Lethal Yellowing Treatments In Florida

Lethal yellowing has become a wide-spread problem for palms in Florida. During the last four decades, outbreaks of lethal yellowing disease have killed most of the once prevalent tall-type coconut cultivars in Florida and Jamaica. While coconuts are the most important economic palm affected by this disease, 35 other palm species are susceptible to lethal yellowing.

Lethal yellowing gets its name from the yellowing and drooping of palm fronds beginning with the lower fronds and advancing up through the crown. There is no cure for lethal yellowing although it can be controlled in valuable trees. The good news is that palms native to Florida are generally resistant to this disease.

The lethal yellowing micro-organism is most likely spread by an insect, the planthopper. Research is continuing into the way in which this insect spreads the disease. Tests have demonstrated that insecticides can slow the spread of planthoppers and, with them, lethal yellowing. However, large-scale spraying using currently available chemicals is ecologically damaging and not economically viable. 

The first visible sign that a palm has been infected is the dropping of all of its fruit, irrespective of their size. Over the next two months or so, the new flowers produced by the palm wither and blacken. Then the leaves progressively turn yellow and hang, starting from the lower leaves and finishing with the top leaves. Once the top leaves have gone, the palm is dead and all which is left is something resembling a telephone pole.

The control of lethal yellowing in disease susceptible palms has proven to be very successful, however in order to accomplish this, three things must occur.(1)The proper chemical, oxytetracyclene hydrochloride - (OTC), must be used for the control of lethal yellowing.(2) Injections must be made on a timely basis. Four times per year depending on the degree of current infection or future protection desired.(3)The injections must be applied by a trained technician using the proper syringe and receptacle.

For more information on protecting your palm trees against lethal yellowing, call Michael Zimmerman, Certified Arborist, at (561) 968-1045.

ZIMMERMAN TREE SERVICE LOCATIONS 

ISA Certified Arborist and ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist

Call For an Estimate

Palm Beach County: 561-968-1045

Including: Atlantis, Belle Glade, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Briny Breezes, Cloud Lake, Delray Beach, Glen Ridge, Greenacres, Gulf Stream, Haverhill, Highland Beach, Hypoluxo, Juno Beach, Jupiter, Jupiter Inlet Colony, Jupiter Island, Lake Clarke Shores, Lake Park, Lake Worth, Lantana, Loxahatchee Groves, Manalapan, Mangonia Park, North Palm Beach, Ocean Ridge, Pahokee, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach Shores, Palm Springs, Riviera Beach, Royal Palm Beach, Singer Island, South Bay, South Palm Beach, Tequesta, Village of Golf, Wellington, West Palm Beach and all other communities

Martin County: 772-546-0811

Boca Raton and Delray Beach: 561-338-3533

Broward County: 954-968-1045

Note: ISA is the International Society of Consulting Arboriculture. ASCA is the American Society of Consulting Arborist.

Stump Removal Techniques In Florida

Tree stumps never look good in our lush green lawns and landscaping. In some circumstances, even after a tree has been cut or has fallen off its place, you will see that the tree stump remains for a long time. This small portion of the tree trunk is stuck in the roots of the ground where the tree once stood. In some cases, the trees regenerate out of these stumps while in others they do not. Stump removal is essential to clear the space for growing another tree.

In stump removal techniques the whole stump along with the root ball of the tree is removed. This is considered to be a slightly difficult process. Normally, when the tree grows, the root ball grows along with it. The root ball expands considerably giving in to large root sizes. General size of the root ball would be about four to ten times the size of a tree. This is why the root ball removal is considered challenging by most stump removal professionals. Once the root ball is removed using stump removal techniques there is a huge hole in the ground, where the tree stood once. 

With the stump grinding technique once the tree has been cut to ground level or removed, the stump is removed. While performing tree stump grinding, the stump is first ground using a stump grinder into small pieces. These small pieces are such that they can be used as a ground cover or a mulch. After the stump is ground using the grinder until it is a few inches below the earth, this portion is covered by dirt. After a period of time, the portion will decay into the soil along with the roots surrounding it.

Rotting sumps attract termites, grubs, spiders and other insects to the perimeter of your home or building. Tree stumps are unsightly, hazardous and get in the way of future landscaping, gardening or construction. The best time to remove a stump is when the tree is being removed, but if you have stumps from previous falls or cuttings, we can remove those too.

Grinding and removing tree stumps and roots is a hefty task requiring the use of special equipment. Special care has to be given to the surrounding turf, soil and root systems, and any cavity has to be filled in. Our tree experts can recommend the best stump removal plan for your property.

Zimmerman Tree Service will professionally remove your tree stumps and prune the roots of your trees with our top-of-the-line, commercial grade equipment and experienced, tree care maintenance staff. We will remove your stumps of any size to make room for new landscaping. After removing your tree stumps, we will leave your area free of debris, clean and safe.

ZIMMERMAN TREE SERVICE LOCATIONS 

ISA Certified Arborist and ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist

Call For an Estimate

Palm Beach County: 561-968-1045

Including: Atlantis, Belle Glade, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Briny Breezes, Cloud Lake, Delray Beach, Glen Ridge, Greenacres, Gulf Stream, Haverhill, Highland Beach, Hypoluxo, Juno Beach, Jupiter, Jupiter Inlet Colony, Jupiter Island, Lake Clarke Shores, Lake Park, Lake Worth, Lantana, Loxahatchee Groves, Manalapan, Mangonia Park, North Palm Beach, Ocean Ridge, Pahokee, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach Shores, Palm Springs, Riviera Beach, Royal Palm Beach, Singer Island, South Bay, South Palm Beach, Tequesta, Village of Golf, Wellington, West Palm Beach and all other communities

Martin County: 772-546-0811

Boca Raton and Delray Beach: 561-338-3533

Broward County: 954-968-1045

Note: ISA is the International Society of Consulting Arboriculture. ASCA is the American Society of Consulting Arborist.

Specialized Palm Tree Care In Florida

Do you love your palm trees? Most homeowners do. And they do their best to take care of them. But sometimes what we think we know is not what we should know. Is it possible we may have been misinformed, or come across well-intentioned but mistaken advice when it comes to caring for our palms? 

Do we need to prune our palms to prepare for hurricanes? Will removing extra weight from your palm tree will save it during hurricanes? Makes sense, right? Wrong. Your palm trees need all the leaves they can get to protect the new growing fronds from wind.

Over-pruning seems to be a very common mistake. Many online articles tell people to cut the brown part of the leaf because it will save the palm tree from wasting nutrients on the dying leaf. Palm trees need dying leaves for nutrients, and when you cut them off, your palm tree does not like it. Palms move nutrients from the older fronds to the new growth. Palm fronds should be cut when they are as close as possible to the trunk.

As they say, sometimes it is feast or famine. You can easily over-water a new planted palm. You will notice the palm tree leaves turning brown or yellow and falling off quickly without drying first. To avoid this mistake, you need to make sure the palm soil has good drainage. You can do it by adding 30%-50% sand to the soil mix when you plant your palm. A new planted palm tree should be watered every day for the first week.

Just as you can do too much watering-wise you can also do too little. If you do not provide your palm tree with enough water, the tips of the leaves will start turning brown. Most palm trees like well-drained and moist soil. To find out if your palm tree is getting enough water, check the moist level of the soil the next day after watering. The soil should be moist down to the root of the palm tree.

Sometimes it is just better to ask a professional. Remember, when it comes to tree care they do this for a living. Healthy trees, and their work towards keeping them healthy for you, makes all sorts of greenery grow. Zimmerman Tree Service provides expert care and specialized treatments to keep your palm trees at their best.

Our professional arborists assess the needs of each of your palm trees, diagnosis any issues and customize treatments specifically for your property.

ZIMMERMAN TREE SERVICE LOCATIONS 

ISA Certified Arborist and ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist

Call For an Estimate

Palm Beach County: 561-968-1045

Including: Atlantis, Belle Glade, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Briny Breezes, Cloud Lake, Delray Beach, Glen Ridge, Greenacres, Gulf Stream, Haverhill, Highland Beach, Hypoluxo, Juno Beach, Jupiter, Jupiter Inlet Colony, Jupiter Island, Lake Clarke Shores, Lake Park, Lake Worth, Lantana, Loxahatchee Groves, Manalapan, Mangonia Park, North Palm Beach, Ocean Ridge, Pahokee, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach Shores, Palm Springs, Riviera Beach, Royal Palm Beach, Singer Island, South Bay, South Palm Beach, Tequesta, Village of Golf, Wellington, West Palm Beach and all other communities

Martin County: 772-546-0811

Boca Raton and Delray Beach: 561-338-3533

Broward County: 954-968-1045

Note: ISA is the International Society of Consulting Arboriculture. ASCA is the American Society of Consulting Arborist

Shade, Fruit And Ornamental Tree Care In Florida

Our Florida climate allows us to enjoy growing many ornamental and functional plants in our yards and gardens. Some of the most successful are the many varieties of fruit that thrive here. These include banana, pineapple, blueberry, apple, mango, starfruit, peach, papaya, avocado, guava and pomegranate among many others. 

With cooler weather on the way be advised that some fruit trees like apples, peaches, pears, plums, etc., need a certain amount of winter dormancy (resting phase) to develop their leaves and fruit buds for the coming year. This dormancy period is triggered by colder weather and shorter days, and the tree will stay at rest until it has just the amount of cold weather it needs. Fruit tree growers measure this period in terms called "chilling units" or "chill hours".

Chill hours will vary depending on which part of the state you live in. The number of annual chill hours experienced in our state during a normal year decreases as we move east and south. North central Florida has about 400 to 500 chilling hours; central Florida, 300 to 400; south central Florida, 200 to 300; and the southern part of the state, 50 to 100.

Of course the further south you go in Florida the warmer the weather stays. The lack of cold is why such fruits as apples and blueberries do not grow well in South Florida, just as the colder temperatures in the Panhandle explains why exotic fruits do not perform well in Northwest Florida.

In general dwarf fruit trees mature earlier than full sized ones and some can bear fruit in their first year. Florida is a great place to grow bananas and they should produce fruit in about a year and a half. Bananas grow very fast and make a pretty good natural barrier if planted in long rows. They are very invasive though and will multiply very quickly. If space is not an issue they should be great producers in our climate.

As you plant it can be beneficial to mix up the species rather than keeping them together in blocks of the same type. That makes it harder for pests to jump from tree to tree. Running chickens through your plants on a regular basis also feeds the trees and can also knock back potential pest problems.

With over 30 years of experience, Zimmerman Tree Service is a full service organization providing shade, fruit and ornamental tree care as well as insect, disease and fertilization programs. As a leader in tree care, Zimmerman Tree Service’s unique approach of delivering a wide range of arboriculture services conveniently eliminates the time and expense of searching for and experimenting with different companies.

ZIMMERMAN TREE SERVICE LOCATIONS 

ISA Certified Arborist and ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist

Call For an Estimate

Palm Beach County: 561-968-1045

Including: Atlantis, Belle Glade, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Briny Breezes, Cloud Lake, Delray Beach, Glen Ridge, Greenacres, Gulf Stream, Haverhill, Highland Beach, Hypoluxo, Juno Beach, Jupiter, Jupiter Inlet Colony, Jupiter Island, Lake Clarke Shores, Lake Park, Lake Worth, Lantana, Loxahatchee Groves, Manalapan, Mangonia Park, North Palm Beach, Ocean Ridge, Pahokee, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach Shores, Palm Springs, Riviera Beach, Royal Palm Beach, Singer Island, South Bay, South Palm Beach, Tequesta, Village of Golf, Wellington, West Palm Beach and all other communities

Martin County: 772-546-0811

Boca Raton and Delray Beach: 561-338-3533

Broward County: 954-968-1045

Note: ISA is the International Society of Consulting Arboriculture. ASCA is the American Society of Consulting Arborist.

RECOMMEND ZIMMERMAN TREE SERVICE