Poison Hemlock
Among Northeastern Illinois’ weed list is a very dangerous plant called ‘Poison Hemlock’ (Conium maculatum) and should be removed very carefully from your landscaping promptly! (Image from www.illinoiswildflowers.org.) On this plant of the carrot family, you will notice that the flowers have 5 petals on each set. The typical cluster is roughly 2-2.5″ across distinguishing it from Queen Anne’s Lace. Also, Queen Anne’s lace has one red floret in the center of its flower cluster, poison hemlock does not (as seen above.) (Image from phytophactor.fieldofscience.com.) You will notice that the leaves of the Poison Hemlock plant look similar to the carrot. The smooth stem is stout, has a ridged appearance and […]
The Things We Encounter!
Today was supposed to be a routine tree removal for us. Unfortunately, during the course of the removal we came upon a raccoon’s nest that had babies in it! YIKES! Can you say Angry Mother Raccoon? So what do we do when we encounter a tree with a Squirrel’s Nest or Raccoon’s Nest in it? We do the ethical thing: we safely remove the nest to a box with the mother in sight so that she knows where the babies are and can transport them to a new nest once the coast is clear. We also call Animal Control promptly so that they are aware of the situation, and if […]
Why do I need Plant Health Care?
Why do I need Plant Health Care? Most homeowners don’t think about their trees until it’s too late. At this time, they call us out to give them an estimate on removing their tree. This could have been avoided if action was taken prior to the tree dying or becoming so hazardous that it needs to come down. A Plant Health Care program is for trees similar to a Health Care Program for people. It is a program that is set up between you and your Arborist to help keep your trees healthy or treating them for a particular problem. The goal is to enhance their functionality and beauty in […]
Illinois’ Big Tree Registry
Do you or someone you know (in Illinois) have a very large old tree? We recently came across a 58″ diameter Burr Oak at one of our customer’s homes in Spring Grove! When we contacted the Illinois Conservancy we found out that it is actually one of the largest Oaks in McHenry County! Needless to say we are helping them to ensure the care and survival of this majestic Oak tree. If you have a large tree that you would like to get registered, contact us, or follow the link below to go directly to Illinois Big Tree Registry’s website to fill out the forms. Illinois Big Tree Registry
Tree Owner’s Manual
The United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, & Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry have put together a tree owner’s manual for homeowners. Originally published in 2008, it details how a tree functions, how to properly maintain your tree, as well as planting and pruning your tree(s). To download your manual, simply click the link below to open the pdf file. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, contact us. TREE OWNER’S MANUAL
Proper Mulching
Most people know that they should Mulch around their trees, but very few know why or how much to use. Mulch has many benefits for the tree, but if done incorrectly can actually do more harm than good. Below is the publication from TreesAreGood.Org for their guidelines on proper mulching. Please read through it, and if you have any questions, or need to get some mulch, give us a call! ProperMulching If you would be interested in receiving free wood chips from your local tree service providers, please visit the linked site and fill in the form to be put on a wait list. Keep in mind, these are […]
Pruning Young Trees
Pruning Young Trees When trees are young, you may need to prune selected branches to allow for structure; you may need to prune some branches that have died during the transplanting cycle; or some branches may break due to high winds or other environmental factors. Whatever the reason, you should know how to properly prune your trees in order to allow for the best growth and to avoid injuring the tree during pruning. Click the link below to read TreesAreGood.Org’s article on pruning young trees to learn how to best prune them. Keep in mind, larger trees should be done by a professional tree care company to avoid […]
Benefits of Trees
Here at Nelson Tree Service-‘The Cure for Trees’, Inc., we value trees. We are dedicated to preserving trees, and we sincerely desire to do the best job we can for you and your trees! While not every tree can be kept onsite, and there are times when a removal is the best or only option, we would like to share with you TreesAreGood.org’s publication so you can understand the Benefits of Trees. Once you see the many benefits you can get from trees, you too will agree that Trees are Good, and that there is a reason to keep them healthy and beautiful, as well as optimally functional! THE BENEFITS […]
Cytospora Canker on Spruce Trees
Picture courtesy of University of Illinois Extension. We very often get called to a customer’s house because their Spruce trees are dying from the bottom up, and even though they are pruning the dead limbs out, the trees continue to die! Most often, we find that the trees have Cytospora Canker (Sphaeropsi sapineas, or Siroccus conigenus) which is a disease that can kill the tree over a short period of time if not managed at all. The spec sheet on this disease can be found at the University of Illinois Extension. “The fungus attacks trees or parts of trees that are injured or in a weak or stressed condition. The fungus […]
Hardiness Zones for Spring Planting
The time will soon be upon us to start Spring Planting! With that in mind, it helps to know what zone we live in to help make an informed decision on what types of plants, shrubs and trees to install. To see what zone you live in, check out the detailed Zone Map from The Arbor Day Foundation. In Northern Illinois we are in Zone 5. To see the Arbor Day Foundation’s suggested tree list by region, click here. If you are interested in having high quality trees installed at excellent prices, give us a call at 815-678-4108, or simply fill out our online contact form and mention tree installation to […]
