ‘Forest Pansy’ and chartreuse-leaved ‘Hearts of Gold’.

Before choosing the right spring-flowering tree for your Connecticut landscape, consider your yard’s space, light, and soil. Most spring-flowering trees perform best in full to partial sun and prefer well drained soils of average to good fertility. If you’re unsure, give us a call – we’re happy to take a look at your property and recommend appropriate trees for your location.

Once you’ve found the right spot, plant one or more of these beautiful spring-flowering trees to make your spring extra fragrant, colorful, and beautiful.

Trees Damaged By Winter Storms?

Some winters, storms cause tremendous damage to trees in the Danbury area and across Connecticut. Strong winds, ice buildup and heavy snow loads can snap branches and knock trees over.

What should you do if your tree has been damaged by a winter storm?

Assess the Damage

First, inspect the tree to evaluate the extent of storm damage.

If the damage is only minor, such as broken twigs and maybe one or two small branches, then there’s no need for immediate action. Wait until the storm has passed and major clean-up has been completed. At that point it will probably take only a little pruning to restore the tree to its normal shape.

Moderate damage to the tree usually involves larger broken branches. If they’ve fallen from the tree you can remove the debris (but look up first to make sure there’s nothing else hanging above you). Branches that are still hanging from the tree can be incredibly dangerous and should be tackled only by an arborist with the training and specialized equipment to do it safely.

More severe damage, such as a split crotch or trunk, or a downed tree, is always reason to call in the professionals. Keep in mind that if you know the tree is damaged, you’re liable for any damage (to people or property) caused by that tree or branch down the road, so dealing with it quickly is the best option.

If the tree poses an immediate danger, such as if it’s leaning on your house, call us right away.

WARNING – If the tree has hit a power line, do not go near it! Call the power company and a certified arborist right away.

Evaluate Your Options

A hanging branch like this poses a major safety hazard.

Once you’ve assessed the level of damage to your tree, you’ll need to decide what to do about it.

Minor damage requires little work to restore a tree to full health and beauty. But more extensive damage raises issues of cost, safety, appearance, value and long-term health of the tree. Not all damaged trees can be saved, and others probably should not be. A professional arborist can help you determine the best course of action for a damaged tree.

Some things a tree care professional will discuss with you when deciding whether or not to remove a damaged tree include:

How susceptible the tree species is to pests and disease
Whether the tree is nearing the end of its normal lifespan
How healthy the tree was before it was damaged
The role it plays in your landscape (e.g., shade, screening) and whether it’s still able to do that after the damage has been corrected
How vulnerable the tree will be to future storm damage and how much damage it would cause if it fails
Whether it has sentimental or historic value

Bring in the Professionals

Dealing with a storm-damaged tree is not a job for the weekend warrior. Stress loads cause the tree to react in unexpected and often dangerous ways, and simple tree removal techniques may not be appropriate.

Look for an ISA Certified Arborist with the training and specialized equipment to safely and efficiently remove trees that have been damaged or toppled by winter storms.

What To Do With Fallen Leaves

Each fall, some time in October, the leaves start to fall and homeowners are faced with the question of just what to do with all of those leaves.

Many people simply rake them out to the curb and let the city pick them up. Or they place them in paper bags for disposal. Some call their landscaper or tree care provider and ask them to remove the leaves (I’m sure you’ve heard the leaf blowers going!).

But here at Barts Tree Service, we believe there’s a better option for all those fallen leaves.

Leaves can be a valuable source of nutrients for your yard and a great soil conditioner. So, this year, either mow them in place on the lawn with a mulching mower (yes, leave them right there!) or follow these easy steps to create your own ‘black gold’ (otherwise known as leaf mold or leaf compost).

Step 1—Collect and shred the leaves. There are several easy options for gathering leaves:

Rake them up, place them in a large trash can, and shred with a string trimmer inserted into the can. Be sure to wear eye protection if you do this!
Rake them into a pile and mow over them with a mulching mower. If you have a bag attachment, this will make clean-up much easier.
Vacuum them with a leaf blower with a bag attachment. Your neighbors may not appreciate the noise (be aware that some neighborhoods prohibit the use of lawn blowers) but it’s an effective way to collect and shred leaves.

Step 2—Store the leaves. Place the shredded leaves in a pile, in an empty trash can, in a bin, in a large bag – anything that will hold them and prevent them from blowing around. The Compost Sak from Smart Pots works exceptionally well for this but you can also use a circle of chicken wire, wooden palettes or a compost bin. Add a little water to moisten the pile (but don’t turn it into a soggy mess).

And that’s it. Just leave the pile until spring and you’ll have a plentiful supply of leaf mold to use as a mulch or soil amendment. If you’re feeling energetic, you can turn the pile periodically over the winter to aerate it and speed up the decomposition process.

For more information about what to do with fallen leaves, check out Leave Leaves Alone. The website was developed by a group of Bedford, NY, residents, mostly Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners, concerned about the environmental pollution and destruction of soil properties caused by homeowners’ practice of blowing and raking leaves onto the streets for town pick up.

See also our Fall Tree Care Tips for more information on what to do this fall, as well as the 10 Best Trees for Fall Color in CT, and an explanation of why leaves change color in fall.

Fall is Ideal Tree Planting Time

Fall is a good time to plant most types of trees

Planting trees in the fall gives them a head start on establishing them selves before the ground freezes. Fall is the season when trees turn their energy to growing new roots, whereas springtime is the season for growing new foliage and twigs. Not to mention many nurseries are looking to clear out stock before winter and reduce prices.

Putting trees in the ground in fall allows the roots to become established before they are called upon the following spring to resume pumping water and nutrients up to the rapidly growing foliage. The more time the tree has to establish roots, the more quickly the tree will grow with vigor.

Select the Right Tree for the Right Location

I can’t stress this enough. Don’t try to fight Mother Nature and be aware of infrastructure impacts around your planting site. Help guarantee that your tree gets off to a good start and enjoys a healthy life by choosing the right tree for your yard. Consider the tree’s size when mature and requirements for nutrients and water,

It’s a good idea to do a soil test in the area in which you want to plant. A soil test provides invaluable information, such as the pH of the soil and its structure. Look at pin oak (Quercus palustris) for an example of soil impacts. This tree thrives in acidic conditions but will struggle in alkaline soil.

Dig the Correct Size Planting Hole

One of the most common mistakes we see with tree planting is the tree gets planted too deeply in a narrow hole, which causes the roots to grow in a circular pattern rather than venturing out into the surrounding soil and establishing a strong foothold. This creates two fatal scenarios: 1) Root girdling (circling) which kills the tree by strangling the flow on nutrients, and 2) Those trees that don’t get a good grip on native soil are prone to uprooting and failure.

The planting hole should be twice the width of the tree’s root ball, and the tree should come out 1/2-inch higher than the surrounding ground after planting.

Remove Protective Coverings

If your tree roots came wrapped in burlap or the trunk is covered with tape, remove all of this before planting. The roots will not penetrate the burlap or get through the wire mesh basket. And cord or twine tied around the tree trunk to keep the burlap in place will end up strangling your tree as it grows.

Provide Adequate Water

Keep irrigating your newly planted tree up until the soil freezes—even after all of the other trees in your yard have lost their leaves. Resume regular watering in the late winter when the ground thaws.

Mulch Your Newly-Planted Tree

Applying a layer of shredded bark to the soil preserves moisture and provides a protective layer for the roots. Place a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch 3 inches away from the base of the tree, going out to beyond the tree’s canopy. Do not over mulch!

Why is the Bark Falling Off My Ash Tree?

Ash blonding – Notice the lighter colored bark and the bark chunks at the base of the tree

Many area residents are noticing a strange phenomenon – the bark on ash trees is falling off in pieces, giving the trunk a blond appearance. Often, there are small pieces of bark on the ground at the base of the tree. And sometimes you’ll see woodpeckers feverishly pecking at the tree trunk.

What’s going on?

What you’re seeing is one of the more visible signs of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestation. Called “ash blonding”, it refers to the lighter color of the inner bark that becomes visible as the outer bark is removed by woodpeckers searching for borers under the bark.

What’s an Emerald Ash Borer?

EAB is the most devastating threat to Connecticut forests since Dutch elm disease and chestnut blight and far outpaces ash yellows as the leading cause of death for our ash trees. Ash trees across the state are dying at an alarming rate, with little sign of the infestation slowing down.

The emerald green insect itself is tiny – less than 0.5” long – but the borer (immature phase of the EAB lifecycle) does a lot of damage by feeding on the vessels that transport nutrients up and down the tree, cutting off the tree’s nutrient supply.

Emerald Ash Borer was confirmed in the Danbury area in 2016, with surrounding towns quickly following. The map below shows the prevalence of EAB across Connecticut in July of 2018.

How Can I Tell If My Ash Tree Has EAB?

There are several telltale signs of EAB infestation –

The tree canopy has few leaves and/or large dead areas
If you peel back the bark, you’ll see serpentine tunnels caused by borers feeding on the tissue
There are tiny D-shaped holes in the bark caused by the adult borers leaving the tree

As the infestation worsens, you may notice woodpeckers aggressively tearing at the bark. They’re trying to find the beetles (to turn them into a meal) and, in the process, are also removing pieces of the tree’s outer bark. As the lighter-colored inner bark starts to show through, the tree takes on a flecked appearance. Eventually, as more and more outer bark is removed, the tree trunk starts to look blond, rather than brown.

D-shaped hole in ash tree bark and eab galleries

Signs of EAB infestation include D-shaped exit holes (left) and serpentine galleries under the bark (right).

What Should I Do?

First, determine whether or not you have any ash trees on your property. If you’re unsure, give us a call at 203-240-1302 – we’ll be happy to identify and inspect the trees on your property.

If you have ash trees, examine them closely for signs of EAB infestation. This should be done by a Certified Arborist because early signs often appear high in the tree canopy and are easy to miss.

Depending on the condition of the tree, you have several options –

If the tree is healthy:

Preemptively cut down the tree to eliminate the chance of EAB infestation.
If you’d like to save the tree, have a professional treat it with a systemic insecticide. There are no over-the-counter treatments available to homeowners in Connecticut so the insecticide must be applied by a licensed arborist.

Doing nothing is NOT an option. It’s not a case of if the tree will be infected, but when.

If the tree is infested with EAB but has no more than 30% canopy dieback:

Have a licensed arborist apply a systemic insecticide to protect the tree from further damage. If the infestation is caught early enough, the tree can be treated and saved.
Remove the tree to avoid spreading EAB to neighboring trees or properties.

If the tree is heavily infested or dead:

Tree removal is the only option at this point.

Hint: Signs of ash blonding usually indicate that the tree is heavily infested and/or nearly dead.

Removing a tree that has died due to EAB infestation is a tricky job that can be extremely dangerous. Ash trees lose their structural integrity when they die, leaving them prone to unexpected and catastrophic failure.

This is NOT a DIY job! Only hire a Certified Arborist with the experience, skills and specialized equipment needed to safely remove a dead ash tree. And check their insurance papers to ensure that you and the tree crew are fully protected.

If you see signs of ash blonding on your trees, would like to preserve a healthy ash tree or need to have a dead ash tree removed, please call us at 203-240-1302.

You can also learn more about our Emerald Ash Borer Treatment Program.

Don’t Do This To Your Trees!

Nearly every day I drive by at least one property where there’s a tree that’s been topped. It makes me cringe every time. Yet tree topping is a practice that doesn’t seem to be going away – along with several other problems that I often see.

So I was happy to be interviewed by Total Landscape Care for an article titled “Arborists: Some common tree-care practices are ill-advised” where I was asked to describe some of the worst, yet common, tree care practices I see around the Danbury, CT area. While these are things you will often see done, it doesn’t mean that they’re the right things to do. In fact, many of these practices can kill your trees.

Here are some of the mistakes I regularly see.

Tree Topping

A topped tree is not only unsightly, it’s also unsafe and unhealthy.

Topping is the practice of drastically cutting back all of a tree’s larger branches at a random point to make them shorter. The result is a tree with large, stubby branches sticking out in all directions. The problem is that not only does it not look good (a coat rack comes to mind), it’s also harmful to the tree. Plus, in the long run, it will cost you more to care for – or even remove – the tree.

After topping, a tree quickly grows back to the same size (or even larger) but will have lost its natural shape and the new growth will be weaker and poorly attached to the trunk (making the tree more dangerous). Add to that the fact that the large, non-selective heading cuts made when topping the tree don’t heal well (leading to rot, disease, and insect infestations) and you have a recipe for disaster.

If you’re looking for ways to reduce the overall size of your tree, give us a call. There are special pruning techniques that can make the tree smaller without damaging it.

Mulch Volcanoes

Mulch volcanoes are NOT good

Just because poorly-informed landscapers persist in piling mulch around tree trunks doesn’t mean that you should too!

While mulch can be helpful in protecting trees from string trimmers and lawnmowers, can suppress weeds, and can help keep tree roots moist, over-mulching can suffocate tree roots and cause rot and fungal problems on the tree trunk. In fact, it’s become such a problem that it’s one of the leading causes of tree and shrub death in our area.

Please check out this article to learn more about using mulch correctly.

Planting Too Deep

It’s better to plant a tree in a hole that’s a little on the shallow side than it is to plant it too deeply. As with over-mulching, planting too deeply results in rot, fungal diseases, and suffocation. Trees planted this way will start to decline and will die within a few years.

To be sure a tree is planted at the right depth, make sure you can see the root flare above ground. That’s the part at the bottom of the tree trunk where it starts to widen out, just above the roots.

You can read our tree planting tips here.

Planting In a Small Hole

Trees need room to grow, and so does their root system. The planting hole should be at least two to three times as wide as the root ball to give roots space to grow. Digging a nice, deep hole that’s barely wider than the container or rootball will only serve to ensure the tree dies.

Leaving on the Burlap or Wire Basket

Many times when I’ve removed a smaller dead tree, I’ve found a wire basket or burlap sack wrapped around the roots. That’s the basket or burlap that the tree was in before it was planted, and it should’ve been removed before planting. When it’s left in place, or only partially removed, it prevents the tree’s roots from growing into the surrounding soil. As a result, the tree becomes unstable, cannot get the nutrients and water it needs, and eventually dies.

Please don’t let any of these problems happen to you! Hiring an ISA Certified Arborist will ensure that your trees are planted, pruned and maintained in the best way possible to keep them safe, healthy and beautiful for the long term.

Tornado Damage Slideshow

After Tuesday’s violent storm and tornadoes, trees and power lines are down across a large part of Connecticut. We’re seeing devastating damage in Brookfield and surrounding areas. Tree care companies from surrounding areas are coming in to help with the cleanup and we’re running flat out responding to emergencies.

For more details, see this clip from WSFB Channel 3 News – http://www.wfsb.com/story/38228064/brookfield-clean-up-continues-days-after-storm (you may notice the Barts truck and yellow spider lift in the background of several shots).

It’s understandable that people want to get trees off their house or car and cleared from driveways and roads as quickly as possible. We’ve seen people with chainsaws tackling fallen trees without wearing proper protective gear and without any understanding of how a tree under stress can react when cut. This is extremely dangerous work and should not be done by anyone other than a licensed tree care professional (preferably a Certified Arborist). Please do not try to cut a tree off your house, car or any other structure. It may take a few days for a licensed arborist to get to your property but a few days wait is better than a potentially deadly accident.

Below is a slideshow of some of the work we’ve been doing.