Drought Stress

The northeast has had much less rainfall, in both amount and frequency, during the growing season in recent years. The resulting drought we are currently experiencing has a damaging impact on trees and other vegetation. While some smaller plants, like grass, show signs and symptoms right away, trees usually take longer, often taking a couple years to show stress.

In larger plants, like trees or shrubs, the fragile hairs on feeder roots that are closest to the surface in the soil are largely responsible for water uptake. They are also among the first affected by dry soil conditions. When this happens and root hairs die, the plant’s ability to absorb water is diminished. Water is a major component of the cells that make up a plant’s composition. It also helps transport and dissolve minerals the plant needs to form enzymes that help it grow and stay healthy. A lack of water directly affects a tree’s immune system and disease-fighting ability.

One of the main ways water is transported through a plant is through evaporation from the plant leaves, also known as transpiration. The water then cycles through the plant, down to the roots and back up. Any long-term disruption in the pattern of absorption will stress the plant out, eventually causing browning and leaf wilt. Plants also take in carbon dioxide for photosynthesis through the leaves, so any disturbance can result in less bud and leaf development. It can also cause a tree to shed leaves in a stress response.

Newly transplanted plants, particularly trees and shrubs, are most directly affected by a drought. They have already lost a portion of their roots for water absorption in the digging and transplanting process.

Recovery can sometimes take years for trees. All aspects of the tree’s growth are affected by water loss so repairing them can take a long time. Focusing on tree health, including infrequent deep watering, disease and insect control, and regular feeding, can greatly help a tree’s chance of staying healthy through a drought.

Ants Are Out!

The ants are marching one by one, by two, by four, ten, twenty… the warm and wet conditions are the perfect recipe for an ant infestation!

The heat and humidity create an ideal environment for colony growth and increased ant activity. Ant operations usually begin to appear on lawns and other surfaces in mid-May to early June. Ants prefer dry, well-drained soil, which makes excavating easier. Their tunneling can break and damage grass roots and increase the desiccation of the soil, thinning lawns while leaving dead patches and dirt mounds. Be on the lookout for ant signs- early intervention will result in better control. Call or email if you are interested in ant management!

Lawn damaged by ant colony

Fire Blight in Fruit Trees

Fire blight, bacterium Erwinia amylovora, is a destructive bacterial disease that attacks fruit bearing trees, largely apple, pear, and crabapple. It starts to manifest when trees begin active growth and when conditions are warm and moist. A watery liquid starts oozing from cankers, which are sores created by the bacteria in the previous year; this liquid is the bacteria spreading. Open flower to petal drop is when the tree is most susceptible to infection, causing damage that may be either localized or extensive, depending on the environmental conditions and plant health.

            The disease progresses from the end of the branch inward; dead fruit and leaves remain on the branch throughout the season, giving it the scorched look and the origin of the name “fire blight”. Infection can spread to the whole branch, trunk, and root system, eventually killing the whole plant. The splashing of rain, insect activity, and even honeybees pollinating can spread fire blight, which may be detrimental to an orchard over time. The pathogen responds to growing conditions. Unfortunately, high moisture and soil richness promote fire blight growth because the bacteria can spread faster in the plant when the host is healthy and happy.

When it spreads from the flower, fire blight streaks the wood under the bark with pink/red/orange tones (little flecks). This speckled appearance is a sign of the bacterial infection spreading in otherwise healthy-looking wood. The infection can be 2 or 3 feet away from the main damaged-looking wood, so when eradicating fire blight, be sure to check the wood color to confirm you are getting the extent of the contamination.

The best time to cut the diseased wood out is in the late summer or winter when the bacteria isn’t growing. It is recommended to sanitize your shears/saws in between cuts as well. Spraying a special bactericide will stop the spread of the fire blight bacteria, but the diseased wood still needs to be removed.