TREE NEWS SPRING 2026
During an early spring, the forsythias would already be blooming during Easter weekend. The buds are swollen, and it looks like they’re ready, but maybe next week. This time of year reminds me of watching ketchup pour; the anticipation of warmer weather and spring flowers makes me very anxious!
Above-average snowfall in New England certainly helped replenish bodies of water after drought conditions throughout 2025, but my sense is that reserves are still lower than we would like to see. When big rivers thaw and start to flow again, it’s referred to as “ice out,” which can produce dangerous conditions when the ice jams in tight bends, but there was no sense of danger this spring due to generally lower water levels.
I’ve been seeing a fair amount of winter burn, particularly on broadleaf evergreens due to excessive cold conditions, that pales in comparison to the damage I’ve seen from both deer and rabbits. When both deer and rabbits can’t get to food on the ground due to snow cover, they start to browse heavily on our valued ornamental trees and shrubs.
Deer will eat foliage and strip buds up to about 5 feet, whereas rabbits will browse some woody stems but do more damage by eating tree bark. If a rabbit eats the bark all the way around the circumference of a stem, this destroys the conductive tissue, and the stem will die.
Some evergreens can recover from browsing, provided the deer haven’t stripped this year’s buds off with the foliage. We are happy to make an assessment on your property if you suspect damage by deer or rabbits.
Early spring is a great time to assess any winter damage and also the best time to hard prune shrubs for size reduction. We like to prune ornamental trees prior to leaf-out and flowering, as we can see the structure much better and do corrective pruning for enhanced shape and appearance. With an early evaluation of your valued trees and shrubs, we can also get you in the queue early for regular maintenance pruning at mid-growth, before mid-June. Proper timing is essential for best pruning practices.
We started digging fresh nursery stock about 10 days to two weeks later than we would normally like to, but our harvesting operation is in full swing now, and we will be accepting new plant material by mid- to late April. Plan ahead for your planting needs, as we are still experiencing some shortages of common stock items.
I still don’t know the full impact that fuel prices will have on shipping nursery stock, but I’m sure it will be well aligned with everything in our lives that gets moved by trucks.
Happy Spring 2026! Warmer days are on the horizon.
Matthew R. Foti Landscape Design & Construction is a landscape design and expert. A long-time educator of aspiring Arborists and Horticulturalists, Matt employs the most up to date planting and transplanting methods to ensure the health and longevity of the landscape. Contact Matt at 781-862-1010.