Fall azaleas in full bloom

I visitied one of my Shrub Doctor customers today, and found her azaleas loaded with blooms. High quality organic nutrients, and detailed hand pruning, bring out the best in your flowering plants. Just look at all the blooms carpeting the ground.

The Bottle Tree

HOW DO I FERTILIZE THAT?

Several Shrub Doctor customers have these bottle sculptures.  This one is the best yet!

Emma and Ellie

I have been friends with Emma for five years now.  Everytime I visit her property, I  spend the first ten minutes throwing the ball to her, and chasing her around the yard.  During all this time, I think I have only caught her once.  Now Emma has a new adopted little sister. Her name is Ellie.  Ellie has now learned the routine with throwing the ball, and she is now included in the game.

Shrub Doctor has many friends like Emma and Ellie, and he looks forward to seeing them during his treatments.  Shrub Doctor uses only organic and natural nutrients when treating the landscapes of its customers.  Shrub Doctor also uses very low-toxic insect controls only when necessary.  Because Shrub Doctor is so careful not to toxify its environment, the owners of Emma and Ellie can rest assured that their pets can roam through their shrubs without any concern about effecting thier health.

Crepe Myrtle Success

During the Spring season, Shrub Doctor treats its customer’s crepe myrtle trees with a systemic insect control, and organic recipe to fight aphid and beetle activity.  During May and July, Shrub Doctor performs foliar applications of this same formula using a gas-powered fogging machine.  Now that we are in the late summer, our crepe myrtles are full of blooms, and totally free of insect infestation.  If your crepe myrtles are not up to your expectations, call Shrub Doctor today to find out how you can have trees that look like these.

Deodora Cedars Doing Fine

 

My customer called another landscape specialist this winter to check on the condition of her two prized cedars.  She was told they were infested with borers, and that they would soon die.  She was about to have them removed, yet decided to get another opinion.  Shrub Doctor inspected the trees, and treated them to kill the borers.  Shrub Doctor also performed a “basal drench” fertilization to each tree, using one of his organic formulations.  Just last week, the customer called to say the trees were doing well.  New growth has emerged throughout the entire canopy, and there are no signs of borer activity.  If the customer had taken the original advise, her prized deodora cedars would have been a distant memory.

Rotting of Tree Base

Fungus growing on a tree’s surface is a prime indication of rotting within it’s trunk.  Take a look at the cut away of this tree.  You will see the fungal growth that was visible on the outside of the tree.  Now that the tree has been cut down, take a look at the advanced rotting condition within the tree.  If you see any type of fungal growth on the trunk or root sections of your large trees, call Shrub Doctor immediately for a free evaluation of your tree’s condition.

“The azaleas are blooming!”

One of the best times of year is during the spring bloom.  Here are some photos of azaleas taken of several different Shrub Doctor customers.  In one photo, take a look at the size of the azalea, in reference to our vehicle.

Sapsucker damage (Woodpecker damage)

I noticed this tree while visiting Park Road Park, in south Charlotte.   I noticed all the blackness on the trunk, and decided to take a closer look.  I was expecting to find the tree’s trunk covered with bark scale.  As I got closer, I realized the tree was riddled with holes. Sapsuckers have been feasting on the sap lying just below the bark.  The blackness on the trunk is “sooty mold” that is growing on the sap oozing from the wounds.  If you have trees in your landscape that have this similar condition, give Shrub Doctor a call.  We’ll give you a free evaluation, and let you know what can be done to resolve the issue.  Call Shrub Doctor at 704-920-0290, or email Mark Tally (The Shrub Doctor) at mark@shrubdoctor.com

For further information on sapsucker damage, view our page under “abiotic disorders” on this blog.

Proper Pruning of Crape Myrtle Trees

Its very important that you hire a person skilled in the proper pruning of your crape myrtles.  In this post are two examples of recently pruned crapes in the South Charlotte area.  The first photo shows an example of “crape murder“.  This is where the tree has been topped.  Multiple sprouts will emerge in Spring, and the shape of the tree will be lost forever.  The second photo is an example of a properly pruned tree.  Time and effort was taken to assure that the proper shape of the tree was preserved.  Be very wary of who you hire to prune.  The Shrub Doctor maintains relationships with many skilled tree pruning specialists.  Don’t hesitate to call us for a reference.  You can reach us at 704-920-0290, or email us at mark@shrubdoctor.com

Beware of too much mulch!

Applying too much mulch to your shrubs and trees can cause serious damage to your landscape.  Mulch left too deep around the shrubs can suffocate the root systems, and cause gradual decline to the plant.  Also, mulch applied up and into the crown of the shrub can cause fungal diseases to develop, and also provide a nesting area for insects and scale. Be very careful when applying mulch to your beds.  Mulch does not need to be more than 2 inches deep within the drip line of the plant.  Also- “You do not need to mulch every year”.  You can simply fluff your much by turning it over with a garden rake.  Fluffing your mulch is the same as turning your compost.  You are basically aerifing the much and allowing it to break down.  This provides a food source for the microbes in the soil.  The microbial populations are vital towards maintaining the health of your landscape.  They breakdown the nutrients in the soil, and deliver them to your plants.  Keep an eye on your landscape crew when they are applying mulch.  Do a walk-around with them when they are finished.  Make them pull back any excess mulch from your shrubs and trees.