Get Your Work Boots On!

Wood -boring beetles have four  life  stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. So there you go.  We I began to write this blog I was still devastated by seeing this Red Oak in this condition.  We actually planted these trees a year prior.  So lets talk about it.  Moths hit this new neighborhood and new landscapes heavy this year in 2019.  Actually these photos are taken the day I arrived.  The client reached out to me that he felt his trees where having some issues.  Anyways obviously this issue started months before I got there.  The client felt running a water to the tree and water the tree was the issue because the leaves where browning.  very common mistake amongst homeowners.  When I got there the rootball was rolling is the Hole it was soaked.  Burnt all the roots up, drowned the roots and of course wood borers.   Quick tips on the wood borers.  Large trees rarely have issues with wood borers.  These red oaks had like a 4" caliper.   you can see the damage on the outside of the tree from the borers and also you can see the exit holes from the beetles.  When a tree is drowning it is more likely to have issues with insects such as wood borers.  Trees don't like their feet wet they will survive a drought before over watering.  if you start to notice issues like this with newly planted trees contact your installer ASAP.   The problem with this situation is that when I arrived the client wanted me to treat both of the trees.  however one tree didn't have as much damage and I felt as if we could save the one.  but the photos above I told the client it was highly unlikely but we would try.  However the rootball in the one tree was so soaked and full of water I wasn't even sure how much of the ingredient was absorbed.  Anyways about a month later the tree above snapped in half.  But we where able to save the other one.  Imidacloprid was used at its highest rate due to infestation as a soil soak.  

The Azaleas.   Basic tips on azaleas vary but these are a very acidic variety of plant.  Fall/Winter add the following media 80% pine back mulch 25% peat moss 10 percent top soil.  Add this mixture in Nov-Dec.  Don't trim your azaleas until after the first blooms fall off.  Once the blooms fall off trim your azaleas back.  But don't trim the azaleas back anymore throughout the year.   After the trim fertilize you're azaleas.  Mix your azalea fertilizer with Dolomite Ag Lime.  The lime will keep the PH balance right for the azaleas to thrive.  Sprinkler the lime/fertilizer Mixture out like chicken feed around the azaleas but don't overdue it.  During the fall/winter application you can dress the top of your soil base with shredded hardwood mulch if you would like, but the pine bark mulch etc media is the key.   Also a good practice Azaleas are prone to fungus in the right conditions you can use a Fungicide like propicanozole to prevent and also use as a curative for the fungus in the fall and spring months.    

The great thing about these tips if you watch the video is it is cost free.  You can stop and prevent a lot of the issues you are having with your lawn if you have the correct watering program.  Pay attention to these key elements. 1. Air temp day and night 2. Rain (how much is Mother Nature giving you) 3. Water during the day in cool months 4. Water during the night in hot months 

 Also remember you cannot force the Sod out of transition.  Over watering will not make the yard turn green any faster.  What it will do is create a list of issues in your turf that can destroy your turf and cost you a lot of money to fix.  Take these preventive measures with your lawn.  You won't regret it!

These two red oaks were field grown.  You will see that proper installation shows the root ball high.  4".  Adding water to each hole before the placement of the tree to ensure that there is drainage in the soil is another tip.  If the water doesn't drain in the spot you have chosen for the tree a drain will need to be installed.  When you receive a tree make sure you remove all the soil around the flare of the tree.  Expose the flare.  Afterwards, as you can see with the PVC pipe laying on top of the root ball you will see the height level.  This is so important.  We actually install our trees a little higher than the industry standard.  Both of these trees turned out great and the customer is very pleased.  Keep those root balls up, make sure you have drainage, and expose the flare.

95 percent of the issues in horticulture are due to over watering.  Evergreens don't like water.  Stop overwatering the evergreens.  Keep the irrigation system off of them and away from them.  Evergreens will survive a drought before they survive overwatering.  This is twig blight. It is very serious. This fungus destroying these trees is caused from overwatering.  These trees are very old and beautiful however twig blight can destroy these trees.

3 treatments every two weeks of a fungicide propiconazole broadcast spray with a tree gun and re-adjusted the rotors to get the water off of the trees.  Thanks to great clients they actually noticed that the rotors where hitting the trees.  This observation saved these trees.  They look great now and are growing better than ever.  -CriXus 

So the client is putting a pool in.  This job was done in the spring obviously testing the odds (best to relocate or plant trees in the fall winter).  However, trees are doing great.  Do not disturb the root ball if you can, if possible.  Get as much of the rootball as you can.  In this situation we couldn't get machinery anywhere near the tree.  Don't try and lift it out, or wedge it out etc.  Just dig a ramp and get tree Dolley in there and wheel it out.  Fun  project.  Very interesting.  Use thrive root stimulator after the transplant (its Godsend). -CriXus

Guys get your work boots on.  No need to be wearing your crocs in the mulch season walking around the trailer.  Safety first here at CriXus.              -CriXus

Here is a huge problem.  Armored Scale.  And the problem with scale is the foliar broadcast spray is only effective if the scale are moving.  The best approach in the situation above is a systemic.  A foliar curative control won't hurt however if the scale are not moving then your efforts are worthless.  Use a systemic either of the two chemicals Imidacloprid or dinotefuran.  Personally I'm a fan of the dinotefuran I have seen wonderful changes in Nellies using this as a systemic and broadcast.  

Zoysia Emerald gotta love it. Really I just wanted to share this beautiful lawn.  Somethings about Zoysia in Texas for me I cut it no lower than 3.5" In the growing season, insecticide program, fertilizer program, fungicide program, and stripes stripes and more stripes.  
I was a privilege to plant this grass and see it grow! -Crixus