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FAQ
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Tip 1
Is My Tree Sick?
There are clues that indicate if a tree is in danger. If a tree has large branches attached with tight, V-shaped forks, you should consider having those branches removed or lightened. Other warning signs of structural instability include cracks in the trunk or major limbs, hollow and decayed areas or the presence of extensive dead wood. Mushrooms growing from the base of the tree or under its canopy may be a sign of root decay.
Tip 2
What's the best season for tree care work?
Many tree care activities can be carried out all year long. For other activities there is a season.
Spring and summer give us the best opportunities to identify tree health problems, since a cursory inspection can tell whether the tree "looks" healthy compared to previous years or nearby trees of the same species. Diagnosis of the actual cause of the tree malady is a tricky business best left to an expert. As with human illness, prompt detection and treatment can be critical.
Most pest management activities have a very specific and narrow window of treatment that coinside with when the pest is active on the plant and/or vulnerable to the treatment. Fertilizers are best applied when the plant roots can actively uptake the nutrients. Of course, the use of fertilizers on shade and ornamental plants should be restricted to situations in which there is a nutrient deficiency.
Some will argue that, in temperate areas, fall and winter are the best times to prune. When the tree is bare, its branch architecture is easier to observe, so problems can be more readily corrected. Proper pruning at other times of the year will generally do no harm to trees, but there are exceptions. For instance, pruning an American elm when the beetle that carries Dutch elm disease is busy flying from infected to healthy host trees greatly increases the elm's chances of infection. Pruning of deadwood only does not have the same effect and can be carried out any time.
Tip 3
What are some of the benefits of maintaining my trees?
Trees in the urban/suburban landscape have traditionally been valued for their aesthetic qualities and shade they produce. Especially in settled areas, trees have many other important benefits.
Trees enhance property values. Research shows that the value of your property could increase up to 30% depending on the size, type, location and health of its trees. Mature trees are particularly valuable. Therefore, it makes sense to protect your tree investment with proper maintenance. You may wish to document the value of your trees with photos and a professional landscape appraisal for insurance and tax purposes.
Landscape trees can help you save money and live more comfortably. With properly placed trees around your house, depending upon where you live, you can reduce winter heating bills up to 15%. A mature shade tree can block up to 90% of solar radiation, which could translate to a significant reduction in your home cooling cost. Trees act as windbreaks and sunscreens. They affect precipitation, humidity and air temperature. They reduce air pollution by producing oxygen through photosynthesis and reduce noise pollution by acting as sound barriers.
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What tree is right for me?
Our Recommendations
Recommended Tree List
|
Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Why we like it |
Max Height |
Tallest Seen |
| Larch |
Larix sp. |
Losses it's needles, elegant, many species |
Species Dependant |
|
| Dawn Redwood |
Metasequoia Glyptostoboides |
Interesting trunk, throught to be extinct until 1941 |
115 |
(80) |
| Snake Bark Maple |
Acer Capillipes |
Interesting bark, there is also a red-leaved variety |
45 |
(30) |
| Silk Tree |
Albizia Julibrissin |
Showy flowers, feathery leaves |
40 |
(30) |
| Himalayan Birch |
Betula Utilis |
Whitest bark out there |
60 |
(35) |
| Hornbean |
Carpinus sp. |
Nice form, makes a good hedge if maintained |
40-60 |
(45) |
| Katsura |
Cercidiphyllum Japonicum |
Pink leaves in spring, delicate |
100 |
(30) |
| Dogwood |
Cornus sp. |
Variety of flowers, nice form |
Species Dependent |
|
| Smoketree |
Cotinus Obovatus |
Large leaves, showyflowers, short |
30 |
(30) |
Some Recommended Shrubs
|
Shrub |
Why we like it |
Shrub |
Why we like it |
| Witch Hazel |
Early Flowers |
Ceanothus |
Flowers |
| Bamboo |
Nice screen, be sure to containerize it |
Lilacs |
Flowers, size |
| Daphne |
Aromatic flowers |
Viburnums |
Interesting |
| Forsythia |
Shrubby form, nice flowers |
Clematis |
Flowers, plant on trellis |
| Ribes |
Flowers |
Lavender |
Showy and aromatic |
| Rhododendrons |
Flowers and size |
Clarodendrum |
Size, flowers and berries |
| Kerria |
Marigold like flowers |
Butterfly Bush |
Size and flowers |
| Azaleas |
Flowers |
Hydrangeas |
Size and flowers |
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