Plant Healthcare

Bagworms in Massachusetts

September 13, 2023
Bagworm (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis) is native to North America. It is distributed throughout the eastern United States. Once only an occasional pest in Massachusetts, is becoming a regular problem in the landscape. Historically, bagworms are only a continuous problem from Maryland and south. New populations may be brought in on nursery stock from more southern states… View Article

Tree Planting Guide

August 16, 2023
At Natural Tree and Lawn Care, we specialize in providing professional tree and lawn care services to homeowners and property managers. Our team of certified arborists is committed to helping you enhance the beauty and health of your landscape. If you’re planning to plant new trees, we’ve put together this tree-planting guide with essential tips… View Article
crab apple tree

Weather Related Tree and Shrub Diseases

April 18, 2023
Understanding how tree and shrub diseases occur will help you monitor your ornamental plants with a keen eye. Tree and shrub disease can be caused by either physical and environmental conditions (abiotic) or pathogens like fungi and bacteria (biotic). Trees and shrubs are not all affected by diseases in the same way and diseases can… View Article

2022 Year in Review

December 28, 2022
Each year, our lawns and landscapes face unique challenges. This year-in-review blog captures the biggest obstacles we dealt with here in Massachusetts. Drought Drought was a significant feature in the landscape this year. From roughly May through September, we saw significantly less rain than we typically do in that time frame. Most of the growing… View Article

Japanese Knotweed

August 18, 2021
Japanese knotweed, (Fallopia japonica syn. Polygonum cuspidatum) is an invasive herbaceous perennial weed introduced from East Asia in the late 1800s as an ornamental and to stabilize streambanks. This has partially aided in dispersal of the plant along streams as seed and other plant parts can be carried downstream and establish new populations. Where does… View Article
poison ivy

Common Questions about Poison Ivy

July 8, 2021
If you’ve ever had a rash from poison ivy, you probably take precautions to assure the plant isn’t growing in and around your yard and avoid it as best possible. Each year, we receive calls from homeowners about poison ivy and the best way to remove the troublesome plant. We’ve put together this list, answering… View Article
backyard

2020 Year In Review

December 16, 2020
Lawns, trees and shrubs are living organisms and therefore face their own battles throughout the year. Now is the perfect time to recap many of the diseases, pests and environmental factors that took place in 2020. As professionals, we try our best to aid these living organisms to remain healthy or provide solutions as needed…. View Article

How to Protect Plants Over the Winter

October 26, 2020
Have you ever noticed how rhododendron leaves curl themselves and droop in the winter? This is a natural phenomenon to reduce transpiration. Transpiration is a process by which plants naturally lose water through their leaves in order to draw more water up from the roots. Read on to learn more on how to protect plants… View Article
planting shrubs

Dos and Don’ts of Planting Trees and Shrubs

September 24, 2020
As we welcome fall, it is also the best time of year for homeowners’ to plan new trees and shrubs. We’ve put together a list of dos and don’ts for planting trees and shrubs to help as a guide for success: Plant Choice Do: The first thing to do when deciding to plant something is… View Article
dogwood tree

Watering Trees and Shrubs Efficiently

August 20, 2020
Watering trees and shrubs is very important particularly this time of year. As of August 13th, in Massachusetts 35% of the state is abnormally dry and 65% is in moderate drought, over 6” below normal rainfall. Drought does not only affect trees in the short term, but it can cause damage that may not be… View Article