The first official day of fall is only a few weeks away so now’s the time to get your trees ready for the new season. During this time of transition, it’s important that you spend a few extra minutes examining your trees and taking action to prevent future problems so that your trees will be strong and healthy not only through fall, but winter as well.

We often discuss the insects that are common pests here in the Kansas City area on the Cartwright Tree Care blog. It’s important to know about these insects, as they can cause damage to your trees. Today we are going to talk about one of the plant sucking insects that are common in our area – aphids.

We've mentioned a few times some of the benefits trees have to offer, such as helping keep the air clean, which is part of the reason why forests are rather important features of our environment and is part of the reason why the United Nations General Assembly declared this year as the International Year of Forests.

Did you know that more than 30 percent of the land in the state of Missouri is forested? Out of all those trees, oak trees are the most abundant, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. Oak trees are also quite common in landscapes in Missouri, so chances are you might have one in your yard.

We may only be about a month away from the official start of fall, but it’s not too soon to begin thinking winterizing your trees. The Kansas City area is prone to winters with lots of snow, ice, and wind, which can be very rough on your trees. Now is a great time to start looking at your trees to take care of problems that could potentially be very serious in the winter if no action is taken now.

We'll be the first to admit it – we hate having to see our Kansas City trees cut down. Trees do so much for us, and our environment, like helping keep the air we breathe clean, creating a shady spot to rest on a hot summer day, and even producing tasty fruits we enjoy eating. Taking careful care of your Kansas City trees is the best way to keep them healthy and looking fabulous. Unfortunately, though, there are times in which a tree has to come down.

Have you noticed browning leaves in the canopies of mature trees in your lawn or around the Kansas City area lately? If so you might think the leaves are browning due to a lack of adequate hydration, but a closer look could reveal those leaves covered in webs, which are fall webworms.

Along with providing you with everything you need to know in order to make sure your trees are properly cared for, we also like to share interesting facts about trees, especially those found here in the Kansas City area, with you. Today, we’re going to tell you about the champion trees of Missouri.