Month: November 2017

If you have trees in your landscape, you should already know the immense value they can bring to your property. More-so, you should be aware of the danger they may pose if left uncared for. Keeping your trees healthy, well pruned, and vibrant works to create a diverse landscape ecosystem while boosting your home’s curb appeal.

The Role of an Arborist in Your Tree Care

When in the planning stages or the implementation phase of your landscape, consulting an ISA Certified Arborist will keep you from making potentially costly mistakes. Some trees should never be planted near structures, while others (with invasive root systems) should not be located near water supply lines, driveways or asphalt.

As your landscape grows and ages, the role of a Certified Arborist is to help you maintain your trees properly pruned, trimmed, and more importantly – healthy. When those trees are compromised by disease, pest infestations or severe weather, it is a properly trained and equipped arborist who can determine the best course for its removal.

Watch how our Roswell Ga arborist (https://georgiaarborist.org/Sys/PublicProfile/246617/62524) coordinates the removal of a high-risk tree using a 275 ton crane:

What is an Arborist?

Simply put, an arborist is a tree care professional. They are trained and have invested significant time in the study of planting, caring for, treating, removing, and overall maintenance of trees, either individually or in an ecosystem.

What is an ISA Certified Arborist?

For nearly a century, the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) has been a fundamental part in both the science and education within the tree care industry.

To become an ISA Certified Arborist, an individual must reach a level of knowledge and practice in the art and science of tree care. To carry the title “certified”, a comprehensive exam (created and developed by leading tree care experts) must be passed. It cannot go without mentioning that this process and certification are completely voluntary.

It doesn’t stop there. In order to maintain certification, Certified Arborists must follow a strict code of ethics and continue their education. Due to this aspect alone, when you call on a Certified Arborist, more-than-likely, the individual will possess the most current knowledge and practice available in the tree care industry.

NOTE: ISA Certification can attest to the knowledge of a tree care professional. It does not measure the standards nor the quality of service or performance.

The Hiring of a Tree Care Professional

All ethical Certified Arborists will agree that the decision to hire a tree professional should not be taken lightly. It is important to do the research and “know” who you are contracting to manage your tree issues. All ISA certified arborist are listed here: http://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist/findanarborist

Look for reviews, ask for references, check out current or past projects to see (first hand) the quality of their work. It cannot be overstated, the necessity to be comfortable with the services provided by your tree professional, as that relationship may be ongoing for many years.

72tree.com staffs a master arborist to help Roswell residents with tree removal, cutting, disease, or assessment services. We look forward to assisting you and preserving the health of your trees and plants.

This article was first published on: http://www.72tree.com/what-is-an-isa-certified-arborist/

Life in central Indiana is good.  There is so much to be thankful for every day.  However, in November we give our blessings more thought than usual.  As you consider all the reasons you have to be thankful, don’t forget about trees.  Though you may rarely give trees a thought, they really do make life better in a variety of ways.  Here are just a few reasons to be thankful for trees:

Trees Encourage Better Breathing

Breathing is so natural that we rarely consider how reliant we are on our ability to breath in and out.  Yet the reality is that without the ability to breath, we cannot live.  In order for breathing to continue, we must have breathable air.  Trees contribute to the air composition in a significant way.  Their natural processes actually use carbon dioxide and give off oxygen, which people and animals need for life.  Trees (along with other plants) ensure a constant supply of oxygen for animal respiration.

Trees Reduce Pollution

Not only do trees provide the necessary constituents of our air, but they also reduce the pollutants that can affect air.  Odors, gases, and particles that pollute the air can be absorbed by the leaves and wood of a tree.  In this way, trees act as a natural air filter.  Trees also help to reduce water pollution by conducting water into the ground where it can be absorbed.  This reduces runoff and allows water to instead soak into the ground, where the soil filters out pollutants.

Trees Conserve Water and Energy

It’s terrible to waste the resources we have.  Trees help us to steward our natural resources, especially water and energy.  They help keep the nearby environment cooler by providing shade and by releasing water vapor into the air.  When trees are planted near homes and businesses, they diminish the amount of energy that is needed to cool these buildings.  Trees also reduce the rate of evaporation from the ground and keep more moisture available for lawns and other plants.

Trees Create a Functioning Habitat

In nature, organisms need each other.  Trees are no exception.  Many other plants and animals rely on the trees that they share an environment with.  Some animals nest in the branches of trees.  Others enjoy the shelter trees provide.  Some trees also provide food for animals.  The loss of trees from a habitat would have a destructive effect.

Trees Provide Resources

Not only do trees provide life-giving resources to surrounding animals, they also provide resources to people.  Wood from trees has long been a source of heating as well as a durable building material.  Trees also provide some of the best food that nature has to offer.  Fruit trees, such as apples and cherries, and nut trees, including walnuts, hickory nuts, and chestnuts, can easily be grown right here in central Indiana.

Trees Increase Property Values

The beauty of trees is obvious.  Whether the buds of early spring, the full green foliage of summer, or the brilliant colors of fall, trees attract our attention and please our eyes.  Trees bring beauty to any property and thereby raise the desirability and value of the property.  Since trees are relatively inexpensive to plant and maintain, they make good investments for any property, whether commercial or residential.

Trees Improve Relationships and Wellbeing

Imagine your neighborhood without trees.  If all the trees disappeared, would it make a difference in how you felt about yourself and your neighbors?  Research says that it would.  Trees provide many intangible benefits to individuals and communities.  They help bring a sense of unity by giving people comfortable places to gather together.  In addition, just enjoying the beauty of trees can comfort us and improve our overall outlook.

With all that trees contribute to the world, we should be thankful for them.  We should also take good care of them and ensure that they will endure for many years to come.  Ping’s can assist you in your tree care efforts.  Call us at 317-298-8482 to enlist our help with planting, fertilizing, trimming, or treating trees for pests or diseases.

This post first appeared on https://pingstreeservice.com

How to Care for Newly Planted Trees

As we tell our customers all the time, fall is the best time to plant a tree.  A previous blog explains that trees planted in the fall have the benefit of three seasons to adjust to a new environment before the stress of summer’s heat hits.   If you recently planted a tree on your residential or commercial property, you may be wondering how to best protect that investment.  There are simple steps that can ensure your newly planted tree gets off to a healthy start.

Provide Adequate Water

Water is essential to the ongoing life and health of every tree.  For a newly transplanted tree, it is especially important.  Planting is extremely stressful for a tree.  Without the established root system that trees develop over the years, a new transplant doesn’t have the ability to search the soil for needed moisture.  If a newly planted tree doesn’t get the hydration it needs while building a healthy root system, it may not survive. For this reason, it is important to water trees during dry periods for the first few years after planting during which time the root system is being established.

Weed Around the Tree

During times when the soil is dry, all plants will compete for whatever water can be found in the soil.  Since water is vital for a tree’s survival, you will want to make sure that there are no unwanted plants competing with your newly transplanted tree for water.  Get rid of all weeds that are growing near the base of the tree and weed regularly to make sure that these nuisance plants don’t have a chance to put down their own roots.

Apply Mulch Correctly

To help keep moisture in the soil around a newly planted tree, it is a good idea to mulch around the tree.  This will also prevent weeds from springing up and diverting moisture from the tree.  However, it is important to apply mulch correctly.  Mulching too heavily or too close to the base of the tree can cause serious damage to any tree.  For more information on how to mulch correctly, see our blog on this topic.

Delay Pruning

We’ve talked about what to do for your tree, but there are also things you should not do.  Heavy pruning is one tree care task that should not be done immediately after planting.  While sometimes it is necessary to take off a few branches, in most circumstances it is best to delay pruning for at least a year.  You don’t want to add more stress to an already stressed tree.

The investment of a tree can yield rewards for many years to come.  It is worthwhile to administer proper care to newly planted trees as they become healthy and established.  Put the effort in now and you will have a beautiful tree to enjoy for years to come.  Ping’s would love to partner with you in keeping your trees strong and healthy.  From planting to trimming to diagnosing problems, the experts at Ping’s know how to apply best tree care practices. We’ll help you get the most out of your tree investments.

This post first appeared on https://pingstreeservice.com