TreePro – Tree Consultation Services
Trees provide many benefits to our home and business landscapes. Trees provide shade and beauty, wildlife habitat and privacy to our living and working environments. Our Certified Arborists share in our client’s appreciation for trees and we provide consultations to assess risks, diagnose pest and disease problems and make recommendations for improving the health and structure of trees.
Our ISA Certified Arborists also provide Arborist Reports for:
The Arborists at TreePro have been providing knowledgeable and accurate consulting services since 1990. Depend on us to help you maintain the optimal health and structure for your trees.
Arborist Reports
Our professional arborists will thoroughly examine the trees on your property. We will inspect their overall health and provide an accurate assessment of their condition. Our arborists will also determine the best course of action to take to maintain healthy trees and recommend a few tree care tips that can help you keep your trees healthy and beautiful.
At TreePro, we believe in maintaining long-term relationships with our clients so that they can continue to rely on us for all their tree care needs. Our goal is to ensure the safety and security of every client, every time. After completing the assigned tasks, our team will provide you with an arborist report.
Arborist Reports are a technical evaluation of a tree’s condition. Arborist Reports may be requested by homeowners who need an evaluation of a tree on their property for health or hazard. They may be requested as a requirement for the development of a real estate project where trees are located. Arborist Reports are also required by municipalities in order to obtain a tree removal permit.
Arborist Reports specify the tree species, size and condition. The condition of the tree is evaluated on both a health and structure basis. Another important consideration in evaluating a tree is identifying potential hazards of the tree. Hazard evaluation involves inspecting the structure of a tree’s limbs, trunk and root crown to determine potential defects. Trees are given a hazard rating based on their condition, size and location.
Recommendations are usually made to optimize tree health and mitigate potential hazards. In some cases the removal of a tree is recommended because of the degree of hazard associated with the degree of defect, the size of the affected portion of the tree and the location of the tree.
TreePro Professional Tree Care is the professional choice when an arborist report is required for your home or business.
Integrated Pest Management
Integrated Pest Management is defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as “an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices. IPM programs use current, comprehensive information on the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment. This information, in combination with available pest control methods is used to mange pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment.”
How Are Pests Controlled?
Contact a Certified Arborist at TreePro Professional Tree Care for help in identifying and treating insect and disease problems with the minimum impact to your home and the environment.
Tree Fertilization and Soil Management
Trees that may benefit from fertilization include younger trees once they have been established, trees with low vigor or off color foliage or trees with dieback of twigs at the ends of branches. It is not advisable to fertilize trees that are newly planted, have limited growing space or have recent damage to root zones according to the ANSI A-300 Standards for Tree Fertilization. Analyzing the nutrients available in the soil and foliage will provide a more complete assessment of nutrients that are needed. The pH of the soil also affects tree uptake of nutrient deficiencies.
Trees should be fertilized so that they are available when root growth is active. The type of fertilizer applied will affect the availability. Quick release fertilizers are readily available while slow release fertilizers are composed of at least 50% water insoluble fertilizer so they become active over an extended period of time. Slow release fertilizers are preferred over quick release fertilizers for trees and shrubs.
Timing Applications
Trees and shrubs should be fertilized in late fall months (October and November) after hardening of the plant. Early Spring (mid March to April) is also an appropriate time to fertilize after the soil is free of frost.
Fertilization Rates
Slow release general fertilizer should be applied at rates of two to four pounds per 1,000 square feet per application. It is important in our area to avoid over fertilizing trees especially mature or over immature oaks. Using excessive fertilizers contribute to over growth of new shoots and foliage that are more likely to become infested with insects like aphids or disease pathogens like powdery mildew.
Application Methods
There are several methods available for applying fertilizers. Surface application is accomplished by using a spreader or evenly distributing the pellets by hand. Surface applications are not recommended in turf areas or where runoff is possible.
Sub-Surface dry application is accomplished by placing the fertilizer into evenly spaced holes. The holes should be two to four inches in diameter and spaced 12 to 36 inches apart. The holes should be four to twelve inches in depth. Sub-Surface liquid application utilizes the same spacing as dry application but the fertilizer is mixed with water and injected into the soil. This method is preferred by the Certified Arborists at TreePro Professional Tree Care because a slow release liquid fertilizer consisting of 50% coated urea is available for a longer period. It is also more efficient to mix liquid fertilizer with other micro-nutrients or mycorrhizae.
Mycorrhizae Applications
Mycorrhizae is a beneficial fungus that helps to improve root growth, improve nutrient and water uptake and reduce drought stress. Mycorrhizae fungi increase the surface absorbing area of roots 100 to 1000 times depending on soil conditions. Mycorrhizae also release enzymes that help to dissolve hard to capture nutrients such as organic nitrogen, phosphorus, iron and other “tightly bound” soil nutrients according to Mike Amaranthus, Ph.D at Oregon State University. Mycorrhizal fungi form an intricate web that captures and assimilates nutrients, conserving the nutrient capital in soils.
At TreePro Professional Tree Care we inject these beneficial fungi into the soil of trees that are stressed, are low in vigor or have damage to root zones from compaction or construction. Mycorrhizae in combination with mulching have provided new life to declining or stressed trees.
Soil Management
The goal of soil management is to protect and improve the quality of soil. Soil develops over thousands of years and is comprised of air, water, mineral particles, organic matter and organisms. One half of soil is pore space which is filled with equal parts of air and water depending on texture and soil saturation. Most of the solid portion of soil is mineral particles. Organic matter may make up only five to ten percent of the volume of soil.
Organic matter is critical in holding soil particles together, storing nutrients, and feeding soil organisms. (2002 University of Minnesota Extension and Regents). Soil structure is critical to root growth and tree and shrub health. Clay soils are low in oxygen and organic material. Low oxygen levels in soil make root growth very difficult. Compacted soils where the pore space has been reduced also make root growth difficult. Compacted soils are a common problem for trees in construction zones where tree protection is not adequate. Areas of high foot traffic from pedestrians or farm animals also create compaction.
Improving these poor soil conditions can be accomplished by adding organic material such as arbor mulch or soil aeration. A surface application of mulch will breakdown and incorporate into the soil over time adding organic material and nutrients. There are several methods to achieve better soil aeration for compacted soils including drilling holes and adding pea gravel, installing aeration tubes, or high pressure air aeration.