Insects:
Spruce Spider Mite
Spruce spider mite is a pest of spruce, arborvitae, juniper, pine, fir, larch, yew, and cypress. This cool season pest is active virtually all winter long in Kentucky. Mite population levels recorded at Ohio State University show that when the daily high temperature begins to exceed 84 F, mite populations decline. More specifically, after 3 days of temperatures greater than 76 F or higher, the males die and the females lay eggs and then die. These eggs won't hatch until fall. However, with the higher temperatures the mite damage becomes very noticeable. Be careful to spray a product that will be appropriate for the egg stage or wait until fall to control the immatures that are hatching.

Red eggs, the overwintering eggs, and white eggs, the summer eggs, can be seen with a hand lens, as can immatures and adults. Eggs are normally found at the base of needles. Be wary of using the method of tapping branches onto a white sheet of paper and smearing to get a count of the number of mites. Predatory mites will also be smeared and counted. Predator regulation is considered an important part of keeping mites in check. More than 10 mites per 4" twig is an economic threshold that has been used successfully in landscapes.

Some effective miticides are Floramite, Hexygon (controls egg and immature stage), Sanmite, Avid, insecticidal soap, oil, and Talstar. Be sure to check the label before applying. Immature and adult mites can be reduced by 50% by spraying the plants with water.

Source: "Biology and Management of Spruce Spider Mites", October 2003, Arborist News and Dr. Dave Shetlar, OSU, http://bugs.osu.edu/%7Ebugdoc/Shetlar/DJSResearch/SpruceSM/sprucesm9394populations.htm

Cultural:

Pruning

Try to develop a cascading form on 'Snow Fountains' cherries that are budded at the base of the plant. A 5' branched liner should be limbed up to 36" inches. Branches should be headed back to 4-6". The leader should be headed back at the highest point in the arch along the branch, but no more than 16" above the next highest branch. In the second year the upper limbs should be headed back to an outward facing bud at 6" and the lower limbs to an outward facing bud at about 12".

Branched red maple liners that are being field grown into caliper trees should be pruned heavily after planting. Head back the central leader to about 6'. Then remove any of the lowest, temporary branches that are larger than a pencil. Head back the remaining temporary branches to 3-4 buds. Work your way up the tree heading back the permanent branches to 3 sets of buds at the bottom, up to just 1 set of buds at the node under the central leader, creating a trianglar shape with the outline of the plant. Permanent branches should be carefully pruned to an outward facing bud for strongest branch structure. New central leaders should be taped or stapled with roladex cards when they have about 1.25" of growth. New green stem growth is best for training central leaders. If small branches formed last year at what is now the top node they can be pruned out and new branches will develop from latent buds. This will allow you to train the the new growth when it is soft and supple, which will make a very straight leader.

Pruning is best done when plants are dormant but better now than later.
Source: Thanks to Kit Shaughnessy, J. Frank Schmidt and Son Co., and Tim Sester, Sester Farms.