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Most of us on Long Island, the East End, in particular, are looking forward to enjoying the outdoors now that the warmer season is upon us. But along with the arrival of flowers and greenery in the garden come dreaded pests, including ticks and mosquitos. These critters are not only pesky, but they often carry serious diseases such as Zika virus, Lyme, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and other tick-borne illnesses. There were over 600 reported cases of Lyme disease on Long Island alone last year.

The challenge becomes how to best deal with these intruders without causing harm to humans, pets, and the environment. The crew at Organically Green offers safe solutions to this dilemma – organic tick and tree spraying programs that repel pests yet are completely pure and harmless to all living things.

Organically Green is certified and abides by the organic methods recommended by the North-East Organic Farming Association (NOFA). They use non-toxic compounds that ward off ticks and mosquitos naturally; and are also designed to leave your lush landscape unaffected, preserving its beauty and hardiness.

Now, at the beginning of spring, is the perfect time to begin an organic insect control program. Adult deer ticks life lay their eggs in March and April. Managing the population from the beginning is imperative to pest containment.

Preventative Measures

Aside from pest prevention, here are some other useful tips for homeowners:

• Wear light-colored clothing
• Wear long pants and sleeves, and tuck in loose clothing
• Keep the lawn cut on the shorter side
• Use repellents (natural if possible) as directed
• Keep out of tall overgrown areas
• Conduct frequent clothing, head, and pet checks
• Drying clothing on the highest temperature setting for 10 minutes kills ticks
• Keep a tick collar on the family pet

Call us today to find out more about our organic insect control spraying service. Our expert staff will assess your property and recommend the most effective course of action. So go green this year, keep your garden’s ecosystem in check, and get ready to enjoy your beautiful outdoor space!

Winter is not even here yet and Long Island has had two snowfalls. While some people revel in a winter wonderland, snow and ice can have damaging effects on your trees and shrubs.

This year we had a very late fall—there are still some leaves hanging on to the trees. When you add snow and ice to the mix it can be very hazardous. The weight of the snow and ice on leaves can bring down branches much easier than if they were bare. The high winds of a Nor’easter combined with ice and snow can also bring down branches, even entire trees.

Old and sick trees are most likely to be negatively affected by the winter weather, but harsh enough weather can bring down almost any tree. Here are some steps you can take to mitigate the damage winter can bring.

If you look closely enough you can spot a potentially hazardous tree in your yard. If you notice any signs of damage or sickness it may be time to call in a professional to prune. Trimming potential problem branches in a controlled environment can prevent damage to your home or property. Careful pruning can also protect your tree from toppling over.

When a storm hits and you notice broken or weakened branches you shouldn’t wait to call a professional. If your area just received a light snowfall take the time to gently remove snow from branches before it freezes and adds extra weight. It is important to avoid shaking branches that are coated with snow and ice. The ice cover makes limbs brittle, and shaking a frail branch can do more harm than good. Additionally, knocking off the weight may cause the branch to “snap back,” potentially damaging the circulatory system. The best solution is to allow the branch to melt naturally.

Now is the time to take preventative measures to protect your trees from winter storms. However, sometimes the worst does happen. If you need emergency tree removal service you can count on Organically Green.

As the days get darker and the nights colder, we are reminded that the holidays are just around the corner. While the festive lights of the season bring warmth to many, when setting up your outdoor light displays you should take extra care of your trees and plants.

Here are some excellent tree and plant-friendly outdoor lighting tips for you to follow:

Before you start decorating make sure you do a thorough cleanup of your yard, taking extra care to remove leaves from the areas you plan on adding lights. Even though raking leaves is decidedly less exciting than decorating for the holidays, leaving the leaves on the lawn can create some unhealthy situations for your lawn. Compacted leaves can restrict water from reaching your lawn, harbor damaging molds, and serve as a haven for pests like ticks and mosquitoes come spring.

When you are done clearing leaves, check and clear your gutters and downspouts. This will help prevent damage from water freezes that can damage roofs and tear down guttering.

After you are done with clearing your yard, mark areas of new planting or sensitive areas so you don’t accidentally trample on them and cause damage.

Plug your lights into an outdoor rated extension cord, timer, or outlet. Not only does this conserve energy, it prevents overheating and damage to your trees and shrubs.

Take care to not wrap wires and string lights too tightly around living plants. You can damage the bark and the sensitive tissue beneath the bark. This can make your plants more vulnerable to pests, fungi, and disease.

Use only high-grade outdoor lights when you light up your yard. Indoor lights and cheap lights can be a fire hazard.

If you are worried about how holiday lights will affect your trees, shrubs, and plants, or are just too busy to set up holiday light displays the way you want, the Christmas light installation experts at Organically Green not only create beautiful outdoor light displays, they will also make sure your landscaping is kept safe and healthy during set up and take down.

Now that summer is starting to die down it’s time to think about getting that last bit of beach time and forget about ticks and mosquitoes, right?  Not exactly.  Ticks and mosquitoes are active throughout the summer and well into the fall. Cold weather will kill off a few species, but most mosquitoes will simply go dormant in cold weather.

Ticks and mosquitoes are usually the most active during this time, fattening up for breeding season. Lyme disease infections occur most often during the July–August months and can remain active well into Halloween.

As for female mosquitoes, they will deposit their eggs in damp soil, tree knotholes, and anywhere that spring rains will allow the eggs to hatch when the weather turns warm.  Like ticks, cold will not kill mosquito eggs.  Predation is their main enemy, but there are few bugs or other insects out during the winter—so few eggs will be eliminated.

A good way to keep tick and mosquito numbers down is to continue with your tree and yard spraying regimen. If you do not have one yet, now is as good as time as any to start.

By eliminating adult ticks and mosquitoes throughout the late summer and fall, you can reduce their numbers in your yard next spring and summer.

Most people on Long Island are aware of the dangers of Lyme Disease and the ticks that carry them, but did you know ticks can carry several other dangerous diseases, some of them life-threatening? Here is a list of other dangerous tick-borne illnesses that pose a threat.

Tularemia

Tularemia is transmitted to humans by the dog tick, the wood tick, and the lone star tick. Tularemia occurs throughout the U.S.

Tularemia is a disease of animals and humans caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. Rabbits, hares, and rodents are especially susceptible—and often die in large numbers—during outbreaks. Humans can become infected through tick bites.

Symptoms vary depending on the route of infection. Tularemia can be life-threatening in humans, however, most infections can be treated successfully with antibiotics if caught early enough.

STARI (Southern tick-associated rash illness)

STARI (Southern tick-associated rash illness) is transmitted via bites from the lone star tick, found in the southeastern and eastern United States. The rash of STARI is a red, expanding “bulls-eye” lesion that develops around the site of a lone star tick bite. The rash usually appears within 7 days of the tick bite and expands to a diameter of roughly 3 inches or more. Patients may also experience fatigue, headache, fever, and muscle pains. The saliva from lone star ticks can be irritating; redness and discomfort at a bite site does not necessarily indicate an infection.

STARI is diagnosed on the basis of symptoms, geographic location, and the possibility of tick bite. Unfortunately, the cause of STARI is unknown and therefore no diagnostic blood tests have been developed.

It is not known whether antibiotic treatment is necessary or beneficial for patients with STARI. Nevertheless, because STARI resembles early Lyme disease, physicians will often treat patients with oral antibiotics.

Powassan Disease

Powassan disease cases have been reported primarily from northeastern states and the Great Lakes region.

Powassan (POW) virus is transmitted to humans by infected ticks. Most cases have occurred in the Northeast and Great Lakes region. Signs and symptoms of infection can include fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, seizures, and memory loss. Long-term neurologic problems may occur. There is no specific treatment, but people with severe POW often need to be hospitalized to receive respiratory support, intravenous fluids, or medications to reduce swelling in the brain.

Ehrlichiosis

Ehrlichiosis is transmitted to humans by the lone star tick, found primarily in the south central and eastern United States. Typical symptoms include; fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches. Usually, these symptoms occur within 1-2 weeks following a tick bite. Ehrlichiosis is diagnosed based on symptoms, clinical presentation, and later confirmed with specialized laboratory tests.

Babesiosis

Babesiosis is caused by microscopic parasites that infect red blood cells. Most human cases of babesiosis in the United States are caused by the black-legged tick, found primarily in the northeast and upper midwest.

Many people who are infected with Babesia microti feel fine and do not have any symptoms. Some, however, develop nonspecific flu-like symptoms; such as fever, chills, sweats, headache, body aches, loss of appetite, nausea, or fatigue.

Because Babesia parasites infect and destroy red blood cells, babesiosis can cause a special type of anemia called hemolytic anemia. This type of anemia can lead to jaundice (yellowing of the skin) and dark urine.

Babesiosis can be a severe, life-threatening disease, particularly in people who:

• do not have a spleen
• have a weak immune system for other reasons (such as cancer, lymphoma, or AIDS)
• have other serious health conditions (such as liver or kidney disease)
• are elderly.

The best way to prevent tick-borne illness is to prevent the ticks themselves. Regular tree spraying and tick control treatments will help keep ticks and the diseases they carry out of your yard and away from your family and pets.

Nothing says summer like a lush, inviting, green lawn. Proper lawn care not only looks good, it may add value to your home; especially if you maintain the rest of your home’s curb appeal. Keeping your grass green can take some work. Here are some tips to help you out.

Choose a variety of grass seeds that will work best in your yard.

 Each type of grass has its own set of instructions based on climate and environment. Some variations of grass prefer shady areas, while others like the sun. Some varieties do better in warm weather, and others like cooler temperatures. Find out which grass grows best for your yard, taking into consideration sun exposure, shade, and soil condition.

Feed Your Lawn

Providing sufficient nutrients is important to getting green grass. Depending on the elements your soil needs you may be able to correct problems with fertilizers, which release nutrients over a period of time.

Don’t Forget to Water

Grass needs to be watered about one inch per week.  The best time of the day to water your lawn is early in the morning. This is because it will be less likely to evaporate in the hot sun. On particularly hot or dry days, you may need to water the yard at additional times to prevent the grass from drying out.

Mow With Care

Mowing your lawn a day after watering will help your lawn heal better from the recent cut. This can prevent the tips of the grass from becoming brown. If you mow your lawn high it will be more durable against drought and against frost. In the summer it’s good to leave the grass clippings so that you can spend less on water. This might not be a good idea if you have kids or pets that play on the lawn.

Aerate Your Lawn

The process of aeration makes small holes in the surface of your lawn allowing water, nutrients, and air access to the roots. Aeration allows better drainage, which reduces runoff. Aerate your lawn at least once in the spring and again in the fall for a green lawn.

Prevent Weeds the Natural Way

A natural way to prevent weeds is to plant more grass with seeds. Thick grass chokes out weeds and makes it harder for them to grow or spread within your lawn.