SP RIN G 2 0 1 6
jo h n b w a r d . c o m
A message from Jim ward By Jim Ward, ISA Certified Arborist PD-53
forward-thinking — it can take a generation to grow an 80-foot-tall shade tree. The allée of cherry trees lining the walkway into the cemetery add to the property’s charm. Some of these trees are over 100 years old and were planted as a “test” by horticulturalists to see if Japanese cherry trees
Historic photo of the Merion Friends Meetinghouse soon after the sugar maple was planted.
ISA Certified Arborist James Ward and Johnny Vito under a large sugar maple tree at Merion Friends Meetinghouse.
— planned to be gifted to
may take 50 years or more to
Washington D.C. — could
grow a shade tree to maturity,
We are proud to care for the trees at Merion Friends Meeting in Merion. The Meeting was founded in 1682; construction of the meetinghouse began in 1695 and was completed in 1715.
thrive in the Northeast
we need to plan for the long
climate. And thrive they did!
term. We are the stewards
As a community, we need to
of our homes, parks, schools
continue to be practical and
and open spaces. Let’s work
forward-thinking. Although it
together to preserve our
During a recent visit to the Meeting, I walked the property
canopy and plant new trees in
with Hugh Darlington, our arborist who works with members
a thoughtful manner. As we enter our 59th year in
of the Meeting to care for the trees. I was immediately struck by the significant history of the meetinghouse and the
business, I would like thank
grounds. Everything was designed, built and maintained for
our clients for their support.
the long term. From the meetinghouse itself — which has
We will always strive to
been in continuous use for over 300 years — to the walls,
improve our company so that
the fencing, and, of course, the trees. There are several old
we can continue to deliver
sugar maple trees planted close to the meetinghouse. These trees were strategically planted to provide shade during the warm summer months. Planting these trees was practical and
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Mulberry Tree Preservation By Matthew Ward
Ornamental Pruning By Matthew Ward
The Garden as Habitat By Ken LeRoy
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Healthy Soil for Trees By Hugh Darlington
Cherry trees planted over 100 years ago add to the beauty of the Merion Friends property.
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Plant Health Care News ;Emerald Ash Borer ;Pachysandra Woes ;Boxwood threats By Chris Ward
the highest level of professional services for your trees and shrubs.
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Wood Decay fungi By Ken LeRoy
2 Case Study
Preservation of a Mulberry Tree in Bryn Mawr
By Matthew Ward, ISA Certified Arborist PD-1673
A client in Bryn Mawr has a mulberry tree that is strategically located on the property. The trunk developed a large crack where the two main leaders connect. In order to extend the life of this tree,
as many tree care companies do not offer
we performed the following:
the service. But we do! We stock steel
1.
rod in various diameters and are always
2.
3.
We pruned the tree to reduce weight in the canopy while maintaining the natural shape of the tree.
The Garden As Habitat By Ken LeRoy, ISA Certified Arborist PD-78
prepared to move quickly to save
a valuable tree.
Plant it, and they will come!
We installed a steel cable with eyebolts at a height of about 2/3rd from the union of the two leaders to the top of the tree.
The plants in our yards and gardens
We installed steel rods to support the two leaders.
A healthy, functioning landscape
support a wonderful array of life. is made of tall mature trees,
Installing rods is a tree preservation
evergreen trees, small flowering and
technique that has been practiced for
fruiting trees, shrubs, herbaceous
over 80 years. It is becoming a lost art,
Drilling the trunk to install a steel rod.
perennials, lawn, and meadow. Home landscapes harbor a diverse
Case Study
Ornamental Pruning of a Japanese Maple in Villanova Pruning is necessary to maintain a healthy, vigorous tree or shrub. outer canopy. We have
ornamental trees and
a special passion for
shrubs to maintain or
this detailed type of
reduce the plant size.
pruning and take pride
Without this pruning,
in creating a perfect end
the plant will simply
result so that your plants
grow too large for its
and trees do not appear
intended space.
to be pruned at all.
Our goal in ornamental pruning is to achieve a natural look rather than a bowled or sheared appearance.
Our team includes Completed pruning of a beautiful Japanese Maple in Villanova. Certified Arborist Randall Synder applied his signature to this pruning job.
By hiding our pruning
and grubs in the soil to the birds in the trees. And it is all connected! Robins feed on the worms and flickers feed on the grubs. In autumn, as the days grow shorter, some plants produce seeds wrapped
By Matthew Ward, ISA Certified Arborist PD-1673
We frequently prune
population of life, from the worms
ISA Certified Arborists with over 20 years experience pruning ornamental trees and shrubs. Please call
cuts inside the plant, we can
us to help you keep your trees as
simultaneously thin and reduce the
healthy and beautiful as possible.
in pulp; these fruits will sustain the bird populations throughout the winter. You can know where we are on the calendar by observing what time of year these fruits are ripe enough for the birds to feed on. In February, for example, the cedar waxwings and robins are feeding on hawthorn berries, but the holly berries are still on the trees. For a list of our favorite trees and shrubs that sustain our fine feathered friends in winter, find this article in the news section of our website: www.johnbward.com
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610.293.9430 ; www.johnbward.com
Healthy Soil for Trees By Hugh Darlington, ISA Certified Arborist PD-039
The ideal environment for trees to thrive in is their natural element — a woodland setting with leaves decomposing under the canopy, making the soil loamy with lots of organic matter and microorganisms. Unfortunately for trees, the
Vertical mulching is the
products energize the soil in
environment around our
process of drilling holes
different ways. The compost
homes is often dominated by
under the drip line of trees
blend increases microbiotic
turf. Each fall, all the leaves
with a 2.5-inch diameter
activity and suppresses some
are quickly removed so that,
auger. We drill holes up to 18
aggressive root and stem
after many years, the soil is
inches deep at about two-foot
fungi that attack the roots of
starved of natural nutrients.
intervals under the entire
trees and shrubs. The Bio-
Often, the ground is severely
canopy. The holes alone are
Char is organic matter that is
compacted by foot traffic and
beneficial: oxygen can enter
not fertilizer — it acts as a soil
heavy lawn mowers. Throw in a couple of construction projects, a Fios line and a trench for the new generator, and an extremely stressful
Our goal is to increase the capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem. Zack Johnson adds compost and Bio-Char to the root zone of a weeping European beech tree.
soil environment is created for our tree canopy. The good news is that we
the soil, gases can escape,
invigorator. The combination
have proven techniques to
and soil moisture levels in
of compost and Bio-Char
a tool called an air-spade to
help. In addition to injecting
the upper profiles of the soil
quickly provides a powerful
churn the dirt into a fluffy,
liquid fertilizer and organic
can be improved. We fill the
soil therapy that gives plants
pliable medium. The air-
soil conditioners, we also
holes with a combination
an exponential energy boost.
spade produces high-velocity
perform vertical mulching
of Bio-Char charcoal and a
and root invigoration of the
compost blend we purchase
vertical mulching to the next
roots and enables us to blend
soil under trees.
in Lancaster. These two
level. In this process, we use
the existing soil with our
Root invigoration takes
air that does not damage
compost blend and Bio-Char. Rather than drill individual holes, we churn an area as large as possible under the tree or plant canopy. To finish the project, we mulch and then drench the critical root zone with Kick root stimulant. Our goal is to increase the capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem. We are happy to discuss these processes with you and make recommendations based on your individual landscape and soil conditions. Zack Johnson uses the air spade tool as part of the root invigoration process.
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PLANT HEALTHCARE NEWS By Chris Ward, ISA Certified Arborist PD-704
Pachysandra Woes Pachysandra terminalis is easily the most commonly used ground cover in our area. Traditionally, the key problems with pachysandra are Volutella, a fungus, and Euonymus scale, an insect. A third enemy, Alfalfa Mosaic Virus, was first discovered Dead Ash Tree as a result of the Emerald Ash Borer.
on pachysandra in 1982; we began noticing it occasionally in our area
Boxwood planting dying from boxwood blight with closeup of the leaves.
Boxwood Threats Boxwood is one of the most valued
about 10 years ago. This disease
and versatile evergreen shrubs we
causes yellow spotting and mostly
care for. It is great for hedging and
Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is
aesthetic damage. Last summer, the
individual specimens, has a wide array
an insect native to Asia that was
extended dry period put pachysandra
of habits and forms, and is traditionally
discovered near Detroit in 2002.
under major stress. Plants in the full
considered to be relatively insect-and
Since then, it has eaten its way south
sun that were not watered wilted and
disease-tolerant. Lately, there has been
and east toward Pennsylvania, killing
died. Interestingly, pachysandra in
a big increase in pest and disease issues
hundreds of millions of ash trees
the shade became infested with two-
associated with boxwoods. The weather
along the way. Unlike many of our
spotted spider mites, an occasional
may be partly to blame: the frigid
native wood-boring insects, EAB
pest of stressed pachysandra. Combine
winters of 2014 and 2015 killed foliage
will attack a completely healthy ash
these stress factors with Volutella,
by desiccation and damaged tissue to
tree. There are known infestations
scale insects and Alfalfa Mosaic Virus,
set up plants for infections of Volutella.
in Bucks, Montgomery, Berks, and
and we have a lot of pachysandra
In addition, many new installations of
Lancaster counties, but so far,
that is not looking its best. The good
boxwoods are coming from nurseries
Delaware County has been spared.
news is that pachysandra has a good
infested with boxwood leafminer,
Control options are available; once
ability to recover once we control the
an insect that causes leaf damage
EAB is in our immediate area, those
treatable problems. Let us know if your
and defoliation. Perhaps scariest is
options will become somewhat more
pachysandra is looking unhealthy and
boxwood blight, which has devastated
limited and more costly. We have
we will advise you on what can be done.
plantings in Connecticut, North Carolina,
Emerald Ash Borer
personally observed the infestation
and Virginia. It has been discovered in
in Bucks County, and it is clear that
nurseries in Pennsylvania and the PA
once the population of EAB explodes
Department of Agriculture is working
in an area, the dead ash trees start
very hard to keep it out of our landscapes.
to accumulate faster than tree care
It is crucial to inspect new boxwood
companies can remove them. That’s
installations. If a boxwood has suspicious
why we are encouraging you to protect
leaf spotting and defoliation, let us know
any worthwhile ash trees this year, in
Alfalfa Mosaic Virus Close-Up
so we can inspect it immediately.
order to stay ahead of the infestation. We are being proactive about EAB, and we encourage you to do the same. If you haven’t already done so, please contact us to find out how we can help you save your ash trees.
Please give us a call if you have any questions about your trees and shrubs or would like to schedule an appointment for us to walk your property.
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WOOD DECAY FUNGI By Ken LeRoy, ISA Certified Arborist PD-78
The moist and mild weather of this past year were perfect conditions for fungal species to produce a wide array of mushrooms sprouting from the trunks, limbs and roots of trees, especially Oaks and Maples. Decay of living and dead trees is caused by fungi. Fungi decay wood by secreting an array of enzymes with
Honey Mushroom
Artist's Conk
Armillaria species
Ganoderma applanatum
the unique ability to disassemble the complex molecules that comprise wood. We know the fungi by the mushrooms and conks they produce. These fruiting bodies produce reproductive spores that are released into the environment. For the Arborist, it is most useful to name the decay based on the location on the tree where they occur: root, butt, sap, heartwood, trunk, and branch rots. We can then specify the type of rot: white, brown, and soft rots.
Chicken of the Woods Polyporus sulphureus
Vigorously attacks and decays roots and butts. Called Shoe-string root rot due to the mycelial fans which resemble black, flattened shoestrings. Decayed root systems by Armillaria cannot support the crown of the tree. Trees commonly fail by up-rooting.
Causes both heart and sap rot. The
For the Arborist, identification of
perennial woody conks of concentric
the various stages is so critical in
brown zones with white margins are
evaluating the condition of mature
found at the base and along the trunks
trees in public places where tree
of trees. It is the largest perennial conk
failure can cause damage to property
found on community trees sometimes
and injury to people and pets. Edible.
measuring a foot across. Persisting for
Oyster Mushrooms
many years, the conks indicate serious pending decay.
Pleurotus ostreatus
As Arborists, our primary responsibility is for our client's safety. The presence of mushrooms and conks is a positive indicator of decay and therefore represents an increased potential for tree and limb failure. We are trained to recognize and identify Causes a brown rot of the heart
One of the most common mushrooms
the fungi affecting trees so that we
wood of the trunk and butt. Like
on Maples and Tulip-trees. The
can make an accurate diagnosis and
other fungi, the body of the fungus
fungus decomposes wood that is dead
recommend a safe course of action.
(mycelia) produce specific enzymes
(saprophytic). It does not spread to live
to breakdown the cellulose in wood.
tissue (pathogenic). These white to
Trees may appear to have a healthy
yellow overlapping gilled caps stack-
crown, but the heartwood may be
up along a seam of dead wood trunks
decaying. Salmon colored to sulfur
and cause a white sap rot of the wood.
yellow overlapping caps fading to
"Hiratake" to the Japanese, who use
white. Edible.
the mushrooms in cooking.
SPRING 2016
Contact Us ; 610.525.1562 www.johnbward.com
PO BOX 280, BRYN MAWR, PA 19010