March 2016

Tree Care is Science

Our goal is to provide you with thehighest level of expertise and care for

your trees. Arboricultural science is adynamic tool that we use to build andincrease our knowledge. Science followscertain rules and guidelines of observationand experimentation that are well defined.Facts (generally accepted realities) vs.opinion (neither fact nor theory) arethe foundations of goodscience. Evidence andknowledge from allpoints of viewneed to beincorporated toproduce goodscience.Identification oftree species, age,condition,characteristics,benefits, care, andproblem diagnosis,are all part of thescience of arboriculture.Industry experts utilize thisscience to develop standards andbest management practices for tree care.Most consumers do not have the technicalknowledge to determine what course oftreatment or type of pruning is appropriatefor their trees. They usually need to rely onrecommendations given by a professional

tree care company.  It is very important tocheck the credentials of a businessclaiming to be a professional treecompany.  Don't just hire someone with achain saw who knocks on your door! Thereare thousands of companies in the U.S.that provide tree care services such as

pruning, removal, fertilization,cabling and bracing, disease

and insect control,protection from lightning,and more.  When

considering a tree carecompany, remember

that trees are livingorganisms and

improper care candamage or killthem. Company

representativesshould be dressed

professionally, haveknowledge of industrystandards, be willing to

provide a currentinsurance certificate, and

be prompt and courteous.At ArborCare Resources, Inc. we use

proven science to provide the best resultswith the least environmental impact.You can be confident that our ISA CertifiedArborists adhere to industry standards andbest management practices when caring foryour trees.

• Remembering Luke• Enhancing Curb Appeal

• Pest and Diseases on the Horizon• How to Reduce Outdoor Water Use

• Pruning by Hand: Professional Methods• What are Voles?

234

In This Issue…

Serving Sun Valley and Beyond Since 1997Plant Health Care Programs, Tree Removal and Pruning, Pest &Disease Management, Lawn Care, Soil Health, and Consulting.

See our website for a listing of all of our services.

Species Age

Condi

tion

Care Dia

gnos

is

Res

earc

h

Envi

ronm

ent

Org

anis

m

Disea

se

Characteristics

Soil

Why do Leaves Change Color?

Leaves get their color frommolecules called pigments.

Chlorophyll is the most prominentpigment and causes leaves to begreen. Chlorophyll is primarilyused by plants to make foodduring photosynthesis. During

spring and summer when there isplenty of sunlight, plants producelots of chlorophyll. In fall when it

starts to get cold, deciduousplants stop making chlorophylland start breaking it down into

smaller molecules. As chlorophylllevels decrease, other pigments

contained in the leaf such ascarotenoids (yellow & orange)

and anthocyanins (red & purple)start to show their colors.

Changes in the levels of thesedifferent pigments are what

causes leaves to change color.

2

F requent job-site visits throughout the Wood River Valley take uspast numerous homes and properties for sale. We often wonder

why, for a small investment, the property owner doesn’t hire aprofessional to improve their home’s curb appeal? A carefully plannedinvestment in tree removal, ornamental pruning, or planting can have abig return. Talk to your real estate agent about increasing your curbappeal. Usually, the return will far exceed the investment.

■ Light - A bright house could be the single best asset yourproperty possesses. Careful tree trimming and removal workcan increase light penetration especially early and late in theday.

■ Views - Living in the mountains lends itself to spectacularviews. Views contribute to the ‘WOW’ factor you need whenshowing a house. Selective trimming and removal work cancreate vistas that will increase property value.

■ Screening - The only thing worse than no view is a bad view.Consider the view a potential buyer would have through suchas the kitchen and bedroom.

■ Clearance - Pruning branches away from buildings, sidewalks,and driveways increases appeal and makes the property morevehicle and pedestrian friendly.

■ Dead trees and branches - Hazardous trees or branches withinstriking distance of the house or drive should be dealt withimmediately.

■ Ornamentals - Foundation and specialty plants increase theappeal of the front of a house. Properties without trees andshrubs look abandoned. The addition of a few colorfulornamentals can make a big difference.

Enhancing Curb Appeal: an Arborist’s Perspective

Last fall we lost a friend and valued staff member. Lucas Ryan Richardson passed away onSaturday, Sept. 12, after sustaining an injury from a fall while climbing the Devil’s Bed-

stead in the rugged Pioneer Mountains of Idaho. Lucas, a native of Vermont, moved to Haileyto join ArborCare Resources, Inc. after spending the winter in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah.He obtained a forestry degree from the University of Vermont and was just starting his careeras an arborist so that he could climb and work in the trees he loved. Luke was a great additionto the ArborCare team, worked hard, had a great desire to learn more, and was pleasant to bearound. Losing a young, vital, and valued coworker is not easy. Each member of our staff re-alized that no one was exempt from deep feelings of loss. No words can adequately expressour sadness at the departure of Lucas or our gratitude for the opportunity to have known him.We want to thank everyone who was involved with the search as well as those who offeredsupport and encouragement during this tragic event. Our thoughts continue to be with Luke’sfamily at this time.

Art Adamiec is now an ISA Certified Arborist! Art has been an outstanding teammember since 2013. He’s originally from Illinois and holds a Bachelor of Science from theUniversity of Montana. ISA Certified Arborists are professionals who have achieved a highlevel of education and on-the-job experience in the tree care industry and who havesuccessfully completed an extensive exam developed by the International Society ofArboriculture.Bill Josey is now an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist & an ASCA RegisteredConsulting Arborist! The ISA Board Certified Master Arborist (BCMA) credential is thehighest level of certification offered by ISA. In addition to passing an extensive scenario-based exam, candidates must abide by a Code of Ethics, which ensures quality of work.Registered Consulting Arborists (RCA) have graduated from ASCA’s consulting Academyand have met strict criteria to obtain the credential. Bill is currently the only RCA in Idahoand one of five BCMAs residing in the state.

Kudos to Art Adamiec and Bill Josey for being recognized by ISA!

Bill JoseyRM-0715BT

Art AdamiecPN-8097A

Pests and Diseases on the Horizon

3

Now that the presence from Pine Needlescale seems to be steadily declining in the

valley, what issues are we concerned aboutaffecting our region in the near future?Emerald ash borer (EAB) is an invasive insectnative to Asia that has killed hundreds ofmillions of ash (Fraxinus sp.) trees in urban,rural and forested settings in North America.This beetle was first discovered in 2002 insoutheast Michigan and Windsor, Ontario andhas since been confirmed in 25 states in theMidwest and eastern United States andQuebec, Canada. In September 2013, thepresence of EAB was confirmed in Colorado.Surrounding states have mobilized in an effortto contain and prevent the spread. Accordingto Department of Agriculture experts, it’s not amatter if EAB makes it to Idaho, but when.Fortunately there are several systemicinsecticide options that effectively treat EABinfestations. Ash trees are at low risk of attackif EAB has not been detected within 10-15miles of the location. Due to the high numberof Ash trees in our valley, we will continue tomonitor movement of this pest in order toprotect our customers’ trees.Verticillium wilt is a fungal disease affectingover 350 species of plants. Many economicallyimportant plants are susceptibleincluding cotton, tomatoes, potatoes,peppers, ornamental trees and shrubs. Manycultivars are resistant to the disease; andall monocots, gymnosperms and ferns are im-mune. Locally we have seen this disease

spread to Autumn Blaze maples, particularlynewly planted trees within the last 3-5 years.Established trees appear to be able to resistthe disease. Unfortunately, there is no chemi-cal control for this disease, so the use of resis-tant varieties is key to reducing new infections.Our recommendation is to avoid planting sus-ceptible varieties until we see how prevalentand persistent this disease is in our valley. Alist of susceptible varieties can be found bysearching verticillium wilt disease atpnwhandbooks.org.The ips beetles, sometimes known as“engraver beetles,” are bark beetles thatdamage pine and spruce trees. They boreunder the bark and produce girdling galleriesthat can cause dieback and kill trees. Elevenspecies of ips beetles occur in the west andare generally not considered as destructive oraggressive as mountain pine beetle, sprucebeetle, and Douglas-fir beetle. Over the pastseveral years, we have seen some isolatedattacks on spruce trees in the valley. Normallyips beetles limit their attacks to trees that arein decline due to root injuries, wounding, orother stresses. However under widespreadconditions which allow improved survival andlarge population build-ups, ips beetles are aconsiderable threat to thriving trees.Therefore, maintaining healthy trees is alandowner’s best policy for preventing ipsbeetle attacks. Insecticide treatments areeffective if they are made in a timely manner.We will continue to monitor for this pest andrecommend control treatments if needed.

How to Reduce Your Outdoor Water Use

According to the EPA, the average American family uses 320 gallons of water per day, 30 percent of which is devoted to outdoor uses. Morethan half of that outdoor water is used for watering lawns and gardens. Nationwide, landscape irrigation is estimated to account for nearly

one-third of all residential water use, totaling nearly 9 billion gallons per day. In addition, some experts estimate that as much as 50 percent ofwater used for irrigation is wasted due to evaporation, wind, or runoff caused by inefficient irrigation methods. We are often asked how todecrease water used for irrigation. Here are a few suggestions that will reduce overall water usage by an irrigation system:■ Deep, infrequent watering, 2-3 days/week at most for turf. Trees in their own zone can go much longer.■ Early morning watering is ideal to reduce evaporation and avoid plant disease problems.■ Make sure that the entire system is in good working order and adjustments are made for weather and seasons.■ Convert to drip when possible. Drip irrigation is 95% efficient, while spray heads are about 65% efficient.■ Replace plants and turf with drought tolerant plants.■ Install a smart irrigation controller.

Adult Emerald Ash Borers leaveD-shaped exit holes in the outer bark

Vascular discoloration is anindication of Verticillium Wilt

Ips Beetles rarely attack healthy trees

4

A row of attractive shrubs can function as atasteful boundary between adjoining

properties or an interesting design element in alandscape. Yet without regular care andpruning, shrubs can quickly turn from abeautiful feature into an overgrown eyesore.The most common way of pruning shrubs iseither by hand or with powered hedgetrimmers. Although the use of power hedgetrimmers is often the easier, faster, andcheaper method, it frequently harms shrubsover time. Some varieties of shrubs that growin our location can tolerate hedging. However,most woody shrubs are moresustainably pruned by hand. Theprocess of power hedging focuseson the exterior of the plant andcuts every branch back to thesame level. It creates a veryshapely shrub with a denseexterior layer but results in littleinternal foliage. If the shrub is eversignificantly cut back in size, whatremains are the bare interiorbranches.Pruning shrubs with a pair ofhand-held snips yields superiorresults. They allow for more exact

decisions regarding whichbranches to cut and where tocut them. It is often at pointsdeep within the shrub’s canopythat hedgers cannot reach.These deeper cuts open theshrub’s canopy and expose itsinterior to sunlight, whichencourages ongoing growthinside the shrub. Hand snips

allow precise cuts to be made at appropriatebranch laterals which decreases woundhealing time and insect and disease attacks.Additionally, shrubs that are pruned by handtend to flower more consistently than thosecut with hedgers. The end result is anaturally shaped shrub that is healthier andmore sustainable.Our ISA Certified Arborists know all of thedifferent varieties of shrubs found in ourhardiness zone and the best ways to prunethem to get the desired result. Let us turnthat overgrown shrub into an asset.

Pruning by Hand: Professional Methods

Pruning shoots by hand to laterals at different levelsgives a more natural, fuller looking shrub

Hedging all shoots to the same levelproduces a leggy, top heavy shrub

What are Voles?

Voles, also known as field mice, are smallbrown rodents very common in yards and

native areas. Their presence is most often ob-served in the early spring after the snow melts.Their grassy tunnels are exposed as areas ofdead grass appear and trees and woodyshrubs have missing bark where they havechewed.

Voles are a part of theecosystem in thewild land/urbaninterface anderadication is notpractical. Volepopulations are

naturally controlled by predators and viruses.They have population booms every 3-5 years.There are methods that can reduce and deterdamaging activity by voles and other rodentssuch as rabbits. Remove woodpiles and otherdebris from the ground that allow hidingplaces. Cut grasses regularly and keep shrubstrimmed up. The ground under bird feedersshould be kept very clean to reduce attraction.An active house cat can be one of the bestdeterrents! We recommend preventionmethods such as placing tree guards aroundvulnerable trees and shrubs. Install guardsaround all fruit trees, especially juveniles asthey are the most susceptible to attack.

PO Box 397, Hailey, ID 83333(208) 788-1611

SunValleyTree.com

Registered Consulting ArboristBill Josey RCA #566

Board Certified Master ArboristBill Josey RM-0715BT

Certified ArboristsJeff Beacham PN-5864ANick Chickrell PN-6472AManny Austin PN-7705AArt Adamiec PN-8097A

Tree Worker/Climber SpecialistBill Josey RM-0715BT

Tree Risk Assessment QualifiedBill JoseyJeff Beacham