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One of the good things about winter is that the bugs that bother us in the summer go away, right? Unfortunately, as winters on Long Island become milder, the tick population gets a chance to grow through the winter.

While mosquitoes are usually dormant until at least April, deer ticks can remain active in their adult stage from fall to spring as long as the temperature is above freezing. One of the most common ticks on Long Island, deer ticks, are one of the top hosts of Lyme Disease and other illnesses. A recent study found that around 60% of deer ticks in the northeast of the United States are carriers of Lyme Disease. This means there is still a chance of getting Lyme Disease if you are outside, even in winter.

Ticks survive the winter months by going dormant and hiding in undergrowth and leaves in wooded areas which become more insulated after it snows. So while you will see fewer active ticks during the winter, this doesn’t mean they are all dead and gone. Female ticks lay up to 3,000 eggs before the winter begins that will hatch in spring. Utilizing tick control measures means you can expect to see fewer egg-laying females come summer, resulting in fewer ticks the following year.

You can take preventative measures, like preventing eggs from hatching in places you don’t want them to, like your backyard.

Don’t let the cold fool you even if you’re enjoying the winter. Continue to check your pets for ticks, not to mention yourself, after being outdoors. Ensure your property is clear of debris and piles of sticks, brush, or leaves, so the ticks don’t have a place to go this winter. Continuing your tick control regimen can also decrease tick populations in your home.

Did your trees and shrubs have a hard spring and summer? Pests and diseases can damage fruit trees and other garden plants. If this is the case, you may want to consider dormant winter spray treatments.

“Dormant spray” is an umbrella term that covers treatments such as horticultural oil, which smother hibernating insects—such as aphids, mites, and scale—as well as their eggs.

Another type of dormant spray uses either synthetic fungicides or copper to treat fruit and flower-bearing trees and shrubs. This treatment can give your plants a head start when going into spring.

Additionally, sometimes liquid lime sulfur will be used on smaller fruit plants such as blueberries or blackberries to kill fungus and bacteria.

Dormant spray application should be after the growing season, but before the weather drops below 40 degrees. While a pre-winter treatment will suppress spring pests, it may not fully control them. Scheduling regular treatments throughout the year may be necessary for the optimal health of your plants.

Common sprays may include:

• A fixed copper fungicide containing elemental copper, such as tribasic copper sulfate, copper oxychloride sulfate, or cupric hydroxide
• Neem oil from the seeds of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica)
• Lime-sulfur is a mixture of hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide) and sulfur

An important step to secure the health of trees and shrubs that may be forgotten by homeowners, whether or not they choose to treat with a dormant spray, is to maintain good housekeeping of plants.

Be sure to remove fallen leaves from the base of plants to prevent pests from laying eggs or hibernating for the winter. The leaves can contaminate adjacent plants, thus hampering success in disease control efforts.

A very tall tree that has not been properly trimmed has the capacity to cause a lot of damage. But knowing when to trim your trees is important as well.

Both shrubs and trees require regular trimming to maintain their looks and health. In addition, practicing regular tree trimming can help prevent problems during inclement weather.
During a storm, weak or damaged limbs can break off and damage your home, take out power lines, or even injure someone.

High up or large branches require a professional tree trimming service for the safety of the tree and the people around it. These tasks can be extremely dangerous and can result in damage to, or even death of, the tree. A reputable company such as Aronica Plant Healthcare will have professional arborists on staff who will consult with you about which sections we can safely remove from the tree.

While professionals are definitely necessary for heavy tree work, there are a few jobs you can do on your own. As long as you do them at the right time of the year.

Evergreen Tree Trimming

You, or an Aronica specialist, can prune evergreens, non-blooming trees, and shrubs in late winter while they are fully dormant. If you require smaller shaping you can do that any time of year. For larger cuttings, waiting for winter is best.

Summer Blooming Trees

Summer blooming trees and hedges should be pruned in late winter, and spring blooming plants should be pruned right after they’re finished blooming. Otherwise, you risk losing buds they are setting for the next year, as they set immediately following their blooming cycle.

The trimming of small branches (those that can be cut with a hand lopper) or the shaping of hedges can be a year-round activity.

Most importantly, for those of us who live on Long Island, removing weakened branches—during early spring before hurricane season and late autumn before winter storm season—is important. Removing weakened branches before the whole tree suffers an injury from a summer or winter storm could be vital to the survival of the tree.

For more information or for a professional consultation with Aronica please visit our website’s contact page https://aronicaplanthealthcare.com/contact-us.php or call 631.928.9000.

The long-range forecasts are out and it looks like Long Island is due for a busy winter, weather-wise. While hurricane season is almost over, Nor’easters and blizzards with their rain and snowfall are likely on the way, and these storms can spell disaster for your trees. Fallen trees not only can damage your property, or take out power lines, but a mature tree can account for as much as 10% of your assessed property value.

It is important to look over your trees at least once a year to see which ones are in danger of falling over. Here is how to tell which trees may fall, and what to do about it.

Leaning Trees

Trees usually don’t grow straight, and a little lean is normal. But when your tree starts looking like the Tower of Pisa—because of poor weight distribution or anchor root damage—it’s likely unstable. This is a good time to call an arborist.

Multiple Trunks

A tree with multiple trunks, or with splits in one trunk, can be unstable. V-shaped or U-shaped multiple trunks are weak points for mature trees. The connective wood where the trunks come together may lose strength—and be more likely to split—with age or when storms occur.

Damaged or Sick Trees

Pests, disease, and events like construction can weaken, damage, and destabilize your trees. Be on the lookout for damaged bark; reduced smaller, or no foliage; premature autumn color; mushrooms, conks, and carpenter ants at the base of the tree; and woodpecker activity along the trunk, as these are all signs of decay and rot.

If you think your trees are changing, or you see any of the major warning signs above, they could be “hazard trees”—trees likely to fall and destroy what’s near them, like your house.

This is a good time to call Aronica Plant Healthcare. Our tree experts can help save your tree or let you know if it’s beyond help.

This August, the Northeast’s first dedicated tick clinic opened in Hampton Bays to treat tick bites and diagnose tick borne illnesses. 

Stony Brook Southampton Hospital’s Resource Center will diagnose both children and adults. This is important because Suffolk Country has nearly 2,700 cases of Lyme disease last year, a five-fold increase over 2021. Ticks—ranging from deer ticks to the Lone Star tick—have been spreading various diseases across the Island for years, and numbers are going up every year. 

With the warm, wet weather we’ve been experiencing this autumn so far, you can expect ticks to hang around and be active in the area through December. 

Ticks love wooded areas and the female tick lays her eggs in leaf litter. So while it may be tempting to jump in that big pile of leaves you’ve just raked up, consider that there could be hundreds or thousands of tick nymphs living inside. 

To keep the tick population at bay keep your grass trimmed, clear fallen leaves as soon as possible, and keep a 3 foot barrier of wood chips or gravel between your lawn and wooded areas. Without these barriers adult ticks have no problem traveling to all corners of your yard. 

Perhaps the easiest thing you can do is have Aronica Plant Healthcare come and spray your yard for ticks and remaining mosquitoes. That way you can enjoy these last warm days in autumn without worrying about your family becoming a meal for disease-carrying parasites. 

Your garden bloomed into color in spring but now as the late summer days begin, you realize the plants don’t look as lively as they once did. Perhaps lower leaves are turning brown and dropping off. Maybe spider mites are spotting the leaves. There’s less new growth. Those beautiful blooms are wilting in the heat of the afternoon. The fruit is ripening more slowly. Fewer new flower buds appear. The nutrients in the soil are being used up or washed away. If you’re seeing any of these issues, this post is for you. 

Mature plants need more water. The late summer garden certainly requires more effort but, fear not, all is not lost. You can bring your garden back to life with just a little bit of work. 

As late summer and fall arrive atmospheric humidity declines. This causes soil moisture to evaporate more quickly. Your normal watering routine from June and July just won’t cut it and will need to be supplemented with regular soakings to support your late summer garden. One way to supplement your watering is to set a dripping garden hose at the bottom of each plant for a couple of hours. Repeat this every few days. 

Try creating generous watering basins around the base of each plant. Make them big enough to hold a lot of water directly over the root zone so it may gradually percolate down into the soil. Soaker hoses and sprinklers will also help if left on long enough to penetrate deeper than the top few inches of soil.

As time goes on the nutrients in the soil begin to get used up, so adding a second helping of fertilizer in August can make a big difference.

Select a fertilizer carefully and be sure to read labels. Too much nitrogen can sacrifice flower production. Rather than using a single form of fertilizer such as manure or compost, fertilizer blends that contain a diverse formula of minerals and nutrients are a better option. They are as easy to apply as any larger name brand and they are manufactured locally, so each region of the country will have its own brands. You’ll find them at quality garden centers.

Keep watering and fertilizing your garden through the late summer and you will see your garden spring back to life and stay beautiful through the fall. 

Part of maintaining the health the trees in your yard involves trimming those trees. While forest trees get by with only nature’s pruning, your landscape trees will require a higher level of care to maintain their health, structural integrity, and aesthetics. While pruning is necessary, improper pruning can cause lasting damage so tree trimming and pruning must be done with an understanding of tree biology.

Reasons for Pruning

Each cut has the potential to change the growth of the tree; so no branch should be removed without a reason. Common reasons for pruning are to:

• Remove dead branches

• Improve form

• Reduce risk to property and other trees

• Increase light and air penetration to the inside of the tree’s crown or to the landscape below

Routine thinning does not necessarily improve the health of a tree. Trees produce a dense crown of leaves to create the energy for growth and development. Removal of foliage through pruning can reduce growth and stored energy reserves. Heavy pruning can be a significant health stress for the tree, so make each cut with purpose.

So while there are many reasons to keep your trees intact, there are also outside considerations that may make it necessary to prune your trees. Safety, clearance, and compatibility with other components of a landscape are all major concerns. Proper pruning, with an understanding of tree biology, can maintain good tree health and structure while enhancing the aesthetic and economic values of our landscapes.

Inchworms serve as food to many bird species, and most trees and plant life can survive minimal inchworm feeding. However, when inchworm populations grow to the level of an infestation, they can become a destructive pest causing damage to vegetable crops, ornamental trees, shrubs, and flowers. Inchworms lay their eggs in both fall and spring, so it is possible to have more than one infestation in a year. 

Generally reaching about an inch in length, inchworms are hairless and come in white, green, or black colors. To check for an infestation carefully check plants for both worms and larvae or signs of inchworm damage. Infected plants will have tiny and irregularly shaped holes between the veins. 

Different species of inchworms have different diets. They are voracious eaters who consume plant matter day and night. New leaves, leaf buds, flower buds, fruits, and berries may all be targets. Damage ranges from large holes to nearly total defoliation. Everything from your ornamental trees to your tomato garden can fall victim to an inchworm infestation. 

The best prevention for an inchworm infestation is ensuring your yard is hospitable to an inchworm’s natural predator: birds. Installing birdhouses and feeding stations is a great way to lure birds to your yard. 

While birds will go a long way, if you have an extreme infestation you may need to hire a professional to take care of the problem if expensive trees and shrubs are at risk. 

If you’re noticing a higher-than-usual amount of inchworm activity in your yard, consider giving us a call. We can offer you a number of treatment options to help tamp down the infestation and save your trees, shrubs, and garden. 

Warmer weather and blooming flowers mean you’re spending more time outdoors. But while you’re out enjoying the weather, so are ticks and mosquitoes, and they’re hungry! Not only are these pests annoying, but they can also carry potentially deadly diseases so it’s important to get them under control as soon as possible. 

Ticks are found in wooded areas and like to hide out in tall brush and grasses. Making the average yard on Long Island the perfect habitat for ticks. Every year we see more ticks spreading diseases, many of which are difficult to diagnose and treat. Some of the tick-borne diseases now spread on Long Island include the Powassan virus, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Tularemia, Lyme Disease, and Alpha-Gal Meat Allergy.  

Take ticks seriously and consider doing more to keep you and your family safe from them, because what you’ve been doing may not be enough. It is imperative to spray for ticks before the ticks arrive.

Mosquitoes tend to show up a little later than ticks, but should not be ignored. Not only are they annoying, but they can also carry diseases such as West Nile Virus and Zika. These pests breed anywhere where there is standing water. Just an inch of water can produce hundreds of mosquitoes. The best thing you can do for mosquito control is tree spraying. Plenty of organic insect control compounds kill dangerous insects but are safe for your family and pets. Discuss your tree spraying schedule early to ensure a happy, mosquito-free summer.

Scheduling regular tree and yard spraying for ticks and mosquitoes can help you take back your yard from these devious pests. Call Aronica Plant Health Care today and keep your family safe.

You heard that right! Despite the late-season cold, spring is just around the corner. It’s time to grab your tools and get some dirt under your nails! To help you get a leg up on the work, here is your spring gardening checklist:

1. Time to Trim: Prune back winter-killed branches to make room for new growth. Cut back spent perennials and pull up old annuals if you didn’t get around to it last fall. Then look around. March is a good time to take stock of your yard and see if it’s time to thin out crowded beds or do some transplanting to fill in bare spots.

2. Check for Signs of Growth: Our winter has been warm, so some plants might have started without you.

3. Prep the Beds: Remove winter mulch or, if it has been well composted, work it into the top layer of the soil. Clear away any broken or damaged branches from winter storms. Rake out fallen leaves and dead foliage. Also, remove existing mulch to set the stage for a new layer once spring planting is done. Push heaved plants back into flower beds and borders. Spread a pelletized fertilizer tailored to existing plantings on the soil’s surface so that spring rains can carry it to the roots.

4. Prune Away Dead and Damaged Branches: Where tree or shrub branches have been damaged by cold, snow, and wind, prune back to live stems by using a handsaw for any larger than ½ inch in diameter. Shape hedges with hand pruners, rather than electric shears to be more precise.

5. Divide Perennials: Before plants have begun spring growth you should divide your perennials. Prune flowering perennials to a height of 4–5 inches and ornamental grasses to 2–3 inches to allow new growth to shoot up.

6. Fill in the Gaps: Where the soil has thawed, dig up perennials—such as Day Lilies and Hostas—to thin crowded beds. Divide them, leaving at least three stems per clump, and transplant them to fill in sparse areas. If you’re past the last date of frost, cut back winter-damaged rose canes to 1 inch below the blackened area. 

7. Perform Basic Maintenance: Check stonework for frost heaves. Check and clean the deck now so you don’t have to do it later; make any repairs.

8. Start Seeds Indoors: Set your indoor seed planting now so they will be ready when the time is right.

9. Plant Veggies: Cold hardy vegetables—such as onions, potatoes, artichokes, and some lettuces—should be planted now, well before the weather truly warms up.