Palm Lethal Bronzing

Are your palms showing signs of distress such as, browning of lower foliage that moves upward, dropping of fruit, or leaf collapse?  These symptoms could mean you have Lethal Bronzing, a disease closely related to Palm Lethal Yellowing.

Lethal Bronzing or LBD, was first reported in Hillsborough County in 2006.  It has since spread and has been confirmed in over 30 counties throughout Florida. 

LBD has been determined to be spread by an insect, no bigger than a grain of rice. This “bug”  infects palms by transferring a parasitic bacteria while it feeds. Once this bacteria is introduced into the tree, it multiplies and essentially blocks the vascular network of the tree. This causes the circulation of sugars and other nutrients that feed the palm to be diminished until the lack of food ultimately causes the tree to die.

If you notice changes in any palms in your area, act now.  With the rapid spread of this disease it is essential to have your trees inspected. An infected tree can appear healthy for months before showing signs of distress, giving ample time for the insects to hop from tree to tree further spreading the disease.

Contact Mid Florida Tree Service today if you suspect your palms may be infected.  We have a large, knowledgeable staff including certified arborists that are ready and happy to assist you today.

A Pig for Every Situation

Despite the fact that the technological aspects of pipeline pig hardware continues to be fairly constant, the way they are used consistently changes.

The first mechanical pigs were fairly primitive in nature, being pieced together with barbed wire and wadded fabric. That same basic design has evolved into today's polyurethane or poly pig marvels. Different manufacturers, of course, create their own unique pigs  This is done as they select the types and ratios of materials, including pre-polymers and curing agents that ultimately come together to create a castable product with abrasion resistance, elasticities, various foam densities that influence its effectiveness and durability in any given application.

The types of pigs, and the applications they can be used for, are as varied as the piping industry itself. Typically, pigs are are made in sizes with a 1.5 length to diameter ratio. Keeping your bends, or ells, to a minimum of 1.5D is therefore important for them to be easily piggable. However, tandem pigs can be used to navigate the tighter ells.

Inline inspection tools are also available that when used, give you a more accurate and detailed view of your system, thereby giving you a better plan of ‘attack’ on cleaning your system.

With all the different situations and the various products to choose from, it is always best to hire the services of a qualified pipeline cleaning service, like Professional Piping Services, Inc. to keep your system clean and in peak condition.

Tampa Root Pruning

The impact of digging around your trees or pruning a tree’s roots can cause damage to the root system resulting in a decline in the overall health of the tree and the possibility of the tree falling over.   Both scenarios cause liability and safety concerns.

While mature trees are normally more susceptible to long term damage than younger, more vigorous trees, damage to the tree depends on many factors such as the size of the cuts, how close the cuts are made to the trunk and how many cuts are made. Shallow root systems, roots in compacted or poorly drained soil are also likely to suffer greater damage from digging, root pruning or other construction activities close the tree trunk.

Opinions on how close to the tree you can cut the roots varies depending on who you ask.  Some experts recommend no closer than 6 to 8 inches from the trunk for each inch of the trunks diameter on mature trees.  There are others who prefer that roots not be cut no closer than 3 to 5 times the trunk diameter.

There are many factors to be considered that can affect how your tree responds to root pruning.  Factors such as … is the tree already leaning?  What are the size of the roots? What species of tree is it? What is the tree’s age and condition? What is the soil type?  How close to the trunk will the cuts be made?

With such an important decision to be made, it’s best to consult an expert to discuss the best course of action. Call and speak with one of our trained staff at Mid Florida Tree Service today.  We’re here to help you make the right decision.

Reclaimed Water Piping

Environmental and conservation concerns, whether personally or government imposed, have made reuse and reclaim watering system commonplace.

Like all piping systems, these have a tendency to get dirty over time. Taking time for a bit of preventative cleaning could save you time and money of replacing pipes damaged by neglect.

What are the warning signs you should have your Reuse / Reclaim system cleaned?

• Your maintenance crew continually receives requests to "flush the system again"! 
• The system was installed but not cleaned prior to its initial service
• Various types of biological growths are still found in the system after flushing
• People/Users at the other end have clogged sprinkler heads, valves & controls

Look to the friendly, reliable people at  Professional Piping Services to have your Reuse / Reclaim system cleaned.

Piping System Tracking and Location

Piping System Tracking and Location

All major projects, piping systems included, generally start with a plan.  However, all too frequently, the “as planned” system turns out to have little to do with the reality of the "as built" system.  As one would expect, this causes maintenance to become a difficult, time consuming and sometimes costly game of guesswork.

Professionals in the piping industry are generally familiar with Process Pigging, or cleaning the pipes, helping to restore full product flow with the Poly Pig tool.

The Poly Pig or other such tool coupled with the addition of a tracker system can be used to make a detailed map your piping system including  size disparities, "lost" valves, leakage, possible inline blockages, and mystery connections.

Save you and your company costly hours or days of labor and unnecessary excavation with a tracking tool known as Sherlock  Pig.


Learn more about Sherlock and “his” sidekicks, Watson and Little Piggy at  Professional Piping Services website.

Summer Tree Care Tips

Every season has its own unique list of things we should do when it comes to the trees and other landscaping around our homes and businesses. Here in Florida, summertime is peak season for heavy winds and rains, whether from our afternoon thunderstorms or from tropical weather systems.  This is a perfect time to assess the safety of your large trees and help prevent damage to your property. Sometimes in addition to proper pruning, cabling or bracing trees with weak limbs, or removing weak limbs completely, may be necessary. It’s always best to consult with a certified arborist, like the ones at Mid-Florida Tree Service when making these decisions.
Here are a few basic summer tree care tips that will help keep your trees healthy, growing strong and looking their best.

Firstly, watering trees may be necessary during the extreme heat of a Florida summer, especially if your trees are young or newly planted or when rainfall is at a minimum. Check your local rainfall amounts before deciding whether your trees need additional watering. Keep in mind, trees typically need on average an inch of water each week. Should watering be necessary, it’s best to slowly water for a longer period of time, slowly letting the water soak in than to quickly wet the ground soil  only to  the majority of it quickly evaporate in the summer sun before it reaches the roots.
Secondly, make sure your trees and shrubs have ample nutrition to help fend off pests and diseases, and to support overall growth. The tree’s overall environment is one key to determining its fertilization needs. Trees that grow in high-stress areas, such as urban or suburban environments, oftentimes have greater fertilization needs than trees that grow in natural areas.
Summer is also a good time to take time to examine trees for pests. Pests such as aphids, tent caterpillars, dogwood borers, magnolia scale, pine bark beetles, and spider mites are just some of the more common pests to look for in Florida. While a majority of pests aren’t typically harmful to trees, discovering any potential pest problems early on gives you a leg up on controlling them..
Mulching trees is an important step in the care of your trees.  Not only does it cut down on weed competition, but it helps conserve soil moisture, and it helps stabilize soil temperatures. A general rule is to mulch trees with three to four inches of shredded hardwood mulch. Laying mulch is to form a donut shaped, even layer around the base of the tree is best.  Do not mound place the mulch against the trunk as it can promote disease and insect issues by keeping the very base of the tree overly moist.

Tree pruning is part art and part science. While it is ideal for tree trimming to occur during a tree’s dormant season, there are times when pruning in the summer may be necessary. One time is for trees that flower in the springtime.  Their ideal pruning time is early summer, just after they have finished blooming.  A second time would be when there are diseased, dead, or damaged branches present. They should be pruned out for both safety reasons and for the health of the tree. It is wise to remember that large trees are best pruned by professionals like the people at Mid Florida Tree Service.  The knowledgeable and friendly staff are there to help you when you need it.