Summit Talk

Ash trees ash trees save your ash trees Rochester!

2011-06-06T03:22:00.000-07:00

This leafy, cooling, pleasing green canopy is entirely made up of ash trees. Can you imagine life on this street without these lovely trees? In about 2-3 years that's just what the residents of this street south of Rochester will face if they don't treat their trees to prevent infestation by Emerald Ash Borer. It's prime time to treat right now in June. Let's act and save some ash!

Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week May 23-30

2011-05-22T10:40:00.001-07:00

How would this street in West Henrietta look and feel without this lush, green leafy canopy of ash trees? The residents are going to find out within the next 3-5 years if they do not act to treat their trees against infestation by Emerald Ash Borer. The beetle has been discovered about 3 miles away in Scottsville, NY which means it has already deposited larvae in these trees. As there is no natural defense, this means certain death for every one of these trees. There are several proven treatments to save ash trees - contact a Certified Arborist today to save your ash!

tree death

2011-05-02T04:26:00.000-07:00

I saw this shocking sight in the City of Rochester over the weekend. Someone sure hates this tree and has decided to take matters into their own hands to cause it's death. There should be some kind of penalty for this action.....

fresh mulch = spring

2011-04-28T02:23:00.000-07:00

Fresh mulch and sunshine! Both have been hard to come by here in the Rochester area this April. We've had record rainfall this spring which has made it difficult to clean gardens, cut new edges and apply fresh mulch. It sure makes a difference though for freshening up the garden, not to mention weed control and moisture retention!

EAB - the time is coming!

2011-04-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

Attention homeowners, citizens and town officials in the Rochester area! Beginning with the warm weather we expect to occur sometime soon, it will be time to inject ash trees to prevent or limit infestation by Emerald Ash Borer. In mid-May, as the leaves of the ash trees are beginning to unfurl, conditions are prime for certified arborists to begin injecting ash trees. Let's work together to save our ash trees instead of cutting them down!

For more information please see the Emerald Ash Borer page on our website: summittreeandlandscape.com

Water! The Fingerlakes! Lake Ontario!

2011-04-11T04:14:00.001-07:00

I'm really enjoying learning how to navigate and use Twitter. I'm following astronaut Douglas Wheeler who posted this photo of the Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario from space. What a great place we live! We must take measures to preserve our environment and save our water. How can we help as individuals? From turning off the water when we brush our teeth to using water carefully in the garden by using rain barrels and soaker hoses, we can all work together to keep our water clean. Today environmentalists are travelling to Albany to present their views on hydrofracturing. What are your views?

So sad!

2011-04-04T05:21:00.000-07:00

Here is a photo of a park in Ohio where the city has decided to remove these ash trees. They will replace the trees, but it will take many many years for the new trees to achieve this height and provide shade to the park. If they decided to treat these trees they could be saved and the park as well as the environment would benefit.

Trees want to live!

2011-03-28T06:14:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe, but this tree is alive. While it is still winter and the leaves are absent the tree is budded up and ready to go in spring. It is amazing that this tree can live with its roots exposed and so little root mass even in contact with soil! Ah nature!!

Early Garden Cleanup - Don't Risk It

2011-03-20T18:07:00.000-07:00

While the first sunny, warm days of spring may entice you outdoors, it may be wise to resist the temptation to start gardening. When the soil in your garden beds is coming back to life, it is best to stay out of them to avoid compacting the soil. Standing or walking in the wet soil compresses the soil and squeezes out the air vital to the plants. This is especially true in clay soil. So, view the snowdrops from afar and wait a little longer to cut back any perennials and grasses or rake away winter debris and leaves. Your garden will appreciate your patience!

Value of Landscaping

2011-03-14T05:18:00.000-07:00

According to the Associated Landscape Contractors of America, good landscaping can increase the resale value of a home by 14%! In addition, improving curb appeal may speed up the sale of a home by as much as six weeks! Beautiful landscaping makes a great first impression!

Amaryllis - help it bloom twice

2011-03-07T07:38:00.000-08:00

You can coax your Christmas gift, that lovely amaryllis, to bloom a second time! The bloom will be less spectacular but still gorgeous. After the flowers have faded, pinch off the blossoms and remove their stalks. Let the foliage grow for eight weeks and place the pot in a cool, dark place for another eight weeks. Do not water during this time. Bring the pot back into a sunny spot, remove the dead foliage and soak the pot. Continue to water as needed. You can repeat the process for a couple of years!

EAB video

2011-02-28T06:48:00.000-08:00

Attention Rochester: http://greatlakesecho.org/2011/02/24/video-invasive-emerald-ash-borer-upsets-great-lakes-ecosystem-economy/
Check out this amazing video!

Winter Pruning

2011-02-21T08:33:00.000-08:00

Why prune in the winter? With trees in the dormant state pruning can be done safely. The healing process will begin in spring when the tree comes back to life. The goal? Always keeping the integrity of the tree foremost, remove dead branches, those that cross and rub and correct for mower/sidewalk clearance. How did we do?

Forcing Branches

2011-02-14T05:03:00.001-08:00

It's time to bring in your spring-flowering branches for a touch of color in the middle of winter! Cut forsythia, cherry, dogwood, quince, etc including slitting the stems at the base. Add water and in a couple of weeks, viola!

Habitat For Humanity Goes Green From Now On

2011-02-07T05:37:00.000-08:00

Habitat For Humanity Goes Green From Now On

The High Line/The Garden Aerial

2011-01-31T17:37:00.001-08:00

New York has The High Line (pictured), Rochester may soon have The Garden Aerial!
A new group, Friends of the Garden Aerial, has been formed to spearhead the transformation of Rochester's Pont de Rennes bridge over the Genesee River at High Falls into a planted environment where people can enjoy the experience of the waterfall while sitting under a shade tree or taking in a variety of flowers, grasses and shrubs. Winter will offer a different experience; in extra-snowy New York a snow sculpture contest is under way at The High Line. Stay tuned for more about The Garden Aerial....

Snow in China

2011-01-24T17:51:00.001-08:00

Suzhou, China rarely receives much snowfall. This photo, from a friend living in Suzhou, shows how the dusting of snow is removed from walkways. What a pretty scene with the frosting on the trees and shrubs! (It would be nice to know what kind of trees these are, still with their leaves attached in January. Also, it's interesting to see that the trunks are painted white? As a prevention of winter sun scald damage perhaps?)

Green Drinks

2011-01-17T17:32:00.000-08:00

It's fun!! Join members of the Rochester Center for Environmental Information and Upstate Green Business Network for Green Drinks - a social event for those interested in anything and everything sustainable! The January 2011, event is the 3rd Thursday (January 20th) at the Flower City Habitat for Humanity ReStore, 755 Culver Road, Rochester NY

Open to the public, ReStore offers quality new and gently-used building materials at a fraction of normal retail prices. Proceeds fund construction of decent, affordable Habitat houses in Rochester. Many affiliates across the United States and Canada operate successful ReStores, some of which raise enough funds to build an additional 10 or more houses per year!

How Will New York State Look in Five Years?

2011-01-13T04:14:00.001-08:00

Here is a staggering fact: there are approximately 900 million ash trees in New York State. When the Emerald Ash Borer has moved through, our state forests will be filled with dead trees. Our communities will have to decide whether to remove or treat our private and street ash trees. Treatment will make sense in many cases. Let's encourage our community leaders in Henrietta, Rochester, Chili, Pittsford, etc. to save as many trees as possible!

College Campuses to deal with EAB

2011-01-10T12:50:00.000-08:00

College campuses across the country are reacting to the Emerald Ash Borer infestation in various ways. Iowa State University has received a $30,000 grant to remove and replace ash trees. Beginning with those in the worst condition, the university will attempt to cull the existing ash trees to less than 8% of the total trees on campus and replant a tree for every ash removed. Eventually all the ash trees on campus will be replaced with a wide variety of new trees, utilizing many species to create diversity.

Why Monoculture is a bad thing

2011-01-04T07:10:00.000-08:00

On this residential street in West Henrietta, NY, each property was planted with at least two street trees. In this case about 99% of the trees planted were ash. Every one of these trees will be devastated by the Emerald Ash Borer in the coming years and, if not treated, will need to be removed. What will this street look like without these trees?

New Year's Resolution

2010-12-29T13:47:00.001-08:00

Please help stop the spread of Emerald Ash Borer! Resolve to buy firewood locally, in the greater Rochester area, whether for home use or camping. Be sure your firewood provider resolves not to transport firewood more than 50 miles from its source!

Community Tree Inventory

2010-12-20T05:28:00.000-08:00

Does your community have an inventory of its trees? The first step in a management plan to deal with Emerald Ash Borer infestation and its implications is to determine which trees should be treated, which should be removed and when. Many municipalities are prepared - some with complete inventories, including trees on private property, others with at least an inventory of street and/or park trees. For those communities without an inventory in an area affected by EAB, this will become a necessity. Professional firms can be hired to perform this task, volunteer groups can help, or one low-cost option is provided by Cornell University. Cornell's SWAT (Student Weekend Arborist Team) Team is a group of trained students who will travel to a community and perform an inventory for a relatively low cost. For more information: http://www.hort.cornell.edu/commfor/inventory/swat.html

Predatory Wasp for EAB

2010-12-13T04:55:00.001-08:00

In this picture from the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service, a Cerceris fumipennis wasp is shown with it's prey, an Emerald Ash Borer. The wasp will take the prey back to the ground hive for food for the hive. The University of Guelph in Ontario Canada has been studying the wasps and have determined that they are an excellent tool in the early detection of the beetle. Researchers placed hives near suspected areas of infestation and monitored the wasps, intercepting them as they returned to the hive to discover whether or not they returned with the beetle as well as how long it took. The wasps found the beetle very quickly if it was present in the area. This wasp may replace the purple sticky traps that have been used to monitor EAB's progress and help with early detection.

EAB Community Preparedness Workshop this Friday!!

2010-12-06T16:25:00.000-08:00

Central New York ReLeaf is presenting a workshop this Friday, 12/10/10 from 8:30 am - 1:00 pm entitled "Emerald Ash Borer & Community Preparedness: What Every Community Needs to Know!" Don't miss this opportunity to hear Mark Whitmore and Rebecca Hargrave from Cornell, Steve Harris, Syracuse Forester, Rochester Forester Brian Liberti and Urban Forestry Educator Fran Lawlor discuss strategies and answer questions regarding the devastating impacts of the EAB. Lunch is included, ISA and DEC credits are available. Meeting will be held in the Grange Building, 100 Grange Place, Cortland, NY 13045. (Venue changed due to immense response.) Contacts: DEC Forester Matt Swayze 607-753-3095 and Mary Kramarchyk 518-402-9425. See you there!

Winter Wonder

2010-12-02T15:33:00.001-08:00

Following an early December snow, larch and oak lend subtle color to the landscape.

EAB update in Rochester, NY

2010-11-27T12:13:00.000-08:00

See this article regarding the City of Rochester's plan to treat, remove and replant as a response to the EAB infestation that is about to occur: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20101127/NEWS01/101126014/City-wants-to-treat-some-ash-trees--cut-down-others

Winter Pruning

2010-11-22T15:42:00.000-08:00

What is going on in this example? This amalanchier has been sheared in the past, as is obvious from the tight, sucker-filled top growth. By pruning in the winter when the tree is dormant it's possible to correct some of this improper growth without much harm to the tree. Deep cuts were taken to reduce the amount of 'witch's broom' growth, thereby thinning the canopy.

Tree Excavation

2010-11-17T03:42:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, it has become common practice to create mulch 'volcanoes' around trees. It is so common that many people think this is the correct way to mulch a tree. In fact, mulch should not touch the trunk of the tree, as this causes excess moisture to build up on the bark. This presents an ideal situation for insects and disease to thrive. In excavating the excess mulch and soil around the base of this Japanese maple, 4 full wheelbarrows of mulch and soil were removed and the proper depth of soil and mulch- at ground level - was achieved.

Firewood and EAB

2010-11-11T14:42:00.000-08:00

One of the ways Emerald Ash Borer has spread is by traveling in firewood. It's imperative that firewood for camping be purchased locally. Also, commercial firewood distributors must obey the restrictions in place and only deliver firewood locally. By preventing the transport of firewood we can help slow the spread, inevitable as it may be, of EAB.

Emerald Ash Borer ID

2010-11-06T12:05:00.000-07:00

Emerald Ash Borer - it's tiny, as you can see. Bright, metallic green. The adult beetle emerges in the spring, resulting, due to the shape of it's head, in D-shaped exit holes. The adult feeds on foliage throughout the summer, but causes little damage. Eggs are laid under the bark of the ash tree from Mid May to mid-August. The larvae cause the fatal damage.

Photo at left: Michigan State University, photo at right University of Georgia.

EAB Larvae

2010-11-02T16:44:00.000-07:00

Pictured are the little devils that do all the damage by eating away under the bark of the ash tree. Their feeding destroys the layer of the tree that transports water and nutrients, resulting in the death of the tree.
Photo credit University of Georgia

Emerald Ash Borer Damage

2010-10-25T13:13:00.000-07:00

Back for more info on EAB? This photo was taken in October 2010 on Morgan Road in Chili, NY, following the discovery of several infested trees. Experts have determined that EAB has been in this tree for approximately 5 years. This is significant in that nearby ash trees, while not showing signs or symptoms, are almost certainly already infested.
Pictured here are the 'serpentine galleries' created by the feeding of the Emerald Ash Borer larvae. The larvae travel back and forth, feeding on the cambium of the tree, just beneath the bark. The cambium is where the vascular system of the tree is located. When this tissue is destroyed, the tree cannot transport water and nutrients and the end result is death.

I heart fall!

2010-10-21T03:46:00.000-07:00

Just have to take a break from the EAB postings on such a beautiful fall day here in the Rochester/Finger Lakes region! Have you ever seen such a color? This is a weeping Black Tupelo - nyssa sylvatica- a native tree with the most glorious fall color. Growing here in moist, well-drained soil, it is obviously very happy. The summer foliage is very glossy and deep green - this tree is a winner!!

EAB - woodpecker damage

2010-10-20T03:45:00.000-07:00

One of the earliest signs of damage caused by EAB on ash trees is woodpecker damage. The birds are experts at detecting infestation under the bark and will flake the bark off in search of the larvae. The tree with minimal damage is young and showing early signs of infestation, while the more heavily damaged tree is dead. Again, in the Rochester/Finger Lakes area we do not need to wait for signs of infestation. This deadly pest is on its way and the sooner we act to treat existing ash trees, the better success we will have.

EAB signs and symptoms

2010-10-18T04:11:00.001-07:00

As Emerald Ash Borer continues to be spotted in the Scottsville/Chili area, nearby homeowners may be interested in what to look for on their ash trees. Pictured here is a 'D-shaped' exit hole, created when the adult borer emerged. This sign is not always present, however. In our area, all ash trees are at risk! A valued tree should receive preventive treatment in spring 2011.

Ash Tree ID: one last installment

2010-10-14T04:47:00.000-07:00

Ash trees are one of a few types of trees where the branch arrangement is opposite. The branches are attached directly across from one another, or 'opposite.' This is especially easy to see in winter when the leaves are off the tree.

Ash Tree ID: another installment

2010-10-12T16:00:00.000-07:00

Bark: on mature ash trees the bark is rough and diamond-shaped. Young ash trees may have smooth bark. (There is lichen on this ash tree - not harmful, just grows in moist, shady sites.)

Ash Tree ID

2010-10-08T04:18:00.000-07:00

This is the first in a series of identification clues for ash tree, to help you determine if you have an ash tree on your property, or if you know of an ash tree of value in places you work or visit. Ash trees have compound leaves with between 7 and 11 leaflets. They are green in summer and may be yellow or shades of russet in fall.

Emerald Ash Borer

2010-10-05T04:27:00.001-07:00

Emerald Ash Borer has arrived in Western New York. This devastating pest will, over time, decimate the ash tree population in New York State as it has done in Michigan. As I write this in early October, it is easy to identify ash trees as they are exhibiting their yellow fall color. Imagine that many of the yellow trees you see now will be gone! Individual trees can be saved with pesticide injections, however. Spring is the best time to inject, giving individuals time to prepare. Get ready! And, please do not transport firewood! This is one of the ways EAB is spread.

Rainy days

2010-09-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

Rainy days in Fall (while not as exhilarating as sunny days in Fall) offer some benefits. After a summer of hot days, the extra moisture of a Fall rain benefits new as well as existing plants. Colors in the landscape can be so rich in the soft light of a cloudy Fall day, and some plants just shimmer with collected raindrops as is the case with this hypericum Albury Purple.

Spectatular Fall Plant

2010-09-27T03:32:00.000-07:00

Sweet Autumn clematis - so well-named - is in full bloom now. Masses of tiny white flowers float on this very vigorous climber. If you cut it back in spring you'll have flowers like this along the entire plant. Remember this for next year - be fearless! Cut it back!!

Fall Planting

2010-09-21T14:06:00.000-07:00

Why is fall such a great time for planting? Trees, shrubs and perennials benefit from the warm soil and additional water available in fall. They will become established before the soil freezes and have a head start in spring!

Water quality

2009-02-12T14:51:00.000-08:00

We who live in the Finger Lakes region might not be aware that the richness of our water resources is a factor in the need to protect our lakes from pollution. It's easy to understand that areas affected by drought should make every effort to conserve water. Why should we bother when we live in one of world's water-rich regions? Aging stormwater and sewer systems cannot handle the influx of water from development - all the impervious surfaces that have replaced woodland and farm land. By retaining and reusing rainwater we cut down on the amount of water entering the sewer system, saving the expense of replacing the infrastructure. Permeable pavements with collection systems are a fantastic way to save rainwater for future use - to wash cars, irrigate lawns or planting beds, even provide water for a garden waterfall!

Landscaping with greater purpose

2008-02-08T06:18:00.001-08:00

As winter wanes and spring approaches the time is perfect for planning. Consider combining the perfect design for your property with the added benefit of protecting our precious water supply. Sustainable landscaping takes into consideration alleviating storm water runoff from surfaces such as roofs, walks and driveways. Utilizing rain water gardens and permeable surfaces will help reduce the amount of pollution that goes into our waterways by filtering the water into the subsoil instead of allowing it to drain into storm sewers. Beautiful!

Winter Pruning

2008-01-16T09:44:00.000-08:00

Winter is an excellent time for assessing the health of trees and shrubs, as their structure is clearly visible without the presence of leaves. Removing dead or diseased limbs, crossing and rubbing branches and renovation of shrubs is best done in winter. This is due to the absence of pests and organisms that could enter the plant through cuts in the bark. Also, at this dormant time, plants will not expend energy to recover from pruning - this will happen in spring with the flush of new growth.

Landscaping has Never Been Easier!

2007-04-03T16:20:00.000-07:00

Need expert landscaping, shrub & tree advice? SummitTalk is designed to assist you in making the best decisions when it comes to your grounds and landscaping. Take advantage of our articles and media to learn more.

Please visit our official website at: www.summittreeandlandscape.com

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