If You Listen, Your Trees Will Talk.

Here are some things to consider to make the most of the trees in your world.

• Listen to your trees.

  Trees will show signs of stress and damage. Changes in a tree’s appearance can tell you a lot of things. Look for changes in leaf color, mis-shapen leaves, thinning of the canopy and early loss of leaves.  Contact a Certified Arborist if you notice visible changes as described above – this may catch any disease or insect before it has a chance to do serious harm to your tree or spread to other trees.

• Hire a professional arborist.
  If you have concerns about your trees, call a Certified Arborist. A professional Arborist should be certified by the International Society of Arboriculture ( ISA ). Ask for insurance certificates, references, credentials and estimates.

• Plant with care.
  Proper planting is necessary for a long life. Attention should be given to site and tree selection, and the potential size of the tree at maturity, while following correct tree planting guidelines. A well-planted tree can ensure years of healthy growth and benefits.

• Prepare your trees for the next season by routinely monitoring their growth.
  When a tree’s health is in question, contact a trained arborist for an assessment and plant health care plan. Preventative maintenance is less expensive than damages from a tree’s failure.

• Consider the time of year.
  Timing is very important. Trees react differently in each season, hence the timing of various tree care procedures is critical. Fertilization and planting and disease control are examples of time sensitive tree care procedures. Also consider your objective eg. if you want to minimize growth or leaves, you would prune in a different season than if you want to maximize growth or fruit production.

• Please DO NOT ever top a tree.
  “Topping” a tree is one of the worst things you can do for your tree. Never, ever, top your shade trees. By doing so you are inflicting irreparable damage to them. Topping will cause the tree to start damage control including sending up new shoots or suckers from the base of the tree.

  There are numerous ways by which the canopy of a tree can be thinned without topping.  If a tree is getting too big or tall for a specific area, please consider removing or re-planting that tree to a more appropriate area, and re-planting with a tree that will not grow as large.

Installation of Plants & Trees

When and where you plant your shrubs and trees makes all the difference to their potential beauty and health. A healthy plant will be much easier to maintain in the long run, so keep these helpful hints in mind when adding a new tree or shrub.

• Select hardy, pest- and disease-resistant varieties
• Choose plants best suited to your area’s climate zone
• Determine the attributes (sun exposure, soil type, drainage and rainfall) of the various sites on your property and then select plants that will thrive in these environments
• Check the plant information tags before purchasing the plant
• Determine the mature size of the plant before you position it on your property to ensure it has adequate space to grow to full size
• Ensure the mature plant will be appropriate for your long-term landscape plan
• Consider native plants which provide habitat for many organisms, conserve water and soil, and are low maintenance
• Ask a professional if unsure as to whether the tree or shrub is appropriate for your site.