Spring arrives...

Spring is unavoidable now that our spring shipments are arriving... just take a look at some of these amazing trees that arrived last week!

All about bagworm...

This pest is slowly spreading from the South and has moved in to our area.
Bagworms attack both deciduous and evergreen trees. Some of the more common hosts include arborvitae, fir, hemlock, juniper, pine & spruce. The cone-shaped bags they form are easy to identify. They are the size and shape of pinecones, which is a perfect disguise. They cause stripping of needles and often go unnoticed until the damage is extensive.

If you notice bagworms on your trees you have several options…
· If you notice the “nests”, pick off what you can and burn or squash them. Hand-picking is best accomplished before April or early May when the larvae begin to emerge. You need to be sure that none of the “silk” is left on the branch as it may girdle the twig as it grows. If you wait too long the newly emerging bagworms will make their own tiny shelters and will be very hard to identify. One missed nest can result in thousands of new bagworms!
· Chemical control (i.e. spraying) is an effective control against this pest. However, there is a small window of time in which the larvae are just emerging and can be sprayed. A spray containing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is an organic spray for caterpillars that is safe to use around children and pets. Pesticides like Sevin are also effective. The younger they are when sprayed the easier they are to kill, however they emerge at different times so spraying must begin in early May and continue through the end of June– with a possible follow-up in July. We have contacted NutriLawn of Chesterton and they are available to spray for bagworm (219) 926-2220.
· If you are on our monthly maintenance schedule, there is no need to worry. We will spray for bagworm during our visits. If you want us to come out and spray, just call the office to make arrangements-219 476-7400 .