One of the most rewarding aspects of serving as an Extension Master Gardener and Tree Steward is the opportunity to provide information and education to community members about plant problems and how to alleviate them, if possible. Trees, shrubs, and other plants are expensive, so most homeowners want to care for them appropriately and keep them healthy. Unfortunately, despite everyone’s best efforts, trees and other plants sometimes fail. If the dying plant is a $15 perennial, most of us just toss it and purchase a new one or another cultivar that has a better chance of performing well. An expensive tree is not so lightly discarded. Most people want to make an attempt to salvage a damaged or diseased tree.
Several recent calls to the Gloucester Extension office concerned young deciduous trees that were showing signs of distress, including damaged bark, dry, brittle branches, and lack of new leaves. Gloucester Forester Lisa Deaton joined Tree Stewards Jim Newton and Chris Conley to exa...