Last Updated on December 17, 2023 by Kimberly Crawford
Most homeowners with a wide property or a yard want to have and maintain at least a few trees. After all, trees have great value— from offering a cleaner and fresher air, providing you another level of security and privacy, to enhancing the overall aesthetic and ambiance of your property.
However, trees will need a lot of care and maintenance. A professional arborist can provide you with all the help you can get.
Arborist: Who Are They?
Think of an arborist as a tree doctor. They learned and mastered the arts of arboriculture which is the study of managing and cultivating shrubs, trees, vines, or other perennial woody plant life.
They study the function and structure of trees. Things like cultivation, growth, damage, diseases, de-compartmentalization of decay, pruning, and all aspects of tree surgery. In general, an arborist focuses on the safety and health of individual trees and plants, instead of managing forests. Thus, their scope of work is distinct from a forester.
When Will You Need An Arborist?
Check out this list to know when will you need to hire an arborist.
Trimming Overgrown Branches
Nothing screams of unruly and abandonment more than a bushy, dark yard with overgrown trees and branches. Bushy properties not only reduce your home’s aesthetics but also become a breeding ground for mosquitos and other animals.
While most trees mature slowly, there may come a time where your tree becomes too big or feature dense branches covering your yard. This is a sign that you need to trim your trees.
Most arborists recommend pruning a tree once every 1 – 3 years. This will depend on the water, growth, and the proximity of the tree to potential targets such as power lines or your home’s roofing.
While you can prune and trim those overgrown branches on your own, certified arborists have extensive knowledge of how much to prune for the optimal growth of your tree, where to make safe cuts, and how to properly dispose of the removed foliage. Some arborists even cut them to aesthetic shape for added appeal.
There’s a Storm Coming
Severe storms and weather may cause branches or an entire tree to fall, potentially endangering people, your home, buildings, other trees, or blocking paths. Downed trees are quite heavy, making them dangerous to trim or remove. Even if the tree didn’t completely fall down, a leaning tree branch or trunk can pose danger.
An arborist can help in performing emergency tree services while reducing further risk of damage to property and people. In addition, you shouldn’t attempt to remove branches or trees entangled in utility lines during storms or other natural disastrous events. It’s highly recommended to let a professional arborist do the job as well as calling your local power provider first.
Furthermore, most arborist also offers storm preparation and installation of support systems for trees. They can help mitigate tree safety risks by offering safety solutions such as tree bracing and cabling as well as helping in strengthening, de-stressing, and protecting your trees. Certified arborists also specialize in doing preventive, pre-storm inspections to assess tree risk and weakness to prepare your tree for severe weather.
Handling Diseased or Dying Trees
Trees are living things. They’re also prone to diseases, pests, and death. Thus, they also need care and monitoring in order to grow healthy and strong. Just like humans, trees also need professional help and treatment options when sick or injured.
A certified arborist can provide a comprehensive and personalized approach for your tree health care— from soil care and root protection to handling tree diseases and pests.
They should be able to inspect your trees and assess their conditions from below ground and above. They should be able to see whether your tree is dying or sick and come up with a customized plan to ensure your tree’s health and that they continue to thrive for years.
Removing a Tree
Unfortunately, there’ll be times when you need to cut down a tree. Whether you have a downed tree due to severe storms or a diseased tree beyond treatment, tree removal or cutting is your only option.
It’s important that you cut down trees before they end up collapsing and causing more damage to your family, home, or property. Cutting the tree on your own isn’t recommended and is unsafe. Tree removals are complex and mistakes can be dangerous and costly. So, make sure to hire a certified arborist to efficiently and safely remove the tree.
You Want a Tree
Maybe the problem is that you don’t even have a tree but want one or a few in your garden. Sprucing up your lawn by adding new green life isn’t an easy task.
Digging holes for trees is strenuous enough, but you should know that there are also different hole sizes for different breeds. Improper plantation can impact the longevity and growth of your trees. Most of the time, you’ll end up with a dead tree which you need to remove and replace with a new one.
The wasted costs, time, and effort can all be prevented by hiring professionals. Also, arborists can help in evaluating several important factors for properly planting a tree that won’t pose a future threat to the safety of your property and home. They have the necessary tool, experience, and knowledge to ensure that the right tree is planted in the right place.
Moving The Tree
Regardless of how much you value your tree, there are times that it may seem out of place, and consider transplanting it.
Maybe you want to reorganize your backyard and your tree is in the way? Or you made the mistake of planting your tree too close to your home? Maybe it just overgrew its spaces and intrudes on other younger trees and plants?
Regardless of your reason, transplanting your tree can help preserve it and moving it to a much better place. Unfortunately, transplanting a tree is no easy task, particularly if you’re moving mature trees.
Hiring an expert arborist with the right tools and experience can ensure the survival of the tree during relocation.
Conclusion
Trees are important. So important that some people even consider them as the single most necessary thing on this planet next to bees.
So, if you’re lucky enough to have at least a few trees on your property, make sure that they’re pruned and maintained to perfection with the help of an arborist so that you can enjoy all the benefits they have to offer.