Tree Healthcare

Like any other living thing, tree life cannot survive and thrive unless it is properly cared for. The right environment, the proper nutrients, and regular maintenance all help a tree realize its full potential. Developing a proactive attitude regarding plant health will make it easier for you to achieve and maintain the results you need.

Trees are part of our everyday life. It’s easy for them to melt into the background because we’re so used to seeing them. But if you look closely, you may notice symptoms of various maladies or pests that, left untreated, could lead to lack of growth, decay, and even death. For example, yellowing leaves could be due to chlorosis. Or roots beginning to grow around the trunk could, if given time, eventually deprive your tree of nutrients.

By becoming more aware of the causes of plant health problems, you become better able to determine the proper plant health care in any given situation. However, when it comes to diagnosing and properly caring for your trees, just like with anything else, it’s best to let the experts take care of it.

At CHOP, we have only one goal: to allow plant life to achieve the highest level of health possible and to make your landscape look good doing so.

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Identifying Tree Health Issues

Any of these look familiar on your trees? That’s a sign you should give us a call, and soon before it’s too late to save your trees!

diseases & infections

Apple Scab

Apple Scab

Learn

Apple scab is a common infection caused by the fungus “Venturia inaequalis,” which affects malus (or apple) trees. The disease can, in part, be identified by the development of brown lesions on the leaves and fruit of a specimen, which resemble scabs…

Galls

Galls

Learn

Galls are abnormal outgrowths, often caused by insect parasites, fungal infections, or bacterial infections, which can develop in a tree’s leaves, roots or branches. They can vary greatly in size, from tiny bumps on a leaf to massive tumors growing…

Powdery Mildew

Powdery Mildew

Learn

Powdery mildew is one of the most common varieties of plant fungi. It affects almost every kind of plant life. However, powdery mildew is host specific. If a tree is infected, you don’t have to worry about your rose bushes…

Tip Blight

Tip Blight

Learn

Tip blight (or shoot blight) is a fungal disease that primarily affects pine trees, although spruce and fir trees are also susceptible. It develops as a result of a tree becoming weakened due to factors such as drought and root…

pests

Aphids

Aphids

Learn

Aphids are small, soft-bodied, pear-shaped insects. They produce asexually, with adult females capable of giving birth to up to 12 offspring a day, and exist in a variety of colors including green, brown, pink, and more. The aphids possess long…

Honey Locust Plant Bug

Honey Locust Plant Bug

Learn

A pest in this country since the 1950s, the honeylocust plant bug usually emerges in May to feed off the new growth of honeylocust trees. Their appearance in this country seems to have coincided with the introduction of thornless honeylocust…

Japanese Beetles

Japanese Beetles

Learn

The Japanese beetle is a pest that is both destructive and difficult to control. First spotted on American soil in 1916, the beetle has managed to flourish here, largely due to the absence of its natural predators. The insect eats…

Scale

Scale

Learn

Scale insects are small, largely immobile pests that use small mouthparts six to eight times the length of their bodies to feed on plant sap. They attach themselves to all parts of a tree and, in large enough numbers, can…

Spider Mite

Spider Mite

Learn

Spider mites are a variety of arachnid, made up of over 1,200 different species, which are commonly occurring pests in landscapes and gardens. Less than one millimeter in size, they often live on the underside of a tree’s leaves where…

Tent Worm

Tent Worm

Learn

Tent worms (or tent caterpillars) are known to feed mostly on deciduous trees, including apple, ash, cherry, and willow, to name a few. They lay masses of eggs (amounts can vary from 150 to 400 eggs), allowing them to make…

Webworm

Webworm

Learn

Webworms (or fall webworms) are a variety of moth that nests in the limbs of trees during the larval stage of development, causing damage in the process. Usually an inch long as larvae, webworms come in two different color combinations…

plant healthcare

Chlorosis Treatment

Chlorosis Treatment

Learn

Chlorosis is a condition that affects trees, resulting in a lack of chlorophyll. An affected specimen experiences a yellowing of its leaves, while extreme cases can lead to a near absence of color. Because chlorophyll is an essential element of…

Fertilization

Fertilization

Learn

Fertilizers can provide trees with essential elements that help to produce the food they need to survive. The amount of fertilizer that should be applied, and the frequency at which this should be done, varies greatly. For example, trees located…

Girdling Root Repair

Girdling Root Repair

Learn

Root girdling is when a tree’s roots grow around itself instead of away from its trunk, a process that results in a slow strangulation death that can take decades. By wrapping around the trunk, these roots severely limit the flow…

Nutrient Deficiencies

Nutrient Deficiencies

Learn

Nutrient deficiencies can have a devastating impact on the health of a tree. The most common deficiencies in landscape trees are nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Some telltale signs of a lack of proper nutrition include a reduced amount of shoot…

Root Zone Aeration

Root Zone Aeration

Learn

The aeration of a tree’s root zone can become a necessary measure if the soil surrounding it has become too impacted. Closely clumped soil robs the tree of vital oxygen, creates a poor exchange of gases between the roots and…

Soil Analysis

Soil Analysis

Learn

While different varieties of soil share many of the same characteristics, key differences can affect whether or not a certain tree will thrive in the environment. Natural soil full of nutrients can take centuries to develop, and is the result…

Soil Compaction & Amendment

Soil Compaction & Amendment

Learn

The compaction of soil is one of the leading causes of tree death, especially in urban environments. Soil compaction makes it extremely difficult for water and oxygen to reach the tree’s roots, due to the fact that the soil’s particles…

Get in touch with us

Trees in Michigan are always at risk from pests, nutrient deficiencies, and diseases. Monitoring these potential problems is a key part of our service.
The experts at CHOP will develop the correct Integrated Pest Management Program for your landscape, customized to meet your timing and budget needs while our IPM Specialists treat your property for these pests, maladies, and more.
Fill out the form below to get an accurate estimate of your services, and one of our people will get in touch with you as soon as possible!

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Our News

Environmental Benefits of Trees in Urban Areas

Most people associate cities with a lack of green space, lots of pollution, and an overall disconnect from…  more

5 Things You Should Know About Oak Tree Care During The Winter

Introduction Winter is coming, and with such a short time to prepare, you need all the help you…  more

How To Identify A Dead Tree

One of the best parts of spring is watching the seasonal deciduous trees begin to sprout with their…  more

How Do Trees Interact With Their Environments

How do trees interacting with their environment affect communities? Do you ever wonder why neighborhoods with plenty of…  more

What is an Arborist?

Strong, healthy, beautiful trees are a clear indication of a well-maintained, thriving, happy, and desirable community or home,…  more

3 Reasons to Leave Tree Work to the Professionals

Tree work may look simple. It’s not. While it may seem straightforward to trim or cut down a…  more

How Can We Eradicate The Hemlock Bug?

Like many other pests and parasites that have devastated plant populations in North America and worldwide, the hemlock…  more

What Are The Current Threats To Urban Trees?

Many people take trees for granted, but they add so much value and beauty to their surroundings, whether rural…  more

Why Oak Wilt Disease Is An Issue And Common Precautions

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources would like residents in state to watch for any appearance of oak wilt in…  more

How To Handle Beech Bark Disease

Yet another threat to West Michigan's forests and trees is emerging in our area. Beech bark disease results…  more

Which Trees Keep Their Leaves During The Winter?

In late winter, the sky is often gray, and the skyline is a stark outline of bare trees…  more

Preventing Girdling Injury To Your Trees And Bushes

The heavy and persistent snows of winter during 2013 and 2014 meant that animals who otherwise would have…  more

Do Trees Hibernate In Winter?

Everyone notices in the fall when trees put on their spectacular leaf show in order to preserve their…  more

Should You Prune Your Trees During The Fall Season?

Many people have questions about pruning and the best time for pruning the trees on their property. Is…  more

Why Are My Evergreens Losing Their Needles?

Recently, we've received many phone calls from clients concerned about the amount of needles their evergreens have been…  more

Why Is There Such Beautiful Fall Color in Michigan?

Michigan, a state of rolling hills and deciduous forests, is a wonderful place to be in early fall.…  more

Do Trees Talk To Each Other?

Do trees talk to each other? For some people, even nature lovers, the idea is ludicrous, but recent…  more

How To Repair Damaged Trees In Kent County After A Tornado

On the night of July 7, 2014, an EF1-rated tornado blew through Kent County, leaving in its wake a…  more

How Much Water Does a Young Tree Need?

If you were one of the homeowners or tree enthusiasts who planted a tree this spring, you might be…  more

Maple Tree Seeds: Everything You Need To Know

Every year, the return of spring is a welcome change from winter. After months full of snow, slushy…  more

Why Are My Evergreens Brown This Spring?

This spring many homeowners are noticing that their conifers and spruces did not fare very well over the…  more

Help Grand Rapids Plant Trees This Spring With The Urban Forest Project

Late winter and early spring is the best time to plant a tree in Grand Rapids, Michigan for…  more

Remember To Inspect Trees After Winter In Grand Rapids

A whiff of spring is finally in the air, and we Michiganders will finally have the opportunity to…  more

Excavator Removing Pine Tree

https://youtu.be/XPNe93wSzvI   Just the other week, Timpson Transport, Inc. began construction on a new addition to our office.…  more

Why You Should Not Remove a Tree With a Bulldozer

Three years ago, my dad was landscaping the pond across the street from our house. In the same…  more

Changing Our Integrated Pest Management Program to Address Spruce Disease

Our certified arborists at Chop have noticed several outbreaks of spruce disease on the properties we manage, so we have…  more

Saving Trees Damaged By Storms

Carefully assess storm-damaged trees to determine which are worth saving and which are goners. Heavy storms rolled through…  more