| Urban Arborist is your source for Tree and Plant health care information. We offer a variety of articles and FAQ's on tree care including information about soil conditions, pesticides, turf, irrigation, weed management and more.
What is Arboriculture?
Arboriculture is the care of trees and shrubs, particularly in urban settings. Source: National Arborists Association - http://www.natlarb.com
Who is an Arborist?
A certified arborist is an individual who has extensive knowledge in the field of tree care through experience and certification. Urban Arborist's team has logged thousands of hours in the field and hundreds in the classroom continuing their education. Your trees can be a valuable asset don't allow just anyone to care for them.
How do I Hire a Tree Care Company?
Hiring a company that says it does tree work has never been a problem for homeowners. Simply look through the yellow pages, make a few calls, and you have a company who says they can do the job at a low price. For the time being, you are happy. They send a crew to do the job and while removing a limb from the tree, they drop it on your car. Who should pay for the damage? Ideally, the tree care company. But they do not carry insurance, nor can they be reached by phone. You are upset and do not know what to do. You call your auto insurance agent. They instruct you to pay your deductible and the car will be fixed. Then you go to the small claims court to get your deductible back, and if you are very lucky, you succeed.
The scene would be different if you had just asked for proof of insurance from the company you hired. Beware of the fly-by-night "individuals" who call themselves arborists. "With hundreds and possibly thousands of dollars at stake, not to mention the integrity and appearance of your property and your personal safety, make sure your that you take your time in deciding which company you should hire," warns Peter Gerstenberger, director of safety and education for the National Arborist Association. "Disreputable companies are renowned for ripping gutters off, breaking fences and bird baths, and even dropping trees on houses. Then they typically fold up and leave, never to be seen again," adds Gerstenberger.
Disreputable companies tend to:
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Solicit work door-to-door
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Demand payment in advance
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Advertise topping and low prices in yellow pages
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Sell jobs without producing a written estimate or work order
Check for the following before you hire a company, advises Gerstenberger:
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Ask for copies of current, valid certificates of insurance
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Local references allow you to measure the company’s abilities and professionalism
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Get a detailed written estimate of the work needed and the cost
- Ask if they are certified arborists
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Verify professional affiliations the company might have, such as membership in the
National Arborist Association (800-733-2622) or International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)
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Get a second opinion if it will add to your comfort level. Make sure that a complete diagnosis of
the potential for tree failure is performed before a tree is removed
Source: National Arborists Association provide link http://www.natlarb.com -
More Frequently Asked Questions about Basic Tree Care Practices
http://www.natlarb.com/content/consumers/treecaretips.htm
 Various Tree Diseases
Dutch Elm Disease
Dutch Elm Disease is a lethal tree disease caused by aggressive fungus. The disease is primarily transmitted by a beetle that feeds in the 2-4 year old branches. To protect a tree from infection, fungicide must be applied throughout the 2-4 year old branches. The best time to protect an Elm tree is before it is infected. Once infected it is rare the tree can be saved.
Sycamore Anthracnose
Anthracnose is a stressful and unsightly disease caused by a fungus that lives inside the branches of 1-2 year old limbs. Spraying alone is only a temporary solution.
Oak Wilt
The initial symptom of oak wilt is the wilting of leaves and defolification. Browning begins on the margin of the leaf and moves inward. Leaves normally fall before they have completely turned brown. Once infected Red Oaks can not be saved. However, White Oaks and the surrounding healthy trees can be saved by isolating the infected tree and setting up a macro-infusion of environmentally safe fungicide into the root flares of the tree.
Today’s Technologies and it’s Future
An interview with Dr. Donald H. Marx (Click here for a .pdf of the interview)
Product Directions for use and specifications http://www.planthealthcare.com/dirtech.html
Mycorrhizal Fungi
Nature's Stress Manager
Millions of years ago, trees, flowers and grasses faced many natural stresses, such as low soil fertility, drought and temperature extremes. To survive, most plant species established a symbiotic partnership with a unique group of soil organisms called mycorrhizal fungi. These fungi are considered by plant scientists to be the biological cornerstone of plant life on earth.
This little known family of beneficial fungi live in and around the roots of 95% of the earth's plant species, serving as a secondary root system, extending themselves far out into the soil. Mycorrhizae extract mineral elements and water from soil for their host plant, and live off the plant's sugars. Trees and plants with thriving "mycorrhizal roots" systems are better able to survive and thrive in stressful man-made environments
Beneficial Bacteria
In nature, certain species of beneficial bacteria promote healthy plant growth and protect plant root systems from soil borne disease organism. These "good" bacteria are called rhizobacteria. While common in natural settings, their populations are often very low or absent in nursery potting soils, urban environments and disturbed man-made landscapes.
These Beneficial Bacteria:
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