Tree Health

Tree Health & Insect/Disease Issues

Tree Health & Insect/Disease Issues

The GTA has lately come under assault from several invading insects and diseases; as well our plant life has had to deal with some very dry summers and short winters of late. The above mentioned issues can cause a healthy tree to become stressed, and spiral a weak tree towards death.

Two of the hot topic issues affecting the GTA are the EMERALD ASH BORER (EAB) and DUTCH ELM DISEASE. Both your Ash and Elm trees should be closely monitored. Just recently the entire city of Toronto has become a quarantine site for all species of Ash trees. This is to slow the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer. Make sure your pruned or removed Ash tree is taken to the appropriate dumping facility or the material is kept on site. Ask us about Treeazin injections for the EAB.

All trees are susceptible to one form of insect/disease or another, and some species have little to no resistance. The below information helps create the best environment possible for an urban tree and will help keep it healthy and more apt to fight off stress. Remember most insects and diseases are opportunistic.

  • Do not over water. Once a week application (1″ of water) as opposed to a little every day, is best for most trees. Over watering is very common with irrigation systems and leads to several fungal diseases.
  • Mulch around the base of the tree (2″-4″ deep) as wide as you have room for, as this will keep moisture on the ground on hot days, and replenish organic matter back into the soil.
  • Proper planting techniques. This includes the correct soil structure, species selection, and planting depth. Make sure soil has a good mix of organic matter, sand and clay (triple mix). Don’t choose a delicate tree for a harsh area or vice versa. Make sure the root ball is not too deep as to bury some of the trunk in the ground. Do not apply mulch high up the trunk, as this will also cause the trunk to rot.
  • Fertilizer is important if the soil is void of nutrients, or under environmental stress. Trees should not be survived by fertilizer, and it is important to properly amend the soil. This is done by mulching, and mixing back in proper levels of organic matter, as well as breaking up the soil if it is compacted, to allow water and oxygen back in.
  • Proper pruning techniques. There are several aspects to pruning, from controlling tree size, thinning for better air circulation, removing dead and diseased wood, healthy structure, and pruning for the safety of those below.

The above information is just a start towards a long and healthy life for your trees. City trees need all the help we can give them. Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have, and please check out the websites I have linked to my home page for some great information. Remember not everyone who calls themselves an Arborist, is trained in the latest science and techniques in the industry.

Testimonials

Craig and the Sequoia crew did a fantastic job removing three challenging trees from our property. Great experience from the initial quote to the final clean up. Easy to communicate with throughout, very professional outfit. They had the expertise to tackle a large maple that others were hesitant to take on. Provided a competitive quote, showed up when promised, and we had total peace of mind as they did the work. After stump grinding, we can hardly tell the tree was there. Sequoia came highly recommended and lived up to the hype, I would recommend them without hesitation.
Erin Garner
Erin Garner
02:28 09 Nov 22
This review is long overdue and necessary as it is not often in todays world to find a great company that does what they commit to doing in a professional way. We hired Sequoia TreeScape a few months ago to remove three large dead trees from our property. Matt, Craig and team were friendly, considerate and did an incredible Job in removing the trees on time , in a professional way with care in safety and clean up and on the agreed pricing! We are so great full for their services and have arranged to hire them again this fall to take down more dead trees that were destroyed by the emerald ash borer on our property. We highly recommend the services of Sequoia TreeScape and will continue to use their services for all of our landscaping needs! Thank you Matt , Craig amd team for all that you do for our community!
Norma Zelina
Norma Zelina
12:56 15 Oct 22
Sequoia Treescape did a great job. Craig was very knowledgeable and helpful. The crew arrived right on time and did the work as requested, including special requests. They were courteous, professional and did a great job cleaning up afterward. We'll definitely use Sequoia for future work.
Renee Leblanc
Renee Leblanc
22:03 03 Oct 22
Call Sequoia and had a quick turnaround project. They responded right away and were here in a few days. The team did a great job, property looks excellent and they cleaned up behind themselves. Courteous, professional and responsive.
Mark Ayer
Mark Ayer
18:33 11 Aug 22
Matt and Craig at Sequoia trees have been an absolute gift from heaven for us. They first saved me in a home project I thought I could do myself which came to a grinding halt when I ran into serious trouble with some very stubborn old roots. They came out in very short order to rid me of the roots and save the day so I could resume my home landscaping. A few short weeks later they were incredibly responsive after a huge storm blew through and left us dodging many huge dangling limbs. When they came to assess Steven immediately saw other limbs with clear cracks and was enable to ensure that the job they did left us safe. It is exceptionally clear to me that as individuals and as a company they are grounded in integrity and deep knowledge of their trade. Their entire crew is respectful and exceptionally efficient. They spend the time to do the job thoroughly and the clean-up is meticulous. It is with zero hesitation that I highly recommend Sequoia trees. Rita
Rita McMahon
Rita McMahon
13:46 28 Jul 22
I highly recommend Sequoia treescape and will definitely use them again. We met Matt at a home show and he followed up very quickly. The pricing was reasonable and service was excellent. Matt impressed me with how very informative and knowledgeable he was about the type of trees that we had on our property and he took the time to explain what needed to be done to each tree and why. The whole team was very professional and they cleaned up all the tree limbs etc before they left. Thank you Matt and team for your help with our trees. I feel safe going into my backyard again and that no limbs will fall off our large Maple tree now. I am very happy with all the work they did on our trees and would recommend Seqouia as a company that I trust to do a excellent job. Jane
Jane Wachtmeester
Jane Wachtmeester
04:45 18 May 22
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