SavATree - Tree Service & Lawn Care

Fruit Fly Frustration

Mid-Summer Scourge Spotted Wing Drosophila (Drosphila suzukii) or SWD is an invasive vinegar fly which lays eggs in immature or ripe fruit. This can result in larvae being present in otherwise saleable fruit. These fruit flies are usually active mid to late summer and damage is most often found on  raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.  However,…

Nutrient Necessities

Nutritional Network There are essential elements for plant growth and success, in addition to sunlight, oxygen, carbon dioxide, soil and water they also require mineral nutrients. These nutrients are normally absorbed from the soil, but not all soils are mineral rich or they may not contain the needed quantities. There are 14 mineral nutrients required for…

SavATree - Tree Service & Lawn Care

Foliage Foraging

Grazing Grief It seems as if white-tailed deer are a ubiquitous pest and there is almost no time of year we can escape damage occurring to our landscape plants from their foraging. While it may seem as if no plant is safe from grazing, deer do have food preferences although they vary dependent on season…

SavATree - Tree Service & Lawn Care

Plant Pressures

Current Conditions The last couple of weeks in June were dry across the region, receiving only a fraction (0.05 inches) of the average expected rainfall for the month. July began with a  couple of downpours and thunderstorms across the region as we experienced the outskirts of Hurricane Arthur. Daytime high temperatures have been seasonal, with…

Tick Trouble

Progressive Peril While Lyme disease is predicted to be as perilous as ever this summer, with the CDC estimating 300,000 new cases to present, there is a new tick-borne illness endangering those of us who spend time outdoors. Borrelia miyamotoi is a bacteria carried by an estimated 10 percent of ticks, mostly in the Northwestern region of…

SavATree - Tree Service & Lawn Care

Aquifer Avocation

Charged about Recharge Groundwater is water that is pumped up from storage units called aquifers below the Earth’s surface. It is typically used for agricultural irrigation and drinking water. Unfortunately groundwater is being used faster than it can be replaced and recharge is a lengthy process. Groundwater recharge occurs when precipitation infiltrates through the surface…

SavATree - Tree Service & Lawn Care

Fungi Fascination

Fun Fungus Facts The kingdom Fungi comprises some of the most important organisms, environmentally and ecologically. They are responsible for decomposition of dead organic material and most vascular plants rely on symbiotic relationships with fungi for their survival and success. And while many fungal species cause disease in both plants and animals, others are used…

SavATree - Tree Service & Lawn Care

Parasite-free Populations

New Found in Newfoundland Scientists have discovered honeybee colonies in Newfoundland, Canada, which are free from the parasites affecting hives in the U.S.,  affording a unique research opportunity. Fungal parasites such as Nosema ceranae and viral vectors like the mite, Varroa destructor are ravaging honeybee populations throughout the U.S. and around the world making research into their…