As we begin our 55th year in business, I would like to take thisopportunity to thank you, our customer, for your continuedbusiness and loyalty. It is because of you that we continually striveto improve our company to deliver the highest level of professionalservices for your trees and shrubs.

We often hear it said that “nothing remains the same” and“change is inevitable.” In many respects, these sayings have beenringing true within our company and our industry. Technologyadvances have greatly impacted our industry.

Equipment improvements have greatly increased the productivityand safety of tree care operations. The newest soil treatments,trunk injections, and sprays have allowed us to improve theeffectiveness of our plant health care programs in an increasinglysensible manner.

While we recognize and embrace positive changes, we are equallycommitted to making sure that some things stay the same. Wehold client relationships in the highest regard. John Ward’s saying“treat clients in an honest and informed manner” will always ringtrue with our company. There will always be room for an old-fashioned work ethic and providing quality service with a smile.As society and business move faster, we realize we need to staycurrent; however, our core values will remain constant. We visitone property at a time, prune or spray or fertilize one plant at atime, and take a lot of pride in doing a quality job.

We begin 2012 with great enthusiasm for many reasons. Thethird generation of Wards, my son James, joined the companyafter graduating from Paul Smith College in May, 2011, and iscurrently developing his skills as an ornamental and large treepruner. Jim Roach will be heading our safety committee afterhaving been accredited as a Certified Tree Care Safety Professional.Hugh Darlington and Ken LeRoy have joined our company asArborist Representatives; each bring over 25 years of horticulturalknowledge to our company.

On behalf of our family and employees, we thank you for yourcontinued confidence in allowing us to care for your valuable treesand shrubs.

We take great pride in providing quality service with a smile.

We are proud to care for thisbeautiful weeping cherry tree

in Wayne.

Three generations of Wards.Jim, John and James atthe company office.

John B. Ward & Company, Inc.

Arborists Providing Fine Tree Care

A message from

Jim Ward

In this issueTree Assessments . . . . . . . . . . .page 2Resistograph Machine . . . . . . .page 2Mycorrhizae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 2Biochar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 3Zero Accident Culture . . . . . . .page 3Plant Health Care . . . . . . . . . .page 4Tree Pruning . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 5Feature Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 6

Winter 2012

Certified Arborist

In 2011, several storms, including a hurricane, caused damage to numerous trees in our area.I distinctly remember the night of August 27, when Hurricane Irene generated high windsand heavy rain. My wife and I watched Adam Joseph, a Channel 6 meteorologist, recommendthat viewers living in the Rosemont/Villanova areago into their basements because small tornadoeswere in the area. I looked outside at the treesswaying in the wind and wondered how long itwould be before our electricity went out. In theend, our neighborhood was fortunate — nosignificant tree damage occurred that night.

Especially in the weeks that follow storms, clientswill ask us to provide our opinion about the safetyof their trees. Here are some basic guidelines weincorporate into our Risk Assessments:

Start with the tree’s species and age, and tryto understand what the general area was like whenthe tree was planted. Was the tree planted before orafter the house was built? Was the tree professionally cared for in the past?

Next, perform a full examination of the trunk and root flares. If ivy is present,pull it back and examine the root flares. If no root flares exist, further investigation isrequired. It is likely the grade was changed during construction. We look for areas of decay inthe trunk and root flares and evidence of fruiting bodies that can indicate wood decay fungi.If decay exists, we need to investigate how the tree is responding to the decay. Often we willuse our Resistograph machine to help determine how much of the wood is sound.

Then we check the canopy of the tree to see if the leaf size is consistent throughout allthe limbs. Is there evidence of decline from the tips of the branches? Do limbs look exceedinglyheavy? Is the branch structure sound enough to support future years of new growth?

Finally, we check for signs of active insects or disease issues.

We look at large trees through a tree preservation lens. Our goal is to develop tree preservationprograms that will allow the next generation to enjoy the spectacular trees that are one of theunique components of our community.

If you have any concerns about the safety of your trees,please give us a call to schedule a meeting.

2 TreeOver the years, and elsewhere inthis newsletter, we have stressed theimportance of root health to the overallwell being of trees and shrubs. Arelatively little known — but veryimportant — component of a healthyroot system is mycorrhizae. Amycorrhiza is a symbiotic relationshipbetween a plant’s roots and a fungus.Ordinarily, we think of fungi as beingundesirable in terms of plant health,but mycorrhizae are critical for root andtree health.

The fungal component of mycorrhizae“infects” the fine roots and sends outlong, thin hyphae that can increase thewater- and nutrient-absorbing rootsurface by 80%. In return for supplyingthe plant with additional water, thefungus is rewarded with carbohydratesproduced from photosynthesis. Theincreased root surface area allows plantsto grow in the more difficult conditionswe often see in the landscape.Mycorrhizal hyphae are also muchsmaller than the finest root hair,enabling them to extract water andnutrients from more compacted soil.Additionally, mycorrhizae can growthrough the “dead zone” that developsaround the roots as nutrients areextracted and into more fertile soil.Plants with a normal mycorrhizal rootsystem will withstand droughts andpoor soil nutrition much better thanplants without mycorrhizae.

The good news is that in nature,almost every tree and shrub is naturallymycorrhizal. There is no shortage ofmycorrhizae in normal soil and rootsare readily colonized. The bad news isthat in many landscapes, there has beenextensive soil disturbance andcompaction that may have disruptedthe normal mycorrhizal relationship.Products are available for arborists touse to establish new root colonization;these products have been shown togreatly increase performance, especiallyin new plantings on disturbed soil. Weare excited to try mycorrhizal productsin specific situations when we think thetrees will benefit from them.

By Matthew Ward, ISA Certified Arborist

Mycorrhizae

This large ash tree appeared to have asolid trunk. We used our resistographmachine to test the trunk and found

the tree to be hollow.

Resistograph MachineA Risk Assessment Tool used by John B. Ward & Co

The Resistograph is an instrument that helpsus detect decay and cavities in trees. As a finedrill enters the tree, the resistance is measuredand recorded. The Resistograph can provideimportant information by determining theamount of sound wood in a tree trunk.Sometimes we use the Resistograph higherin a tree or on root flares, where wounds orquestionable areas exist.

Tadd Leyman, ISA CertifiedArborist, uses our Resistographon a maple tree in Villanova.

Assessments

Risk management theory creates variousbenchmarks to measure the effectiveness ofsafety programs. Our benchmark is simple— one accident is one too many. Eachmember of our team shares the samecommitment to keep every coworker safe.

In 2011, Jim Roach completed theCertified Tree Care Safety Professional(CTSP) program offered by the Tree CareIndustry Association. As a CTSP, Jim willhave additional resources to keep ourcompany abreast of the continuallyevolving safety regulations and industrystandards.

When you see us working, you will noticehard hats, eye protection, ear protection,uniforms, and safety cones. Behind the scenes,we are meeting weekly to maintain a culturewhere one accident is one too many.

BiocharBlack Gold…Texas Tea? Remember the Clampetts?

There IS something NEW under the sun… only because it hasfinally been excavated after hundreds of years. But it’s not theliquid Black Gold ol’ Jed shot at — it’s terra preta, or black earth.Also known as Biochar.

Biochar. Get to know it throughJohn B. Ward & Company.

The product was unearthed via archeologists in South Americaseveral decades ago and, after much “scientific stuff” and“debating,” the world has come to understand (the generalunderstanding is at the infant stage right now) that this is a really,really, beneficial substance for plant health and vigor.

Have you a plant that needs a shot in the roots? Our Root Remediation process gives the plant’s roots anunparalleled quantity of organic matter. And Soil/Root Remediation has been the most beneficial thingyou could do for your plant… until now.

John B. Ward & Company will now be adding Biochar to the mix we infuse into the root zone duringour Soil/Root Remediation/Regeneration process.

Have you noticed how the name keeps growing? That’s what happens to the plants that get theinfusion… they keep growing, better than ever.

One accident is too manyZero Accident Culture

The idea of Biochar comes fromthe Amazonian rain forests of Brazil.

Amazingly, the dark earth isstill evident today.

3

John B. Ward & Company, Inc. 610.293.9430 www.johnbward.com

Jim Roach communicates the work planto his team on a job site in Haverford.

By Hugh Darlington, ISA Certified Arborist

Jim Roach and Antonio Ariasprune a large sophora tree in

Haverford.

Soft Scale InsectsIn 2011, we saw anexplosion of soft-scalepopulations throughoutthe Delaware Valley. Themost commonly affectedplants were Kousa andnative dogwood, azaleas,redbud, linden, and holly.These insects are relatively easy to control with properlytimed applications of horticultural oil or other very low-toxic products. Most soft scales begin laying theirconspicuous white egg masses in May, but applicationsshould not occur until mid-June when the young scalescalled “crawlers” hatch. When applications are properlytimed, soft scales can be controlled successfully.

4

Arborists Providing Fine Tree Care

PlantHealth Care By Chris Ward, ISA Certified Arborist

Euonymus ScaleEuonymus scale is an armored-scale insect that protectsitself under a tough waxy covering. The most commonhosts of Euonymus scale arevarious euonymus species andpachysandra. This insect isamong the hardest-to-controlpests that we encounter, not onlybecause of its waxy “armor” butalso because of its lifecycle.Instead of one generation peryear as in the case of most soft-scales, Euonymus scale can have up to three generationsper year. In my observations, the hatching does not seemto occur in a short time frame, but is spread out over weeks,creating a situation where one or two spray applications willsimply be not enough to control the pest. This pest requiresmultiple sprays and other cultural methods to control suchas watering, mulching, and pruning out infested stems.

Many pests that harm ornamental plants are quite conspicuous when you know what to look for.Checking your trees and shrubs, especially if they are fresh from the nursery, is a great way toeliminate pests before they become a larger problem.

Please give us a call if you have any questions about your trees and shrubsor would like to schedule an appointment to walk your property.

Emerald Ash BorerThe Emerald Ash Borer isan invasive insect from Asiathat feeds on and kills ashtrees. Since being discoveredin western Pennsylvania in2007, it has moved steadilyeast. Initially, stateregulators were imposingcounty-by-countyquarantines that limited in-state transport of lumberand firewood, but in July 2011, the quarantine was lifted.Unregulated movement of lumber and firewood throughoutthe state will surely bring EAB to the Delaware Valley inthe next few years.

Using the knowledge gained from states where the insecthas been active for more than ten years, we know how toprotect your ash trees. This year, we will be treatingvaluable ash trees with soil-applied Merit, the industrystandard for control.

Botryosphaeria CankerBotryosphaeria is a canker-causing disease that tends toattack plants that are stressedby drought, transplantingstress, or winter injury. Themost common hosts ofBotryosphaeria in our areaare rhododendrons, pieris,viburnum, and redbud, butBotryosphaeria can infectplants belonging to over 100genera. The fungus infects twigs and branches throughnatural openings in the bark, pruning wounds or freezingcracks. On infected rhododendrons a dark elliptical cankergrows along the stems, eventually girdling the twig andkilling the growth above. Under normal growingconditions, healthy plants have natural defenses againstBotryosphaeria and are basically resistant to the disease.When a stress occurs, such as drought, these naturaldefenses are diminished and the resistance is lost. Onestudy showed that drought-stressed plants infected withBotryosphaeria became resistant again within only a fewdays of watering. This shows how important it is tomonitor your landscape during hot and dry periods.Additionally, proper mulching will regulate soil moistureand help reduce drought stress. Sometimes we can carefullyprune out diseased areas during the dormant season toreduce future infections.

Distinctive D-shapedemergence hole

Male and femaleEuonymus scale adults

Soft Scale on redbud

Botryosphaeria Cankerdamage on rhododendron

5

The last year was very trying for our trees.Heavy snow in the winter, high winds andheat in early summer, record rain in the fall— and don’t forget about the late Octobersnowstorm to finish the year off.

Trees are subject to enormous stress fromstorms and other weather events. Highwinds, heavy snow, droughts, and floodsall place tangible stress on trees and theirdynamic structure.

We as a company are continuallylooking at and evaluating trees. Ascertified arborists, we study treestructure and use our evaluations to establishproper pruning programs. We strategize aboutwhen, how, and why we need to prune trees.Our years of experience and knowledge in thisfield help us assess all different types of treesand plants in many varied growing conditions.There is no guesswork involved when weevaluate a client’s tree or address their concernsabout a plant.

Proper pruning should start when the plant or tree isyoung. We refer to this as juvenile structure pruning.It is at this young age when we can quickly and veryeffectively develop proper branch formation and select

our centralleader, whichwill aid indeveloping awell-branched,healthy tree foryears to come.Sometimes, inorder to performthis correctly, wemay need toperform two orthree prunings.

In many instances we are asked to evaluate trees that arepast the juvenile stage. They are middle-aged or mature,

and no proper pruning has been donefor some time. It is with these trees thatour Certified Arborists excel. We candetermine which limbs to remove or savein order to benefit the health of the tree.Proper crotch inspection and limbattachment are critical, along withthe installation of support cables forco-dominant leader limbs or limbs thatneed additional support.

Mature canopy tree pruning is a true art.Our climbers are trained in all aspects ofmature tree pruning, and have dealt witheverything from 150-foot-tall Tulip

poplars to 300-year-old White Oaks. All of these seniorcitizens in the treeworld poseparticular anddifferent challengesto our crews. Manytimes we ascendinto the canopies ofthese older trees toremove dead limbsand inspect cablesystems, installlightning protection,or reduce weightin an overlyheavy limb.

We have countless hours of experience in large trees —those at the notable arboretums and colleges in the area,and the ones in your backyard. We take great pride inthe fact that our arborists have quite a reputation forbeing the best at large tree pruning.

Depending on the tree type and the situation in whichthey are growing, we are able to make recommendationsfor their proper care. Experience, knowledge, and abilityall converge, and result in well-balanced decisions foryour trees. If you have a particular question about treepruning, or if it has been some time since we evaluatedyour trees, please let us know. We’ll be happy to makea visit!

Fundamentals of Tree Pruning

Luis Villifan selectivelythins a Bradford pear.

By Jim Ward, ISA Certified Arborist

ISA Certified ArboristTadd Leyman shows good form

pruning an euonymus in Villanova.

Luis Villifan works to thin andreduce the size of an ornamentalcherry while maintaining thenatural beauty of the tree.

Both ornamental and large canopy trees need to be pruned in order to promote health, resistdisease and decay, and lessen the chances of storm damage.

John B. Ward & Company, Inc.PO Box 280Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 19010610.293.9430www.johnbward.com

The colorful winter stems of the Coral Bark Maple make this ornamentaltree a winner. The Sango Kaku is easily grown in full sun to part shade.This tree should be sited on a property where the pinkor coral bark in the winter months can be easilyappreciated.

This Maple is often multi-stemmed and can bemaintained at low heights of eight to twelve feet orallowed to grow vertically to twenty to twenty five feettall. In the spring, foliage emerges light green in colorand turns a beautiful yellow in the fall. The trees aregenerally slow growing.

The cultivar name means coral tower. Sango meaning sea coral and Kaku meaningtower/upward growing. The name suggests coral rising upward from a reef — a niceimage in the winter.

Feature Tree

Coral Bark Maple

John B. Ward & Company, Inc. 610.293.9430 www.johnbward.com

Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’

Sango Kakuin St. Davids

Sango Kakuin Wynnewood