How to Spot an Aphid Infestation in Large Trees

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Aphids are an all-too-common pest in gardens and landscapes. Also known as greenflies and blackflies, they feast on sap.

Because of their small size, however, aphids often go unnoticed. When fully grown, aphids are only about one-eighth of an inch long.

While you can’t easily spot them from afar, there are other ways to tell if large trees are infected with aphids.

Sticky Leaves

If you believe aphids have infested a large tree in your landscape, look at the leaves to see if they are sticky.

As previously mentioned, these otherwise small pests feast on sap. They’ll suck the sap the sap out of leaves while leaving behind a sticky residue in their wake.

Black Fungi

Another possible sign of an aphid infestation in large trees is the presence of black fungi.

As the sap sits on the tree’s leaves, it encourages the growth of black fungi. Fungal spores in the air will fall on the sap, at which point the fungi will begin to spread.

Sap Below the Tree

You should check around the base of the tree – particularly the area of the ground directly below the canopy – to see if there’s sap present.

When aphids feast on a tree’s sap, some of the sap will inevitably fall to the ground below. Therefore, the presence of sap below a tree may suggest that it’s infested with aphids.

Yellow Spots

The presence of yellow spots on a tree’s leaves may also indicate an aphid infestation.

Most aphids are yellow, so when they infest a tree, they look like yellow spots. When viewed up closed, you may even notice them moving. Regardless, if you see groups of yellow spots on a tree’s leaves, there’s a good chance that it’s suffering from an aphid infestation.

Curled Leaves

Perhaps one of the most common signs of an aphid infestation in large trees is curled leaves.

As aphids feast on a tree’s sap, they’ll chew through its leaves. Over time, this may cause the leaves to curl upward or downward.

Galls

Finally, you should inspect large trees in your landscape to see if they contain galls.

Like many other garden pests, aphids lay eggs to reproduce. When aphids lay eggs inside or on a tree, the tree may respond by producing large growths known as galls. The galls themselves are typically harmless, but they are indicative of an infestation.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

Request a Quote / Schedule an Appointment

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How to Keep Your Lawn Healthy During a Drought

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Is your hometown currently experiencing a drought?

While some regions in the United States generate more rain than others, droughts can occur anywhere. Characterized by a prolonged period of little or no rain, droughts can wreak havoc on your lawn.

Unfortunately, you can’t control the weather, but there are ways to keep your lawn healthy during a drought.

Keep Mowing, But Raise the Blade

Contrary to popular belief, you shouldn’t stop mowing your lawn during a drought.

If you don’t mow it, invasive weeds will grow unchecked. Like grass, weeds require water. Many invasive weeds, however, consume less water than grass. Therefore, failure to mow your lawn during a drought will pave the way for weeds.

For a healthy lawn during a drought, you should continue to mow the grass but at a slightly higher blade setting.

Mulch the Grass Clippings

Rather than bagging the grass clippings when mowing your lawn, consider mulching them.

Most lawnmowers have two settings for the grass clippings: bag or mulch. Using the bag allows you to create a cleaner lawn by removing the cut grass clippings. During a drought, though, grass clippings can help to hydrate your lawn.

If you mulch the grass clippings back onto your lawn, they’ll absorb and hold moisture, some of which will be absorbed by the living grass.

Don’t Walk on Your Lawn

Try to avoid walking on your lawn as much as possible.

Lack of water will stress your lawn, and when stressed, your lawn will be more vulnerable to harm. Something as otherwise harmless as walking across your lawn during a drought could result in brown patches of dead or dying grass.

Furthermore, walking on your lawn during a drought will make the soil more compact, which restricts the amount of moisture it can hold.

Water During the Mornings and Evenings

As long as there’s not a water ban or restriction in your area, you can water your lawn to protect it from the effects of a drought.

Most experts recommend watering to a depth of about a half-inch every other week during a drought. The key thing to remember is that you should water during the mornings and evenings rather than in the middle of the day. If you water your lawn during the middle of the day, you’ll lose a substantial amount of water from evaporation.

Watering your lawn during the mornings and evenings, on the other hand, will result in less evaporation because there’s less sunlight.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

Request a Quote / Schedule an Appointment

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5 Simple Tips to Grow Bigger Tomatoes

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Can’t seem to grow plump and juicy tomatoes to matter how much time you spend gardening?

The berries of the Solanum lycopersicum plant, tomatoes are a versatile vegetable that can be used in a variety of culinary dishes.

Of course, large tomatoes are preferable over small tomatoes.

If you’re tired of harvesting cherry-sized tomatoes, you should check out the five following tips to grow bigger tomatoes in your garden.

#1) Space at Least 2 Feet Apart

Don’t make the mistake of overcrowding your tomato plants.

Without an adequate amount of space, they won’t be able to develop plump and juicy tomatoes.

So, how far apart should you space your tomato plants?

While some varieties need more space than others, a good rule of thumb is to space tomato plants at least 2 feet apart from each other.

#2) Increase Sun Exposure

The amount of sunlight to which your tomato plants are exposed will affect their size.

As you may have guessed, tomato plants that are exposed to more sunlight produce bigger tomatoes than those exposed to less sunlight.

Sunlight triggers photosynthesis, thereby fueling the plants with more energy to produce bigger tomatoes.

By planting your tomatoes in an area or your garden or landscape that receives a substantial amount of sunlight, you’ll be rewarded with bigger tomatoes.

#3) Use a Trellis

Another simple tip to grow bigger tomatoes is to use a trellis.

Featuring interwoven boards, trellises are designed to accommodate “climbing” plants, including tomatoes.

As a tomato plant grows, it will develop vines that spider outwards. With a trellis nearby, the tomato plant will latch onto the structure, allowing it to grow vertically rather than horizontally.

#4) Add Mulch

Consider adding mulch around the base of your tomato plants.

Mulch is beneficial for all plants – and tomatoes are no exception. It helps to retain moisture, protects the soil from erosion and discourages the intrusion of weeds.

Just remember to use a sufficient amount of mulch so that it covers all the soil surrounding your tomato plants.

#5) Prune the Bottom

Pruning the bottom of your tomato plants can have a positive impact on their harvest size.

When you prune the bottom leaves of a tomato plant, you’ll encourage it to grow new leaves at the top.

This is important because the bottom leaves are susceptible to decay and disease. If you don’t remove a decaying or diseased leaf, it may spread to other parts of the plant.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

Request a Quote / Schedule an Appointment

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Aeration or Verticutting Which Is Best for Your Lawn?

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When researching techniques to improve the appearance of your lawn, you may come across aeration and verticutting.

When used correctly, they can both promote a cleaner, as well as greener, lawn. However, aeration and verticutting aren’t the same. They each work in a different way, and they are each designed for a different purpose.

So, what’s the difference between aeration and verticutting?

What Is Aeration?

Also known as aerification, aeration is a landscaping technique that involves punching holes into the soil.

It’s typically performed using a walk-behind aerator tool. As you push the aerator tool across your lawn, blades will pierce the soil to create holes. Depending on the type of aerator tool used, the holes may measure just 0.5 to 1 inches in diameter and 2 to 4 inches deep.

What Is Verticutting?

Verticutting, on the other hand, is a landscaping technique that involves the removal of thatch (seen in the image above).

It’s not uncommon for organic matter to accumulate around the base of grass. When living and dead organic matter accumulate, it creates thatch.

Verticutting is a landscaping technique in which thatch is removed from a lawn using a tool or machine.

Advantages of Aeration

Aeration offers several advantages, one of which is increased water intake.

Regardless of what type of grass your lawn has, it needs water to thrive. If your lawn consists of hard and compact soil, however, your grass may become dehydrated and die.

Aeration helps by allowing the soil to absorb more water, which in turn protects the grass from dehydration.

If you’re planning to seed or reseed your lawn, you may want to aerate it before. Failure to aerate your lawn means seeds will essentially sit on the top of the soil where they are exposed to the elements. If it rains, the seeds will likely be washed away.

Aeration, however, creates small pockets in the soil that hold seeds and fertilizer.

Advantages of Verticutting

Removing thatch from your lawn with verticutting offers several advantages as well.

When left unchecked, thatch can contribute to infectious disease. As bacteria and fungi feast on the dead organic matter, they may spread to other parts of your lawn.

You can keep your grass safe by performing verticutting to remove the thatch.

Verticutting also allows grass to access more water and nutrients. As it removes thatch, it mixes up the top layer of soil.

The end result is softer soil that fuels grass with water and essential nutrients.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

Request a Quote / Schedule an Appointment

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5 Mistakes to Avoid When Mowing Your Lawn

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Regardless of your lawn’s size, you’ll need to mow it regularly to keep the grass, as well as weeds, in check.

Neglecting to mow your lawn for just a few weeks can result in a messy landscape that harms your home’s curb appeal.

With that said, you should avoid the five following mistakes when mowing your lawn.

#1) Mowing Wet Grass

Never mow your lawn when the grass is wet.

Moisture will weigh down the grass, causing them to bend rather than stand up straight. When you run your lawnmower over wet grass, the heavy and bent grass will clump out.

You can avoid this problem, however, by waiting until your lawn has dried before mowing it.

#2) Using a Dull Blade

Before mowing your lawn, inspect your lawnmower’s blade to ensure it’s sharp.

What’s wrong with mowing your lawn with a dull blade? As explained by the University of Maryland, using a dull blade can cause grass to turn brown while also making it more susceptible to disease.

If your lawnmower’s blade is dull, either sharpen or replace it.

#3) Mowing Too Low

Another common mistake to avoid is mowing too low to the ground.

For a healthy lawn, you must avoid cutting the crowns of the grass. The crowns, of course, are close to the ground, so they are susceptible to damage when mowing too low.

If you’re worried about striking the crowns, consider raising your lawnmower’s blade by 1 or 2 inches.

#4) Mowing Too Quickly

In addition to mowing your lawn too low, you shouldn’t mow it too quickly.

It takes time for a lawnmower’s blade to complete a full rotation. If you push your lawnmower too quickly – or otherwise go too fast – the blade may not be able to reach all the grass. As a result, some areas of your lawn will be taller than others.

By mowing your lawn at a medium, steady pace, you’ll promote a consistent grass height.

#5) Not Mowing Frequently Enough

You’ll need to mow your lawn frequently to keep it healthy.

We’ve all been guilty of allowing our lawns to outgrow at some point or another. When neglected for an extended period, though, your lawn will likely attract invasive weeds.

And the next time you mow it, you’ll have to deal with both the weeds and the overgrown grass.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

Request a Quote / Schedule an Appointment

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