​Are the needled trees in your landscaping looking brown & sickly? There's a good chance it's due to one (or both) of the needle cast diseases sweeping though our area. Rhizosphaera Needle Cast & Stigmina Needle Cast diseases are devastating local needled tree populations. Both are caused by fungi and both can infect your trees at the same time.

The best way to prevent tree loss and the spread of both diseases is to AVOID PLANTING ALL TREES SUSCEPTIBLE TO THESE INFECTIONS. Unfortunately, most nurseries & plant catalogs are still full of them!

When a large blue spruce in our front yard began losing needles we started looking for answers online. What we found was all bad news. Most articles we read warn there is still much to be learned about Rhizosphaera & Stigmina Needle Cast Disease. Limited information is available online, even fewer options exist for successfully treating these diseases. Bottom line, we expect to lose a few of our trees and you probably will too. Here's what we know so far.

Spring 2018. Our phones were ringing off the hook with new customers seeking Spring Clean-Up Services. We met with potential clients, walking properties from Elk Rapids to Charlevoix. A surprising number were defecting from another landscaping service. We never ask. Most people just volunteer that information, especially if they're unhappy with their previous service.

​Each site presented its own unique challenges but it didn't take long to notice the one common thread linking them all to a single culprit. Improperly installed mulch. Every inch of it "professionally installed" by the same landscape company, one of the largest in our area. 
​
Lake Michigan, Atwood:

• Problem: Rotting lattice & wood trims on home owner's deck.
• Cause: Excessive mulch. ​Beds contained up to 8" of mulch in most areas including areas surrounding customer's deck. Wet mulch piled against lattice & trims on decking caused wooden lattice & trims to rot.
• Solution: Remove mulch touching lattice & trims. Remove excess mulch from all beds. Top dress with a very thin layer of fresh mulch to restore appearance.
• Preventable Cost: Owner must replace lattice & trims.

Torch Lake, Kewadin:

• Problem: Pondless stream water feature over-flowing causing pump to run continuously, improperly discharging water. Rotted cedar shake siding around perimeter of home.
• Cause: Excessive mulch placed too close to water feature & home/siding.
• Solution: Remove mulch clogging water feature filters & pump. Repair washout areas around water feature to prevent mulch from reentering stream. Remove excessive mulch surrounding home, removing all mulch touching exposed wood & trims.
• Preventable Cost: Wasted electricity due to constant running of water feature pump. Owner must replace the entire bottom row of cedar shake siding on home. Small consolation, at least the pump on the water feature didn't burn out.​ It certainly could have.

​Round Lake, Charlevoix:
We quoted 8 yards of mulch. The home owner was certain we had made a mistake. When Jason arrived on site the owner handed him a copy of XYZ's invoice from the previous year - 14 yards of mulch delivered & installed. Every year! Given the size & layout of the property there was absolutely no room to place that much mulch without leaving piles scattered about, but the home owner was certain. He was onsite when the work took place. The mulch was delivered in (1) truck load & spread the same day. He noted there was still mulch onboard the truck when they left.

Did you catch the problem here? Don't feel bad if you missed it. The home owner missed it too, several years in a row. This home owner was overcharged for mulch by 4+ yards each year. How do we know? Because XYZ's largest dump truck holds 10 cubic yards! Of course, most customers would not know this. Even if they did, not all home owners are on site when the work takes place. It's not easy to determine how much mulch was actually spread once it's down. Understanding weights & measures is the first step toward safeguarding yourself from accidental or intentional overcharges on deliveries.

Now that you know how to properly install mulch, which type of mulch should you choose? Well, that depends a lot on your site conditions & personal preference. We've listed the most popular options below & shared our thoughts on each.