Hort shorts
- Monitor hemlocks for the presence of the hemlock woolly adelgid, an aphid-like pest. Cotton-like tufts (the insects’ egg sacs) at the base of the needles are a sure sign of infestation. This non-native insect is ravaging native stands of wild hemlock as well as ornamental plantings in the home landscape. Visit www.saveourhemlocks.org.
- Don’t rush to prune tree branches after a winter storm. Sagging or bent branches may rebound on their own. Prune any broken branches right away.