Tree services refer to a range of services related to the care and maintenance of trees. These services can include tree planting, pruning, shaping, cabling and bracing, fertilization, pest and disease management, and tree removal.
Tree services are important for a variety of reasons, including:
1. Safety: Trees that are overgrown or diseased can pose a safety hazard to people and property. Tree trimming and removal can help prevent potential accidents.
2. Aesthetics: Proper pruning and shaping can enhance the overall appearance of a tree and make it more attractive.
3. Health: Tree services can help maintain the health of trees by removing dead or diseased branches, fertilizing, and treating pests or diseases.
4. Property value: Trees can add value to a property, and regular tree care can help maintain or even increase that value.
5. Environmental storm waters play an important role in the ecosystem by providing oxygen, sequestering carbon, and providing habitat for wildlife.
6. Utility: Trees can also be used to provide shade, windbreaks, and privacy, as well as to help mitigate storm water runoff.
Overall, tree services are important to keep the trees healthy, beautiful, and safe, and to protect the environment and our community.
Tree services refer to a range of services related to the care and maintenance of trees. These services may include tree trimming, pruning, planting, and removal. Other services may include stump grinding, tree fertilization, and disease control. Tree services may be performed by professional arborists or tree care companies, and may be needed for both residential and commercial properties.
Process of tree service
The process of tree service can vary depending on the specific task being performed, but generally includes the following steps:
1. Inspection: A tree service professional will inspect the tree or trees in question to assess their condition and determine the appropriate course of action.
2. Planning: Based on the inspection, the tree service professional will develop a plan for the work to be done, including any necessary equipment and personnel.
3. Pruning: If pruning is needed, the tree service professional will use specialized tools to remove dead, diseased, or overgrown branches.
4. Removal: If the tree is dead or poses a safety hazard, it may need to be removed. The tree service professional will use specialized equipment such as chainsaws and cranes to safely take down the tree.
5. Cleanup: After the tree has been pruned or removed, the tree service professional will clean up any debris and remove it from the property.
6. Stump Grinding: If the tree was removed, the tree service professional may also grind down the remaining stump to prevent regrowth and allow for new landscaping.
7. Maintenance: Finally, the tree service professional may recommend ongoing maintenance to ensure that the tree(s) remain healthy and safe.
Tree services are a range of services that pertain to the care, maintenance, and removal of trees. These services may include tree trimming and pruning, tree removal, tree planting, and stump grinding. Tree trimming and pruning involve removing dead or overgrown branches from a tree to promote healthy growth and reduce the risk of damage or injury caused by falling branches. Tree removal is the process of cutting down and removing a tree from a property. Tree planting involves selecting and planting new trees in a landscape. Stump grinding is the process of removing the remaining tree stump after a tree has been cut down. These services can be performed by professional arborists or tree care companies who have the necessary equipment and expertise to safely and effectively manage trees.
Tree services refer to a variety of tasks related to the maintenance and care of trees. These services can include planting, pruning, trimming, cabling and bracing, fertilization, pest and disease control, and tree removal.
Planting: This involves selecting the appropriate tree species for a specific location and preparing the soil for planting.
Pruning: This involves removing dead, diseased, or damaged branches to improve the overall health and appearance of the tree.
Trimming: This involves removing branches that are too close to power lines, buildings, or other structures, or that are blocking views.
Cabling and bracing: This involves installing cables and/or braces to support weak or damaged branches.
Fertilization: This involves applying fertilizer to the tree’s root zone to promote growth and health.
Pest and disease control: This involves identifying and treating pests or diseases that are affecting the tree.
Tree removal: This involves cutting down and removing a tree that is dead, diseased, or in a dangerous location.
Tree services can be performed by professional arborists, who are trained in the proper techniques for caring for trees.
Apart from grasses and flowers, trees can also make properties appealing and valuable. However, maintaining trees requires more time and effort which some homeowners do not have. Apart from that, some homeowners do not have sufficient knowledge of maintaining trees. Because of this, more and more homeowners opt for the services of experts. Of course, hiring experts can be costly, but these experts can provide you with amazing features. Below are some of the following.
Ensure tree health
One of the main reasons why homeowners opt for tree service providers is to ensure their health. Of course, like humans, trees can also experience diseases due to unstable weather conditions as well as viruses. Because of this, health and appearance can be affected easily. By working with tree service providers, these issues can be prevented immediately. This is possible since these service providers have the skills and knowledge in diagnosing and treating trees. As a result, trees can make properties more valuable once again.
Maintain trees properly
The next reason why homeowners work with service providers is to maintain trees properly and efficiently. Water, trimming, and fertilizing are only some of the most essential tasks homeowners make to maintain their trees. However, trees also have essential needs. And, service providers can offer trees the right solution they need. For instance, when dealing with pests, homeowners can make use of pesticides. Unfortunately, there are cases when these items cannot match your needs. Luckily, experts can provide you with reliable services like micro-trunk injections. These services help trees in treating pests easily.
Provide them with assistance in growing trees
Another reason homeowners hire service specialists is to provide them with assistance in growing trees. Surely, some homeowners wish to grow their s. But, accomplishing such a task can be difficult. It gets even worse if you do not have the right skills and knowledge. With the help of tree experts, they can assist you in achieving your goal.
Better access to different types of tree services
Finally, working with service providers can also help homeowners to have better access to related services. As of now, there are numerous services homeowners can choose from. And, each service provides the bene for your trees. As a result, maintaining timber can be easier and more efficient.
These are only some of the reasons why it is homeowners should work with tree services experts
This professional makes taking care of trees residential in areas, individuals, or even factories or companies. Having to use a tree service can mean that you have dying or dead trees that need to be removed before they become a hazard, that several severe properties need to be pruned, etc. It is very important to note that not all companies who offer that service operate identically so make sure that you are hiring a tree service company that can scan the needs of the tree you are concerned about. All companies should be insured and bonded. For example, if you have an unsightly or dead tree that you need moved make to move that when the job is finished that the company will take away every piece of the tree, or trees and that the removal has been done efficiently and safe.
If you need to have tree care for your live trees you want to be sure that the company has the knowledge to care for these trees. They should also know how to safely remove any dead branches without damaging the live tree and they know how to do selective topping and pruning. The owner and employees should also be an arborist, who is a professional to care for a variety of trees. If you hire an individual or company who is not that arborist you could inadvertently hire someone that will botch your trees and cause them to possibly become diseased, die, or grow abnormally.
A knowledgeable tree service company will also be happy to give a potential client free estimate estimates are going to do and the cost for each service along with other information pertinent to the estimate. You should make sure that you get at least two estimates and compare them before making your final decision. One thing that the homeowner should make sure is in the estimate is that they will do a total cleanup and the removal of any debris from the job. Many reputable tree service companies will also take the time to discuss with the homeowner any landscape goals they have. They will be able to show the homeowner which trees in your yard that could hinder other grasses or plant growth plant the area. If the tree service company has looked your trees over and spots any diseases they will tell you about them so you can have them treated so the trees will not die. Most will use a tree service when trees are starting to bud or become dormant.
Tree Pruning Service
Tree Pruning Service
Pruning Practices That Harm Trees
Topping and tipping are pruning practices that harm trees and should not be used. Crown reduction pruning is the preferred method to reduce the size or height of the crown of a tree, but is rarely needed and should be used infrequently.
Topping, the pruning of large upright branches between nodes, is sometimes done to reduce the height of a tree. Tipping is a practice of cutting lateral branches between nodes to reduce crown width.
These practices invariably result in the development of epicormics sprouts, or in the death of the cut branch back to the next lateral branch below. These epicormics sprouts are weakly attached to the stem and eventually will be supported by a decaying branch.
Improper pruning cuts cause unnecessary injury and bark ripping.
When to Prune
Conifers may be pruned any time of year, but pruning during the dormant season may minimize sap and resin flow from cut branches.
Hardwood trees and shrubs without showy flowers: prune in the dormant season to easily visualize the structure of the tree, to maximize wound closure in the growing season after pruning, to reduce the chance of transmitting disease, and to discourage excessive sap flow from wounds. Recent wounds and the chemical scents they emit can actually attract insects that spread tree disease. In particular, wounded elm wood is known to attract bark beetles that harbor spores of the Dutch elm disease fungus, and open wounds on oaks are known to attract beetles that spread the oak wilt fungus. Take care to prune these trees during the correct time of year to prevent spread of these fatal diseases. Contact your local tree disease specialist to find out when to prune these tree species in your area. Usually, the best time is during the late fall and winter.
Flowering trees and shrubs: these should also be pruned during the dormant season for the same reasons stated above; however, to preserve the current year’s flower crop, prune according to the following schedule:
Trees and shrubs that flower in early spring (redbud, dogwood, etc.) should be pruned immediately after flowering (flower buds arise the year before they flush, and will form on the new growth). ? Many flowering trees are susceptible to fire blight, a bacterial disease that can be spread by pruning. These trees, including many varieties of crabapple, hawthorn, pear, mountain ash, flowering quince and pyracantha, should be pruned during the dormant season. Check with your county extension agent or a horticulturist for additional information.
Trees and shrubs that flower in the summer or fall always should be pruned during the dormant season (flower buds will form on new twigs during the next growing season, and the flowers will flush normally).
Dead branches: can be removed any time of the year.
Pruning Tools
Proper tools are essential for satisfactory pruning. The choice of which tool to use depends largely on the size of branches to be pruned and the amount of pruning to be done. If possible, test a tool before you buy it to ensure it suits your specific needs. As with most things, higher quality often equates to higher cost.
Generally speaking, the smaller a branch is when pruned, the sooner the wound created will seal. Hand pruners are used to prune small branches (under 2.5 cm diameter) and many different kinds are available. Hand pruners can be grouped into by-pass or anvil styles based on the blade configuration. Anvil style pruners have a straight blade that cuts the branch against a small anvil or block as the handles are squeezed. By-pass pruners use a curved cutting blade that slides past a broader lower blade, much like a scissors. To prevent unnecessary tearing or crushing of tissues, it is best to use a by-pass style pruner. Left- or right-handed types can be purchased.
Slightly larger branches that cannot be cut with a hand pruner may be cut with small pruning saws (up to 10 cm) or lopping shears (up to 7 cm diameter) with larger cutting surfaces and greater leverage. Lopping shears are also available in by-pass and anvil styles.
For branches too large to be cut with a hand pruner or lopping shears, pruning saws must be used. Pruning saws differ greatly in handle styles, the length and shape of the blade, and the layout and type of teeth. Most have tempered metal blades that retain their sharpness for many pruning cuts. Unlike most other saws, pruning saws are often designed to cut on the “pull-stroke.”
Chain saws are preferred when pruning branches larger than about 10 cm. Chainsaws should be used only by qualified individuals. To avoid the need to cut branches greater than 10 cm diameter, prune when branches are small.
Pole pruners must be used to cut branches beyond reach. Generally, pruning heads can cut branches up to 4.4 cm diameter and are available in the by-pass and anvil styles. Once again, the by-pass type is preferred. For cutting larger branches, saw blades can be fastened directly to the pruning head, or a separate saw head can be purchased. Because of the danger of electrocution, pole pruners should not be used near utility lines except by qualified utility line clearance personnel.
To ensure that satisfactory cuts are made and to reduce fatigue, keep your pruning tools sharp and in good working condition. Hand pruners, lopping shears, and pole pruners should be periodically sharpened with a sharpening stone. Replacement blades are available for many styles. Pruning saws should be professionally sharpened or periodically replaced. To reduce cost, many styles have replaceable blades.
Tools should be clean and sanitized as well as sharp. Although sanitizing tools may be inconvenient and seldom practiced, doing so may prevent the spread of disease from infected to healthy trees on contaminated tools. Tools become contaminated when they come into contact with fungi, bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms that cause disease in trees. Most pathogens need some way of entering the tree to cause disease, and fresh wounds are perfect places for infections to begin. Microorganisms on tool surfaces are easily introduced into susceptible trees when subsequent cuts are made. The need for sanitizing tools can be greatly reduced by pruning during the dormant season.
If sanitizing is necessary it should be practiced as follows: Before each branch is cut, sanitize pruning tools with either 70% denatured alcohol, or with liquid household bleach diluted 1 to 9 with water (1 part bleach, 9 parts water). Tools should be immersed in the solution, preferably for 1-2 minutes, and wood particles should be wiped from all cutting surfaces. Bleach is corrosive to metal surfaces, so tools should be thoroughly cleaned with soap and water after each use.
Treating wounds
Tree sap, gums, and resins are the natural means by which trees combat invasion by pathogens. Although unsightly, sap flow from pruning wounds is not generally harmful; however, excessive “bleeding” can weaken trees.
When oaks or elms are wounded during a critical time of year (usually spring for oaks, or throughout the growing season for elms) -either from storms, other unforeseen mechanical wounds, or from necessary branch removals — some type of wound dressing should be applied to the wound. Do this immediately after the wound is created. In most other instances, wound dressings are unnecessary, and may even be detrimental. Wound dressings will not stop decay or cure infectious diseases. They may actually interfere with the protective benefits of tree gums and resins, and prevent wound surfaces from closing as quickly as they might under natural conditions. The only benefit of wound dressings is to prevent introduction of pathogens in the specific cases of Dutch elm disease and oak wilt.
Pruning Guidelines
To encourage the development of a strong, healthy tree, consider the following guidelines when pruning.
General
Prune first for safety, next for health, and finally for aesthetics.
Never prune trees that are touching or near utility lines; instead consult your local utility company.
Avoid pruning trees when you might increase susceptibility to important pests (e.g. in areas where oak wilt exists, avoid pruning oaks in the spring and early summer; prune trees susceptible to fire blight only during the dormant season).
Use the following decision guide for size of branches to be removed: 1) under 5 cm diameter – go ahead, 2) between 5 and 10 cm diameter – think twice, and 3) greater than 10 cm diameter – have a good reason.
Crown Thinning? Assess how a tree will be pruned from the top down.
Favor branches with strong, U-shaped angles of attachment. Remove branches with weak, V-shaped angles of attachment and/or included bark. ? Ideally, lateral branches should be evenly spaced on the main stem of young trees. Remove any branches that rub or cross another branch.
Make sure that lateral branches are no more than one-half to three-quarters of the diameter of the stem to discourage the development of co-dominant stems.
Always maintain live branches on at least two-thirds of a tree’s total height. Removing too many lower branches will hinder the development of a strong stem.
Remove basal sprouts and vigorous epicormic sprouts.
Crown Reduction
Use crown reduction pruning only when absolutely necessary. Make the pruning cut at a lateral branch that is at least one-third the diameter of the stem to be removed.
If it is necessary to remove more than half of the foliage from a branch, remove the entire branch.
Kaysville is a city in Davis County, Utah. It is part of the Ogden–Clearfield metropolitan area. The population was 27,300 at the time of the 2010 census, with an estimated population of 32,390 in 2019.
TruCo is a great company to work with for your commercial landscaping and snow removal needs! Rob is excellent to work with. He is very timely in providing quotes and has a lot of great feedback and suggestions to provide on what will look great, fit within your budget, and is knowledgeable on plants that will thrive with Utah's ever changing weather conditions. I have been impressed with TruCo's landscape maintenance as well as landscape projects which have had a quick turnaround time. I would highly recommend using TruCo!
I experienced excellent all around service from landscape improvement design, scheduling and professional installation completed within the timeline we discussed. Rob, the manager does an excellent job of communicating, overseeing the install crew and making sure his customers are 100% satisfied with the job. Highly recommend TruCo for all landscaping needs.
We hired TruCo to do a new install of sprinklers, sod, spigot, and bury downspouts. We even have a wifi transmitter for our control box we can access from an app on our phones! We absolutely love the professionalism and quality of their work!! Our sales rep Pete was the best to work with, we highly recommend him to anyone in the market for landscaping. It was awesome seeing the finished results and we're incredibly excited to enjoy our new space!
TruCo installed all of our plants, trees and shrubs, drip lines, and boulders. Then they installed our amazing beautiful firepit. We loved the results and they guarantee all plants and trees up to a year. They were great and easy to work with. They listened to our needs and wants and met them 100%. Our HOA sent us a letter telling us they appreciate all the work and the way our yard looks and let us know we added value to the property. Win/Win
Avoid working for this company. They will promise you things to get you in, then tell you there is no documentation about said things. Extremely unprofessional.
Update to response - please dont try to justify. PTO was promised by the hiring manager on day 1 due to the conditions. Your company refusing to honor the agreement and tell me that there is no documentation is the problem. I quit after being told that you would not honor the PTO, not before.
Tree Doctor
Tree Doctor
A Tree Doctor, tree surgeon, or (less commonly) arboriculturist, is a professional in the practice of arboriculture, which is the cultivation, management, and study of individual trees, shrubs, vines, and other perennial woody plants in dendrology and horticulture.
Tree doctors generally focus on the health and safety of individual plants and trees, rather than managing forests (the domains of forestry and silviculture) or harvesting wood. A tree doctor’s scope of work is therefore distinct from that of either a forester or a logger, though the professions share much in common.
The following are signs that a tree should be examined by a Tree Doctor Specialist:
• Leaves appearing later than usual
• Leaves falling off earlier than normal
• Discolored leaves or leaves without veins or with odd nodules
• Bark that forms bumps or is split, cracked or peeling
• Dead branches near the top of the tree
• Fungus growing around the trunk, mushrooms forming around roots or twigs growing from the trunk
A tree doctor may conduct a variety of tests to determine the best course of action, including a soil analysis. For proper growth, trees need soil that contains a particular balance of 15 mineral elements. The tree doctor may also test soil acidity or alkalinity. Fertilizer or soil amendments may make the soil a healthier tree environment.
If you’re thinking of hiring a tree doctor, contact well-reviewed local tree service companies and ask if they have a tree doctor on staff. Consider the individual’s level of education, certification and experience, as well as the company’s online reputation with other consumers.
A tree doctor, tree surgeon, or (less commonly) arboriculturist, is a professional in the practice of arboriculture, which is the cultivation, management, and study of individual trees, shrubs, vines, and other perennial woody plants in dendrology and horticulture.
Tree doctors generally focus on the health and safety of individual plants and trees, rather than managing forests or harvesting wood (forestry or silviculture). A tree doctor’s scope of work is therefore distinct from that of either a forester or a logger.
Scope of work
In order for tree doctors to work near power wires, either additional training is required or they need to be certified as a Qualified Line Clearance Tree doctor or Utility Tree doctor (there may be different terminology for various countries). There is a variety of minimum distances that must be kept from power wires depending on voltage, however the common distance for low voltage lines in urban settings is 10 feet (about 3 metres).
Tree doctors who climb (as not all do) can use a variety of techniques to ascend into the tree. The least invasive, and most popular technique used is to ascend on rope. There are two common methods of climbing, Single Rope System (SRS) and Moving Rope System (MRS). When personal safety is an issue, or the tree is being removed, tree doctors may use ‘spikes’, (also known as ‘gaffs’ or ‘spurs’) attached to their chainsaw boots with straps to ascend and work. Spikes wound the tree, leaving small holes where each step has been.
An tree doctor’s work may involve very large and complex trees, or ecological communities and their abiotic components in the context of the landscape ecosystem. These may require monitoring and treatment to ensure they are healthy, safe, and suitable to property owners or community standards. This work may include some or all of the following: planting; transplanting; pruning; structural support; preventing, or diagnosing and treating phytopathology or parasitism; preventing or interrupting grazing or predation; installing lightning protection; and removing vegetation deemed as hazardous, an invasive species, a disease vector, or a weed.
Tree doctors may also plan, consult, write reports and give legal testimony. While some aspects of this work are done on the ground or in an office, much of it is done by tree doctors who perform tree services and who climb the trees with ropes, harnesses and other equipment. Lifts and cranes may be used too. The work of all tree doctors is not the same. Some may just provide a consulting service; others may perform climbing, pruning and planting: whilst others may provide a combination of all of these services.
Qualifications
Tree doctors gain qualifications to practice arboriculture in a variety of ways and some tree doctors are more qualified than others. Experience working safely and effectively in and around trees is essential. Tree doctors tend to specialize in one or more disciplines of arboriculture, such as diagnosis and treatment of pests, diseases and nutritional deficiencies in trees, climbing and pruning, cabling and lightning protection, or perhaps consultation and report writing. All these disciplines are related and some tree doctors are very well experienced in all areas of tree work, but not all tree doctors have the training or experience to properly practice every discipline.
Tree doctors choose to pursue formal certification, which is available in some countries and varies somewhat by location. An tree doctor who holds certification in one or more disciplines may be expected to participate in rigorous continuing education requirements to ensure continuous improvement of skills and techniques.
Cultural practices
Tree doctors may use specialized vehicles to gain access to trees, such as this Unimog equipped with a power take-off driven wood chipper.
Trees in urban landscape settings are often subject to disturbances, whether human or natural, both above and below ground. They may require care to improve their chances of survival following damage from either biotic or abiotic causes. Tree doctors can provide appropriate solutions, such as pruning trees for health and good structure, for aesthetic reasons, and to permit people to walk under them (a technique often referred to as “crown raising”), or to keep them away from wires, fences and buildings (a technique referred to as “crown reduction”). Timing and methods of treatment depend on the species of tree and the purpose of the work. To determine the best practices, a thorough knowledge of local species and environments is essential.
There can be a vast difference between the techniques and practices of professional tree doctors and those of inadequately trained tree workers who simply “trim trees”. Some commonly offered “services” are considered unacceptable by modern arboricultural standards and may seriously damage, disfigure, weaken, or even kill trees. One such example is tree topping, lopping, or “hat-racking”, where entire tops of trees or main stems are removed, generally by cross-cutting the main stem(s) or leaders, leaving large unsightly stubs. Trees that manage to survive such treatment are left prone to a spectrum of detrimental effects, including vigorous but weakly attached regrowth, pest susceptibility, pathogen intrusion, and internal decay.
Pruning should only be done with a specific purpose in mind. Every cut is a wound, and every leaf lost is removal of some photosynthetic potential. Proper pruning can be helpful in many ways, but should always be done with the minimum amount of live tissue removed.
In recent years, research has proven that wound dressings such as paint, tar or other coverings are unnecessary and may harm trees. The coverings may encourage growth of decay-causing fungi. Proper pruning, by cutting through branches at the right location, can do more to limit decay than wound dressing.
Chemicals can be applied to trees for insect or disease control through soil application, stem injections or spraying. Compacted or disturbed soils can be improved in various ways.
Tree doctors can also assess trees to determine the health, structure, safety or feasibility within a landscape and in proximity to humans. Modern arboriculture has progressed in technology and sophistication from practices of the past. Many current practices are based on knowledge gained through recent research, including that of Alex Shigo, considered one “father” of modern arboriculture.
Legal issues
Depending on the jurisdiction, there may be a number of legal issues surrounding the practices of tree doctors, including boundary issues, public safety issues, “heritage” trees of community value; and “neighbor” issues such as ownership, obstruction of views, impacts of roots crossing boundaries, nuisance problems, disease or insect quarantines, and safety of nearby trees.
Tree doctors are frequently consulted to establish the factual basis of disputes involving trees, or by private property owners seeking to avoid legal liability through the duty of care. Tree doctors may be asked to assess the value of a tree in the process of an insurance claim for trees damaged or destroyed, or to recover damages resulting from tree theft or vandalism. In cities with tree preservation orders an tree doctor’s evaluation of tree hazard may be required before a property owner may remove a tree, or to assure the protection of trees in development plans and during construction operations. Carrying out work on protected trees and hedges is illegal without express permission from local authorities, and can result in legal action including fines. Homeowners who have entered into contracts with a homeowner’s association may need an tree doctor’s professional opinion of a hazardous condition prior to removing a tree, or may be obligated to assure the protection of the views of neighboring properties prior to planting a tree or in the course of pruning. Tree doctors may be consulted in forensic investigations where the evidence of a crime can be determined within the growth rings of a tree, for example. Tree doctors may be engaged by one member of a dispute in order to identify factual information about trees useful to that member of the dispute, or they can be engaged as an expert witness providing unbiased scientific knowledge in a court case. Homeowners associations seeking to write restrictive covenants, or legislative bodies seeking to write laws involving trees, may seek the counsel of tree doctors in order to avoid future difficulties.
Cedar City is the largest city in Iron County, Utah, United States. It is located 250 miles (400 km) south of Salt Lake City, and 170 miles (270 km) north of Las Vegas on Interstate 15. It is the home of Southern Utah University, the Utah Shakespeare Festival, the Utah Summer Games, the Simon Fest Theatre Co., and other events. As of the 2010 census the city had a population of 28,857, up from 20,257 in 2000. As of 2019, the estimated population was 34,764.
TruCo is a great company to work with for your commercial landscaping and snow removal needs! Rob is excellent to work with. He is very timely in providing quotes and has a lot of great feedback and suggestions to provide on what will look great, fit within your budget, and is knowledgeable on plants that will thrive with Utah's ever changing weather conditions. I have been impressed with TruCo's landscape maintenance as well as landscape projects which have had a quick turnaround time. I would highly recommend using TruCo!
I experienced excellent all around service from landscape improvement design, scheduling and professional installation completed within the timeline we discussed. Rob, the manager does an excellent job of communicating, overseeing the install crew and making sure his customers are 100% satisfied with the job. Highly recommend TruCo for all landscaping needs.
We hired TruCo to do a new install of sprinklers, sod, spigot, and bury downspouts. We even have a wifi transmitter for our control box we can access from an app on our phones! We absolutely love the professionalism and quality of their work!! Our sales rep Pete was the best to work with, we highly recommend him to anyone in the market for landscaping. It was awesome seeing the finished results and we're incredibly excited to enjoy our new space!
TruCo installed all of our plants, trees and shrubs, drip lines, and boulders. Then they installed our amazing beautiful firepit. We loved the results and they guarantee all plants and trees up to a year. They were great and easy to work with. They listened to our needs and wants and met them 100%. Our HOA sent us a letter telling us they appreciate all the work and the way our yard looks and let us know we added value to the property. Win/Win
Avoid working for this company. They will promise you things to get you in, then tell you there is no documentation about said things. Extremely unprofessional.
Update to response - please dont try to justify. PTO was promised by the hiring manager on day 1 due to the conditions. Your company refusing to honor the agreement and tell me that there is no documentation is the problem. I quit after being told that you would not honor the PTO, not before.
Tree Care
Tree Care
Tree care is the application of arboricultural methods like pruning, trimming, and felling or thinning in built environments. Road verge, greenways, backyard and park woody vegetation are at the center of attention for the tree care industry. Landscape architecture and urban forestry also set high demands on professional tree care. High safety standards against the dangers of tree care have helped the industry evolve. Especially felling in space-limited environments poses significant risks: the vicinity of power or telephone lines, insufficient protective gear (against falling dead wood, chainsaw wounds, etc.) and narrow felling zones with endangered nearby buildings, parking cars, etc. The required equipment and experience usually transcends private means and is often considered too costly as a permanent part of the public infrastructure. In singular cases, traditional tools like handsaws may suffice, but large-scale tree care usually calls for heavy machinery like cranes, bucket trucks, harvesters, and wood chippers.
Road side trees are especially prone to abiotic stress by exhaust fumes, toxic road debris, soil compaction, and drought which makes them susceptible to fungal infections and various plant pests. When tree removal is not an option, because of road ecology considerations, the main challenge is to achieve road safety (visibility of road signs, blockage-free lanes, etc.) while maintaining tree health.
Tree Care Tips & Techniques
These comprehensive tree care tips will guide you through the process of selecting, planting, and caring for the right tree for your space.
It’s important to remember that proper tree care starts when you select a tree. And what you do to your tree in its first few years of life will affect its shape, strength, and even its lifespan. Following these steps will make sure your tree gets a good start for a healthy life.
Choosing the Right Type of Tree
Proper tree care begins with selecting the right tree and planting it in the right place. Make sure your tree will thrive — especially once fully grown — where you want to plant it. Things to consider include:
The tree’s purpose. Are you planting it for aesthetics, privacy, shade/energy reduction, windbreak, or as a street tree? Your end goal will determine the suitability of different trees.
Right Tree, Right Place
Short, flowering trees don’t clash with overhead utility lines. Large deciduous trees on the southeast, southwest, and west provide cooling shade in the summer but don’t obstruct the warming winter sunlight. An evergreen windbreak to the north blocks cold winds in winter.
Selecting a Healthy Tree
Good tree care starts with a healthy tree. Here’s what to look for to ensure your tree can provide a lifetime of benefits.
Bare-Root Seedlings
Roots should be moist and fibrous.
Deciduous seedlings should have roots about equal to stem length.
Balled and Bur lapped Trees
Root ball should be firm to the touch, especially near the trunk.
Root ball should be adequate for the tree’s size.
Container-Grown Trees
Container should not contain large, circling roots.
Pruned roots should be cut cleanly, none wider than a finger.
Soil and roots should be joined tightly.
Additional considerations when purchasing a mature tree include:
A strong, well-developed leader (or leaders in a multi-leader tree).
Bright, healthy bark.
Trunk and limbs free of insect or mechanical injury.
Branches well-distributed around trunk, considerably smaller caliper than trunk.
Ideal spacing between branches, at least 8–12” for most species.
Good trunk taper.
Wide-angle crotches for strength.
Low branches — they are temporary but help develop taper, promote trunk caliper growth, and prevent sun damage.
Planting a Tree
Planting Bare Root Trees
Planting Balled and Burlapped Trees
Planting Containerized Trees
Proper Mulching
Mulch is a newly planted tree’s best friend because it:
Insulates the soil, helping to provide a buffer from heat and cold.
Retains water to help the roots stay moist.
Keeps weeds out to avoid root competition.
Prevents soil compaction.
Reduces lawn mower damage.
Steps to Adding Mulch around Your Tree
Remove any grass within a 3-foot area (up to 10 feet for larger tree).
Pour natural mulch such as wood chips or bark pieces 2 to 4 inches deep within the circle.
Keep the mulch from touching the trunk of the tree.
Tree Watering
Tree watering is a key part of tree care, but it is difficult to recommend an exact amount due to the variety of climates. A few guidelines will help you to water your trees properly.
Watering Newly Planted Trees
For new trees, water immediately after you plant a tree. Usually 30 seconds with a steady stream of water from a garden hose w/ a diffuser nozzle per tree seedling is sufficient.
Watering Trees during First Two Years
During the first couple growing seasons, your newly planted tree is expending a lot of energy trying to get its roots established in the soil. Especially during the first few summers of your new trees life, it will have a difficult time dealing with heat and drought. You can make this easier by providing water and covering the soil with wood-chip mulch. Deep watering can help speed the root establishment. Deep water consists of keeping the soil moist to a depth that includes all the roots.
How Much Water and When
Not enough water is harmful for the tree, but too much water is bad as well. Over-watering is a common tree care mistake. Please note that moist is different than soggy, and you can judge this by feel. A damp soil that dries for a short period will allow adequate oxygen to permeate the soil.
You can check soil moisture by using a garden trowel and inserting it into the ground to a depth of 2”, and then move the blade of the trowel back and forth to create a small narrow trench. Then use your finger to touch the soil. If it is moist to the touch, then they do not need water.
Drought-Tolerant Species
If your area constantly deals with drought you will want to consider trees listed as drought-tolerant. Some drought-tolerant species include Arizona Cypress, Japanese Zelkova, White Fir, and Kentucky Coffee tree.
Moisture-Tolerant Species
On the opposite side of the spectrum if your area deals with a large amount of moisture or wet conditions, here are a few trees that will do better in wet conditions: Bald cypress, Shellbark Hickory, Red Maple, Silver Maple, Paper Birch, River Birch, and Weeping Willow.
Pruning
Proper pruning technique is important for a healthy tree. Please review our animated Tree Pruning Guide as well as videos on why pruning is necessary, the rules of pruning, and the ABCs of pruning.
When to Prune
This depends to a large extent on why you prune. Light pruning and the removal of dead wood can be done anytime. Otherwise, below are some guidelines for the different seasons.
WINTER PRUNING
Pruning during dormancy is the most common practice. It results in a vigorous burst of new growth in the spring and should be used if that is the desired effect. It is usually best to wait until the coldest part of winter has passed.
SUMMER PRUNING
To direct the growth by slowing the branches you don’t want, or to “dwarf” the development of a tree or branch, pruning should be done soon after seasonal growth is complete. Another reason to prune in the summer is for corrective purposes. Defective limbs can be seen more easily.
PRUNING FLOWERING TREES TO ENHANCE FLOWERING
For trees that bloom in spring, prune when their flowers fade. Trees and shrubs that flower in mid- to late summer should be pruned in winter or early spring.
WHEN NOT TO PRUNE: FALL
Because decay fungi spread their spores profusely in the fall and wounds seem to heal more slowly on fall on cuts, this is a good time to leave your pruning tools in storage.
Tree removal
While the perceived risk of death by falling trees (a part of the “tree risk” complex) is influenced by media and often hyped (the objective risk has been reported to be close to 1: 10.000.000, almost as low as death by lightning), singular events have encouraged a “proactive” stance so that even lightly damaged trees are likely to be removed in urban and public traffic surroundings. As a tree ages and nears the end of its safe useful life expectancy (SULE), its perceived amenity value is decreased greatly. A risk assessment normally carried out by local council’s arborist to determine the best course of action. As with all public green spaces, trees in green urban spaces and their careful conservation is sometimes in conflict with aggressive urban development even though it is often understood how urban trees contribute to livability of suburbs and cities both objectively (reduction of urban heat island effect, etc.) and subjectively.
Tree planting programs implemented by a growing number of cities, local councils and organizations is mitigating the losses and in most cases increasing the number of trees in suburbia. Programs include the planting of 2 trees for every 1 tree removed, while some councils are paying land owners to keep trees instead of removing them for farming or construction.
Standards
The voluntary industry consensus standards developed by TCIA, resulted in the ANSI A300 standard, the generally accepted industry standard for tree care practices including trees, shrubs, and other woody plants. It includes the following parts:
Roy is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States, located on the west side of Interstate 15. The population estimate in 2019 was 39,613, an increase of 5.8% from 36,884 at the 2010 Census. It is part of the Ogden−Clearfield, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is considered a suburb of nearby Ogden, although some small businesses are present in Roy.
TruCo is a great company to work with for your commercial landscaping and snow removal needs! Rob is excellent to work with. He is very timely in providing quotes and has a lot of great feedback and suggestions to provide on what will look great, fit within your budget, and is knowledgeable on plants that will thrive with Utah's ever changing weather conditions. I have been impressed with TruCo's landscape maintenance as well as landscape projects which have had a quick turnaround time. I would highly recommend using TruCo!
I experienced excellent all around service from landscape improvement design, scheduling and professional installation completed within the timeline we discussed. Rob, the manager does an excellent job of communicating, overseeing the install crew and making sure his customers are 100% satisfied with the job. Highly recommend TruCo for all landscaping needs.
Michael the tree guy is so smart. He knows all about tree removal, cutting and tree trimming services. Truco did amazing work for me. We had 16 very old and mature trees removed. The Truco team showed up on time ready to get the job done. They did amazing with clean up truly respect your property and your life. Communication was really good. They needed to move some things to get the stump grinder to our yard they put things back with no issues. Extremely professional and truly know what they're doing. If anyone is looking for professional tree removal or tree service you really should call Jason or Michael at Truco.
We hired TruCo to do a new install of sprinklers, sod, spigot, and bury downspouts. We even have a wifi transmitter for our control box we can access from an app on our phones! We absolutely love the professionalism and quality of their work!! Our sales rep Pete was the best to work with, we highly recommend him to anyone in the market for landscaping. It was awesome seeing the finished results and we're incredibly excited to enjoy our new space!
TruCo installed all of our plants, trees and shrubs, drip lines, and boulders. Then they installed our amazing beautiful firepit. We loved the results and they guarantee all plants and trees up to a year. They were great and easy to work with. They listened to our needs and wants and met them 100%. Our HOA sent us a letter telling us they appreciate all the work and the way our yard looks and let us know we added value to the property. Win/Win
Tree Pruning
Tree Pruning
The main reasons for pruning ornamental and shade trees include safety, health, and aesthetics. In addition, pruning can be used to stimulate fruit production and increase the value of timber. Pruning for safety involves removing branches that could fall and cause injury or property damage, trimming branches that interfere with lines of sight on streets or driveways, and removing branches that grow into utility lines. Safety pruning can be largely avoided by carefully choosing species that will not grow beyond the space available to them, and have strength and form characteristics that are suited to the site.
Pruning for health involves removing diseased or insect-infested wood, thinning the crown to increase airflow and reduce some pest problems, and removing crossing and rubbing branches. Pruning can best be used to encourage trees to develop a strong structure and reduce the likelihood of damage during severe weather. Removing broken or damaged limbs encourage wound closure.
Pruning for aesthetics involves enhancing the natural form and character of trees or stimulating flower production. Pruning for form can be especially important on open grown trees that do very little self-pruning.
All woody plants shed branches in response to shading and competition. Branches that do not produce enough carbohydrates from photosynthesis to sustain themselves die and are eventually shed; the resulting wounds are sealed by woundwood (callus). Branches that are poorly attached may be broken off by wind and accumulation of snow and ice. Branches removed by such natural forces often result in large, ragged wounds that rarely seal. Pruning as a cultural practice can be used to supplement or replace these natural processes and increase the strength and longevity of plants.
Trees have many forms, but the most common types are pyramidal (excurrent) or spherical (decurrent). Trees with pyramidal crowns, e.g., most conifers, have a strong central stem and lateral branches that are more or less horizontal and do not compete with the central stem for dominance. Trees with spherical crowns, e.g., most hardwoods, have many lateral branches that may compete for dominance. To reduce the need for pruning it is best to consider a tree’s natural form. It is very difficult to impose an unnatural form on a tree without a commitment to constant maintenance.
Pollarding and topiary are extreme examples of pruning to create a desired, unnatural effect. Pollarding is the practice of pruning trees annually to remove all new growth. The following year, a profusion of new branches is produced at the ends of the branches. Topiary involves pruning trees and shrubs into geometric or animal shapes. Both pollarding and topiary are specialized applications that involve pruning to change the natural form of trees. As topiary demonstrates, given enough care and attention plants can be pruned into nearly any form. Yet just as proper pruning can enhance the form or character of plants, improper pruning can destroy it.
Pruning Approaches
Producing strong structure should be the emphasis when pruning young trees. As trees mature, the aim of pruning will shift to maintaining tree structure, form, health and appearance.
Proper pruning cuts are made at a node, the point at which one branch or twig attaches to another. In the spring of the year growth begins at buds, and twigs grow until a new node is formed. The length of a branch between nodes is called an internode.
Crown thinning – branches to be removed are shaded in blue; pruning cuts should be made at the red lines. No more than one-fourth of the living branches should be removed at one time.
The most common types of pruning are:
Crown thinning, primarily for hardwoods, is the selective removal of branches to increase light penetration and air movement throughout the crown of a tree. The intent is to maintain or develop a tree’s structure and form. To avoid unnecessary stress and prevent excessive production of epicormic sprouts, no more than one-quarter of the living crown should be removed at a time. If it is necessary to remove more, it should be done over successive years.
Types of branch unions
Branches with strong U-shaped angles of attachment should be retained. Branches with narrow, V-shaped angles of attachment often form included bark and should be removed. Included bark forms when two branches grow at sharply acute angles to one another, producing a wedge of inward-rolled bark between them. Included bark prevents strong attachment of branches, often causing a crack at the point below where the branches meet. Codominant stems that are approximately the same size and arise from the same position often form included bark. Removing some of the lateral branches from a codominant stem can reduce its growth enough to allow the other stem to become dominant.
Lateral branches should be no more than one half to three-quarters of the diameter of the stem at the point of attachment. Avoid producing “lion’s tails,” tufts of branches and foliage at the ends of branches, caused by removing all inner lateral branches and foliage. Lion’s tails can result in sunscalding, abundant epicormic sprouts, and weak branch structure and breakage.
Crown raising is the practice of removing branches from the bottom of the crown of a tree to provide clearance for pedestrians, vehicles, buildings, lines of site, or to develop a clear stem for timber production. Also, removing lower branches on white pines can prevent blister rust. For street trees the minimum clearance is often specified by municipal ordinance. After pruning, the ratio of the living crown to total tree height should be at least two-thirds.
On young trees “temporary” branches may be retained along the stem to encourage taper and protect trees from vandalism and sun scald. Less vigorous shoots should be selected as temporary branches and should be about 10 to 15 cm apart along the stem. They should be pruned annually to slow their growth and should be removed eventually.
Crown reduction pruning is most often used when a tree has grown too large for its permitted space. This method, sometimes called drop crotch pruning, is preferred to topping because it results in a more natural appearance, increases the time before pruning is needed again, and minimizes stress.
Crown reduction pruning, a method of last resort, often results in large pruning wounds to stems that may lead to decay. This method should never be used on a tree with a pyramidal growth form. A better long term solution is to remove the tree and replace it
Crown reduction – branches to be removed are shaded in blue; pruning cuts should be made where indicated with red lines. To prevent branch dieback, cuts should be made at lateral branches that are at least one-third the diameter of the stem at their union.
Pruning Cuts
Pruning cuts should be made so that only branch tissue is removed and stem tissue is not damaged. At the point where the branch attaches to the stem, branch and stem tissues remain separate, but are contiguous. If only branch tissues are cut when pruning, the stem tissues of the tree will probably not become decayed, and the wound will seal more effectively.
1. Pruning living branches
To find the proper place to cut a branch, look for the branch collar that grows from the stem tissue at the underside of the base of the branch. On the upper surface, there is usually a branch bark ridge that runs (more or less) parallel to the branch angle, along the stem of the tree. A proper pruning cut does not damage either the branch bark ridge or the branch collar.
A proper cut begins just outside the branch bark ridge and angles down away from the stem of the tree, avoiding injury to the branch collar. Make the cut as close as possible to the stem in the branch axil, but outside the branch bark ridge, so that stem tissue is not injured and the wound can seal in the shortest time possible. If the cut is too far from the stem, leaving a branch stub, the branch tissue usually dies and wound wood forms from the stem tissue. Wound closure is delayed because the wound wood must seal over the stub that was left.
The quality of pruning cuts can be evaluated by examining pruning wounds after one growing season. A concentric ring of wound wood will form from proper pruning cuts. Flush cuts made inside the branch bark ridge or branch collar, result in pronounced development of wound wood on the sides of the pruning wounds with very little wound wood forming on the top or bottom. As described above, stub cuts result in the death of the remaining branch and wound wood forms around the base from stem tissues. When pruning small branches with hand pruners, make sure the tools are sharp enough branch collar. This cut will prevent a falling branch from tearing the stem tissue as it pulls away from the tree.
1. The second cut should be outside the first cut, all the way through the branch, leaving a short stub.
2. The stub is then cut just outside the branch bark ridge/branch collar, completing the operation.
2. Pruning dead branches
Prune dead branches in much the same way as live branches. Making the correct cut is usually easy because the branch collar and the branch bark ridge, can be distinguished from the dead branch, because they continue to grow (Fig. 6A). Make the pruning cut just outside of the ring of woundwood tissue that has formed, being careful not to cause unnecessary injury (Fig. 6C). Large dead branches should be supported with one hand or cut with the threestep method, just as live branches. Cutting large living branches with the three step method is more critical because of the greater likelihood of bark ripping.
3. Drop Crotch Cuts
A proper cut begins just above the branch bark ridge and extends through the stem parallel to the branch bark ridge. Usually, the stem being removed is too large to be supported with one hand, so the three cut method should be used.
1. With the first cut, make a notch on the side of the stem away from the branch to be retained, well above the branch crotch.
2. Begin the second cut inside the branch crotch, staying well above the branch bark ridge, and cut through the stem above the notch.
3. Cut the remaining stub just inside the branch bark ridge through the stem parallel to the branch bark ridge.
To prevent the abundant growth of epicormics sprouts on the stem below the cut, or dieback of the stem to a lower lateral branch, make the cut at a lateral branch that is at least one-third of the diameter of the stem at their union.
South Jordan is a city in south central Salt Lake County, Utah, United States, 18 miles (29 km) south of Salt Lake City. Part of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, the city lies in the Salt Lake Valley along the banks of the Jordan River between the 10,000-foot (3,000 m) Oquirrh Mountains and the 11,000-foot (3,400 m) Wasatch Mountains. The city has 3.5 miles (5.6 km) of the Jordan River Parkway that contains fishing ponds, trails, parks, and natural habitats. The Salt Lake County fair grounds and equestrian park, 67-acre (27 ha) Oquirrh Lake, and 37 public parks are located inside the city. As of 2020, there were 77,487 people in South Jordan.
TruCo is a great company to work with for your commercial landscaping and snow removal needs! Rob is excellent to work with. He is very timely in providing quotes and has a lot of great feedback and suggestions to provide on what will look great, fit within your budget, and is knowledgeable on plants that will thrive with Utah's ever changing weather conditions. I have been impressed with TruCo's landscape maintenance as well as landscape projects which have had a quick turnaround time. I would highly recommend using TruCo!
I experienced excellent all around service from landscape improvement design, scheduling and professional installation completed within the timeline we discussed. Rob, the manager does an excellent job of communicating, overseeing the install crew and making sure his customers are 100% satisfied with the job. Highly recommend TruCo for all landscaping needs.
Michael the tree guy is so smart. He knows all about tree removal, cutting and tree trimming services. Truco did amazing work for me. We had 16 very old and mature trees removed. The Truco team showed up on time ready to get the job done. They did amazing with clean up truly respect your property and your life. Communication was really good. They needed to move some things to get the stump grinder to our yard they put things back with no issues. Extremely professional and truly know what they're doing. If anyone is looking for professional tree removal or tree service you really should call Jason or Michael at Truco.
We hired TruCo to do a new install of sprinklers, sod, spigot, and bury downspouts. We even have a wifi transmitter for our control box we can access from an app on our phones! We absolutely love the professionalism and quality of their work!! Our sales rep Pete was the best to work with, we highly recommend him to anyone in the market for landscaping. It was awesome seeing the finished results and we're incredibly excited to enjoy our new space!
TruCo installed all of our plants, trees and shrubs, drip lines, and boulders. Then they installed our amazing beautiful firepit. We loved the results and they guarantee all plants and trees up to a year. They were great and easy to work with. They listened to our needs and wants and met them 100%. Our HOA sent us a letter telling us they appreciate all the work and the way our yard looks and let us know we added value to the property. Win/Win
Arborist
Arborist
An arborist (Tree Doctor), tree surgeon, or (less commonly) arboriculturist, is a professional in the practice of arboriculture, which is the cultivation, management, and study of individual trees, shrubs, vines, and other perennial woody plants in dendrology and horticulture.
Arborists generally focus on the health and safety of individual plants and trees, rather than managing forests (the domains of forestry and silviculture) or harvesting wood. An arborist’s scope of work is therefore distinct from that of either a forester or a logger, though the professions share much in common.
The following are signs that a tree should be examined by a Tree Doctor Specialist:
• Leaves appearing later than usual
• Leaves falling off earlier than normal
• Discolored leaves or leaves without veins or with odd nodules
• Bark that forms bumps or is split, cracked or peeling
• Dead branches near the top of the tree
• Fungus growing around the trunk, mushrooms forming around roots or twigs growing from the trunk
An arborist may conduct a variety of tests to determine the best course of action, including a soil analysis. For proper growth, trees need soil that contains a particular balance of 15 mineral elements. The arborist (Tree Doctor) may also test soil acidity or alkalinity. Fertilizer or soil amendments may make the soil a healthier tree environment.
If you’re thinking of hiring an arborist, contact well-reviewed local tree service companies and ask if they have an arborist on staff. Consider the individual’s level of education, certification and experience, as well as the company’s online reputation with other consumers.
An arborist, tree surgeon, or (less commonly) arboriculturist, is a professional in the practice of arboriculture, which is the cultivation, management, and study of individual trees, shrubs, vines, and other perennial woody plants in dendrology and horticulture.
Arborists generally focus on the health and safety of individual plants and trees, rather than managing forests or harvesting wood (forestry or silviculture). An arborist’s scope of work is therefore distinct from that of either a forester or a logger.
Scope of work
In order for arborists to work near power wires, either additional training is required or they need to be certified as a Qualified Line Clearance Arborist or Utility Arborist (there may be different terminology for various countries). There is a variety of minimum distances that must be kept from power wires depending on voltage, however the common distance for low voltage lines in urban settings is 10 feet (about 3 metres).
Arborists who climb (as not all do) can use a variety of techniques to ascend into the tree. The least invasive, and most popular technique used is to ascend on rope. There are two common methods of climbing, Single Rope System (SRS) and Moving Rope System (MRS). When personal safety is an issue, or the tree is being removed, arborists may use ‘spikes’, (also known as ‘gaffs’ or ‘spurs’) attached to their chainsaw boots with straps to ascend and work. Spikes wound the tree, leaving small holes where each step has been.
An arborist’s work may involve very large and complex trees, or ecological communities and their abiotic components in the context of the landscape ecosystem. These may require monitoring and treatment to ensure they are healthy, safe, and suitable to property owners or community standards. This work may include some or all of the following: planting; transplanting; pruning; structural support; preventing, or diagnosing and treating phytopathology or parasitism; preventing or interrupting grazing or predation; installing lightning protection; and removing vegetation deemed as hazardous, an invasive species, a disease vector, or a weed.
Arborists may also plan, consult, write reports and give legal testimony. While some aspects of this work are done on the ground or in an office, much of it is done by arborists who perform tree services and who climb the trees with ropes, harnesses and other equipment. Lifts and cranes may be used too. The work of all arborists is not the same. Some may just provide a consulting service; others may perform climbing, pruning and planting: whilst others may provide a combination of all of these services.
Qualifications
Arborists gain qualifications to practice arboriculture in a variety of ways and some arborists are more qualified than others. Experience working safely and effectively in and around trees is essential. Arborists tend to specialize in one or more disciplines of arboriculture, such as diagnosis and treatment of pests, diseases and nutritional deficiencies in trees, climbing and pruning, cabling and lightning protection, or perhaps consultation and report writing. All these disciplines are related and some arborists are very well experienced in all areas of tree work, but not all arborists have the training or experience to properly practice every discipline.
Arborists choose to pursue formal certification, which is available in some countries and varies somewhat by location. An arborist who holds certification in one or more disciplines may be expected to participate in rigorous continuing education requirements to ensure continuous improvement of skills and techniques.
In Australia, arboricultural education and training are streamlined countrywide through a multi-disciplinary vocational education, training, and qualification authority called the Australian Qualifications Framework, which offers varying levels of professional qualification. Government institutions including Technical and Further Education TAFE offer Certificate III or a diploma in arboriculture as well as some universities. There are also many private institutions covering similar educational framework in each state Recognition of prior learning is also an option for practicing arborists with 10 or more years of experience with no prior formal training. It allows them to be assessed and fast track their certification.
In France, a qualified arborist must hold a Management of Ornamental Trees certificate, and a qualified arborist climber must hold a Pruning and Care of Trees certificate; both delivered by the French Ministry of Agriculture.
In the UK, an arborist can gain qualifications up to and including a master’s degree. College-based courses include further education qualifications, such as national certificate, national diploma, while higher education courses in arboriculture include foundation degree, bachelor’s degree and master’s degree.
In the US, a Certified Arborist (CA) is a professional who has over three years of documented and verified experience and has passed a rigorous written test from the International Society of Arboriculture. Other designations include Municipal Specialist, Utility Specialist and Board Certified Master Arborist (BCMA). The USA and Canada also have college-based training which if passed will give the certificate of Qualified Arborist. The Qualified Arborist can then be used to offset partial experience towards the Certified Arborist.
Tree Risk Assessment Qualified credential (TRAQ) designed by the International Society of Arboriculture was launched in 2013. At that time people holding the TRACE credential were transferred over to the TRAQ credential.
In Canada, there are provincially governed apprenticeship programs that allow arborists’ to work near power lines upon completion. These apprenticeship program have to meet the provincial regulations (for example in BC WorkSafeBC G19.30), and individuals must ensure they meet the requirements of the owner of the power system.
Cultural practices
Arborists may use specialized vehicles to gain access to trees, such as this Unimog equipped with a power take-off driven wood chipper.
Trees in urban landscape settings are often subject to disturbances, whether human or natural, both above and below ground. They may require care to improve their chances of survival following damage from either biotic or abiotic causes. Arborists can provide appropriate solutions, such as pruning trees for health and good structure, for aesthetic reasons, and to permit people to walk under them (a technique often referred to as “crown raising”), or to keep them away from wires, fences and buildings (a technique referred to as “crown reduction”). Timing and methods of treatment depend on the species of tree and the purpose of the work. To determine the best practices, a thorough knowledge of local species and environments is essential.
There can be a vast difference between the techniques and practices of professional arborists and those of inadequately trained tree workers who simply “trim trees”. Some commonly offered “services” are considered unacceptable by modern arboricultural standards and may seriously damage, disfigure, weaken, or even kill trees. One such example is tree topping, lopping, or “hat-racking”, where entire tops of trees or main stems are removed, generally by cross-cutting the main stem(s) or leaders, leaving large unsightly stubs. Trees that manage to survive such treatment are left prone to a spectrum of detrimental effects, including vigorous but weakly attached regrowth, pest susceptibility, pathogen intrusion, and internal decay.
Pruning should only be done with a specific purpose in mind. Every cut is a wound, and every leaf lost is removal of some photosynthetic potential. Proper pruning can be helpful in many ways, but should always be done with the minimum amount of live tissue removed.
In recent years, research has proven that wound dressings such as paint, tar or other coverings are unnecessary and may harm trees. The coverings may encourage growth of decay-causing fungi. Proper pruning, by cutting through branches at the right location, can do more to limit decay than wound dressing.
Chemicals can be applied to trees for insect or disease control through soil application, stem injections or spraying. Compacted or disturbed soils can be improved in various ways.
Arborists can also assess trees to determine the health, structure, safety or feasibility within a landscape and in proximity to humans. Modern arboriculture has progressed in technology and sophistication from practices of the past. Many current practices are based on knowledge gained through recent research, including that of Alex Shigo, considered one “father” of modern arboriculture.
Legal issues
Depending on the jurisdiction, there may be a number of legal issues surrounding the practices of arborists, including boundary issues, public safety issues, “heritage” trees of community value; and “neighbor” issues such as ownership, obstruction of views, impacts of roots crossing boundaries, nuisance problems, disease or insect quarantines, and safety of nearby trees.
Arborists are frequently consulted to establish the factual basis of disputes involving trees, or by private property owners seeking to avoid legal liability through the duty of care. Arborists may be asked to assess the value of a tree in the process of an insurance claim for trees damaged or destroyed, or to recover damages resulting from tree theft or vandalism. In cities with tree preservation orders an arborist’s evaluation of tree hazard may be required before a property owner may remove a tree, or to assure the protection of trees in development plans and during construction operations. Carrying out work on protected trees and hedges is illegal without express permission from local authorities, and can result in legal action including fines. Homeowners who have entered into contracts with a homeowner’s association may need an arborist’s professional opinion of a hazardous condition prior to removing a tree, or may be obligated to assure the protection of the views of neighboring properties prior to planting a tree or in the course of pruning. Arborists may be consulted in forensic investigations where the evidence of a crime can be determined within the growth rings of a tree, for example. Arborists may be engaged by one member of a dispute in order to identify factual information about trees useful to that member of the dispute, or they can be engaged as an expert witness providing unbiased scientific knowledge in a court case. Homeowners associations seeking to write restrictive covenants, or legislative bodies seeking to write laws involving trees, may seek the counsel of arborists in order to avoid future difficulties.
Before undertaking works in the UK, arborists have a legal responsibility to survey trees for wildlife, especially bats, which are afforded particular legal protection. In addition, any tree in the UK can be covered by a tree preservation order and it is illegal to conduct any work on a tree, including deadwooding or pruning, before permission has been sought from the local council.
Organizations
Australia Limited, a non-profit organisation, is the peak national organisation promoting and representing tree workers, arborists, professional tree management and urban forestry throughout Australia and the Asia Pacific region.
The Tree Care Industry Association, formerly the National Arborist Association, is a public and professional non-profit organization for the arboriculture field. It has more than 2,000 member companies representing over a dozen countries. TCIA’s Accreditation program certifies that tree care companies that have been inspected and accredited based on adherence to industry standards for performance and safety; maintenance of trained, professional staff; and dedication to ethics and quality in business practices. In addition, they provide safety and educational programs, guidelines for tree service operations, ANSI A300 tree pruning standards, and consumer resources.
The International Society of Arboriculture, a non-profit organization, maintains a list of ISA Certified Arborists who have passed a written exam and demonstrated a basic level of knowledge in arboriculture. There are also additional classifications of certified arborists with Certified Arborist/Utility Specialist for those who work near power lines, and Certified Arborist/Municipal Specialist for those who deal mostly with community trees. Other certifications exist for Certified Tree Workers, and the highest level of certification, the Board Certified Master Arborist.
The American Society of Consulting Arborists Is an organization whose membership is exclusive to those with either a certain level of industry experience, plus higher educational experience or continuing education; some members may achieve a higher status by fulfilling the requirements to become a Registered Consulting Arborist. Consulting arborists generally specialize in the areas of ethics, law, land planning and development, and tree valuation, among others. Consulting arborists are often called on for legal testimony and report writing in various instances where a particular authority on trees is necessary for consequent actions.
In the UK, the professional body representing the sector is the Institute of Chartered Foresters. The trade body representing arborists is the Arboricultural Association. The association maintain a register of consultants who have demonstrated a high level of technical arboricultural knowledge, and operate an Approved Contractor scheme. This scheme assesses both the technical competence and business practices of arboricultural contractors.
The European Arboricultural Council is a European group of arboriculture organizations from various countries.
Plant Amnesty is a public education and advocacy group, based in Seattle, dedicated to promoting proper pruning methods. Founded in 1987, Plant Amnesty became an international resource for arborists and their clients in the mid-1990s.
Provo is the fourth-largest city in Utah, United States. It is 43 miles (69 km) south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the largest city and county seat of Utah County and is home to Brigham Young University (BYU).
TruCo is a great company to work with for your commercial landscaping and snow removal needs! Rob is excellent to work with. He is very timely in providing quotes and has a lot of great feedback and suggestions to provide on what will look great, fit within your budget, and is knowledgeable on plants that will thrive with Utah's ever changing weather conditions. I have been impressed with TruCo's landscape maintenance as well as landscape projects which have had a quick turnaround time. I would highly recommend using TruCo!
I experienced excellent all around service from landscape improvement design, scheduling and professional installation completed within the timeline we discussed. Rob, the manager does an excellent job of communicating, overseeing the install crew and making sure his customers are 100% satisfied with the job. Highly recommend TruCo for all landscaping needs.
Michael the tree guy is so smart. He knows all about tree removal, cutting and tree trimming services. Truco did amazing work for me. We had 16 very old and mature trees removed. The Truco team showed up on time ready to get the job done. They did amazing with clean up truly respect your property and your life. Communication was really good. They needed to move some things to get the stump grinder to our yard they put things back with no issues. Extremely professional and truly know what they're doing. If anyone is looking for professional tree removal or tree service you really should call Jason or Michael at Truco.
We hired TruCo to do a new install of sprinklers, sod, spigot, and bury downspouts. We even have a wifi transmitter for our control box we can access from an app on our phones! We absolutely love the professionalism and quality of their work!! Our sales rep Pete was the best to work with, we highly recommend him to anyone in the market for landscaping. It was awesome seeing the finished results and we're incredibly excited to enjoy our new space!
TruCo installed all of our plants, trees and shrubs, drip lines, and boulders. Then they installed our amazing beautiful firepit. We loved the results and they guarantee all plants and trees up to a year. They were great and easy to work with. They listened to our needs and wants and met them 100%. Our HOA sent us a letter telling us they appreciate all the work and the way our yard looks and let us know we added value to the property. Win/Win
