Remove Dead Trees: Keep Your Family Safe 

In Pennsylvania, you can find several species of trees that add diversity and beauty to our landscape. However, similar to people and animals, trees are living organisms that are vulnerable to acquiring disease. There are a number of different fungi specific to the Northeast that are responsible for causing tree decay. Fortunately, fungal disease progresses at a slow rate. This window may afford you the time that is necessary to properly identify the infection and exercise the appropriate action against it.

Not all tree diseases are the same and symptoms may be difficult to identify at first. However, once you have determined what is infecting your tree, there is a good chance it can be saved if the disease is stopped in time. If your tree is showing severe signs of decay, work with a professional who can treat the tree or remove it from your property safely.

4 Signs Your Tree is Dying  

If you are fortunate enough to have trees on your property, you already know how beneficial they can be. Trees are not only beautiful but they are an excellent source of shade, help keep the air clean, increase property value, and more. Unfortunately, due to age, wear from the elements, or disease, trees may require removal before they become a safety risk. Before you determine how to proceed, here are a few signs you can look for that may indicate your tree is dying and must be removed:

1. Trunk Damage: The surface of your tree trunk can tell you a lot about its overall health. If you notice any seams, vertical cracks, or old wounds on the bark, it may signal internal decay. Over time, a tree may lose its bark. If regrowth does not occur, this may indicate that your tree is in poor condition. Furthermore, severe damage that covers the majority of your tree may result in its need for immediate removal. Alternately, if the damage only covers less than 25% of the tree, you may choose to wait and see if the wound gradually heals on its own.
2. Root Damage: Determining the health of your tree roots may be difficult to identify since the roots are buried underneath the ground. However, if you notice that your tree is leaning towards one side or see small branches growing from the base, it may be the result of a root infection. New construction, a shallow root system, or exposure to natural elements can all take its toll on tree roots.
3. Dead Branches: If you notice that your tree branches are not growing leaves during a time of year when they should, this may be a strong indicator that your tree is dying. Also, exercise extra caution if all dead branches are on one side of the tree. These could be a symptom of root or trunk issues and should be removed by an arborist immediately.
4. Fungus Growth: Fungus that is growing around the base of your tree may not always signal a problem. However, fungus growing on the tree suggests internal rot. Unfortunately, this means that your tree may already be dead or is dying beyond the fungus.

Choose an experienced landscaping and tree service company for all your outdoor care needs. Call Sabia Landscaping & Tree Services Inc at (215) 822-3886 today or contact us using our online form and we will be in touch with you soon. 

The emerald ash borer species is not only found in Pennsylvania’s forested lands. Ash trees on your property are also vulnerable to these beetles since this wood is their main food source. Luckily, there are several precautions you can take to help protect your trees and prevent the spread of these pests:

• Use Insecticide: Head to your local garden center and purchase the right insecticide. For best results, use on small-sized ash trees and ideally before an infection has occurred. Always read the label first and avoid using in porous soils, or when rain is forecasted within 24 hours. Furthermore, insecticides should not be applied to the soil near ponds, lakes, or streams.
• Quarantine Infected Areas: Help prevent the spread of infection by keeping infected wood out of non-infested areas. Work with an arborist to safely and professionally remove the damaged trees off your property. Research indicates that adult emerald ash borers can fly up to 6 miles but it does not typically stray from its immediate area.
• Contact a Landscape and Tree Professional: Larger ash trees with more than a 47-inch trunk circumference should be treated by a professional right away. Specialists have access to insecticides with higher concentrations and specialized application tools.

Choose an efficient and experienced landscaping and tree service company for all your outdoor needs. Call Sabia Landscaping & Tree Services Inc at (215) 822-3886 today or contact us using our online form and we will be in touch with you soon.

How a Beetle Infestation is Changing Pennsylvania’s Landscape

Ash trees are disappearing from Pennsylvania’s landscape and it turns out a beetle infestation is to blame. While some may argue that they lack the aesthetic value of a maple or hemlock tree, ash trees are highly valued for their timber. The wood is strong and of moderate weight, an ideal material for tools and sports equipment. The loss of these trees not only impacts the economy but it brings up a major ecological concern for the surrounding area, specifically along streams and in residential areas.

Healthy trees can grow up to 80 feet and live for more than 100 years, however, the emerald ash borer threatens to wipe out their existence. Today, as many as 100 million ash trees have been destroyed by these tiny metallic green insects and that number is expected to grow in the coming years. Fortunately, researchers have discovered a genetic-based resistance that could help save the trees in the future. For now, treatment is administered as an injection every 2 years to preserve the landscape and save Pennsylvania’s native ash trees.

Choose an efficient and experienced landscaping and tree service company for all your outdoor needs. Call Sabia Landscaping & Tree Services Inc at (215) 822-3886 today or contact us using our online form and we will be in touch with you soon.

The biggest mistake the average homeowner makes when buying a home or owning a home is that they don’t look up! Every once in a while when you are out working in your yard, whether it’s cutting your grass or pulling weeds, look up at your trees. A lot of people don’t realize that trees and landscaping add value to your property and help cool down your home in the summer. Knowing what to look for when looking at your trees is important. You could avoid falling trees and branches that could damage your house or even a person.

Three reasons why pruning a tree in the winter is the best time to do so:

1. The biological reason is the fact that in the winter trees go dormant. This means the growth cycle, development and physical activity are temporarily stopped. This helps the tree over the winter to conserve energy for the spring. The tree slows down the uptake of sugar to the leaves to produce photosynthesis. Pruning a tree in growing season tends to make the tree bleed sap from the fresh cut. When you prune in the winter the tree heals faster because all the energy can go towards the healing process and not to the process of photosynthesis and other activities going on in the tree during growing season.
2. There are physical reasons why to prune in the winter as well. When you prune a tree in the growing months, it’s like having an open wound. You are making an entrance for insects, bacterial and fungal problems. In the winter there isn’t as much insect, bacteria or fungus problems that time of the year. Freshly cut trees also emit an odor that attract bugs and insects that can cause diseases like “oak wilt” which often times can kill the tree. There is also a better chance of not spreading diseases like stem canker or fire blight by pruning in the winter.

The crown of a tree has much vulnerability to weakness. Their strength is put to the test during storms with whipping winds, and the weight of ice and snow or those combined. It is important to take preventative measures by pruning your tree correctly before the winter hits considering that more catastrophic breakage can occur during the season.

There are many diseases that trees are susceptible to. Disease-causing fungus, however, is the most incurable. Given the appropriate circumstances and environmental conditions fungi can enter the tree and cause disease. Bearing in mind that because of the devastation that fungus and disease can cause, it is important to keep your tree in ideal health. Proper prunings, deadwood removal, regular fertilizing and watering are the best ways to defend against such calamity. The most common types of disease they cause may be broken down into following four categories:

Topping is perhaps the most harmful tree pruning practice known. Yet, despite more than 25 years of literature and seminars explaining its harmful effects, topping remains a common practice. This article explains why topping is not an acceptable pruning technique and offers better alternatives.