Elm Leafminer

Colorado's extreme weather conditions can take their toll on sensitive trees, shrubs and flowers...

Spring conditions in Colorado put trees to the test. Late snow and overnight freezing often damages newly emerging flowers and fragile leaves. Damaged tissue will become distorted and discolored, and eventually die off. Trees will have to deplete their energy reserves........ to restore their canopies.

Once the recovery is completed the trees still have to endure the heat and drought conditions of summer. It is these difficult conditions that stunt the potential growth of our trees. Although we can't control the weather, we can evaluate and improve soil health, control damaging pests and prevent aggressive pathogens in an effort to minimize the stress on our landscape plants. The Arborists and Plant Health Care Technicians at Mountain High Tree, Lawn & Landscape are available to meet with you and develop a plan to help your landscape reach its maximum potential.

Lawn

Fungal infections can devastate a healthy lawn and ruin your summer.

The moderate temperatures and unusually high amount of rain in the fall of 2009 and spring of 2010 have created conditions that could promote fungal disease outbreaks in many turf areas. The most common diseases we find in the spring and summer in Colorado are Necrotic Ring Spot, Melting Out and Powdery Mildew.

Fortunately, each one of these diseases can be managed with a program that includes proper nutrient management and fertilization, fungicide applications and reseeding with disease resistant varieties of grass seed.

		Charlene, Plant Health Care and Lawn Assistant

We know that our dedicated employees contribute so much to the success of our company. We are proud to take a moment in our newsletter and introduce you to a team member each month.

This June Charlene is one of our dedicated employees we'd like you to get to know.

Elm Leafminer

Each spring the adult fly stage of the Elm Leafminer deposits larva into the leaves of our Elm trees. This larva has the potential to devastate the leaf canopy of some of our most statuesque trees.

Leafminers are larvae of Sawfly wasps that feed in between the epidermal layers of a leaf. As the larvae feed they consume the plant tissue leaving clear mines that, when they die, turn brown and crispy. Usually by the time the damage is observed, the larvae have already left the leaves and are pupating underground. Control for elm leaf miner needs to be applied before the mines develop. Repeated defoliation by leaf miners can impact the health of infected trees.

Signs of Leafminer Activity

• Small whitish spots (haloes) on leaves in May/June
• Blotch-like mines appear in May/June
• Mines join together into tan and papery patches
• Mined areas of leaves may fall out and leave holes in the leaf
• Brownish foliage that looks sickly
• Early leaf drop leaves tree canopies bare and stressed
  

With such a large number of Siberian and American Elms in the Denver area the population of Elm Leafminer is nearly always growing. The eventual damage is especially difficult on homeowners due to the loss of shade as the leaves quickly fall in early July and August. Control can be difficult to achieve, but more environmentally safe products are showing very good promise for the future.

Landscape

Monitoring your sprinkler system will save your turf and plants, as well as save you money.

Every homeowner in Colorado knows the challenge of maintaining a healthy landscape. The limited natural rainfall in Colorado gives us the pleasantly dry climate in the summer time, but it wreaks havoc on the health of our plants. Many homeowners fight an ongoing battle each summer with garden hoses and sprinkler systems. In a study of one thousand homes in the western United States found that more than 90% of in-ground sprinkler systems were in need of adjustments. When systems are not properly maintained they can create significant problems. Inadequate sprinkler coverage can quickly lead to large dead turf areas and costly resodding. Overwatering can lead to high water bills, wasted water and fungal infections that will eventually lead to dead turf.

Simple monitoring of your irrigation system can be achieved by just walking around a few times each year while the system is running. Dry areas will be easy to see, as well as areas where water is puddling or collecting. Having trained irrigation technicians evaluate your system once each year can save hundreds of dollars in wasted water alone.