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“No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.”  ~Hal Borlund  Winter seems to have dragged its feet but spring is finally here.  Seems like it might have a shorter ‘turn’ than it normally has.   It might be time to brace ourselves for the spring of 2013, when lots of events that should be separated in [...]

I know it’s tempting, you want to get outside and start working in your yard.  I do too!  But do yourself (and your lawn) a favor and stay off it for a bit longer.  Go for a walk, head to the park, find a nice patio to enjoy, anything that doesn’t involve being on your [...]

Heavy snow can really cause problems for evergreen trees and shrubs. After a heavy snow brush off snow from branches and needles as much as possible. This will help to limit the chances of branches breaking and further structural damage to the trees or shrubs. If you’re concerned about a damaged tree or shrub, call [...]

Mark Stennes, Plant Pathologist, ISA Board Certified Master Arborist MN-0147B Call it what you will, but “climate wierding” is pretty good terminology for what’s happening on the local weather front.  The complete lack of winter-busting spring weather is holding everything back, including oak tree development. If anything good could come of that, the safe period [...]

Emerald ash borer is a small insect measuring 1/2 inch long, but the problem it causes is exponentially larger and we’re on the verge of seeing just how much larger. This graph shows the historical infestation progression witnessed in cities across the eastern part of the United States.                 [...]

By Mark Stennes, ISA Board Certified Master Arborist – MN-0147B   Early Spring Greetings for 2013! Before the seasonal pressure is on, and while it is still early, is the time to make your Plant Health Care plans for the season. Given the unpredictability of the weather/climate in recent years, it is hard to generalize, [...]

This week the city of Minneapolis is taking a proactive approach to the management of the Emerald ash borer by removing 200 trees that are either infected, damaged or defective. Infected trees need to be removed in the winter to avoid the spread of the insect while damaged and infected trees should be removed or [...]

Now that you’ve chosen your tree (see our Christmas Tree Guide) keep it looking fresh and healthy as long as possible. Buy Local Buying a tree close to home ensures it is more fresh than a tree that has made a multi-state trek to your home (and decreases gas emissions!). Fresh is Best Cutting your [...]

A live Christmas tree is one of the small luxuries of the Christmas season.  With its fresh scent and festive coloring, artificial trees can come close but will never replace their beauty.  Unfortunately some are allergic to their fragrant smell…but there is hope…here is a quick guide to local Christmas tree options including an allergy [...]

As the weather gets colder we spend more time indoors.  The more time we spend indoors the more we start to notice stale air and the more ‘energy efficient’ our homes are the more likely they are to reduce drafts and airflow (fresh air) increasing that ‘stale air’ feeling.  Great for energy conservation, bad for [...]