Skeet’s Traveling Critter Carnival
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(July 28, 2019) On The Mike Nowak Show with Peggy Malecki, we like critters. From butterflies to chickens and even the occasional dog, we welcome animals of all shapes and sizes to the studio. And then, last year, our resident tree guy, Skeet from Bartlett Tree Experts, brought in something unexpected–some live bagworms. You can see them on the right. And thus, Skeet’s Traveling Critter Carnival was born.
Well, he’s back, and he’s bringing more bugs. This time, we’re ready for him.
Of course, we won’t talk just about critters. There are a lot of tree issues in 2019, as there are in every year. One of the most important this year is something that we’ve been discussing for weeks. It’s a pathogen called Phytophthora ramorum, and I wrote about it in last week’s blog post.
Phytophthora ramorum is a federally regulated plant pathogen which has devastated native plants and forests in California and Oregon over the past several decades. The pathogen causes two groups of symptoms, often referred to as two separate diseases: Ramorum blight and Sudden Oak Death. P. ramorum can infect a wide range of hosts, including many popular ornamentals (rhododendron, azalea, lilac, viburnum, and more), as well as oak trees. Ramorum blight causes leaf discoloration and branch dieback on the ornamental hosts, while Sudden Oak Death causes rapid wilting, decline, and death of oak and tanoak trees. Ramorum blight usually does not kill infected plants, but symptoms will continue to reoccur.
There’s a lot more about the disease in that post and I urge you to read it. Today, Skeet will tell us what Bartlett Tree Experts is doing to educate its clients.
But, as Skeet notes, there are a lot of issues that we can discuss. Here’s what he says about some of them.
Japanese beetles – Yes, the dreaded Japanese beetles are out munching on the trees and shrubs. What is before Japanese beetles…grubs. Yes grubs turn into Japanese beetles. Over the last 30 years, I have not seen a tree, shrub, or plant die due to Japanese Beetles. I do see many people upset and frustrated. This pest is a nuisance, and the skeletonizing of the leaves can make plants weak.
Foliar applications can kill the beetles that are on the leaves, and the next day another wave of beetles can fly in. Beetle traps can help…if they are placed far away as to not attract them to your trees and shrubs. Japanese Beetles generally enjoy eating Rose shrubs, Elm trees, Birch trees, and Linden trees. Truth be told…I was hoping the Polar Vortex would have killed the grubs, which would have resulted in fewer Japanese Beetles. Japanese Beetles are generally more of an esthetic issue than a detrimental shrub/tree health issue.
Skeet notes that you can read about Japanese beetles on this issue of the Morton Arboretum Plant Health Care Report on page 6. And here’s an article from the University of Illinois Extension Home, Yard & Garden Pest Newsletter.
Weather issues – Polar vortex, wettest spring on record, and extremely hot June/July. If you have trees in Naperville by Book Road/104th/Plainfield Naperville Road, then you have seen what hail damage does to trees. There are over 100 dead/dying Austrian Pine trees in that area due to the Memorial Day Storm. Amazing to drive through the neighborhoods and look at the tree damage.
There are plenty of issues to discuss and we hope you give us your tree care questions. Call 877-711-5611, or write to us on Facebook and Twitter. Join us this morning for Skeet’s Traveling Critter Carnival! We’re even planning to use our Skeet’s Traveling Critter Carnival Cam! It’s going to be fun.
Bonsai time of the year
Since we’re talking about big trees on today’s show, we might as well talk about little ones, too. That means a visit from Dan Kosta of Vern Goers Greenhouse in Hinsdale, Illinois. He’s also a member of the Prairie State Bonsai Society, hence his nickname, “snipologist.”
The 2019 Annual Prairie State Bonsai Show is August 2-4 at the Morton Arboretum. It’s just one part of the arboretum’s annual Destination Asia Festival, called The Art of Bonsai. It all takes place in the Sycamore room, Friday, August 2, 6 pm – 9 pm, Saturday, August 3 and Sunday, August 4, 2019 – 10 am – 4 pm. See bonsai displays and demonstrations, vote for your favorite, and purchase supplies from vendors.
Dan has been on my show for many years, preaching the gospel of bonsai as horticulture and as art. I understand what he’s talking about, but only on the most basic level. I’ve never grown a bonsai plant. I’ve killed a couple, but that’s the best I’ve done. Here’s what Dan says.
Most people don’t know what is done to create and develop a bonsai. Some think they grow that way by themselves or we do “torture” to force them to stay small. Restrict water or cutting roots off. Some even think the little stuff at the box stores or grocery stores is real bonsai. It’s not. To real bonsai its like the Elvis painted on black velvet vs the Mona Lisa.
Okay. BTW, three years ago, I attended one of the Prairie State annual events at the Morton Arboretum. I entered a raffle, and I won a bonsai plant. Dan said he’d keep it for me until I could pick it up. He still has it. That’s the picture on the left. I don’t begrudge him at all. It’s lovely and I’m terrified that I will kill it.
Is it any wonder that he might have a hard time getting folks to join the bonsai revolution?