Tree Health

Proper plant health involves monitoring and using preventative treatments to ensure your trees stay healthy. Discolored leaves, dead branches, or early leaf drop are all symptoms that may require contacting an arborist.

Trees, although dominant features in the landscape, share a common resource with turfgrasses, shrubs and other plants in the area—the soil. All of the plants roots intermingle and compete for water and nutrients. The roots of a single mature tree may extend well into your lawn or flower beds.

Every treatment applied to the lawn can impact the appearance and vitality of a tree. Conversely, treatments applied to a tree can influence the appearance and vitality of the underlying turfgrass. The care of each plant in a landscape can affect the health of every plant in the landscape.

Learn more about improving your tree’s health.

Plant Health Care

Homeowners should contact a local arborist when they see symptoms such as discolored leaves, dead branches, or early leaf drop. The cause can be a minor problem that is easily explained and corrected, but other times the problem can be more complex, with several underlying causes and a remedy requiring treatments extending over several years.

Plant Health Care (PHC) programs help to maintain or improve the landscapes appearance, vitality, and safety using the most cost-effective and environmentally sensitive practices and treatments available. PHC involves routine monitoring, preventive treatment, and a strong working relationship between the arborist and the property owner.

Learn more about plant health care.

Insects and Diseases

Insects and diseases can threaten tree health. As soon as you notice an abnormality in your tree’s appearance, you should begin a careful examination of the problem and contact an arborist to help identify the specific symptoms and try to diagnose the problem and select an appropriate treatment.

Learn more about insects and diseases.

Trees and Turf

Woody plants and turfgrasses are critical design elements in urban and suburban landscapes. Trees and turf offer distinct personal, functional, and environmental benefits. The intended benefits of these plants may never be obtained if potential incompatibilities are not addressed.

Undesirable effects such as thinning grass under shade trees, large roots that hinder maintenance, and trees damaged from mowers are all things that can be mitigated with proper care.

Learn more about trees and turf.

Mulching

Mulching is one of the most beneficial practices a homeowner can use for better tree health. Mulches are applied to the soil surface to maintain moisture and improve soil conditions. However, if misapplied, mulch may have little, or even negative, impact on the trees in your landscape.

The benefits of proper mulching include:

• Reduces soil moisture loss through evaporation.
• Controls weed germination and growth.
• Insulates soil, protecting roots from extreme summer and winter temperatures.

Learn more about proper mulching.

Mature Tree Care

Healthy trees increase in value with age and increase property values, beautify surroundings, purify air, and save energy by providing cooling shade from summer’s heat and protection from winter’s wind.

Trees in cities or near houses need regular maintenance to promote health and structural integrity. An effective maintenance program, including regular inspections and necessary follow-up care—mulching, fertilizing, and additional soil management—can identify problems and correct them before they become damaging or fatal.

Learn more about mature tree care.