In December, 2016, Jeff was accepted as the newest member of the New Haven, Indiana, City Tree Commission.

The New Haven Tree Commission was created in 2011 to protect, create and enhance the natural treescape on public land in New Haven. New Haven was awarded the Tree City USA designation on Arbor Day, 2012. Through planting, pruning and educating the community the Commission works to enhance our natural resources.

Find out more about the NH Tree Commission by following them on facebook.

Recently, I was talking to Jeff about fall tree-care.  He mentioned that fertilization is something that can be a benefit to trees in the autumn, but most homeowners tend to think of tree fertilizing as a spring or summer job.  So I asked a few more questions!

‘Often in our articles, we use the terms “Arboriculture” and “Urban Forestry”. What is the difference?

Arboriculture is the science of care for an individual tree.  It is the focus, action plan and engagements to nurture and, if needed, repair that tree for better vitality and longevity.  If there are 5 trees in the yard, 100 trees in a park, or 20 trees in a parking lot, the arboricultural focus and science is still caring for one tree at a time.

Urban Forestry is what its name implies: in man-made settings and sites, the“community of trees” is the focus.  It is a management practice which usually doesn’t engage single trees.  Often, the term “canopy’ is applied in urban forestry.  Just as in a natural woodlands, one can see nearly contiguous leaf coverage, i.e. the canopy, in many urban environments.  One primary goal of UF is growing the canopy to cover the streets, parking lots and plazas.

Arboriculture spends a lot of time dealing with what the needs of the tree: massaging the givens that exist to make the tree more viable.  There are times where an arborist will ask, “Is this investment viable?  Is there good ROI for this tree and its owner?” Most times, however, an arborist will work to save each tree at all cost.

Urban Forestry spends a lot more time in planning, evaluating and assessing the needs of the sites and then establishing trees and tree management to work around and within the site’s limits.  Urban Foresters are tasked with balancing the needs of the trees with the planned use and development of the site- the trees are not the primary consideration.

While both arborists and urban foresters talk of “right tree, right place”, arborists have a much broader tolerance for the tree’s long-term future – and often the budget per tree is more expansive.  Urban Foresters have shorter time frames, tighter windows and usually few tree choices to fit the demanding sites.  Most UF’ers also have constricted budgets, so their per-tree cost must be controlled.

Arborists believe and act on the premise that all trees can have generational values, i.e. 50 years + on site.  Many of the sites with which Urban Foresters work actually prohibit longevity and so they plan for a rate of attrition which will prescribe the removal and replacement of trees routinely.  Often for every one hundred trees planted in an urban forestry project, or for every thousand trees in a city-scape, less than 50% will be still viable in 25 years.  Few will every become 50 years old.

As consultants, we practice in both arenas.  Goals statements are therefore critical for the proper plan and to achieve the desired outcomes.  Nearly every day, TreeMasters serves clients as tree management specialists, as tree evaluators, as tree doctors, and sometimes tree morticians!
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You can contact us any time to talk about your trees or your site.

Jeff often says that Autumn and Winter are the best time to prune trees.  Many people don't understand why that is, so I sat down with Jeff to make him answer some questions about seasonal pruning.

When is the best time to prune trees and shrubs? 
Most pruning can be done any time of the year, but winter is the ideal time to prune your trees and shrubs.
 
Why is that?
With the absence of leaves, the structure of the tree can more easily be seen, allowing us to quickly tell where to make the pruning cuts.  An arborist can also readily identify tree defects such as dead and broken limbs, cracks, crossing/rubbing branches, etc.   Also, pathogens or insects are rarely an issue with pruning cuts.  If there is any concern of infection however, pruning during winter can assure that an infection does not occur.
 
How can you accurately prune a tree when you can’t see any leaves? 
We can tell the difference between live and dead limbs when there are no leaves.  An arborist can tell this by the presence or absence of buds on the limbs as well as coloration.  Most of the dead wood is very obvious due to the difference in color and texture of the bark.
 
Will your equipment destroy my grass or other plants? 
In sensitive locations that may require access with equipment, we can often gain access more easily when the ground is frozen.  There is also reduced concern for damage to annual and perennial plantings.  Most often, however, our crews consist of one or more professional climbers that are able to perform all aerial work without the need for trucks or other heavy equipment that might otherwise damage the lawn.
 
What should I do if I have trees that need to be removed? 
Winter removals should be scheduled early to make sure the site is prepped for early spring replanting.  TreeMasters will help you find the perfect tree to fit your needs.

I hope that this post answered a lot of your questions!  If you still have questions about YOUR specific trees, please call the office and we'll help you make a plan designed for your landscape.

“A mature tree can often have an appraised value of between $1,000 and $10,000.”    —Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers

“In laboratory research, visual exposure to settings with trees has produced significant recovery from stress within five minutes, as indicated by changes in blood pressure and muscle tension.”    —Dr. Roger S. Ulrich Texas A&M University

Many people have lost trees over the last 12 months (or will be removing them this year) because of the extreme weather of 2012 or because of the Emerald Ash Borer.  Are those trees worth replacing?  I think the question to ask yourself is really, “Are these trees worth replacing TO ME?”  What is the value that you’re getting from the trees?  Beauty?  Shade?  Energy savings? Property value?
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​If you’ve been reading some of our previous postings, you’ll know we’ve been talking about pruning lately.  In our experience, a lot of pruning comes from installing the wrong tree or from planting the right tree in the wrong place.  As you’re considering trees, please consider the genetics of the tree (How tall does it get?  Do the branches tend to grow up or out? Is this tree a single stem or a multi-stem tree?) and also what the location provides (Is this a sunny or a shady spot?  Is it near a building or a sidewalk?  Does it tend to flood or be dry?  What is the soil composition?)  Not every tree does well in every spot.  We want you to enjoy your tree for years to come and not be fighting location or genetics.  Give us a call if you have questions about tree replacement!  We want to make a better future for your trees!

Though Site Impacts and Nutrition quality/defects are linked, we’re discussing them separately because our experience shows that tree fertilization is either ignored or overdone.  Both have consequences that produce negatives in a tree… and these negatives result in corrective pruning.
In urban and suburban landscapes, infertile soils and plant densities create stresses.  Add irrigation to the mix, and many landscape are nutrient deficient.  Many times, tree owners recognize the problem of deficient soils and attempt to create a solution without knowing proper fertilization methods. 
Often, homeowners or site managers practice direct “hand full of fertilizer” methodology… without thought to dosage or composition. This can cause more harm the benefit: Excessive nitrogen, for example, will stimulate long leggy growth; toxic amounts will kill leaves, twigs and often whole sections of plants.  Whether too much fertilizer or too little, the responses of the trees will demand corrective pruning.
Woody plants (like trees) grow best in a slow release, year-long nutrient exposure.  This will insure that your trees grow as intended.  Pruning will then be needed only to remove natural deadwood, crossing or interfering branches, or to free up window views or walkways.  
So – Long story short: proper fertilization not only keeps your trees healthy, it promotes proper growth which reduces pruning costs!  Spring is the perfect time to create a tree-care plan, so give us a call and we’ll make sure you’re making a better future for YOUR trees!

Trees require pruning for a variety of reasons.  In most yards, the primary directive for pruning is space or location, although homeowners and site managers also prune for aesthetic purposes.  Talk to an arborist as you’re making your decisions to plant ANY tree to insure that you have the right plant in the right location, and to establish a plan to help you maintain your vision.

Multi-stemmed and low-crotched trees, too, always widen as they grow.  Birch, Hawthorns, Crabapples and Magnolias are several common landscape trees where corrective pruning will be required if planted too close to structures and passageways.

Top pruning is required when trees grow upon to wires, rooflines or block views.

Shade density is often a characteristic where corrective pruning is sought; however, this seldom can be done to the satisfaction of situation and without harm to the tree’s future.  Concurrently, topping trees can never be justified.  It is not corrective pruning; it is “tree butchery”, with only negative consequences to follow.

Fighting genetic shape and density in trees is possible with trained and knowledgeable hands, but far too often, well meaning but unskilled pruners make matters worse and shorten the life of the tree.  Therefore, contacting a skilled arborist is necessary to protect your trees and your living spaces.

I asked Jeff what his definition of the differences are, and his answer was considerably shorter!

In short, Arborists have more training and are more rigorously tested.  They are assessed regularly and are required to maintain their certification with ongoing training.  Choosing an Arborist means you're getting better quality service!
Here at TreeMasters, our resident Tree Doctor, Jeff, is a registered consulting Arborist!  When you work with TreeMasters, you know that you're getting the best advice and the best tree-care.  We're making a better future for YOUR trees!