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Great deals coming to Community-Wide Garage Sale

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Bargain-hunters and those who enjoy finding a curbside deal are invited to the City of Montgomery Community – Wide Garage Sale set for Saturday, Sept. 7, from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

A garage sale treasure map, with a complete listing of locations, will be available at Montgomery City Hall, 10101 Montgomery Road, starting on Thursday, Sept. 5, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., to help shoppers prepare for the sales and map out deal-finding strategies. Treasure maps will also be handed out to City Hall on the Saturday morning of the sales, beginning at 8:00 a.m.

This community-wide event promotes reuse, repair and resale opportunities in the City of Montgomery. Registration is open for those households who are interested in participating.  Households can sign up below or by calling 513-891-2424.  No fee to participate.

In order to be included on the garage sale map, the deadline to register is noon on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019.

 

 

 


Fire Lieutenant to retire, Stagge devoted over 44 years to the Montgomery community

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Fire Lieutenant to retire

Stagge devoted over 44 years to the Montgomery community

A long-time public servant, Fire Lieutenant Mark Stagge is retiring from the fire department on Sept. 7. Stagge has served Montgomery and the surrounding communities for over 44 years.

He began his career as an emergency medical technician in 1975 with the Blue Ash – Montgomery Life Squad, which served Montgomery, Blue Ash, Sycamore Township, Glendale and a portion of Symmes Township. In 1976, he joined the Montgomery Community Fire Company as a firefighter. In 1977, he became one of greater Cincinnati’s first paramedics after receiving training from the Kettering Medical Center.

Mark continued to work for the Blue Ash – Montgomery Life Squad until 1993 when he transitioned to a career firefighter/paramedic for the City of Montgomery when the City began operating the fire department in its current form.  In 2007, Stagge was promoted to a fire lieutenant and had had the responsibility of overseeing fire inspections within the City of Montgomery. He handled community relations for the department and instructed thousands of people on CPR and First Aid with the many classes he taught over the years.

Stagge is the City’s radio expert and has saved the community tens of thousands of dollars by repairing the many communication radios and systems used by emergency personnel. He has seen and handled many emergency scenes and disasters over his career and has many stories to tell. Some of the most notable incidents during Stagge’s tenure was the 1982 FBI plane crash as well as the 1999 tornado. Stagge plans to remain in the area after his retirement, enjoy his family, and spend time at his mountain retreat in Sevierville, Tennessee.

Mark, we will miss you and thank you for all you have done for the community. It has been a job well done, good and faithful servant!

Update on the Montgomery Road water main upgrade project

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Ford Development, our contractor on the Montgomery Road water main upgrade project, reports that they anticipate completing the first phase of work that needs to be performed during daytime hours.  They will complete this work on Tuesday, Aug. 27.

They will then switch to nighttime work beginning Wednesday, Aug. 28.  They will perform upgrade work to the water main in the intersection of Cooper Road and Montgomery Road.

They will be performing this work during restricted hours from 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. This nighttime work is expected to take approximately three to five workdays. This work will be completed by Wednesday, Sept. 4.

They will have to switch back to daytime work to begin connecting services after they complete the overnight hours’ work.  There may be a week of no activity following the overnight hours’ work to allow time for the Greater Cincinnati Water Works to test the new water main.

Car Show cruises into Montgomery

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The Montgomery Car Show rolls in on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019  at the Montgomery Square Shopping Plaza, 9999 Montgomery Road.  The Car Show will also feature food, beer, live music from Blair Carman and the Belleview Boys, plus a raffle and awards.

Car registration will take place from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., with the show running from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Awards begin at 6:30 p.m. Cost to enter is $10. Dash plaques will be given to the first 100 participants to arrive.

For more information, call 513-891-2424.

Sponsored by:

Montgomery Square Plaza logo          

 

Twin Lakes

                

Commission selects summer Seasons of Beauty award winner

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The City of Montgomery Beautification and Tree Commission has awarded the 2019 Summer Seasons of Beauty award to Tom Reaves and Judy Douglas.

As part of an ambitious renovation to a 1957 home, the Douglas and Reaves landscape has been completely transformed. The family contacted a local landscape company to help make their landscape a unique reflection of their cheerful home’s aesthetic. Mr. Reaves, Ms. Douglas and their designer created a low maintenance, deer resistant plant palette that sets off the brightly painted front door. The result is a vibrant front yard of color, unlike any other. Daises, Amsonia, Salvia, Nepeta, Lilac, Viburnum, Oakleaf Hydrangea, Boxwood, and Maidenhair Grasses create a full year of excitement and wildlife-friendly ecology.

Judy Douglas created a welcoming front porch with rocking chairs, an accent table, new lighting, and new house numbers. The transition of the checkerboard grey tiles on the porch to the lilac bluestone entry walkway sets the tone for natural elegance. With no detail left untouched, there is still room for the Douglas’s beautiful dogs, Cooper and Maverick, to play.

The Seasons of Beauty award recognizes homes in Montgomery with unique front yards, window boxes, and planters that peak during specific seasons. The award also awards those homes with decorative features that celebrate the “season” or holiday.

Nominate your home or neighbor’s house by emailing a photo and short description to aaronkellenberger@gmail.com. The fall award winner will be selected in October/November and will be announced in the December bulletin.

How is your health?

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The City of Montgomery and Hamilton County Public Health are partnering to collect data to include in a comprehensive Community Health Assessment (CHA).  The purpose of the assessment is to identify important issues that affect the health, safety, and well-being of the community.

Participate in this survey now. Please go to this link to complete. The deadline for responses is Tuesday, Sept. 3.

The CHA will be compiled by Hamilton County Public Health and will include data related to:

  • Community demographics
  • Mortality rates
  • Injury data including pedestrian, bicycle and motor vehicle crashes
  • Health conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and COPD
  • Overall life expectancy
  • Socio-economic health

Additional information about the Community Health Assessment is found here.

Results of the assessment will be presented on Thursday, Sept. 12, at Terwilliger Lodge at 6:30 p.m.

To attend, register below.

 

City of Montgomery Community Health Assessment Presentation
Are you a Montgomery resident?

Bea is Montgomery’s Top Dog

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Residents of all ages submitted information and pictures of their dog to the Top Dog Contest this past summer. They let us know how much their pooch means to them and why they should be named Top Dog!

Our Dogfest Team selected Bea, a two-year-old service dog entered by Luke Burke, a 10-year-old Montgomery resident. Our contest is purely for fun and we thought the Burke family’s entry for the Top Dog was just ‘dog-gone’ amazing!

Click here to learn more about Dog Fest

According to Luke Burke, “Bea, my dog, should be the Montgomery top dog because she is caring, strong, and so intelligent.  Did you know that she can find me by scent alone?  This dog can do wonderful tricks like high five, play dead, and bark on command.  I want you all to consider her because she is special and will be loved by all of Montgomery.  Bea is my best friend and service dog.  I want to share her with my neighborhood, so I am sharing Bea with you.  I am very pleased to say she is my top dog no matter what.”

Thank you, Luke, for sharing Bea with us and all of Montgomery at the annual Dogfest and K-9 Kerplunk on Sept. 2.

 

Meet Benny Miles, a Diversity and Inclusion Committee member

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Meet Benny Miles, a Diversity and Inclusion Committee member

Benny Miles

The City of Montgomery, like most American communities, is growing and diversifying. Presently, Sycamore Community Schools has a student population representing 54 nationalities and 41 spoken languages, making it one of the most culturally diverse systems in the State. Approximately 10 percent of Montgomery residents are cultural minorities. City Council and administration believe the infusion of various cultures, faiths, and customs enriches social and civic life and is a positive development for the community.

Benny Miles is the chairperson of the Montgomery Civil Service Commission and is one of the founding members of the Montgomery Diversity and Inclusion Committee. He and his wife, Montroue, are longtime residents of Montgomery. Two of their children, as well as their grandson, graduated from Sycamore High School.

Why is it important for you to participate in the Montgomery Diversity and Inclusion Committee?

When my family contemplated a move to Montgomery in 1985, we made several trips to the community, visiting shops, and restaurants, stopping by City Hall, and chatting with residents and prospective neighbors. We felt very welcomed. Our children were already attending great schools, so Montgomery’s highly rated school system was not the deciding factor in our decision to relocate. It was the welcoming attitude of the entire community. I want to be a part of the continuing growth of that welcoming and embracing attitude.

Why are diversity and inclusion important to the community?

Diversity and inclusion can have a positive economic impact on our city. Retail shops and boutiques, restaurants, and businesses that offer a variety of services and wares, and are owned and staffed by personnel that are representative of the many different cultures of our residents, will attract many shoppers. People repeatedly visit establishments where they feel valued and welcomed. Residents who feel included may be more invested in our community and willing to participate in volunteer opportunities, thereby enhancing our city’s quality of life. Engaging and including all of our citizens contributes to the growth and success of our city.

 


Deals right at your finger tips

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Did you ever wonder what happens to the old City of Montgomery vehicles and equipment, such as police cruisers, fire trucks, pick-up trucks, dump trucks, computers, lawnmowers and other things that have passed their useful life?

These items are submitted for review during a Government Affairs Committee of City Council Committee meeting. Staff officially asks the committee to approve these items for disposal.

Once declared as surplus, the City of Montgomery uses an online auction service called GovDeals to dispose of items. Residents can bid on items from Montgomery and many other municipalities at www.govdeals.com. Auctions take place every day.

Leadership Academy application deadline is fast approaching

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Click here to apply for MCLA

 

Time is running short to apply for The Montgomery Citizens’ Leadership Academy (MCLA) Class of 2020. The application period ends Sept. 30. From its creation in 2008, MCLA has treated local government as a “subset” of the larger community. Neighborhoods, businesses, schools, religious institutions and others are all equally important. That is why MCLA calls on some of our community partners, such as Ohio National Financial Services, Sycamore Community Schools, Bethesda North Hospital and Twin Lakes Senior Living Community, to share their stories with the participants. The City, with these partners, seeks to provide a well-rounded experience for those wishing to “look behind the curtain” of our Montgomery community.

With MCLA now celebrating its thirteenth year in 2020, it is important that we, once again, recognize the critical role these partners play in the success of the Academy.   Most leadership academies sponsored by cities across the country provide a lecture-style overview of local government services. A city staff member will stand up in front of a group of residents and share the importance and effectiveness of the services they provide. Many times, it is only designed to persuade the participants that local government is a value for their money.

The Montgomery Citizens’ Leadership Academy (MCLA) received national recognition for being something different. At MCLA, we try to do things a little more creatively. Many journey into MCLA with the mistaken notion that local government has all the answers. The City views MCLA as an opportunity to two-way dialogue with residents, seeing residents as a valuable resource in refining services and planning for the future. MCLA participants are seen as partners in struggling with the tough questions facing the community. Workshops are designed to harvest the aggregate knowledge and experiences of Montgomery’s most important stakeholders.

With over 300 graduates, one of your neighbors is probably an MCLA alumni. Ask them about “The best community experience you’ll ever have.”  If you are interested in applying for MCLA, visit this page or call Ray Kingsbury, director of citizen engagement at 513-792-8359.

Click here to apply for MCLA

Tax payments due soon

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As a reminder, Montgomery tax returns are due Oct. 15 for those who filed for an extension on their 2018 taxes. As always, free assistance is available in the tax office for anyone who needs help completing the Montgomery tax return.

You can expect third-quarter estimated tax statements to arrive in the mail the third week of August. These taxes will be due on Sept.15. Remember, quarterly estimated tax payments are required by State law for anyone owing more than $200.00 in taxes to the City of Montgomery.

For more information, please call the tax office at 513-792-8333.

Focus on spruce tree health

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Rhizosphaera needle cast is the most common disease on spruce trees, including Colorado blue spruce, white spruce, Oriental spruce, and occasionally the Norway spruce and red spruce. Healthy spruce will retain its needles for five to seven years. Spruce infected with Rhizosphaera needle cast may only hold the current year’s needles. Mild temperatures and prolonged wet weather encourage disease development. Needles on interior branches in the lower canopy are most commonly infected first, as airflow is limited, and shade is more prevalent.

When infected, needles on the tree turn purple to brown and begin to drop. When the disease becomes well established in the lower canopy of the tree, the infection will then spread upwards in successive years, killing off the branches.

When branches in the lower canopy decline or die, it is important to prune out the infected branches. Also, should a chemical control of the disease be required, an application should be made in the spring, as the disease infects newly emerging spruce needles.

Did your spruce tree catch Rhizosphaera needle cast? Need to prune out the infected branches? Take advantage of the fall brush collection program and discard branches.

Click here for Brush Collection Guidelines

 

For safety’s sake, understand multi-lane roundabout signage

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For safety’s sake, understand multi-lane roundabout signage

Understanding multi-lane roundabout signage as a motorist is vital for your safety and the safety of others.

When approaching the multi-lane roundabout going northbound, one will encounter this overhead sign cluster.

The signs are essential, as this is when you need to select the desired direction of travel. In this example, the right lane is for turning right or going straight. The middle lane is for going straight or turning left. The left lane is for turning left or doing a u-turn. These options are exactly like a traffic signal intersection; you get in the lane based upon the direction you want to go. Once you select your lane, you must proceed through the roundabout in the direction you have chosen, just like a traffic signal.

* Note that the white boxes are for street names to be determined.    

Eastbound sign cluster for the Roundabout at Montgomery Road and Ronald Reagan Cross County Highway.

Southbound sign cluster for the Roundabout at Montgomery Road and Ronald Reagan Cross County Highway.

You must stay in your lane

Staying in your lane is most critical in the right lane, as you cannot go left or u-turn around the roundabout from the right lane. You must exit the roundabout by either turning right or going straight. The middle lane must exit the roundabout by either going straight or turning left. You cannot perform “laps” around a multi-lane roundabout like you can in a single-lane roundabout.

The “Yield” sign is another vital sign for roundabouts.

As you approach the roundabout, you must yield to all lanes to your left. Proceed into the roundabout only when it is clear to do so.

Lastly, another vital sign to pay attention to is the “Pedestrian Crossing” sign.

The roundabout consists of only one crosswalk, located on the “Montgomery Quarter Development” leg of the roundabout or the east side of the roundabout.

Drivers must stay alert for pedestrians and allow them to cross by yielding to them.

Construction of the roundabout is scheduled to begin during the spring of 2020. Visit this page to get the most up-to-date information on this construction project.

The safety and overall success of multi-lane roundabouts depend upon you, the driver! Please stay alert and abide by the roundabout signage just as you do at traffic signalized intersections.

For additional information on this or other projects, please contact Gary Heitkamp, public works director, at 513-792-8321.

Learn more about the health and safety of Montgomery

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Come to a presentation by Hamilton County Public Health on Thursday, Sept. 12, to hear the results of Montgomery’ Community Health Assessment. This open forum will be held at Terwilliger Lodge beginning at 6:30 p.m. This review will include a city survey and data compiled by the health department staff, including health educators and epidemiologists.

This presentation will include data related to:

  • Community demographics
  • Mortality rates
  • Injury data including pedestrian, bicycle and motor vehicle crashes
  • Health conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and COPD
  • Overall life expectancy
  • Socio-Economic Health

Register below by Monday, Sept. 9 to attend.

 

City of Montgomery Community Health Assessment Presentation
Are you a Montgomery resident?

Resurfacing work on Cooper Road to disrupt weekend traffic

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Rack & Ballauer Excavating Company, the City’s road resurfacing contractor, reports that they will start street milling of Cooper Road this Saturday, Sept. 7 between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.  Please note that a number of factors could impact and delay this work, such as weather or material delays.

Expect for traffic to be impacted and for delays to occur.

  • Traffic will be prohibited on Cooper Road between Zig Zag Road and Montgomery Road.
  • The detour route will be Zig Zag Road to Remington Road to Montgomery Road.
  • Residents and businesses with access onto Copper Road will be allowed to access their driveways during these times.
  • Closure of this roadway only applies to through traffic.

Drivers and residents may also expect additional street work to impact traffic from Monday, Sept. 9 through Thursday, Sept. 12.  The contractor plans to lay the first course of asphalt and do any necessary repair work.  They will be working between the restricted hours of 9:00 a.m to 2:30 pm. The weather could delay this phase of the project as well.  During this work, traffic may be impacted at times.

The final course of asphalt will be installed on Saturday, Sept. 14 between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.

  • Traffic will be prohibited on Cooper Road between Zig Zag Road and Montgomery Road.
  • The detour route will be Zig Zag Road to Remington Road to Montgomery Road.
  • Residents and businesses with access onto Copper Road will be allowed to access their driveways during these times.
  • Closure of this roadway only applies to through traffic.

We apologize for these inconveniences to your travel plans.  We ask that you please be patient.  Exercise caution when entering the construction site and slow down for the safety of the roadway workers.

Please contact Public Works Director Gary Heitkamp at 513-289-0463, Assistant Public Works Director Terry Willenbrink at 513-476-4828, or Construction and Compliance Inspector Nick Miller at 513-503-7495 if you have any questions or concerns during construction.

 


Prepare now for the next emergency or disaster

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Emergency PreparednessNational Preparedness Month is recognized each September to promote family and community disaster and emergency planning now and throughout the year.

Prepared, Not Scared. Be Ready for Disasters.

  • Make an emergency plan, choose a safe place to meet and establish an out-of-town contact.
  • Take a current photo of you and your pet together in case you get separated during a disaster.
  • Get to know your neighbor and invite them to be a part of your emergency plan.
  • Snap photos of important documents and save them in a secure place or online.
  • Set up group text lists so you can communicate with friends and family during emergencies.
  • Take a class in CPR and first aid. Call 513-985-1633 to register for the next session on Nov. 9.
  • Keep and update emergency supplies; remember to include cash.
  • Have back-up power sources available to charge devices in case of a power outage.
  • Snap some pictures of your property for insurance purposes.
  • Check your insurance coverage for disasters like floods, tornados, and earthquakes.
  • Sign up for alerts and warnings. Download the FEMA app to get real-time alerts, safety tips, and locate open shelters.
  • Save for a rainy day! Start and grow your emergency fund.
  • Spend within your means. Use a personal budgeting worksheet to help plan for expenses and beyond.
  • Build up your savings. Put a small amount in your account the first of every month.

Find more information on preparedness at Ready.gov.

AlertHCSign up now for AlertHC, a state-of-the-art mass notification and warning system designed to warn residents about emergencies and other relevant information in Hamilton County. AlertHC can contact residents via text message, email, or home, cell or work phone and provide critical information directly to you as emergencies happen. Learn more at alerthc.org.

 

 

Update on the Montgomery Road water main upgrade project

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Update Aug. 28, 2019:  Ford Development will not begin night work this week due to weather delays.  They will begin night work on Monday, Sept. 2, Labor Day, at 9:00 p.m.  This night work will be performed in the intersection of Cooper and Montgomery Roads.  They have been placed on the restricted work hours of 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. in order to perform work at night on the water main.

Expect for this work to take approximately three to five days. and to be completed between Sept. 6 and Sept. 11.  After the night work is completed, Ford Development will switch back to day hours to connect the water main to the rest of the system. This work could take one week. There may be a week of no activity following this night work to allow for the Greater Cincinnati Water Works to inspect and test the new water main.

We thank you for your understanding and patience with the project and the traffic delays that it has caused.  Expect for traffic delays to last a few more weeks.  Plan alternate routes to avoid the traffic delay.

For more information on this project, go to this link.

Update Aug. 23, 2019: Ford Development, our contractor on the Montgomery Road water main upgrade project, reports that they anticipate completing the first phase of work that needs to be performed during daytime hours.  They will complete this work on Tuesday, Aug. 27.

They will then switch to nighttime work beginning Wednesday, Aug. 28.  They will perform upgrade work to the water main in the intersection of Cooper Road and Montgomery Road.

They will be performing this work during restricted hours from 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. This nighttime work is expected to take approximately three to five workdays. This work will be completed by Wednesday, Sept. 4.

They will have to switch back to daytime work to begin connecting services after they complete the overnight hours’ work.  There may be a week of no activity following the overnight hours’ work to allow time for the Greater Cincinnati Water Works to test the new water main.

Fall is the time to rid of honeysuckle

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On occasion City Arborist Terry Willenbrink is asked how to get rid of invasive, non-native honeysuckle and when is the best time to remove it. He reports that a good time to remove it is any time of the year. Now especially may be a good time during the fall brush collection program, starting Sept. 9, to place the brush and debris at the curbside.

Click here for Brush Collection Guidelines

To control this invasive plant:

  • Cut and remove the honeysuckle.
  • Cut the honeysuckle at ground level
  • Apply any herbicide, purchased at a local hardware store, to the freshly cut root stem or root trunk.

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, “Amur Honeysuckle is a noxious woody shrub, introduced in southern Ohio in the late 1950s but is now rampant across the state and throughout much of the Eastern United States. A native of northeastern Asia, this vigorous, invasive shrub has displaced many native shrubs with its aggressive growth and ability to reseed itself in neighboring areas via bird-dispersed fruits.”

Three tips to safely exercise at night

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For those who like to run, bike or walk outdoors, it’s important to take extra safety precautions. As summer wanes, and it quickly turns to fall, sunset creeps up sooner and sooner. Sunset is now 7:50 p.m. Darkness increases the likelihood of accident or injury while working out. One is less visible to others, and vision is restricted.

Here are three tips to help maximize your safety and minimize your risk of injury while exercising in the dark.

1) Move in the Right Direction: Bike with traffic and run against traffic. This rule of thumb applies to all times of the day. Running against the flow of traffic allows people to watch everything coming their way–cars, buses, bikes, etc. Runners with their back to an oncoming swerving vehicle don’t have a chance to react.  Use a sidewalk for running or walking, stay out of the street and out of the way of traffic.

Unlike running, bike speeds of 10 mph and faster create a dangerously short reaction time for drivers headed in the opposite direction. So, riding with the flow of traffic is the safe bet.

2) Be Reflective: Reflective clothing and gear help cyclists, runners, and walkers stand out.

3) Brighten the Day: Keep clothing bright and in contrast to the surrounding environment to ensure high visibility.

Focus on spruce tree health

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Rhizosphaera needle cast is the most common disease on spruce trees, including Colorado blue spruce, white spruce, Oriental spruce, and occasionally the Norway spruce and red spruce. Healthy spruce will retain its needles for five to seven years. Spruce infected with Rhizosphaera needle cast may only hold the current year’s needles. Mild temperatures and prolonged wet weather encourage disease development. Needles on interior branches in the lower canopy are most commonly infected first, as airflow is limited, and shade is more prevalent.

When infected, needles on the tree turn purple to brown and begin to drop. When the disease becomes well established in the lower canopy of the tree, the infection will then spread upwards in successive years, killing off the branches.

When branches in the lower canopy decline or die, it is important to prune out the infected branches. Also, should a chemical control of the disease be required, an application should be made in the spring, as the disease infects newly emerging spruce needles.

Did your spruce tree catch Rhizosphaera needle cast? Need to prune out the infected branches? Take advantage of the fall brush collection program and discard branches.

Click here for Brush Collection Guidelines

 

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