Whether planted for aesthetics, privacy, windbreak, or shade/energy reduction, trees require careful and consistent care. Many tree problems can be prevented with proper planting, watering and pruning techniques.
Observing the health of your trees will reveal any signs of trouble quickly. Hiring a certified arborist is the best way to treat these issues with skill and precision. Contact Phoenix Tree Care for professional help.
Whether you are looking to plant a tree, enhance your landscaping, or just want to know more about the health of your trees, soil testing is an important tool. Soil testing reveals important information about the soil’s texture, nutrients, and moisture. This information allows horticulture professionals and gardeners to determine the proper fertilizer needed to promote viable growth in different types of trees. It also helps avoid over-fertilizing, which can stimulate excessive new growth and increase the risk of some diseases. Over-fertilization can also lead to nutrient runoff in stormwater, reducing water quality.
A standard soil test can reveal a number of things about your landscape, including the relative acidity or pH level, the organic matter content and nutrient retention capacity. It can even identify problems with the amount of phosphorous, potassium, and other micronutrients in the soil. Soil tests can help you improve the structure of your soil, which can result in a healthier, more vibrant and longer-lived plant.
Soil tests can be used to determine the correct fertilizers for your landscape. For example, if the soil is low in nitrogen, you can use a fertilizer that will supply the missing nutrient. If the soil is too alkaline, you can add lime to lower the pH level. If the soil is too low in iron, you can add an appropriate fertilizer to restore the level of this critical nutrient.
Soil testing also enables property owners to create an appropriate watering schedule for the soil type and tree species they are growing. This helps them to reduce the need for water-borne nutrients that may run off into surface waters or leach into groundwater, contaminating our environment.
Pests and Diseases
Trees are important parts of our environment, providing shade, clean air and habitat for wildlife. But they are vulnerable to pests and diseases that can damage or even kill them. Identifying the disease or pest and acting quickly can prevent the problem from spreading to other trees and affecting their health.
Generally speaking, diseases of trees can be broken down into two categories – abiotic and biotic. Abiotic factors are non-living inducers such as soil conditions and environmental changes, while biotic factors include disease organisms (fungi, bacteria, nematodes or phytoplasmas) or insects that feed on or damage trees with their mouthparts. Insects are the largest category of abiotic pests that impact trees, and can be further categorized into chewing insects, which eat portions of leaves and stems (i.e. Japanese beetles, gypsy moths and tent caterpillars) or suckers that suck sugars out of the tree (i.e aphids).
In addition to disease symptoms, it is important to look for signs of insect infestations as well as a decline in tree health overall. For example, if the canopy of a tree is thinning or has an uneven appearance, this could be indicative of a fungus such as Phytophthora ramorum blight, which can be lethal to oaks. Other fungus diseases such as leaf spots and blotches are common on maples, while fungal root and trunk rots may be found in trees of all species.
Frequent visual inspections and good maintenance practices such as watering, fertilizing, mulching around the base of the tree and pruning can significantly improve a trees ability to fight off diseases and pests. It is also beneficial to work with an ISA-Certified Arborist or tree care specialist who will help you develop an integrated pest management program based on insect life cycles and disease progression. This approach can be more effective than treatment programs that use a single treatment for all pathogens and will require monitoring of the trees to ensure that the treatments are working as intended.
Pruning
A regular pruning program should be a part of your overall tree care plan. Proper pruning encourages plant vigor, increases flower and fruit production, improves landscape appearance, reduces risk, removes dead or diseased branches, corrects structural problems, and controls size. Generally, pruning is done to improve structure, promote safety, or control size and density, but it can also be used to shape shrubs and ornamental trees into highly specialized forms such as hedges, espaliers, topiaries, and pollards.
In general, most pruning is best done in winter as this is when the plant will be dormant and disease pathogens are less active. However, some pruning can be performed at any time. It is preferable to prune young plants and newly planted trees before they start growing vigorously in spring, as this can cause undesirable or misshapen growth that may be difficult to correct later.
The most common reason to prune is to remove damaged, dying or dead limbs, crossing or rubbing limbs, suckers from rootstock, water sprouts from limbs, and other objectionable growth. Pruning can also be done to open vistas, repair storm damage, maintain clearance for structures and vehicles, and provide light penetration in lawns and gardens.
Weak and rotting limbs are a safety hazard during high winds and should be removed immediately. Also, limbs that hang over walkways or rub against the sides of your house or power lines need to be pruned to prevent property damage or injury. Our experienced tree service team can handle these kinds of emergencies.
Mulching
Mulching isn’t just a decorative landscaping technique; it plays an important role in the health of a tree. It helps retain soil moisture, regulates soil temperature, prevents weeds and protects trees from damage. Proper mulching also benefits the soil by allowing nutrients to enter the roots and improves the structure of the soil.
Generally speaking, almost any organic material can qualify as mulch as long as it’s not too deep. Organic matter like well-rotted compost, bark, straw, or wood chips adds organic material to the soil, which promotes microbial activity and increases nutrient content as it decomposes. It can also help control weeds, suppress diseases, and provide soil insulation.
A layer of properly applied mulch can reduce water evaporation by 35%, keeping the soil cooler and more moist around the root system. It can also help prevent soil erosion by minimizing the amount of rain that hits bare soil.
Mulch also keeps weeds from growing and makes the job of mowing or weed-whacking less tedious (and potentially damaging to trees). In addition, it discourages animals from visiting the base of the tree, which can cause bark injury.
When it comes to choosing the right type of mulch, it’s best to stick with organic materials. Plastic sheet “mulches” should never be used – they can kill the roots by blocking access to oxygen and water, and may introduce harmful pathogens such as honey fungus. Lava rock, marble chips, gravel and other hard non-organic materials should also be avoided because they lead to soil compaction, inhibit microbial activity and add little to the soil in terms of nutrition or water retention.
ISA-Certified Arborist
ISA-Certified Arborists are tree care professionals who have met a rigorous set of standards. They have both formal education and extensive hands-on experience in the field of arboriculture. This allows them to make informed decisions about your trees based on scientific knowledge and industry best practices. They also adhere to a code of ethics that promotes the health and safety of trees. Unlike some “tree surgeons” who may simply have a strong interest in trees, certified arborists understand how trees grow and their unique needs.
An ISA-Certified Arborist has passed a comprehensive exam that covers a wide range of topics, including tree biology, pest management, disease diagnosis, soil care and more. In addition, they must complete continuing education courses to maintain their certification. This ensures that ISA-Certified Arborists have the most up-to-date knowledge of all aspects of tree care and are constantly improving their skills.
Arborists that are ISA-Certified bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the job, making them a valuable asset for any landscape. By selecting a company with ISA-Certified Arborists on staff, you can be sure that the work will be completed properly and efficiently.
Becoming ISA-Certified takes a significant amount of time and effort. However, it is a worthwhile goal that can help you advance your career in the industry. You must have at least three years of experience in arboriculture to qualify for the exam. In addition, you must meet all other ISA credentials, such as business licensing, First Aid and CPR certification, a valid driver’s license and a certificate of insurance that demonstrates proper liability coverage.
You can verify an ISA-Certified Arborist’s credential by entering their name or ISA certification number on the ISA website. The site will then display their ISA credentials.