Tree and plant care

Jon Ipema • July 1, 2022

An overview of tree and plant disease.

Nutritional, fungal, insect, and stress diseases are very common, while bacterial and viral are less common but worth noting. All disease has the potential to be of serious concern, but a combination of these can easily lead to a detrimental situation.

Nutritional

When spring comes most attention goes to the lawn. Fertilizer for turf grass is the first thing that comes to most people’s minds when temperatures rise, winter fades, and spring is making a comeback. Landscape plants and trees are time and time again, neglected. Nutrients are just as important for all trees and plants as they are for grass. Absence of certain nutrients can severely affect the aesthetics of plants, others cause growth problems like insufficient root growth. There are 2 divisions of nutrients for plants, macro-nutrients and micronutrients. Macro-nutrients are the elements plants need on a large level, micro-nutrients are necessary on a smaller scale. Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium are macronutrients and are indicated by the 3 numbers on fertilizers (such as 18-24-12 or 21-7-14; in which the first number is Nitrogen, the second is Phosphorus, and the third is Potassium. Iron, Copper, Manganese, and Zinc are all micro-nutrients. A major factor in the availability of the micro-nutrients’ availability to the plants is pH (acidity/alkalinity). Different trees and plants favor particular pH levels, and often cannot utilize these elements unless the acidity/alkalinity is within a range.

Fungal

Most easily notice a dead spot in the lawn, or that something is eating the roses, fungal disease can be more difficult to identify, and easily go unnoticed. Symptoms get regarded to as “normal”. Fungal diseases are lesser known by the general public, so it is often stated that these trees or plants are simply dying. Rhizosphera needlecast (spruces), Diplodia tip blight (pines), Scab (edible and ornamental fruit trees), and cedar/apple rust are quite common fungal diseases. Fungal disease is not always “curable”, but suppression can have positive results.

Insects

Common insect pests include, the borers (including the notorious Emerald Ash Borer, Bronze Birch Borer, and others), beetles (such as May/June beetles and Japanese beetles), aphids, ants, mites, and others. A bug or two on a plant or tree is not always a call for concern. Nature is full of many legged creatures that don’t cause harm and many are beneficial to the environment including the health of plants. On the other hand, in high numbers destruction can be sudden and severe. High numbers of certain insects are the major cause of the issue. Invasive insects typically lack natural predators, devastating populations periodically result. The emerald ash borer and more recently the spotted lanternfly are examples of these.

Stress

Stress is a leading cause of disease in all plants. The most desirable of plants and trees are exotic, rather than native. Native trees and plants are frequently considered as weeds. These exotic plants and trees may be in the correct climate zone, but are certainly not in their natural environment. Amount of sunlight/shade, volume and frequency of precipitation, humidity, soil type, and pH (acidity/alkalinity) are a few of the variables that can put trees and plants under stress. Most of the variables can be adjusted or corrected to ease the stress, which makes for more resilience and ability to ward off other disease.

Your Solution

Fungi, insects, bacteria and virus’ require 4 specifics in order to become disease: A pathogen, a susceptible host, the correct environment, and time. A major part in eradicating these diseases is to remove one or more of these specifics. Nutritional disease can be eliminated by supplementing the correct nutrients at the correct time and often correcting the pH (acidity/alkalinity) of the soil. Stress disease is solved by identifying the stress factor and, when achievable, adjusting to make the environment favorable to the tree or plant.

The Green Advantage technicians are highly trained, experienced, and licensed in how to treat Tree and Plant disease. We utilize state of the art methods with the most advanced technology in the industry. We have the knowledge to identify disease. We have the proficiency, equipment, and products to treat disease in trees, plants, and gardens. Our highly ethical staff will be honest with our approach, if results are not likely we will be upfront with you, avoiding unnecessary expenses.

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The Cycle

By Jon Ipema • September 12, 2025

The goal of this article is not to berate other professionals, instead it is to get a better understanding of how to get desired results while avoiding counterproductive measures that often impede progress, increase maintenance, and are detrimental to the goals of plant cultivation and land management. Often attention is applied strictly to climate and aesthetics. The decisions are typically made based on whether a plant is known to survive in a particular zone and results from successful cultivation (often photos of established plants). Although these are important issues, the results are often compromised by disregard to soil type, soil quality, maintenance requirements, desired results, and specific strengths and weaknesses of individual species and subspecies. Proper consideration to the process and costs of achieving desired outcomes can be oversimplified to the detriment of that outcome. Observing this time and again, a cycle has been noticed that seems to repeat itself. Analyzing this cycle has given insight on how to avoid this cycle and the frustration that goes along with it. Signs of this cycle are increases in maintenance, costs, and frustration while experiencing decreased aesthetics, plant health, and recurring issues. Here is an example: 1. A lawn does not appeal to its owner and steps are taken to improve the situation. 2. The first step is often to incorporate a fertilization program. 3. A generalized fertilization program is implemented, with the primary focus being macro-nutrients for turf and weed control. 4. Initially this seems productive and seems to be leading to satisfactory results especially in the beginning of the season, when temperatures are lower and natural irrigation is sufficient. 5. As the season progresses and temperatures increase the results seem to diminish. The color of the lawn appears fair at best, weeds become more of an issue, and general satisfaction declines. Watering is increased, chemical applications to control weeds are rendered, and some choose to increase fertilization to achieve what seemed to be improving results earlier in the season. 6. During midseason, temperatures are at extremes, and the focus gets shifted to irrigation, with some increase to the length of time for irrigation but mostly on the frequency. 7. As the end of summer approaches, nighttime temperatures decrease, while temperatures during the day still feel extreme. Turf appears to be recovering and looking better. Weeds continue to be an issue and additional weed control measures are often taken, usually spot treating as even selective herbicides can damage turf in the heat of the day. At this point fungal issues appear and many opt to apply fungicides to control the matter. 8. Some satisfaction with weed control seems to take place although grassy weeds remain persistent and fungal issues come and go. Overall, the turf seems better than previous seasons and staying on the course seems to be the correct action for the next season. 9. Year 2. In spring pre-emergent weed control is applied to keep grassy weeds controlled (primarily crabgrass). Patches of inconsistent turf seem to be taking hold, and the turf color continues to decline. Spring is often when other fungal issues are noticed, especially cold season fungal issues that take place throughout the winter (snow molds). 10. Increases in fertilizer are often recommended to return color to turf while weed control becomes a larger issue. Irrigation is more frequent, as it seemed to help the stressed turf during the previous season. 11. Although recommendations are followed, by midseason it is apparent that turf quality is not improving, there may be a noticeable “boost” to aesthetics for a short period after fertilization, but not much further. 12. When evening temperatures begin dropping but daytime temperatures are still high, fungal issues return. It may be recommended to add fungicidal applications to the fertilization program annually to “get ahead” of the problem. 13. Turf doesn’t seem to improve any further and is often declining at this point. During the 3rd season some owners begin looking at other options, but some stay on this course and continue, many of these individuals simply get accustomed to a subpar lawn. Others contemplate discontinuing service, as the programs appear to be a gimmick. 14. By the fourth season many have had enough. Many companies will continue to offer more services claiming that they will solve the issues. By this point the customers usually have had enough, even more convinced that their lawn will just never look the way they would like. This pattern is not absolute and some lawns with this type of program do have success. My experience is that these results vary from lawn to lawn, are not replicable, and lack consistency. This brings us to the main point of this article…How do we stop the cycle, get the results we want, without constantly increasing the need for more maintenance. Lets start at the same point as we did earlier. 1. A lawn does not appeal to its owner and steps are taken to improve the situation. 2. Soil tests are taken to provide information as to what is going on currently, how to adjust, and what type of grasses fit the purpose of the lawn. 3. Soil amendments are made to correct micro-nutrient deficiencies and correct soil chemistry. Aeration is completed to aid the microbial processes in the soil, reduce compaction, and maintain the thatch layer. Lawn is overseed with turfgrass that fits the desired outcome, thrives in the climate, and resists disease. 4. Fertilizer program is implemented to address macronutrients and help maintain chemical adjustments performed in previous step. At the beginning of this process, pre-emergent weed controls should be avoided and only implemented in the future if annual weeds are an issue. Even then I personally am not a proponent of preemergent weed control in turf, unless absolutely necessary as this hinders seed germination and causes issues with overseeding. 5. Instructions are given on maintenance information. Turfgrass needs to be maintained at a certain height and cut at regular intervals to maintain that height. Sharp blades and maintained equipment are important for turf grass health. This thick grass not only for aesthetic purposes, but also for weed control. 6. In spring when conditions are optimum for turf grass growth, the desired grass species will begin to take hold. As temps increase and are less favorable to the other grasses, this will become the dominant. With the corrections in the soil chemistry and condition this species will thrive, not allowing area for weeds to encroach. This is not to say weed control is not necessary, but it is drastically minimized. 7. Aeration needs to be performed on a regular basis, 1 to 2 times a year minimum, based on grass species, soil conditions, thatch conditions, and activities on the turf. 8. As the heat of the summer stresses the turf grass, correct watering is pertinent. Root systems of all plants require water, but they also require oxygen. A flooded root system will kill plants. Less frequent, deep watering is what plants including turf need. Turf grass varieties that are more tolerant of temperature extremes are the best solution to this issue. As these grasses grow and begin to dominate the turf ecosystem, other non-desirable plants will not have room to get a foot hold, limiting the need for weed control. Short frequent irrigation creates the environment for fungal disease. Without fungal disease the use of fungicide would be minimal if not irrelevant, avoiding the damage to mycorrhizae. These beneficial fungi aid in oxygen and nutrient transfer in root systems. 9. Year 2. Turf appearance drastically improves as does the health of the grasses. Soil amendments are not necessary unless problems exist. Soil test should be done regularly (I recommend every 3 years, unless issues are present). Aeration and overseed are recommended in spring and fall, continue to feed (general purpose fertilizer, 4 application slow release sulfur coated urea), and continue maintenance as described above. 10. Lastly, enjoy. Healthy plants resist disease. Working with nature, controlling what we can, and mitigating what we can’t is the answer to all turf and landscaping. Overall maintenance will be far less chaotic as the days of chasing symptoms will come to a close. Any issues that arise can be dealt with systematically.