Weed Pro Blog » garden

Mistletoe may help sweethearts, but it hurts host trees

weedpro — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:15:15 +0000

Sweethearts may love mistletoe, but trees don’t. It’s actually a parasite that uses the tree as a host.

If you see green leaves in Atlanta lawn care areas on top of deciduous trees, it might be mistletoe.

Mistletoe is an evergreen, parasitic plant found on a wide host of trees, including alder, birch, cottonwood, maple, oak, hickory and elm. Mistletoe gets water and nutrients from the host tree, but it is not totally dependent.

Leaves of mistletoe contain chlorophyll and are capable of making their own food from carbon dioxide and water. Birds feed on mistletoe berries and deposit them on new trees in their droppings. This is how mistletoe spreads from tree to tree. When the seeds germinate, they grow through the bark and into the vascular system of the host where it obtains water and minerals.

Mistletoe can be particularly stressful to trees during drought conditions. Trees that are heavily infested by mistletoe for several years may lose vigor, become stunted or even killed. This is especially true if the tree is already subjected to drought stress, harsh winter conditions, construction injury, diseases, insects or other conditions that further weaken the tree.

Mistletoe grows slowly at first and may take years to produce seeds. Healthy trees can tolerate small mistletoe infestations, but individual branches might be compromised and susceptible to wind or snow breakage.

Simply removing mistletoe will provide some protection from spreading. However, if you remove only the mistletoe, it will probably regrow.

To effectively control mistletoe, prune the tree one to two feet beyond the point of attachment. If the mistletoe is located on a main limb or trunk, remove the top of the mistletoe and wrap the cut with an opaque plastic to prevent sunlight. Since mistletoe requires light, it will die within a couple of years. It might be necessary to repeat this treatment, especially if the wrapping becomes detached or the mistletoe is not completely killed.

The Best Day Of Fishing Ever!

weedpro — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:53:33 +0000

The Best Day Of Fishing Ever!

Some fishing stories are a little hard to believe,

But this guy has pictures to prove his story…

I’ve heard of salmon jumping into boats, but never anything quite like this…

Tom Satre told the Sitka Gazette that he was out with a charter group on his 62-foot fishing vessel when four juvenile black-tailed deer swam directly toward his boat.

“Once the deer reached the boat, the four began to circle the boat, looking directly at us.

We could tell right away that the young bucks were distressed.

I opened up my back gate and we helped the typically skittish and absolutely wild animals onto the boat. In all my years fishing, I’ve never seen anything quite like it!

Once onboard, they collapsed with exhaustion, shivering.”

“This is a picture I took of the rescued bucks on the back of my boat, the Alaska Quest.

We headed for Taku Harbour. Once we reached the dock, the first buck that we had been pulled from the water hopped onto the dock, looked back as if to say ‘thank you’ and disappeared into the forest. After a bit of prodding and assistance, two more followed, but the smallest deer needed a little more help.

The captain of the boat rescuing the little guy.

The Captains daughter, Anna, and son, Tim, helped the last buck to its feet. We didn’t know how long they had been in the icy waters or if there had been others who did not survive. My daughter later told me that the experience was something she would never forget, and I suspect the deer felt the

same way as well!”

I told you! Awesome… huh?

Happy New Year!! January Garden Tips!!

weedpro — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:58:24 +0000

Choose a nice sunny day and fertilize your winter pansies, violas, and ornamental cabbage. It’s also a great time to deadhead any unsightly or damage flower heads. Be sure to also remove any seed pod stems. Fertilize your winner flower displays with products that contain “nitrate nitrogen” for plants growing in cold soil.

Mower maintenance is upon us! Don’t procrastinate! Drain and completely replace the oil in your lawn mower and check the spark plug and blades. Also, check the air filter for debris’s or clogged up pre-filters. If this is a task you don’t feel comfortable with, local mower shops usually are slow during January and can help with your lawn mowing maintenance needs.

Bare-root roses will arrive in nurseries this month! Start designing your landscape plan to incorporate spacing for each plant. The plants come in a wide variety of colors and textures to choose from. Just remember, when configuring the total square footage you will need. The basic rule of thumb is four feet wide and twelve inches deep for each plant to include new soil.

Now that leafs are gone in the Atlanta Metro area, it’s easy to see the limb structure of trees and a great time for limb pruning and shaping. Crape Myrtle’s are a very popular landscape variety in Georgia and are usually pruned during the months of January and February. Just remember to remove any unsightly or over hanging areas while trees are dormant. It’s also, a great time to complete any large tree pruning projects.

Don’t be in a hurry to fertilize poinsettias until March. Only water the plant as needed when the soil becomes dry. If you have difficulties determining if the plant is dry are not, use a moisture meter to assist you. Place the plant in a bright sunny area with cool temperatures for best results during Atlanta Georgia’s winter months or by your head.

What to Plant

weedpro — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:46:12 +0000

Mr. Weedy says: If you have an area of landscape that needs sprucing up, try planting dahlias, elephant ear, gladiolus and caladiums now. These plant varieties can add life to any dull landscape area.

Contact Weed Pro Lawn Care directly for help with your landscape projects. Additional reference sources include atlanta lawn treatment or lawn service milton.

Shrub Fertilizer for your Garden

weedpro — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:52:46 +0000

Mr. Weedy says: Fertilize your garden shrubs at this time for best results you can use a 10-10-10 fertilizer with 1 tablespoon of product per foot of height. Ask your lawn and landscape professional provider for a recommended shrub care product.

Contact Weed Pro Lawn Care directly for help with your landscape projects. Additional reference sources include cumming lawn treatment or organic lawn care suwanee.

Flower Fertilizer Tips

weedpro — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:24:41 +0000

Mr. Weedy says: Now’s the time to fertilize your winter annual flowers. Considering the soil is warming up in temperatures are starting to change, use a water-soluble houseplant fertilizer with 1/2 pint 1/2 pint of solution per plant. Be sure to read the instructions on your chosen fertilization product to ensure proper fertilization. Weed Pro lawn care offers an organic solution to fertilizing trees and shrubs in the Georgia area.

Contact Weed Pro Lawn Care directly for help with your landscape projects. Additional reference sources include lawn care cumming or organic lawn service milton.

Soil and Lime Tips

weedpro — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 22:58:49 +0000

Mr. Weedy says: Depending on the area you live in, check your soils pH for low wind efficiencies and adjust accordingly to your areas soil conditions and requirements. Lime is a natural product and can be used 40 pounds per 1000 ft. At Weed Pro lawn care we provide free soil tests and lime adjustments within our lawn care program in Atlanta Georgia.

Contact Weed Pro Lawn Care directly for help with your landscape projects. Additional reference sources include lawn care atlanta or lawn care johns creek.

Pruning Tips

weedpro — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 23:40:29 +0000

Mr. Weedy says: Use a hand pruner on your boxwood shrubs, shears are not recommended for pruning boxwood’s and your goal is to make foliage holes in the greenery. This process will improve sun penetration to the tree trunk for new growth stimulation.

Contact Weed Pro Lawn Care directly for help with your landscape projects. Additional reference sources include organic lawn care cumming or alpharetta lawn care.

When to Prune Tips

weedpro — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 22:28:48 +0000

Mr. Weedy says: Winter honeysuckle, quince and forsythia can be pruned to a smaller size after flowering has completed. Heavy planning is not recommended at this time.

Contact Weed Pro Lawn Care directly for help with your landscape projects. Additional reference sources include lawn service atlanta or sandy springs organic lawn service .

Shrub Tips

weedpro — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 22:48:01 +0000

Mr. Weedy says: You can start pruning overgrown Burford holly shrubs at this time. The shrubs can be pruned severely to less than 12 inches if needed. All heavily pruned shrubs will grow back new green foliage by the summer months. Be sure to take extra caution in completing this task if the shrubs or more than 8 feet tall. Please call a professional landscape company to help and assist you. Weed Pro lawn care offers free quotes in this area.

Contact Weed Pro Lawn Care directly for help with your landscape projects. Additional reference sources include duluth lawn treatment or alpharetta lawn care.

Mr. Weedy spotlight video of the week :: Henbit