It penetrates and dislodges most types of soil, but is harmless to non-porous objects such as plant roots, buried pipes, or cables. It’s also proven to dig up to 50 percent faster than other air excavation equipment and much safer than digging by hand.

Arbor Plant Health Care arborists are trained professionals in Air Spade use. Call us today for a consultation.

Even though trees are an important part of our environment they can become dangerous or hazardous. Whole trees and limbs may fall potentially causing injury to people or property damage. It is the responsibility of home owners to provide for the safety of trees on his or her property. Regular tree care will help identify possible tree hazards.

There are a number of things to look for when identifying tree hazards such as:

• Large dead branches
• Detached hanging branches
• Cavities in the trunk or in major branches
• Cracks or splits
• Strong lean on trunk
• Have roots been damaged or broken during construction?
• Has the site been recently changed by construction, raising the soil level, or installing lawns?

Some common signs of possible hazards or defects in urban trees are:

• Regrowth form topping or line clearance
• Electrical lines adjacent to the tree
• Broken branches
• Open cavities
• Dead or dying branches
• Many branches arising from a single point
• Decay and rot in old wounds
• Construction or recent changes in grades

Some common signs of possible hazards or defects in rural trees are:

• Recent site construction, grading, clearing of forests for development
• Previous tree failure in area
• Leaning tree near a target
• Forked trunk, large stems of equal size
• Wet areas with shallow soil.

A few steps can be taken to reduce tree hazards such as:

• Remove the target: targets such as picnic tables and cars can be moved.
• Prune the tree: strategically remove defective branches
• Cable & brace the tree: tree support systems can be added to increase support & stability
• Provide regular maintenance: water, prune, fertilize and mulch as needed.
• Remove the tree: trees get to a point when they become too hazardous and little can be done to decrease hazards. These trees should be removed.

Recognizing and reducing tree hazards will increase the safety of your property and community and allow you to enjoy your trees for years to come.

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You ask “why should we prune trees in our landscape?” Trees in the forest aren’t pruned, but the difference is trees in the forest act as a community and protect each other. Trees in the landscape are often single trees with lots of room to grow and having no competition allows limbs to get big and heavy.

There are a number of warning signs to look for in the trees in your landscape that may indicate bad tree structure and possible safety hazards:

• Large dead limbs
• Weak branch attachments with tight crotches
• Co-dominant leaders with included bark (weak attachments)
• Big, long, heavy limbs that may hold a lot of ice & snow
• Decay (mushrooms & conks are often a sign of decay)
• Cracks
• Heavy lean

Many of these structural problems can be helped through proper pruning practices. Some suggestions to storm proof your tree include:

• Remove large dead limbs
• Remove or reduce branches with bad structure
• Use tree support systems for co-dominant leaders
• Long heavy limbs can be cut back to reduce leverage & weight
• Reduce weight in trees with decay or consider for removal
• Some cracks can be supported with tree support systems or consider removing
• Remove weight from side of tree with heavy lean
• Properly thinned trees will catch less wind & snow

These are just a few things to consider when looking at your trees. Pruning is one way to help storm proof our trees. Remember once the tree is damaged there is often not much we can do as an arborist to fix it. Once a tree is removed it takes many years to replace it. Be proactive. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

• Fertilizing is an important part of almost any plant health care program.
• Trees often need supplemental fertilization in order to maintain vigor so they will be able to resist environmental stress and pests.
• Like Humans, trees need a certain levels of nutrients to stay healthy.
• If there are not sufficient amounts of nutrients available, a tree may become stressed, making it vulnerable to insects and diseases.

Is Fertilizer Needed?

• Fertilization requirements can be determined through a soil test.
• Landscape trees are often planted in an area of low fertility.
• Nutrient cycle is broken in most landscape settings.
• In a forest setting nutrients are recycled through decomposing branches, grasses, and leaves.
• In most landscapes branches are picked up, grass clippings are collected, and leaves are raked.
• This debris contains Nitrogen which is often a limiting nutrient used in the growth of a tree.

When to Fertilize?

• If timing of tree fertilization is not correct it may harm the tree.
• Fall & early spring are the two most optimum times to fertilize.
• This is a time when there is plenty of water to help trees absorb nutrients.
• Soil temperature is still warm enough to allow roots to take up minerals.
• If fertilizer is applied in the fall nutrients are stored for next spring.

Fertilizer Types

• Organic or inorganic.
• Organic fertilizers are derived from plant and animal sources.
• Organic fertilizers are slow release, releasing nutrients over a longer period of time.
• Inorganic are quick release and release nutrients relatively quickly and can cause fertilizer burn if not applied properly.

There are a number of methods used to apply fertilizers such as surface broadcasting, drill hole, or soil injection. Whatever method or type of fertilizer is used, remember that fertilization can be very important to the health of the tree if applied correctly. It can also be an essential asset to a proper plant health care program.

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• Environmentally. Use carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, reduces pollution.
• Properly placed trees reduce heating & cooling costs.
• Aesthetically pleasing.
• Offer comfort. Shade, wind block, nature’s air conditioner.
• Home for wildlife.
• Privacy, screening, noise reduction.

Role Of Trees In Real Estate

• Trees, shrubs, & landscaping can increase or decrease curb appeal of properties.
• Maintained trees & landscape can increase property value 5-10%.
• Trees & shrubs that have not been maintained can be a liability.
• Overcrowded landscapes can be too high maintenance for some home buyers.
• Trees & shrubs sometimes block windows, views, & attractive property features.
• Removal of some trees or shrubs may be necessary to show features of the house.
• Deadwood should be removed from trees & shrubs for aesthetic & safety reasons.
• Trees can sometimes present hazards.
• Trees & shrubs should be shaped & contained so they are not overwhelming and are attractive.
• Trees may sometimes need to be pruned or removed to allow a certain scenic view of a lake or landscape feature.

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During the spring and summer leaves act as food factories where most foods needed for the trees growth are manufactured. An extraordinary and abundant chemical called chlorophyll is used within tree cells to absorb energy from the sun which in turn is used in transforming carbon dioxide and water to carbohydrates, such as sugars and starch. Chlorophyll is the chemical that gives leaves the green color. Along with the green pigment are other colored pigments which are masked most of the year by the great amounts of green coloring.

In the fall, because of changes in length of daylight and temperature, leaves stop their food making process. Chlorophyll breaks down, the green color disappears, and other colors such as red, yellow, and orange are unmasked.

As fall colors appear, other changes take place. The point where the stem of the leaf is attached to the tree, a layer of cells develops that severs the tissues that support the leaf. The tree seals the cut which leaves behind a leaf scar.

Most broad-leaved trees lose their leaves in the fall. However the leaves of some species such as oak and beech may stay on until growth begins in the spring. Also you may wonder why leaves stay on a broken branch sometimes. This is because the process needed for leaf drop can no longer occur, thus leaves hang on. Evergreens such as white pine also have needles that are two years old that turn yellow and fall.

Weather can affect color intensity. Temperature, light, and water supply have an influence on the degree and duration of fall color. Low temperatures above freezing will enhance bright reds in maples. Rainy and/or overcast days tend to increase the intensity of fall colors.

Fall color and leaf drop can often tell us things about a trees health. Early fall color and leaf drop may be a sign that a tree is under stress and not as healthy as it could be. Also a tree such as a crabapple may drop leaves early which could be a sign of apple scab.

What ever the situation, fall foliage is brilliant and exciting. Enjoy it while it lasts!

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Trees go dormant in late fall and winter. Basically the dormant period is from the time trees loose their leaves until bud break in the spring. There are a number of benefits to performing tree pruning operations this time of year. First, work can be performed with less interruption as the yard is less intensely used this time of year. Further the ground is frozen allowing heavy equipment across lawns. Perennials are dormant which gives crews less obstacles to avoid. Thus work can be performed more efficiently saving time and money.

Dormant pruning is a stimulating process. Trees respond more consistently to winter pruning. Pruning wounds made in the winter close faster then those made in the summer months. In the winter months there is reduced insect and disease populations and thus little chance for trees to become infected.

The winter months also provide a great opportunity for arborist to evaluate a trees structure. With all the leaves fallen, the branch structure is easily seen. It is similar to the x-ray of a human skeleton. The bare framework allows arborist to more easily and quickly evaluate the structure of a tree and to decide what pruning action should take place to benefit the tree. If action is required, branches are easier to work with as there is no added weight of the leaves.

It should also not be overlooked that arborist are more available during the winter months. Spring through to fall arborist are often busy shrub pruning, applying fertilizers and controlling insects and disease. Arborist can provide quicker service in the winter and pruning can provide the most benefit to your trees. Plan ahead. The pruning you do this winter will benefit your trees next spring!

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It is best to start training pruning as early in a trees life time as possible. However a tree should be planted three years in the landscape before any training pruning takes place. The dormant season is the best time to train young trees, unless you are only removing dead, dying, or diseased branches.

There are five basic steps to training young trees:

1. Remove broken dying, dead, or diseased branches.
2. Select a central leader and remove competing branches. If there are multiple leaders competing with each other, select a central leader and remove or subordinate others.
3. Select the lowest permanent scaffold branch. This branch should have a good attachment and the height depends on the landscape use of the tree.
4. Select scaffold branches and cut back or remove competing branches. Scaffold branches are those that will stay permanently on the tree and forms the overall shape of the tree. All scaffold branches should be structurally sound. Radial spacing and vertical spacing is very important when choosing these branches.
5. Select temporary branches. Temporary branches are left for adequate foliage in the crown and to help increase trunk taper. Temporaries should be smaller and less vigorous than permanent scaffold branches to reduce competition.

Training pruning young trees is the most important pruning that will be performed on a tree. One cut can change the look of a tree and affect the health and structure of the tree for the remainder of its lifetime. There for proper pruning techniques, timing of pruning and the amount of pruning is very important. Invest in your young trees, and watch your investment grow for a lifetime!

We hope you enjoyed this tree care article. Click here for more articles from Arbor Plant Health Care.