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July/August 2024 & A rborists
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Risk-Reduction Pruning Before the Storm Hits PROTECT YOUR HOME AND TREES
As summer settles in, West Hartford isn’t the only thing heating up — so is the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. In fact, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), due to La Niña and abnormally warm ocean temperatures, an extremely active hurricane season is predicted to be on the horizon. Here in New England, it’s essential to be prepared not only for our typical summer storms but also for the possibility of a tropical storm or hurricane. At Trout Brook Arborists, we specialize in “risk-reduction pruning” to protect your trees, homes, and properties from damage during summer’s unpredictable weather. Our experienced and trained crew is adept at assessing risk levels and performing necessary pruning to ensure
safety. With fall just around the corner, keep in mind that we typically get a bunch of tropical storms, hurricane remnants, and nor’easters — now is the time to take care of your trees! Reducing the size of a tree’s crown and thinning the canopy by removing dead branches can significantly decrease its wind-catching ability. Proactive pruning is more effective than reactive trimming, cutting, or removal after a major storm has hit. With the threat of hurricanes, tropical storms, and nor’easters looming, we want to remind our community that we also provide immediate response tree removal services if a tree is damaged beyond repair during a severe storm. While tree removal can be costly, preventive pruning every few years is a more affordable and proactive approach to ensuring the safety of your trees and home. Investing in regular pruning can save you from spending hundreds on maintenance instead of thousands on tree removal. Maintaining your big, majestic oak trees and large canopy maple trees in front of your house keeps your home feeling welcoming and the neighborhood looking lush! To keep up with the beauty of your trees, pruning and risk assessment every few years are proactive steps you can’t skip. After all, proactivity is better than reactivity in the grand scheme of things!
If you’re due for preventive tree maintenance, interested in a risk
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assessment or sod installation, or require our assistance with tree removal services, we have you covered! We’re just a phone call away! Call or text us at (860) 888-8472.
Page 3 of this edition! Many organizations, like
We’ll get an appointment set up as soon as possible.
the West Hartford Tree Project, give away trees to restore native canopy to our town. You can also donate to them to increase their bounty for giveaways!
–Andrew Bachman CT Arborist S6222
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GET TRAIL-READY
Tips for a Successful Summer Hike
Avoid heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion is the preamble to heat stroke, and its symptoms include headache, dizziness, muscle cramps, and copious amounts of sweating. If you experience these symptoms, seek out rest and shade immediately; it’s a surefire sign you need to lower your body temperature. Once you stop sweating altogether, you should start worrying because that is a symptom of a life-threatening heat stroke! Choose the proper path and attire. When hiking in the summer, it’s best to pick a path with ample shade. Alternatively, you can hike in darkness. Night hikes, illuminated by headlamps and flashlights, are a great way to escape the summer heat and experience the trail like never before. If you want attire that reduces your temperature and provides more protection, try wearing UPF-rated clothing to block harmful rays. Picking the right time, place, and attire can help ensure your summer hike is a scorching success!
If prepared for the elements, you can enjoy hiking year-round. But if you embark on a trail in the extreme heat without the means to handle it, you place yourself on a perilous path. Heat, unlike cold, cannot be mitigated by simply bundling up. From maintaining proper hydration to donning the proper attire, here are three tips to ensure your Staying hydrated is key in any season, but it is especially vital when the summer heat beats down on you! Pack extra water for your hike and have water in your vehicle after you finish. If you are tired of lugging around extra water bottles, a hydration pack can help you carry extra H20 hands-free and take sips while on the move. To reduce the risk of painful sunburns, apply sunscreen to all exposed skin areas. Additionally, take a break every 40 minutes to reapply sunscreen as needed. summer hikes are safe and enjoyable! Remember hydration and sunscreen.
Surprising Facts About Ladybugs Rather than a backyard pest, ladybugs are a backyard best. These spotted creatures are adored worldwide for their innate cuteness and vibrant color and their role as a natural form of pest control. However, ladybugs are more fascinating than you may realize, so prepare to admire them even more. Don’t Bug Me Despite their popularity, ladybugs are also misunderstood. For one thing, ladybugs aren’t bugs — they are beetles! Unlike bugs, beetles are omnivores that enjoy munching on plants and insects. Ladybugs’ favorite food is the aphid, a tiny insect that wreaks havoc on crops and gardens. This makes them one of the few creatures helpful enough that people intentionally introduce them to their gardens. Their pest-control properties have long given them the reputation as miracle workers — so much so that their namesake is likely the Virgin Mary, sometimes depicted in paintings as wearing a red cloak. Colorful Critters While many think of ladybugs as small red critters with black spots, they are more varied than you might realize. There are 5,000 species of ladybugs worldwide and more than 450 in North America alone! Interestingly, in addition to red, ladybugs also come in yellow, Garden Guardians
brown, orange, and even pink, with some sporting zebra-like stripes instead of spots. Mighty Matriarch Their colorful exoskeletons — formed from a protein similar to the one that forms our fingernails — are for more than just show. While they are harmless to humans, their appearance dissuades potential predators. When found in nature, vibrant colors indicate that an animal may be toxic and foul-tasting. Ladybugs can release a nauseatingly foul-smelling chemical to repel predators if a threat gets too close. Beloved by all for their colorful exteriors, ladybugs’ handy habit of preying on pests makes them a welcome addition to the garden and a vital part of a healthy backyard ecosystem. These spectacular beetles are a fixture the world over, and the more you learn about them, the more they will amaze you!
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TAKE A BREAK
Sturdy, enduring, and stunning — these are just a few characteristics that define the magnificent white oak tree (Quercus alba). This deciduous member of the beech and oak families puts on a vibrant display of red and burgundy colors before shedding its leaves in early winter. Known for its robust branches, the white oak can sometimes grow up to 130 feet tall, providing ample shade to homes and neighborhoods. White oaks thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. While they can withstand drought conditions, they are intolerant of alkaline soil. In late summer, these trees produce acorns that drop in the fall, attracting game, migratory birds, and small rodents. The smooth lobed leaves of the white oak transition into the stunning warm hues we associate with autumn. In addition to being a preferred wood for boat building, with ships such as the USS Constitution and many World War II patrol boats featuring white oak, it is prized for wine and distillery barrel making. Thanks to microscopic tissues in white oak cells called tyloses, the wood is particularly good at sealing in liquids. Throughout New England and the East Coast, white oaks have stood for hundreds of years. Some, like the Bedford Oak in New York, are estimated to be more than 500 years old, having witnessed the lives of Native Americans and the Revolutionary War. In the ’70s, the grassroots efforts of one passionate citizen prevented the removal of the Bedford Oak, and it now stands tall and proud as part of the Bedford Historical Society. At Trout Brook Landscaping, we assist with every aspect of tree care, from selecting the perfect tree for your yard to helping you maintain it for a lifetime. Our experienced team will provide you with a quick estimate and quality service. Whether you’re interested in planting a new tree or caring for an existing one, give us a call. We’re here to help your landscape thrive. THE MAJESTIC WHITE OAK A Sturdy and Enduring Tree for Your Yard
Tasty Cucumber Sushi Rolls
Ingredients
• • • •
1 cup uncooked sushi rice
• • •
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups water 2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 sheets of nori
1/2 a cucumber, sliced lengthwise into thin strips
1 tbsp sugar
Directions 1. To make sushi rice, combine rice with water in a small saucepot. Add vinegar, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15–20 minutes until water is absorbed. Let cool. 2. Lay a piece of nori on a flat surface. Spread half of the sushi rice evenly over the nori, leaving a 1/2-inch border on one end. 3. Place half the cucumber strips along the other end of the nori. 4. Using your fingers, moisten the 1/2-inch border of the nori with water. 5. Gently roll up the nori, starting from the end with the cucumbers. Then press to seal. Repeat with a second sheet of nori and remaining cucumber. 6. Slice with a serrated knife into 1-inch sections and serve.
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& A rborists
INSIDE
THIS ISSUE
1 Get Ready for Fall’s Tropical Storms and Nor’easters 2 Your Guide to Preparing for Summer Hikes Amazing Ladybug Facts 3 Transform Your Yard With the
Magnificent White Oak Tree Tasty Cucumber Sushi Rolls 4 From Symptoms to Prevention — Tackling Beech Leaf Disease
A Growing Threat to American Beech Trees Beech Leaf Disease —
Long-Term Consequences The American beech is a slow-growing tree with a long lifespan, often reaching several centuries old. The loss of mature beech trees disrupts the immediate ecosystem and has enormous effects on forest composition, wildlife habitats, and biodiversity. As these trees slowly die off, they leave gaps in the canopy that can alter the microclimate and soil conditions. Unique Nature of the Disease BLD is non-systemic. Unlike many other tree diseases that spread through the vascular system, BLD targets the leaves directly. This characteristic makes it difficult to control or eliminate the disease using traditional methods. Researchers are still investigating the exact cause of BLD, but many believe it involves a combination of a nematode, a microscopic worm, and possibly other microbial agents.
Have you heard of beech leaf disease (BLD)? BLD is an emerging threat affecting the American beech tree (Fagus grandifolia), a species commonly found in lowland and swampy areas. Beech trees are important in our ecosystems, as they provide habitat and food for a variety of wildlife. Unfortunately, BLD poses a serious risk to the survival of these trees. Symptoms and Impact The first signs of BLD include dark, interveinal banding on the leaves that progresses to leaf curling, shriveling, and a leathery texture. While a beech tree can withstand the loss of most of its leaves for one or two growing seasons, the effect is devastating. If a tree loses its leaves for a third consecutive season, it is unlikely to survive. This repeated loss of leaves weakens the tree, making it susceptible to other stressors and possible death.
Management and Prevention Currently, there is no cure for BLD, but many management strategies can help with prevention and monitoring. Landowners should regularly inspect their beech trees for early signs of the disease, and removing and properly disposing of infected leaves can help reduce the spread. Additionally, maintaining the overall health of beech trees through proper watering, mulching, and avoiding mechanical damage can help trees better combat the stress of the infection. Protecting these majestic trees requires a concerted effort from all of us to preserve our forests’ health and biodiversity!
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