Tree and Shrub

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

Pest Alert: Beech Leaf Disease

March 29, 2023
Updated: 3/29/2023 There is a new disease killing beech trees in our area called beech leaf disease (BLD). Unlike most diseases of trees that are caused by a fungus. BLD is caused by a foliar feeding nematode Litylenchus crenatae mccannii. Both European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and American beeches (Fagus grandifolia) may be affected. The disease… 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

Spotted Lanternfly

March 15, 2022
Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is an invasive plant hopper insect native to China, India, and Vietnam. It was first discovered in the United States in Pennsylvania September 2014. Since that time the insect has spread into Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and West Virginia. In September 2020, two dead specimens were found… View Article

2021 Natural Tree and Lawn Care – Year in Review

January 17, 2022
Ticks & Mosquitoes Positive West Nile Virus (WNV) mosquito samples were identified in Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, and Worcester Counties. During the course of this year 7 human cases of WNV were detected in in Bristol, Essex, and Middlesex Counties, according to the MA Department of Public Health…. 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