WHY A CERTIFIED ARBORIST?
Utilizing the certified arborists professional knowledge to assess the condition of your trees, maintain health and know when to remove them if necessary. Trees are an important for the aesthetic of the home, property value, shade, windbreak, and water runoff management.
It is important to find someone that is trained and certified with the International Society of Arboriculture. In order for someone to have an ISA certification they need to contain a certain amount of knowledge in biology, diagnosis, maintenance practices, safety and usually several years of experience to know how to best assess a tree before it may start to affect others on the property.
Arborists can help provide the following services:
1.) Pruning: Knowing which limbs to remove for the best growth pattern for the overall health of the tree.
2.) Tree Removal: Properly assessing which trees may leave a safety risk for you and your family.
3.) Emergency Tree Care: Fallen trees or limbs from unexpected storm damage, being sure it is to be removed in the safest way possible.
https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist/findanarborist
WHY SHOULD I HAVE A PROFESSIONAL TRIM MY TREES?
When it comes to pruning trees, it can be difficult to remember there is a specific time of the season as well as specific placement of branches that are recommended to be pruned. By being sure the tree is pruned in the proper areas, growth as well as flower and fruit production increase. Neglect or over pruning may lead to death of your favorite tree.
STUMP REMOVAL VS STUMP GRINDING
A complete stump removal is a much more invasive process than stump grinding. Stump removal consists of digging out the entire roots system where stump grinding is typically done with a machine which completely shreds the stump to the ground into small wood chips.
CAN YOU PLANT A NEW TREE WHERE A NEW ONE ONCE WAS?
It is always recommended to consult a certified arborist for tree removal and replanting recommendations. Each situation can be unique. That being said, it is usually not recommended. In most situations, the ground sapling that is being planted could be fully depleted of nutrients that are essential for the spring to thrive. Sawdust from the tree removal process can change the nutrients of the soil creating an unsteady environment for growth. If the previous tree was plagued with a previous disease it could still be present in the soil infecting the new sapling.
If you are planting a new tree, it is important to be sure all of the old root system is entirely removed. Nitrogen in the soil could be depleted completely from the soil which is essential for the sapling to grow.
WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO PLANT A TREE?
Be sure to choose a tree that will thrive in your climate and soil type, be sure the tree has the space it needs to grow, take into consideration the amount of human activity around the tree, sunlight, drainage, wind, as well as water drainage.
Before purchasing the tree keep in mind what will this tree provide for my home? Are you looking for privacy? Beauty? Windbreak or shade? The form the tree will take as well as the size will be important to think about as well for the surrounding permeant structures, this includes other underground root systems.
WHY ARE GYPSY MOTHS SO DESTRUCTIVE AND WHY ARE THERE SO MANY?
Gypsy Moths prefer Oak trees but devour but will devour the leaves of trees such as Apple, Aspen, Birch, Hemlock, and Willow trees. If competition of a food source is needed some moths may consume the growth of Confers (Pine and Spruce). Keep an eye on how the trees recover from the previous year, take proactive measures to be sure the trees can thrive the following year.
The state of PA can only spray for them in public lands, most areas being privately owned it requires home owners to actively spray making it difficult to rid the state of Gypsy Moths all together. The department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) offers a guide on their website for moth suppression as well as a list of licensed aerial spray applicators for large properties.
Foliage in some Pennsylvania counties have been completely destroyed do to the Gypsy moth. 2021 was a devastating year and 2022 looks to be just as bad for a high moth population. The resurgence of the Gypsy moth has shown due to prolonged dryer springs which prevents the fungus needed to help keep the population under control. Unfortunately they will feed on a multitude of trees when they reach a high enough population. Treatments using Arborjet TREE-age family of products and Mn-jet FE will provide preventative and curative control, late September is the best time to treat.
WHEN ARE SPIKES TO BE USED?
The only time spikes should be used to climb a tree is when it’s being fully removed. Each time a spike is used pierces a tree it creates a certain amount of exposure to the trees tissue, becoming open to the pathogens just like a cut to our skin. The majority of the wounds would take place along the Trunk of the tree leaving it susceptible to disease which could indirectly kill the tree down the line.
