Native vs Invasive vs Exotic Tree Species
The major disadvantage of invasive trees is that they reduce biodiversity. When an invasive species takes over an area, it can replace native plants due to winning the competition for space. This can throw the native food web out of whack and change habitats and food that local wildlife depend on.
How to Get Rid of Aphids!
Aphids are insects that feed on your tree by sucking nutrients from its leaves. They typically appear in early to mid-spring and may return in waves throughout the growing season until fall. Aphids can cause a variety of problems, so let's discuss four ways to treat them—three of which you can try yourself!
Anthracnose: Cause for Concern or no big deal?
Every year our arborists are called withconcerns that sycamore trees are losing their leaves and “dying.” The issue is a foliar fungal disease affecting sycamores, london planes, maples, dogwoods, and more. Is this diesase a big concern, or no big deal? Let’s take a closer look...
Spotted Lanternfly: A Growing Concern
The spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect that is becoming a growing concern in Central Ohio. First discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014, the pest has continued spreading into nearby states and threatens agriculture, forests, gardens, and neighborhoods throughout Ohio.
Emerald Ash Borer: Where We Stand Today
Growing up, ash trees dominated the woods surrounding my family’s property. They were among my favorite trees to climb, and the time I spent beneath their canopy helped inspire my passion for arboriculture. Over the years, however, watching those same trees decline because of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) transformed the issue from a distant ecological concern into something deeply personal.
A Sticky Situation: European Fruit Lecanium Scale
The tiny nymphs that overwintered on some of our landscape trees are actively sucking up delicious phloem with their little straws and releasing their sticky waste.
Why Leaves Turn Yellow (and how to fix it!)
At first glance, chlorotic foliage might seem like a minor cosmetic issue, but it’s actually a signal that the tree is struggling to produce enough chlorophyll. Without sufficient chlorophyll, the tree can’t efficiently photosynthesize, which limits energy production and affects nearly every aspect of its health.
Oh, Dear! No Deer! Tips for Preventing Deer Damage
If you garden in central Ohio, you already know—you’re not the only one enjoying your landscape. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and a whole cast of furry visitors are right there with you, sampling the menu you’ve worked so hard to grow.
The 40 Weeks of Flowers Challenge
After years of working at a garden center and spending most of my paychecks on plants there, I was feeling proud of my landscape. By my estimation, something was flowering at my house from Easter all the way through Thanksgiving, sometimes even longer.
The Invasive & Illegal Callery Pear
Something that might not be so obvious is that the callery pear is an invasive species that is illegal in Ohio! The punishment for owning a callery pear tree is jail time. Okay, I’m kidding about jail, but not about it being illegal. As of 2023, it is no longer legal to sell or plant callery pear trees…