Green Goddess Trees Talk

Hello this is Green Goddess owner Matt Filla. As a general rule of thumb, late winter is the best season for pruning trees and shrubs. Main reasons for optimal pruning timing often occurring in February and early March are:

1. Extremely low to zero chance for plant pathogens to spread. Diseases prevented with winter pruning include Oak Wilt, Locust Cankers, and Apple Fireblight.

2. Tree surgeries waste less energy during winter dormant season. Less energy is distributed in the limbs plus there is no wasted foliage with deciduous tree limb removal. Spring trimming is usually the most stressful timing as trees with lower energy reserves after winter have pushed limited energy resources into the first flush of foliage.

3. Although early winter can be solid pruning timing, late winter is usually better as open limb cut wounds are less frequently damaged from winter cold snaps. This is because late winter is close to…

Are you tired of watering trees constantly? It's incredible just how much water is recommended for a thirsty tree every day during drought. A large 40" diameter tree would benefit from 40 gallons of slow trickle irrigation on a dry hot day! Installing a mulch ring is one of the best ways to dramatically increase soil moisture moderation and consequently tree drought resistance.

Homeowners commonly overestimate the power of fertilizer. Fertilizers like miracle-gro cause explosive growth in tomatoes and scots allows turfgrass to thrive. Surprisingly, trees in compacted city soils often suffer when high nitrogen synthetic fertilizers are applied; burns to roots can occur while enhanced growth rates for stressed plants increases vulnerability to a myriad of ailments. Trees in the urban environment are weakened from a lack of organic material seen in the forest setting. Decades of leaves, sticks, and logs decomposing into the soil creates that soft, porous…

Hello Tree Talk Community,

This is arborist and commercial pesticide applicator Matt Filla. This thread helps homeowners determine the best outdoor treatment solutions.

So you’re comparing treatment options for your outdoor problem. For example, let’s say you have Emerald Ash Borer. You hire a company who tells you they use excellent insecticide products with a long track record of success. They describe a soil injection method that lasts a full year. You sign the contract and become a perennial customer. Your mistakes?

 1. ALWAYS ask the applicator to disclose which chemical they will be using for the treatment. Specifically, ask which active ingredient is in their treatment. The budget applicators you’re hiring for Emerald Ash Borer are using an inferior imidacloprid product for your treatments.

2. Research the active ingredient and call a treatment specialist such as Goddess for a second professional opinion. For Ash, trunk injection Emamectin Benzoate has extensive…