Ash Rust Puts More Stress on Ash Trees

Already plagued by serious problems like the fatal Emerald Ash Borer, Ash trees now have a new adversary: Ash Rust. "Ash Rust infects White, Green and sometimes Black Ash," explains Lou Giroud, President of Giroud Tree and Lawn and ISA Certified Arborist.   "Symptoms start as small yellow to yellow-orange spots on leaves beginning in Mid-May.  Wart like-swellings may also erupt and leaves often become distorted.   By July, heavily infected Ash Trees may have significant leaf loss."

Preventative treatment is the best control but is not recommended since the disease only occurs sporadically. Giroud Tree and Lawn recommends the following tree service actions:

1. Schedule Ash Tree Inspection Now: Have your Giroud ISA Certified Arborist evaluate overall health of the tree and determine the best actions to protect tree health.
2. Reduce Tree Stress:  In the fall, deep root fertilization, soil amendments, vitamins and nutrients can help to boost the tree’s immune system.

3. Emerald Ash Borer Treatment:  A fatal pest, treatment is the only way to protect Ash Trees from Emerald Ash Borer.  If the Ash Tree is valuable to the landscape, Emerald Ash Borer treatment is critical. 

4. Regular Monitoring: Because Ash Trees face formidable health issues, it is important to have professional inspections regularly to catch emerging issues early.

Happy Arbor Day!

Celebrate Arbor Day by getting outside to see how your trees are doing.  How did they stand up to the fierce winter?  Do you see new growth and buds on branch tips or signs of decay and deadwood?  

Below is a list of our Top Spring Warning Signs of Tree Problems:

Maple is leafing out later than
 other Maples which is a sign
of health issues. 

1. Delayed or Partial Leaf Out: When a tree leafs out later than others of the same type, has lack of new growth, dwarf leaves or only some sections of the tree leaf out, the tree may have health issues.
2. Damaged Leaves: Chewed, yellowing or discolored leaves may be signs of insect activity or disease.
3. Borers: One of the biggest concerns is Emerald Ash Borer which recently invaded our area. Emerald Ash Borer is 100% fatal to Ash trees. Professional treatment is the only way to protect Ash from this deadly pest.
4. Decay: Mushrooms and shelf fungi are symptoms of decay when growing out of the root system or trunk of a tree. Another sign of decay is a cavity. If the decay is extensive, then the tree may be hazardous.
5. Excessive deadwood: Dead branches can be a serious safety hazard to people and property. Brittle branches tend to break more easily in storms.

If you spot any of these problems, get a health inspection by your Giroud Arborist!  He will check your trees for hazards, insects and disease issues and let you know the best actions to take.

Big Truck Day at Glenside Library

Giroud's Bucket Truck was a hit at the annual Big Truck Day recently held at the Glenside Library in Glenside PA. Joe Hock, Matt Giroud and Taylor Klein volunteered to show kids how the bucket truck works and explain  the important tree service jobs it does. See more!

Squirrel Problems

Keeping Squirrels Out of Your House

Winter is prime time for squirrels to search for a warm, cozy home.  We want to help make sure it's not in your attic or walls. That's where squirrel problems begin.

Once inside your house, squirrels chew exposed electrical wires, tear through storage,  furniture and other materials and leave droppings.  Besides creating a mess, this crafty member of the rodent family poses a serious fire, health and safety hazard.

Tree limbs often serve as an easy launch point for squirrels to leap on the roof and possibly into your house. Tree trimming is a simple solution that can deter squirrels from gaining access to your house.  Your Giroud Arborist can evaluate the trees surrounding your house and determine how tree trimming or removal can help.

Early Christmas Gift for Honeybees

New Home for Honeybees at Arcadia U

Suzanne Matlock, President, Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild at Arcadia's Apiary, shows off a tree trunk salvaged by Giroud Crew Leader, Dan Rombold.  Dan saved the trunk during a tree removal.  When the weather warms up again in April, Suzanne plans to "install" some bees

and see how they adjust to their new home.  

Giroud Tree Gets Training on Honeybee Protection and Safety (+playlist)

Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild President, Suzanne Matlock, presents a workshop on Protecting Honeybees to Giroud Tree and Lawn. Honeybee populations are declining and could create severe impact on the world's food supply. Tree service companies can help protect honeybees. Giroud Tree employees learned about the honeybee's vital role in crop pollination, how to identify honeybees and resources to contact for safe and humane honeybee removal.  For more information check out our news release on Honeybee Protection

Heat Alert--Water Now!

Heat wave can be deadly for trees, shrubs and lawns.   Young plantings or newly seeded/sodded lawns are especially vulnerable.  During an extended heat wave, it's urgent to

water.  

Here's how to do it: The best time to water is in the morning. For trees and shrubs, let water trickle out slowly on each plant for about 20 minutes at least twice a week. For lawns, soak the newly planted area for at least 30 minutes, three times a week. Questions? Give us a call at 215-682-7704. 

Spring Seeding for a Shady Lawn

Is your lawn suffering from too much shade? From lime and lawn fertilizer treatment to seeding and top dressing with rich compost, Mike Taraborrelli, Giroud Tree and Lawn's Lawn Service Manager, explains the steps required to build a lawn in shady areas.

Spring Tree Health Alert!

Spring Alert: Learn the warning signs that a tree has health problems and the actions you can take: Spring Tree Alerts and Actions

Tree fertilization treatments work! (l to r) Trees on left have been fertilized and show growth and full canopy. Neighbor's tree was not fertilized and has stunted growth with a thinner canopy.

Tree Service in the Snow

It's snowing today but that doesn't stop our tree service crews!  Bill Boub, Doug Muth and Jeshua Van Buren team up to complete tree pruning at Medical Mission Sisters in Philadelphia, PA.  

Tree Service Income Tax Deduction

Did you sustain tree damage in Hurricane Sandy that required tree service?  The costs may be deductible on your federal income tax.  Turbo Tax provides answers at: https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1746405-can-i-deduct-tree-service-for-damage-to-trees-from-hurricane-sandy

Protecting Ash Trees from Emerald Ash Borer

Emerald Ash Borer is 100% fatal to Ash Trees.  Rob Nagy, ISA Certified Arborist with Giroud Tree and Lawn, evaluates a large Ash tree in Elkins Park PA and determines that the best Emerald Ash Borer treatment option is a trunk injection with TREE-age.  Rob shows how he measures the tree to determine the exact dosage rate required to give the Ash Tree two full years of Emerald Ash Borer control.

Tree Service Donation to Southampton Free Library

Selecting and Caring for your Christmas Tree

ISA Certified Arborists at Giroud Tree and Lawn want to help you find the perfect Christmas tree and maintain it safely through the Holidays.  Just follow our Holiday tips.

1. Tree Selection: it's important to buy a well hydrated tree. Test the branches to make sure they bend easily and the needles remain attached. Heavy shedding and snapping branches are signs of dehydration or dying trees.
2. Tree Set-up: Cut a few inches off the bottom of the trunk and put the tree in a clean bucket of warm water to encourage uptake.  Locate the stand as far away as possible from heat sources such as space heaters, fireplaces and hot air vents.  Put the tree in the stand and fill it with cool or lukewarm water.  
3. Check the water level daily and keep the trunk base covered with water.
4. Turn off the lights at night or when you are away for safety and to save electricity.
5. When the tree starts to lose needles and dry out, please take it outside. 

 Giroud Tree and Lawn wishes a wonderful Holiday Season!

Giroud Donates $1,000 to Abington YMCA To Make Trees Safer

The Abington YMCA's parking area and neighboring homes are now safer thanks to a $1,000 grant for hazardous tree removal from Giroud Tree and Lawn.  The tree service grant is discussed in a YouTube Video.  The video also shows the Giroud tree removal crew setting up to safely take down the tree.  

The $1,000 grant from Giroud Tree and Lawn focuses on the Abington YMCA’s most urgent tree service need.  According to Rob Nagy, Giroud Arborist and ISA Certified Arborist, “Safety was the top priority for Giroud’s grant.  A hazardous Locust tree, located on a sharp slope along the border of the YMCA parking area, had a shallow root system that was at high risk for toppling.  Tree removal was required to protect the safety of neighboring homes and the YMCA members using the parking area.  

Missy Di Massa, Abington YMCA Associate Executive Director and Rob Nagy, Giroud Arborist Representative, getting ready to meet the Giroud tree crew doing the hazardous tree removal.  

“The well-being of our members, staff and neighbors is a priority for us,” says Missy Di Massa, Associate Executive Director, Abington YMCA. “Giroud’s donation helps to ensure that people who utilize and live near our facility can continue to do so knowing that they are in a safe and secure environment."

Giroud Tree and Lawn’s donation is part of the “Giroud Treework for Charity” program which donates free tree care services to parks, historical sites and other non-profit organizations located in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.  “Giroud Treework for Charity” was established in 1997 to help local non-profit organizations preserve their irreplaceable trees and ensure safety. It has already provided over $65,000 in free tree care to numerous area organizations. Giroud welcomes applications from any 501(c)3 organization that is open to the entire community on a nonsectarian basis. An organization must be located within Giroud's service area. For more information on “Giroud Treework for Charity,” contact Giroud Tree and Lawn at 215-682-7704.

Top 5 Warning Signs of Tree Problems

Premature color change and leaf drop are warning signs of health problems.  

Are your trees already showing their fall colors?  Are the leaves starting to fall too early?  

These are two of the big warning signs that your tree has health problems.  Most deciduous trees stay in full leaf and green through September.  Learn more in our latest article on the Top 5 Fall Warning Signs and the actions you can take now to protect tree health and safety.  

Lawn Health Tips from Penn State

When the grass isn't always greener. From mowing and lawn treatments to water conservation,  Peter Landschoot, Professor of Turfgrass Management at Penn State provides proven tips for keeping your lawn healthy during the summer.

Giroud Line Clearance in Hatfield PA

Tree removal and line clearance in Hatfield PA to make way for PECO to move poles and power lines back from the street.  Video includes both before and after views of the job.  With safety always paramount, the job was completed one of Giroud Tree Service's EHAP certified crews., Located at a busy intersection in Hatfield PA, flagging team was set up to direct traffic and keep motorists safe. To protect surrounding houses and properties required precision tree trimming and tree removal.

Top 3 Tips for Summer Storm Protection

When Philadelphia weather heats up so do odds for summer storms.   Take a look at Giroud's Top 3 actions for tree service to prevent damage from summer storms:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/tree-service/giroud-tree-service-pa/prweb9705312.htm 

Tick Populations Exploding!

Tick Populations in Philadelphia PA are exploding thanks to a mild winter. Peak season for ticks is summer; just when families and pets are enjoying the great outdoors. 

Ticks are dangerous.  One bite from these tiny pests could infect you or your pet with Lyme Disease, a debilitating and often difficult to cure illness. 

Read about more ways to protect your family from ticks with Giroud's Top 5 Tick Control Strategies.

In the video below, Rob Nagy, Giroud Arborist, and his dog, Nugent demonstrate how to find ticks on your property and the actions to take.  Watch the video on our blog.