Plant Health Care
Plant Health Care
5 posts
Why Does My Blue Spruce Have Pineapple Galls? Cooley Spruce Gall Adelgid
Droopy brown tips on a Colorado blue spruce in Durham are usually not tip blight. They are last spring's Cooley spruce gall adelgid — pineapple-shaped galls at the shoot tips. I had not clocked this one here before. Here's the cycle, how to tell it from Eastern spruce gall, and why spraying a brown gall in September is a waste.
September 6, 2026
Why Does My Pear Tree Have Spots Like Rust? Pear Trellis Rust
Orange-red spots on a pear in Durham are usually pear trellis rust — and the fungus is not living in the pear over winter. It's sitting in a round woody gall on a juniper that can be a thousand feet away. Here's the cycle, what to look for in September, and why spraying the pear now is a waste.
September 6, 2026
White Powder on Your Leaves? Powdery Mildew, and Why You Probably Shouldn't Treat It
Late August in Ontario means warm days, cool humid nights, and lilacs that look like someone dusted them with flour. Powdery mildew is the disease homeowners most often overtreat — here's what it is, why the mildew on your lilac can't infect your oak, and the short list of things actually worth doing.
August 24, 2026
Spots All Over Your Maple Leaves? Here's How to Tell Anthracnose From Tar Spot
Half the maples in Durham Region are dropping spotted leaves onto lawns right now, and it's only the third week of August. Wet spring, hot dry summer — here's how to tell which spot you've got, which one actually threatens the tree, and why spraying now accomplishes nothing.
August 21, 2026
Why BTK Won't Save Your Boxwoods — And What Actually Will
Everyone's reaching for BTK when their boxwoods look rough. But if it's leafminer — not box tree moth — you're spraying for the wrong pest entirely. Here's how to tell the difference, and what actually works.
June 7, 2026
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Whether you need a single tree removed or a full seasonal care program, we build a plan around your property and budget. Serving Ajax, Whitby, Pickering, and all of Durham Region — no-obligation quotes, every time.