Spring Tree Care News

Special May Topics

Add drama to your landscape with a unique tree

Choosing a healthy tree

Planting a new tree

Giroud Donates Free Tree Care for Arbor Day!

Top "6" Actions for May

Spring Concerns

1. Add drama to your landscape with a unique tree

Look around your neighborhood,. You’ll likely see yard after yard planted with Dogwoods, Birches, Arborvitaes, White Pines and Azaleas. Great trees and shrubs but becoming all too common. If you’re ready to leave the humdrum behind, there is an amazing array of species and cultivars to add some excitement to your property.

“There are several trees that I would highly recommend,” says Lou Giroud, President of Giroud Tree Service and ISA Certified Arborist. “They are our top picks because of their unusual features, availability and ability to thrive in our region. Just be sure to check the ultimate height and width of the tree while you’re at the nursery.”

Giroud Tree Service’s Top Picks for Unique Trees

Shade Trees

Katsura Tree [Cercidiphyllum japonicum]: The real beauty of the Katsura is its leaf. Round and serrated around the edges, the leaves develop a scarlet to yellow color in the fall.
Paperbark Maple [Acer griseum]: The Paperbark is interesting even in winter because of its bright, copper-colored bark that curls into almost transparent strips.

Flowering Trees

Eastern Redbud [Cercis canadensis]: A very picturesque tree, especially in the spring, the Redbud blossoms with great bunches of bright pink flowers. Its heart shaped, dark green leaves turn a brilliant yellow in the fall.
June Magnolia [Magnolia virginiania]: Also known as the Sweetbay, the Magnolia’s most distinctive characteristic is its flowers, which bloom in June and give off a delicate, sweet scent. It also has small fruits that turn bright red through the fall.

Evergreens/Deciduous Conifers

Umbrella Pine [Sciadopitys verticillata]: A perfect pyramid shape and thick, waxy green needles make this Pine very impressive. It’s a very slow grower and needs little maintenance.
Weeping Hemlock [Tsuga canadensis var. ‘Sargentii’]: A beautiful weeping shape and dark green foliage make the Weeping Hemlock a great tree for a Japanese garden or as a focal point in a main bed.

Ornamental Trees

Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick [Corylus aveliana var. ‘Contorta’]: Named after a vaudevillian comedian with a gnarly cane, the Harry Lauder looks almost magical with its knuckled, twisted branches and crepe paper leaves that almost shiver. Winter gives the best view of its incredibly unusual branches and hanging catkins.
Japanese Cutleaf Maple [Acer palmatum] Although fairly common, the Cutleaf is a top pick because of its sheer beauty. Its bright red leaves and gently weeping branches make it a centerpiece for any garden.

For more tree ideas, visit the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society (PHS) Gold Medal Plants website at http://www.goldmedalplants.org. The site offers a list of great trees and shrubs that have won the PHS’s Gold Medal Plant Award.

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2. Choosing the best tree.

Is planting a new tree is high on your Spring Checklist? STOP! It’s crucial to do some homework before you buy a new tree. To choose the right tree:

A. Evaluate where to plant your new tree:

How much space is available for the tree to grow?
Is it sunny or shady?
What are the soil conditions: loose, wet, rocky or compact?
Will the tree be near a patio, walkway, other plantings or a window?
What can the tree add to your landscape including seasonal color, branch formation interesting characteristics or sound/visual barrier?

B. Select the best tree:

Armed with these facts, you’re ready to select the best species for your location. Consider the following:

What is the tree’s size potential and will it be reached in 10 years or 50? You don't want a tree to outgrow its space.
Is it susceptible to insects or disease?
How will the roots impact the tree’s surroundings?
Will it shed seeds, fruit, bark or leaves that might affect a patio, walkway or pool?
Can the tree withstand long periods of drought?

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3. Planting a New Tree

Give your tree the best chance for a long healthy life. Get a healthy tree at the nursery, plant it properly and start it off right in its first year.

A. Purchase a Healthy Tree

It’s critical to ensure that the plant you bring home is healthy. Here’s what to look for:

Root Ball. It should look large enough to support the tree. Look under the burlap; the ball should be moist and the roots a healthy white color. Gently wiggle the tree, the trunk should not move within the root ball.
Tree Form. The general structure will not change as the tree ages. Defects such as multiple trunks, weak crotches, crooked trunks, and large crossed limbs can make a tree vulnerable to damage.
Good Looks. Among others of the same species, select the tree with the fullest canopy and healthiest appearance.

B. Plant With Care

Follow these planting guidelines to help your new tree live a long and healthy life.

Measure the height and diameter of the root ball or root spread.
Dig a hole 1-3 inches shallower than the height of the root ball and 2-3 times the diameter of the root ball or spread.
Set the tree in the center of the hole on firm soil that has not been loosened by the shovel. When you’re done, the root flare (where the tree meets the roots) should be three inches higher than ground level.
With another person holding the tree upright, check it from several angles to be sure it’s straight.
Backfill with the soil you removed from the hole and tamp down gently.
Spread mulch around the tree bed, no more than 2 inches deep and not piled against the trunk, which can cause rot.
Avoid staking: Like people, the more a tree uses its “muscles” or roots, the stronger it becomes.
Have a professional Arborist prune the tree to develop good branch structure usually 1-3 years after planting.

C. Start it off right

Water your new tree weekly (less often if there’s rain, more if the weather is very hot) during its first year. Keep the soil moist but not wet through the first year. Help the tree get established with Giroud’s Healthy Start Fertilizer for young trees. Have your Giroud Arborist inspect it regularly to maintain good health. Wait for a full season of growth before doing any serious pruning.

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4. Giroud Donates Free Tree Care for Arbor Day!

In recognition of Arbor Day, Lou Giroud Tree Service has donated thousands of dollars in free tree work to Bucks County Audubon Society and Hope Lodge.

At Hope Lodge, a team of Giroud Arborists removed deadwood and dangerous limbs from a giant Bald Cypress as part of a national "ISA Day of Service." In addition to Giroud's donation, Mike Chenail, Giroud Arborist, chaired the event for the local chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).

The trees at Bucks County Audubon Society also received much needed care. Giroud's donation is bringing a majestic ash tree back to good health by removing deadwood; cabling to shore up weak limbs; and addressing root problems by removing girdling roots, excavating the compacted soil and adding organic soil.

Giroud donated its services to the Bucks Audubon and Hope Lodge through the "Giroud Treework for Charity" program, which contributes tree care services to parks, historical sites and other nonprofit organizations located in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. For more information, call Giroud Tree Service at 215-682-7704.

5. Top "6" Actions for May

Get a Check Up: Dead limbs, poor leaf development, insects or disease are just a few of the major warning signs your Giroud Arborist needs to evaluate.

Be Safe! Most tree disasters occur in the summer from wind storms. Remove deadwood, thin crowns and secure weak trees with cables.

Let The Sunshine In! Don’t spend another year with too much shade or low hanging branches over your pool, gardens or walkways. Have the Giroud Team elevate and/or thin branches in problem zones.

Test Your Soil: Sick tree? Get a soil test and root evaluation. If needed, we will develop a customized program to nurture your tree back to health.

Fertilize! Help your tree to thrive and fight off insects and disease.

Prevent Lyme’s Disease! Perimeter clean-up, selective pruning and targeted spray treatments are the best defense against ticks.

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6. Special Spring Concerns

Crack in trunk
Check the trunks of your large trees for cracks. A crack is a hazard. When winter storms hit, trees with cracks are most likely to split. You not only lose a tree but risk other damage to your property. Talk with your Giroud Arborist about installing a cable to keep the tree from splitting.

Deer Problems
Deer are the primary carrier of ticks to your property. Ask your Giroud Arborist about our Deer Repellant. It’s safe, odorless, water-resistant and deer hate it!

Winter Burn

Icy, winter winds suck the fluids out of evergreen leaves and needles, leaving ugly, brown tipped or possibly dead evergreens by Spring. Azaleas, Rhododendron, Hinoki Cypresses and Hollies are at highest risk. However, Winter Burn can strike almost any evergreen.

Ask Giroud to apply Winter Protectant to your high risk plants. Our Protectant is a plastic-like coating that seals moisture in the leaves to protect your tree or shrub from winter burn.

Apple Scab

Apple scab, a fungus disease, is one of the most serious diseases of apple and ornamental crabapple. Disease development is favored by wet, cool weather that generally occurs in spring and early summer. Both leaves and fruit can be affected. Infected leaves may drop resulting in unsightly trees. This early defoliation may weaken trees and make them more susceptible to winter injury or other pests. Control measures include fungicide applications in the Spring, pruning and destroying dead limbs and raking and destroying fallen feaves.

Beech Bark Disease

Beech Bark Disease is a fungus that kills the bark and cambium layers causing cankers which can eventually lead to the death of whole branches and the entire tree. Infected trees can quickly spread the fungus to other Beeches. The disease is carried by Scale which transmit a fungus called Nectria galligena when they feed on the tree. Once infected with Beech Bark Disease, you may see areas of discoloration on the trunk and branches. These dark spots are often the first symptom of infection. Additionally, bark may begin to die and peel off the tree. Have your Giroud Arborist examine your Beeches and determine if action is required.

Eastern Tent Caterpillar
Eastern Tent Caterpillars devour the leaves on a tree and severely weaken it. Prime time is between May and June. Call us when their tents first appear in the trees. We will get out quickly to apply the proper treatment.

Split or Weak Limbs
Install Cables in Weak Limbs: Weakly attached limbs and trees with multiple trunks are prime targets for splitting and breakage. Your Giroud Arborist is a cable specialist who will choose the right cable system for your specific situation and install it at the proper tension and location.

Excessive Deadwood
Excessive deadwood is a sign of poor health. While the symptom appears in the crown of the tree, the problem could be in the roots. Possible causes may include: soil compaction, nutritional deficiencies or being planted too deeply. A professional inspection, soil test and/or root excavation can pinpoint the problem and determine the best solution.

Hemlock Adelgid
Adelgid infestations may result in premature needle drop, reduced twig growth and dieback. Horticultural oils and soaps must be applied in late June and September/October.