Just to add, it was girdled by some landscaping fabric from whoever planted it. The fabric had cut in at least an inch deep all the way around the tree. I guess they weren't planning on it getting this large and didn't cut the fabric to allow for expansion. I wouldn't think that this would kill a tree like this, as it seems to conform to whatever it grows around, like the fence. I would estimate the age of the tree to be around 15 or 20 years.

In my area the first JB's normally show up around the 20th of June, and hit their peak numbers from mid July to Labor Day. After Labor Day they gradually decline but don't entirely go away until a serious frost, usually late Oct. Unfortunately my garden is located 2 blocks from a very large irrigated University athletic field which serves as a huge JB grub nursery. If you have a lot of irrigated lawns, a golf course or other irrigated grass areas nearby, you will have a lot of JB's & probably a long season of them in your garden. This post was edited by wirosarian on Sat, Jul 20, 13 at 10:18

I tried milky spore - did not work very well. I think it is too cold here. This season I am trying a test bed with just NEEM. I tried neem last year - it was in the safer fungicide3 product. But the percentage of neem in that product was extremely low. I think it did not do enough. I will buy straight neem and apply it in a higher percentage spray and try that. I really would like to be able to rely on the neem it is so environmentally friendly. Others on these forums have been recommending products with imidacloprid. Such as Bayer and Merit. I have heard glowing reports on this although I do not know how organic and environmentally friendly this product is. Perhaps when applied at the correct time of day it will minimize contact with the "good" bugs. I have good luck with keepin the hybrid teas fairly beetle free because I only have a few bushes and they are for cutting only. If I can go out early in the AM and cut the buds before the beetles get them. I can bring them in the house and the tea roses open up nicely. I try to pick varieties that are good for cutting. This has worked for me. Basically I have no roses on the HTs for 6-8 weeks each summer. Although the 2004 infestation was the worst ever. Usually they last from Mid-July for about 4-6 weeks. This year they began July 4th weekend and lasted until the first hard freeze. Decimating every yellow rose and fragrant rose I have. They have no predators by me - I have heard tales that starlings like them, though I am in a semi-rural area and starlings like cities. (where there are no high beetle problems). Good luck next season all! I have updated regarding my wars with the beetles on my page...I update when I have new relevant beetle news!

What I use is pellets. Scotts is a time released nitrogen, the amonium nitrate is fast release nitrogen. You notice results almost the next day from this stuff. I would say that scotts will take about a week to notice any difference in your lawn vs next day results from the amonium nitrate. There are several reasons you could have dollar spot, Improper mowing height, hot days and cool nights, improper watering times, not enough nitogen though is usually the culprit.