Question #1: My house is surrounded by large tulip poplar and oak trees. I am considering hiring someone to top the trees closest to my house to minimize potential damage if one or more should fall during a storm. When would be the proper time to do this and will I be causing damage to the trees?
Answer #1: or the central leader of a mature tree with little regard to where the pruning cuts are made. This practice is not highly regarded by the tree care industry as research has shown that topping a tree can cause it to become more hazardous. Drastically reducing the tree canopy reduces photosynthesis and limits the tree’s ability to produce the necessary carbohydrates to stay healthy. Exposed bark is more susceptible to sunscald causing bark damage. The large wounds that this type of pruning creates are difficult for trees to compartmentalize or wall-off allowing disease organisms or insects to enter the tree. The growth that is produced from the pruned areas, called water sprouts or epicormic growth is weakly attached to the tree and is subject to wind and ice damage. Plus the trees become unsightly. Our advice is to call a certified arborist to evaluate the health of the trees and if the trees are a candidate, perform crown reduction pruning. To find a certified arborist go to the following website, www.treesaregood.org
Question #2: Recently I have begun to see some type of beetles in my living room. They seem to congregate in the windowsill of a south facing window. I am beginning to suspect that they are coming from some firewood we store near the fireplace. What should I do and can the firewood be treated with an insecticide?
Answer #2: You are correct the firewood is most likely the source of your infestation. There are many miscellaneous beetles, like bark beetles and long-horned beetles that could possibly hitch a ride indoors on wood but none of them are threats to you or to the wood in your home. Spraying the wood with an insecticide is not recommended; it is not effective and could be potentially hazardous. Simply store the wood outdoors, away from your home, and bring indoors only the amount of wood you plan on burning that day.
Question #3: This holiday season I want to decorate with some other type of houseplant besides poinsettias. They just do not do well in my home. Do you have any suggestions?
Answer #3: Poinsettias can be finicky houseplants. Allowing the soil to dry out between watering and keeping them out of drafts are important tips for keeping them healthy. However, there are other decorative plants sold to add a festive touch to your home. Amaryllis, cyclamen, and kalanchoe have colorful flowers in appropriate shades for the holidays. Norfolk Island pine and rosemary topiaries are evergreen and although they don’t flower, can also be attractive.
“Ask the Plant and Pest Professor” is compiled from phone and email questions asked the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), part of University of Maryland Extension, an educational outreach of the University of Maryland. To ask a home gardening or pest control question or for other help, go to www.hgic.umd.edu. Or phone HGIC at 1-800-342-2507, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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