How Tree Services Can Help With a Variety of Issues

Phoenix Tree Care can help with a variety of issues. From invasive plants and pests to pruning and removal, they’re experts at diagnosing tree health.

Properly planting trees is essential for their long-term health. Newly planted trees require consistent watering to establish a strong root system. However, overwatering can lead to rot and impedes the uptake of nutrients.

Tree pruning, or the selective removal of specific branches or limbs, is an important maintenance practice that promotes plant health and enhances appearance. It also can be used to reduce safety hazards and allow passage for vehicles, pedestrians, and animals. Pruning is best done early in the life of a landscape tree to improve structure and form, open vistas, repair storm damage, control size, and provide clearance for buildings or structures.

Good pruning practices include removal of dead, dying, or diseased branches; crowded or crossing branches; rubbing branches; water sprouts or suckers; and thorny or spiny branches. It is also recommended that all pruning cuts be made outside the bark collar (the thick part at the base of a stem) to limit wound infection.

In some species, including birch, maple, dogwood, and elm, a tree will release an excessive amount of sap when pruning occurs. This phenomenon, called bleeding, can be minimized by pruning these trees in late winter or early spring.

Most importantly, pruning is essential to maintaining public safety and property. Weak, rotting, or diseased limbs can fall during storms, interfere with power lines, and pose a threat to people or property. A professional can safely remove these branches and limbs to prevent injury or damage.

Removal

There are several reasons why a tree may need to be removed: it might be dead, or it might be in danger of falling over, possibly damaging property or posing a safety hazard to individuals in the area. This type of work is very involved and risky, and requires the services of a professional who has the necessary equipment to do it safely and effectively.

A good, reputable tree service will carry several kinds of insurance to protect them and their clients against any potential accidents. They will also use specialized equipment that can cut up and remove large parts of the tree with little to no damage to other trees or structures nearby. They will also provide a cleanup of the debris that is left behind, keeping your yard clean and clear.

Some types of trees are more difficult to remove than others, and this can factor into the overall cost of the service. Oftentimes, these include trees that are very close to houses, other buildings or power lines, or ones that have been damaged by storms.

Other factors that influence the cost of a removal are the size of the tree and its location, as well as any health or structural issues it might have. For example, a diseased or dying tree will be much more expensive to remove because it will have to be disposed of in a certain way that is more labor-intensive than simply cutting up and hauling away the pieces.

If a tree is growing in an awkward spot, it might also require removal to make room for other plants or to minimize the risk of damage to buildings or vehicles in the area when it falls. If a problem tree is in a very tight space, it can be nearly impossible for the average homeowner to do it themselves, and this is typically why they call a professional to take care of it for them.

Fertilization

Most people know that trees need sunshine and water to survive, but they may not realize they also require certain nutrients. In fact, trees need many of the same things that other plants do to thrive and are particularly vulnerable to environmental stresses and problems such as pests or disease. Proper care of landscape trees often includes a routine of supplemental fertilization to provide the essential elements necessary for proper growth and vigor.

The primary nutrients used by all woody species are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Most commercial fertilizers contain the three, along with other elements such as sulfur, calcium, magnesium and trace minerals. Amino acids are sometimes included to enhance nutrient absorption and improve plant growth. When choosing a fertilizer, look for one that is designed specifically for use with your type of tree and its location.

When to Fertilize

Most landscape trees benefit from regular supplemental fertilization, particularly young growing ones. A light surface application of a nitrogen based fertilizer from March through beginning of June will help promote rapid establishment. For mature trees, an application each fall can promote vigorous spring growth and help to prepare the tree for the winter.

A soil test is recommended prior to the first fertilizer application, as some types of soils may be deficient in phosphate or potassium, and some types of trees are more sensitive than others to excess nitrogen. The results of the test will determine whether the tree needs a nitrogen based fertilizer or if a different type is required, and how often it should be fertilized.

When determining how much fertilizer to apply, consider the size of the trunk at breast height, or diameter at breast height (dbh), and multiply that number by 1 or 1.5 to calculate the diameter (radius) of the root zone area in feet. This is the area where most of the roots are located.

Insect Control

Pests like borers, beetles and aphids can wreak havoc on a tree, leaving it vulnerable to other threats. Keeping your trees healthy can help them fight off these destructive bugs, though.

Some defoliating insects can quickly rob trees of all their leaves, suffocating them and starving them of vital energy. A healthy tree can usually bounce back from a one-time attack, but repeated attacks will eventually weaken the tree and make it more susceptible to insect infestations.

Insect control treatments are available to protect your trees from these harmful insects. Insecticide sprays can be applied to the foliage or bark of a tree to kill insects as they feed. Insecticides can also be applied to the soil around the base of a tree to kill insects that enter through the roots or trunk.

Other treatment methods are available to deal with specific insect problems, such as hemlock woolly adelgids, emerald ash borer and southern pine beetles. These treatments involve drenching the soil, injecting the insecticide directly into the tree or using a device to trap the insects in a special bug trap.

You can also try to attract beneficial insects that prey on tree-damaging pests. Ladybugs and other predatory insects can eat aphids, while dragonflies, beetles and spiders will hunt down borers and other harmful insects. Using mulch and planting a variety of local plants can also attract these natural predators. For some pests, such as the emerald ash borer, no preventative measures are available and it is often necessary to remove affected trees. However, you can slow the progress of the disease by removing invasive beetles as soon as they are found in your yard and sanitizing tools that have touched the insects to avoid spreading them to other homes.

Disease Control

Trees are vulnerable to many diseases and pests that attack in weakened or stressed conditions. Preventative tree care services that stop disease before it starts and curative treatment to eliminate infections that have already taken hold can help limit the damage. Your certified arborist will monitor the condition of your landscape trees regularly, providing you with early warning signs and timely action to prevent or control disease.

Some of the most common afflictions are caused by fungal organisms. These can include powdery mildew, leaf spots, blights, stem or root canker and bark rots. Symptoms can vary depending on the affected host species and site conditions.

For example, the fungus that causes pine needle rust is a serious problem in North Texas calcareous clay loam soils where summer temperatures are high. It typically results in discolored rusty red or brown needles. Other symptoms can include needle shedding and a general wilting of the foliage. This fungus cannot be treated with a fungicide.

Other fungi that can cause disease problems in the North Texas area are root, mushroom and Texas root rots. These fungi are particularly problematic in our clay-like soils, which allow water and nutrients to soak away too quickly. Symptoms of these diseases begin with light green spots that acquire a white coating, followed by a deterioration of the leaf tissue and a shriveling of fruit.

In addition to pruning and fertilization, the best way to prevent pest and disease issues is to plant the right trees in the right places. Your certified arborist can recommend tree species that are more resilient to diseases and pests to minimize the impact of these threats. Also, the soil on which your trees grow should be monitored to ensure it is well-draining and not overly saturated.