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Help Your Trees Resist Pests

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Help Your Trees Resist Pests 

Help Your Trees Resist Pests

Help Your Trees Resist Pests  There are numerous insects and microorganisms on your property.  If this is news to you, don’t go running for the sprays and bug bombs. This is a natural and beneficial state. Insects and microorganisms are key components in plant-nutrient recycling and decomposition, natural pest control, and landscape-ecosystem health.  A landscape without insects and microorganisms would be a very unhealthy environment, The trick is to balance the threshold of healthy plants with having too much of a good thing, which is when naturally occurring insects and […]

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anatomy of a tree Johnson-ops-tree-care

Tree Pruning to ANSI Standards

Tree Pruning to ANSI Standards Most trees can be pruned year-round if appropriately pruned, However, certain pruning operations are easier to do in the winter, especially if the ground is frozen or the tree is not actively growing Tree Pruning to ANSI Standards Pruning is much more than the simple act of sawing off limbs. Proper pruning is an art based on scientific principles of plant physiology. At its most basic level, pruning trees involves removing damaged, dead, or structurally weak limbs, improving a tree’s health and reducing the chances of […]

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View of trees covered in snow indicating the importance of winter tree care.

Winter Tree Care Tips

Tree care is important all year round, but it is especially crucial for the winter months. Cold weather, snow, and ice can all damage trees, but with proper winter tree care you can minimize this damage to ensure the health and longevity of your trees. One important step to protect trees during winter is to keep road salt or sodium chloride away from them. Salt interferes with the roots ability to absorb water, oxygen and nutrients. Look for melting products that contain calcium, potassium or magnesium chloride. Another winter care […]

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Holes in Trees: Hazards or Harmless?

Holes in Trees: Hazards or Harmless?

Holes in Trees: Hazards or Harmless? Hazardous trees pose a danger to people and property. When storms or high winds hit, limbs – and often whole trees – fall to the ground, are holes in trees are they hazards or harmless? Many fatal accidents and millions of dollars in property damage can be averted if homeowners heed the warning signs of a hazardous tree. By not paying attention to your trees, you are potentially placing your property, even your life, in jeopardy. Tree defect clues Fortunately, one can often read […]

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Why is tree work so expensive? Johnson-ops-tree-care

Why Is Tree Work So Expensive?

Why Is Tree Work So Expensive? Why is tree work so expensive? I just want that one tree taken out, and I was quoted a price equal to: There are many different facets of tree work that have a wide range of costs, but let’s start with the most common expense: tree removal. It can be difficult to understand why removing a tree can cost so much. To the homeowner, the whole process should be as simple as “just cutting it down.” But to a qualified tree company, the work […]

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Plant Health Care and Trees “Plant health care, also called PHC, offers a total health approach to landscape and plant health,” says Tchukki Andersen, BCMA, CTSP* and staff arborist with the Tree Care Industry Association. “Your arborist will monitor your property, watching for potential or actual problems in your landscape that might be best avoided or dealt with by implementing a PHC treatment program.” Traditional landscape pest control programs rely on “cover sprays.” Selection of a cover spray is often based on the company’s knowledge of common pest problems and control measures in the service area. The cover-spray type, method and timing are pre-determined by the company. These traditional pest-control programs are not necessarily obsolete or “bad” for the environment and may be the best option for clients who have overriding concerns about program cost or are only concerned about one specific pest problem. In contrast, plant health care technicians consider the landscape in its entirety when deciding how to best care for plants. PHC technicians manage plant problems through careful monitoring of the landscape environment. Chemical controls may be part of the treatment program, but they are not likely to be used in every treatment. Because of this, every PHC program is customized to fit the client’s property and expectations. The PHC technician maintains landscape plants by: • evaluating the landscape’s environment • noting causes of plant stress (stressors) • maintaining plant performance through proper cultural practices • investigating the landscape through monitoring • identifying and treating problems as they occur The following are examples of some common problems: 1. Improper matching of the plant’s requirements to the landscape site; 2. Improperly planted; 3. Subjected to improper maintenance practices; 4. A combination of two or all three of the above. Your expectations “A PHC technician also will consider your expectations when deciding how to implement a PHC treatment program,” explains Andersen. One important question is, when do you, the client, want to resort to chemical control of pest problems? Some clients will tolerate a greater percentage of plant damage before requiring action; other clients will tolerate very little plant damage. Often a client will tolerate less damage on a prized ornamental specimen tree located in the front yard as opposed to a group of shade trees growing in the backyard. This requires the PHC technician to apply a higher action threshold to some trees and/or sections of the landscape than others. “Here, communication and understanding between the client and plant health care technician are key!” says Andersen. Treatment recommendations are then made to the client based on that client’s expectations. The key to a successful plant health care program is communication between the client and PHC technician. What can you do? A professional arborist can assess your landscape and work with you to determine the best care for your trees. * Board Certified Master Arborist, Certified Treecare Safety Professional

Plant Health Care and Trees

Plant Health Care and Trees Plant health care, also called PHC, offers a total health approach to landscape and plant health, Your arborist will monitor your property, watching for potential or actual problems in your landscape that might be best avoided or dealt with by implementing a PHC treatment program. Traditional landscape pest control programs rely on “cover sprays.” The selection of a cover spray is often based on the company’s knowledge of common pest problems and control measures in the service area. The cover-spray type, method, and timing are […]

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trees chainsaws and laddersdont mix

Trees, Saws and Ladders Don’t Mix

Trees, Saws, and Ladders Don’t Mix In February 2016, a homeowner was seriously injured after falling from a ladder while trimming branches from a tree in Frederick, Oklahoma. The man was using a chainsaw to trim broken limbs from the trees around his home. One of the limbs he severed fell into his ladder, knocking it over and causing the man to fall 12 feet to the ground. The man was discovered by a neighbor, lying face down in the yard beneath the tree. The badly bent ladder and chainsaw […]

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De-Icing Salt Can Harm Landscape Plants

De-Icing Salt Can Harm Landscape Plants

De-Icing Salt Can Harm Landscape Plants Each winter, vast quantities of de-icing salt are applied to state and municipal roads to keep them safe for commuters, and salt is spread near houses to avoid pedestrian injuries. This is necessary for safety, but did you know excessive salt can cause widespread damage to trees and shrubs – possibly leading to permanent decline and even death? De-Icing Salt Can Harm Landscape Plants Salt can be absorbed by the leaves, stems, and buds of trees.  Salt runoff washes from the pavement into the ground, […]

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Three Reasons Homeowners Should Leave Tree Work to the Professionals

Reasons You Should Leave Tree Work to the Professionals

Reasons You Should Leave Tree Work to the Professionals For the “do-it-yourself” homeowner, outsourcing tree work may seem like an unnecessary expense. But in reality, the costs of tackling tree care on your own can run high – damaged property, hospital bills, and a ruined landscape aren’t cheap. Most homeowners simply don’t have the tools, knowledge, or experience necessary to attempt their own tree work safely. We hear many unfortunate stories each year of homeowners getting severely injured or killed while attempting this dangerous, and often misunderstood, work on their own. Here […]

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Decay Can Cause Hazardous Defects in Trees Johnson-ops-tree-care

Decay in Trees

Decay Can Cause Hazardous Defects in Trees Tree failure is a major cause of residential property damage and the leading cause of power outages nationwide. There are many ways a tree can fail: an ice storm can overload all the branches on a tree, a hurricane or high wind can blow down a tree if its roots are compromised, or a cracked tree can fail under its own weight. Decay in Trees Cause Hazardous Defects in Trees. Homeowners who are worried about trees falling and damaging property should call a professional […]

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