I get asked quite often , What the heck is going on with my tree? Sometimes I can figure out the problem right away , and other times it takes a while. A lot of times it involves looking at the leaves and seeing spots on them. That usually scares a lot of homeowners. Is it an insect ? Does it have a disease? Is the tree dying or in decline? There is a lot of reasons for a tree to get stressed any which one by itself is usually not enough to kill the tree or to affect it but a combination of factors could affect it quite dramatically. So diagnosing a tree's problems sometimes takes a bit of detective work. A big problem for me the Arborist is lack of information.
Obviously the tree cannot describe the problem to me. The history of the tree is very important. How long has the problem been going on? What were the early symptoms? Has there been any construction , excavation, or chemical treatments in the area? Careful diagnosis of tree problems requires a careful examination of possibilities by following a few important steps.
(1) It is important to accurately identify the specie. Knowing the identity of the plant can quickly limit the number of suspected causes.
(2) Look for a pattern of abnormality. An Arborist must first know what is normal for the Tree, for example when the Oak tree sheds its inner branches and they drop off then he will know that this is normal for Oaks to do this. We will also look at similar trees close by to compare with the specimen we are examining.
(3) Carefully examine the site. This could explain a lot if the grade has been changed has there been any changes to the soil , has there been any sprinkler lines added or if you live up north any de- icing salts added.
In Florida and particularly Pinellas and Pasco counties there is an outbreak at this time of a particular little pest called the Asian Scale and it is affecting mostly Sago palms, This little pest is small and white and it survives on feeding on the juice from the sago's. Here is a typical picture of a Sago palm heavily infected with this scale
Obviously the tree cannot describe the problem to me. The history of the tree is very important. How long has the problem been going on? What were the early symptoms? Has there been any construction , excavation, or chemical treatments in the area? Careful diagnosis of tree problems requires a careful examination of possibilities by following a few important steps.
(1) It is important to accurately identify the specie. Knowing the identity of the plant can quickly limit the number of suspected causes.
(2) Look for a pattern of abnormality. An Arborist must first know what is normal for the Tree, for example when the Oak tree sheds its inner branches and they drop off then he will know that this is normal for Oaks to do this. We will also look at similar trees close by to compare with the specimen we are examining.
(3) Carefully examine the site. This could explain a lot if the grade has been changed has there been any changes to the soil , has there been any sprinkler lines added or if you live up north any de- icing salts added.
In Florida and particularly Pinellas and Pasco counties there is an outbreak at this time of a particular little pest called the Asian Scale and it is affecting mostly Sago palms, This little pest is small and white and it survives on feeding on the juice from the sago's. Here is a typical picture of a Sago palm heavily infected with this scale
If your sago palm looks like this either on the trunk or on the underside of your fronds then there is a herbicide recommended by The University of Florida called Horticultural oil. You will want to treat the palm by weekly for a few months to rid your palm of this insect. Although this oil is an insecticide it is desired because it is very or not as harmful as other insecticides. Just remember to follow the instructions carefully. Trust me on this one.
Beechnut tree was called out just a few weeks ago to diagnose some dead Italian Cypress as I drove to the site I noticed the customers yard was a stone yard. I asked him how he kept the weeds out of his stones and he told me that he uses Round up. I informed him that the weed killer could have killed the Cypress tree's .
Another pest that I think you should know about especially if you have Pine Trees on your property This pest is called the Ipps Pine bark beetle it is very prevalent throughout Pasco and Pinellas counties it is a pest that is attracted to the smell the Pine tree puts off when it is stressed out. I cannot tell you how many pines I have removed due to this little pest. Here is a few pictures to inform you and show you what to look for. These pests start chewing on the pine and make small little blobs on the side of the trunk called pitch tubes and look like this.
Beechnut tree was called out just a few weeks ago to diagnose some dead Italian Cypress as I drove to the site I noticed the customers yard was a stone yard. I asked him how he kept the weeds out of his stones and he told me that he uses Round up. I informed him that the weed killer could have killed the Cypress tree's .
Another pest that I think you should know about especially if you have Pine Trees on your property This pest is called the Ipps Pine bark beetle it is very prevalent throughout Pasco and Pinellas counties it is a pest that is attracted to the smell the Pine tree puts off when it is stressed out. I cannot tell you how many pines I have removed due to this little pest. Here is a few pictures to inform you and show you what to look for. These pests start chewing on the pine and make small little blobs on the side of the trunk called pitch tubes and look like this.
And this is a picture of a dead pine on a persons property beside another pine that is not affected . There is nothing for you to do once the beetle infects the pine it is a certain death penalty. All you can do is call Beechnut tree to remove it. and lastly is a picture of the beetle itself, It is very small and hard to see but is a dangerous Killer just the same.
Another disease that is quite prevalent throughout Florida landscapes in the past few years is a disease called Sphaeropsis Knot or witches broom that is affecting Holly tree's around Pinellas and Pasco counties also . It is often fatal to the tree with no known cure. It is affecting mostly the East Palatka Holly specie for some reason , maybe because it is a cultivar? But it can be spread to other hollies if not removed . If you have a holly tree that looks like it is sparse and in decline then there is a good chance that it has this disease and should be removed immediately . Call Beechnut Tree for a free diagnosis and we can find out for sure. Here is a picture of a holly branch that I took that is affected by the disease. Notice the rips or tears along the branch . This and slight swelling of the branch areas is a sure sign.
These are but a few examples of all of the diseases and disorders of tree's and plants affected in Central Florida. Then you have the problems and stresses on trees and plants caused by Man himself so there are a wide variety of problems that are to be considered when diagnosing trees. Beechnut tree service can find out what is going on with your plants and trees and if by chance we cannot we have the resources to find out. So in closing there are a lot of things out there that can affect the health of your trees and palms and a Certified arborist will be able to tell you more than any one . We also offer free tree diagnosis for anyone within a 10mile radius of New port richey . Thank you for reading . if you have any questions feel free to contact me at www.beechnutree.com
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