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What Do Trees Have to Do with Landscaping?

Written by Jerry White on .

Trees are an incredible asset to any landscape. They benefit our communities and environment by cleaning the air, providing protection from the elements and creating jobs. The next time you’re out, take a few minutes to appreciate the beauty of your neighborhood’s trees.

Let’s discuss the main reasons why trees are important for landscaping. You will be surprised at how much these plants have to offer our health, wellness and environment.

Trees are Aesthetically Appealing

Trees are visually beautiful. Some have lived on our planet for thousands of years and tell stories through their branches, leaves and bark. Some families plant trees for sentimental reasons, such as the birth of a child or the death of a loved one. As the tree grows, it represents that individual. Trees are alive, which adds to their beauty and tranquility.

They Provide Privacy and Sun Protection

Many homes today are built in busy neighborhoods, and the best way to create shade and privacy is by planting trees. Their structure blocks noise, light and unsightly views. Plus, their shade protects people from the sun’s rays and helps homes and businesses consume less energy. By planting trees strategically, homeowners can enjoy more private, efficient homes.

They are Natural Food Producers

Thanks to fruit-bearing trees, both humans and animals can have fresh food to eat. Some of the most popular tree-borne foods in California include apples, cherries and citrus fruits like oranges, lemons and limes. Even in the winter, some trees continue to produce nuts, flowers and berries for birds and other wildlife.

Trees are Homes for Animals (and Children!)

Trees provide shelter to many different animals. Birds build nests on their sturdy branches, while squirrels build dens or dreys in which to raise their young. In fact, some animals need the forest to survive, including the tree kangaroo, pandas and orangutans (although you won’t find these in our California trees!). Kids, too, love to use trees to build treehouses and forts.

Cleaner Air and Water

Trees absorb pollutants and convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. Perhaps that’s why deep breathing is often associated with trees and nature. Moreover, trees prevent water evaporation and decrease water runoff. These benefits work together to produce healthy water with fewer pollutants and reduce flood damage and erosion.

There is no question that trees are an essential part of human life and existence. The next time you are looking to spruce up your yard, look no further than planting a new tree! For questions or information in regards to removing, replanting or managing the trees in your landscape, contact Arborwell today at or fill out our contact form.

landscaping, trees

Arborwell: Employee-Owned Tree Management

Written by Cindy Kirkman on .

Arborwell’s core purpose and driving force as an organization is to help our customers be successful. This video will show you how we can help you be successful, and why we should be YOUR tree care experts. Enjoy!

 

 

If you would like to get in contact with one of our ISA Certified Arborists, please fill out the form below:

 

arborist, employee-owned, tree care, tree management

plant wellness programs seattle

What Does An Arboriculturist Do?

Written by Jerry White on .

Let’s answer a common question: what does an arboriculturist do?

An Arborwell arboriculturist, also known as an arborist, studies and manages the health of trees. Their focus differs from that of other tree professionals, such as foresters, who concentrate on the management of large areas of trees.

Arborists are essential to Arborwell’s mission of preserving trees in our service areas. Conditions in urban areas stress trees. Pollution, compacted soil, traffic collisions, and root restrictions because of building foundations, roadways and underground pipes all reduce the lifespan of a tree in the city.

An arborist helps a tree thrive despite these conditions. Experienced arborists are skilled at evaluating trees by inspecting growth rate, leaf color, peeling bark, signs of mildew, growths, and oozing fluid.

They then devise a plan to bring the tree back to robust health. Strong trees are important chiefly because of their environmental benefits, which include:

  • Producing oxygen. An acre of trees produces enough oxygen for 18 people in a year.
  • Absorbing pollution. Trees act as filters, removing odors, particulates, and gases such as nitrogen oxide from our air.
  • Providing shade. The urban tree canopy shields us from ultraviolet rays while cooling our buildings and streets.
  • Slowing runoff. When it rains, trees slow water runoff, preventing soil erosion and allowing moisture to seep into the ground.
  • Creating homes for wildlife. Insects such as bees, squirrels, birds, possums, and other animals live in our trees and keep the ecology in balance.

Beyond the environment, trees also increase property values by adding beauty to city lots and streets and improve the attitudes of humans. Neighborhoods that are well-landscaped with trees have been shown to experience lower crime rates than barren neighborhoods.

Arborwell arborists also consider the conditions of the city in which they practice. An arborist in Sacramento, for example, looks for indications the tree is getting enough water in periods of drought. Our arborists in Seattle guard against tree diseases that exist in the northwest’s cool, moist climate.

How a Skilled Arborist Cares for Trees

Arborwell arborists in Oakland and the East Bay, San Diego, the San Francisco Peninsula, Seattle, Sacramento, and Seattle care for all types of tree species. They are experts in the areas of:

  • Trimming a tree is a science and an art. Precision cutting of branches removes dead wood, promotes growth, and gives a tree an appealing shape. 
  • A planting location must meet a tree’s soil, moisture, and sun needs, as well as provide enough space for roots and the canopy spread. 
  • Providing adequate moisture, periodic fertilization, and immediate attention to any damage keeps a tree looking beautiful and helps fight off diseases. 
  • As a last resort, removing a tree may be sometimes be necessary. An arborist knows how to take down a tree safely and quickly when branches or roots interfere with structures or lightning, wind, vehicle collisions, or disease cause irreparable damage.

Call Arborwell For Skilled Tree Care

We hope this blog post has answered the question, what does an arboriculturist do? Put our skilled arborists to work on your property. Call today to schedule a consultation.

arborculturist, arborist, tree management

Arbor-wellness: Fire Blight

Written by Jerry White on .

This time of year, it is often easy to spot an ornamental pear in the landscape because it will often have burned tips with brown leaves at the tip of branches. This is a classic symptom of a bacterial disease called fireblight. This difficult to control disease starts in the spring by small infections at the tip of a branch and moves further down the branch during the spring, killing as it goes. The result is the blackened tips that usually have a bend or crook in them, similar to a “shepherd crook”.  Ornamental Pears are the most common tree in the landscape in our region that get fireblight, but apples, firethorn, crabapples and several other species are also susceptible.  Click here to find out about fireblight control and how Arborwell can help prevent this on your trees.

My trees seem to be dying at the tips, what is this?

If the tips are crooked, the color is dark brown to black and the tree is in the apple family, it is probably a bacterial disease called fireblight.

How do I suppress it?

Fire blight is a bacterial disease so it behaves somewhat differently that most fungal diseases and control of it can be a little more complicated. Fall or winter preventative treatments are the most cost-effective way to suppress fireblight on susceptible trees. If your trees are already infected, we treat with an antibiotic injection as well as the preventative treatment. These two treatments together seem to be very effective.

What kinds of trees get fireblight?

Trees and shrubs in the apple family are susceptible to fireblight. This includes Apples, pears, crabapple, hawthorn, loquat, mountain ash and toyon and shrubs like firethorn and rose. Because it will spread by wind and rain from one type of plant to another, treating all the susceptible plants on your site is usually a wise idea.

How do I get rid of the dead tips, there seems to be a lot of them?

Proper pruning is really critical when you have fireblight. Pruning needs to remove all of the infected stem, so knowing how far down to make the cut is very important. Disinfecting the tools used to prune with is also important because bacterial spores from an infected tree can transport fireblight to other trees very readily. Timing of when to prune is also important. When a tree is pruned during the time fireblight is active, new infections can more easily occur.  At Arborwell, we know how to make a good management plan for your ornamental pears and other susceptible trees that maintains their health and safety for years to come. Contact your Arborwell certified arborist for professional management of fireblight and all your tree needs.

Fire Blight, plant health care, trees

tree wellness

Arbor-wellness: Preventative Care

Written by Jerry White on .

Fall & winter are the most valuable time to consider being proactive with many of next seasons spring and summer pests. Whether its sticky sap, borers and bark beetle, leaf diseases like anthracnose or even trunk or tissue cankers, when we make a treatment in the fall or winter, we are protecting your trees for an entire season. This makes the most sense, given the stresses our trees have had to overcome the past several years. It is said that for every year of significant stress, at least one full year of good growing conditions are needed for a tree to return to proper health. Stressed trees are more prone to insects and diseases because their defense systems are weakened and they have a harder time protecting themselves. So along with proper pruning, watering and mulching, protecting against insects and diseases will help them become healthy again.

My trees seem to be struggling still, why is that? 

Well most likely they are still recovering from the stresses of the drought we have had. When trees are stressed, whether it is drought, lack of irrigation, flooding, or whatever stress has occurred, they reduce the output of new leaves and new roots. They don’t produce as much energy storage and the stop producing the compounds (auxins and enzymes) that they use to ward off attacks. Thus, they become more vulnerable to damage from insects and diseases.

Will they die?

Its hard to determine that without a good evaluation from a certified arborist. That being said, providing extra “help” for them right now is very beneficial to their recovery. Just like a marathon runner that starts out in good shape, if that runner is forced to run back to back to back marathons without the time to recover well, they become more prone to injuries and illnesses. Allowing for proper recovery allows them to run another marathon (another stress) down the road. So, trees need this recovery period too, reduced stress from lack of water, excess heat, over watering and attacks from diseases and insects, so they can build their defense systems again, like we need to recover our immune systems.

How do I help them recover?

First reduce additional stresses – proper watering, mulching, pruning are key components to helping your trees recover. Second, by proactively protecting a tree from insects and diseases, they have a further chance to build those defense systems. If an insect – like caterpillars for instance, defoliates a tree next spring, that tree has to put new leaves out a second time. The same goes for diseases like anthracnose or fireblight. The energy the tree expends by putting out a second set of leaves prevents it from building up its defense system again, thus prolonging the recover. If this weakened tree is subject to another multi-year drought cycle, the chance of it surviving is even lower.

When is the best time to treat my trees?

Fall and early winter are the best times by far. This allows ample time for the systemic treatment to completely circulate throughout the tree. It allows the treatment to be ready as soon as spring growing season starts again.  Late winter and early spring are the second-best time. It is still early enough to have the treatment be effective under most circumstances.

 What kinds of problems can you control proactively? 

Many of the most common insects and diseases can be suppresses this way.  Insects that produce sap, most boring insects, most scale and thrips, adelgids, caterpillars and twig boring insects for example. As far as diseases go, preventing is so valuable, because by the time you see a disease on a tree, the damage has essentially been done. This is true for fireblight, anthracnose, powdery mildew, root rots like verticillium and phythophera and stem and twig cankers and needle blights on evergreens.  Lastly a nutritional supplement can be applied at the same time. Many times, a tree is stressed in part because of the lack of available nutrients in the soil. We can provide a balanced, organic nutritional supplement that will give your trees a proper feeding. Or better yet, we can sample your soil and replace exactly what your trees need.

Fill out the form below to get in contact with one of Arborwell’s ISA certified arborists and create a prevention plan for next year.

 

Who we serve

A Brief History Of Seattle

Written by Jerry White on .

Seattle and Its Trees: A Brief History

In many ways, trees define the history of Seattle.

Europeans who settled in the Northwest saw the region’s forests as an economic opportunity. Seattle and the state of Washington became famous for its majestic trees, which included stands of cedar, hemlock, spruce, and Douglas fir.

With eastern U.S. forests depleted by the 1850s, the regional timber industry around Seattle expanded. The concept of sustainability was virtually unknown, and clearcutting provided wood for construction in the city and throughout the country.

The logging industry, along with the California Gold Rush, spurred Seattle’s growth in the latter part of the 19th century. Mills dotted the landscape around Seattle. Until the disastrous fire of 1889, most homes and buildings in the city were wood. Wooden ships built in Seattle transported timber to San Francisco.

Eventually, lumber companies, unions, the government, and the public realized that unfettered logging could not continue. Residents elected representatives who helped to preserve large areas of trees with laws, regulations, and sustainability practices.

In the late 20th century, Seattle’s trees also came to be regarded as a cherished resource. Mature trees characterize many neighborhoods and parks and organizations such as the local agency Trees for Seattle seek to preserve trees and educate the public about their value.

Today, Seattle has a diverse population of trees. Before Europeans moved in, several dozen types of trees inhabited the Seattle area. As the city grew, many more species were introduced, thriving in the region’s temperate, moist climate. Due to the effort of public and private enterprises that promote tree plantings, observers say there are nearly 1,500 tree species in and around Seattle today.

Seattle’s Parks and a Legacy of Trees

Seattle’s trees play a crucial role in the construction of the city’s parks. John C. Olmsted, the stepson of the designer of New York’s Central Park, was commissioned in 1903 to create a master park plan for Seattle.

In addition to adding many trees to the city’s canopy by helping establish nearly 40 parks, Olmsted also worked to reinvigorate the appearance of existing parks. One stellar example of Olmsted’s legacy in Seattle is Woodland Park, north of the city’s Fremont neighborhood. Magnolia, beech, cedar, sycamore, and locust trees are among the species in Woodland Park.

American Forests, a conservation group, credits Seattle with having one of the nation’s best urban forests. Seattle’s municipal government conducts “tree walks” in many neighborhoods to heighten awareness and appreciation of the city’s excellent collection of trees.

Arborwell Works to Preserve and Enhance Seattle’s Trees

Arborwell supports Seattle’s status as a city that values its trees. Through a variety of services, we work to conserve trees and promote new plantings in Seattle and surrounding communities. 

Arborwell offers tree management programs, consulting, and health services to commercial clients who care about helping Seattle live up to its “Emerald City” nickname.

A report from one of our certified Seattle arborists is a valuable tool for companies that want to protect their property’s value by utilizing its data on tree conditions, sizes, location, and species.

As our history of Seattle illustrates, trees are a reflection of how much society cares about the environment. Let the professionals at Arborwell help you gain a deeper understanding of the trees on your property. For a consultation, call today.

 

seattle arborist, seattle trees

Arbor-wellness: Root rot and Cankers

Written by Jerry White on .

How do I know if my tree has root rot problems or cankers?

Many symptoms of root rot mirror the signs of a pest infestation, which makes properly diagnosing it more difficult. The symptoms of root rot are sometimes easier to spot above ground. These can include:

  • Gradual or quick decline without an obvious reason.
  • Stunting or poor growth.
  • Small, pale leaves.
  • Wilted, yellowed, or browned leaves.
  • Branch dieback.
  • Thinning of the canopy.
  • On some species, the fungus grows up from the roots in the inner bark and causes cankers, or sunken dead areas.

The most accurate way to diagnose a root disease is to dig below ground to see if decay is taking place. If needed, samples can be taken to a lab and tested to determine exactly what type of rot is occurring.

What is the best way to take care of root rots and cankers?

Tree root diseases are best controlled by prevention. If you have existing trees, make sure they are being watering correctly, that soil or mulch are not allowed to build up around the base of the tree and that the soil is allowed to dry out between watering. Ideally soil should be well structured and should drain properly. Where conditions warrant, making systemic soil treatments can be very helpful. Fall timing of these treatments allows the tree to take the material in and distribute it throughout the plant for best protection.

Pruning out and infected root can help if discovered early and access is not a problem. Always be sure to disinfect any tools you work with before using them again. When roots are pruned, one newer biological treatment is to inoculate the roots with a special pathogenic fungi the feeding on the rot fungi. This is a natural defense system that has proven successful in orchards and tree plantations where some rots can become a severe problem over time. Once the root is inoculated and the “good guys” are established, ongoing treatments for root rot can be eliminated.

What about cankers or bleeding on the trunk?

There are many fungi that cause this and even some bacteria may be involved. Being able to accurately diagnose what type of problem the tree has is critical to developing an appropriated treatment plan. If you are concerned about trees on your site having root rots or cankers, contact your Arborwell arborist for a professional assessment and recommendation.

To get in touch with one of our certified arborists, fill out the form below:

sudden oak death

Arbor-wellness: Sudden Oak Death

Written by Jerry White on .

What is Sudden Oak Death?

Sudden Oak Death is a disease that is lethal to several species of oak trees and damaging to well over 100 landscape plant and trees. It is primarily a woodland disease, in that the problem is more pronounced in the woodlands and savanna’s at the outskirts of our coastal towns. However, as the infections become more widespread, we see the effects of the disease more and more in urban areas.

How can I tell if my trees have SOD?

The disease starts by infecting leaves and twigs in the upper branches, but once it attacks a tree, it moves into the woody part of branches and the main trunk. This later infection is seen usually as open, bleeding wounds and cankers on the main trunks of the trees. It spreads during cool, moist weather and can be found in infected plant material, soil and even in the water that flows through infect areas. This makes control very difficult.

What can I do?

There are some very important steps to take in general. First, cleaning up debris on the landscape floor helps eliminate spores that spread the disease. Second, if you suspect you might have tree with this disease, ask your Arborwell arborist to confirm the diagnosis. We can confirm with the help of a professional lab if you have this disease on your site. Lastly, consider proactive treatments if the disease in in your surrounding area. Government agencies are mapping confirmed infections and recommend proactive treatments if your site is within ¼ to ½ mile of a confirmed infection.
There is a lot to consider when managing your trees for a long-term investment in health, safety and beauty. At Arborwell, we work hard to study and understand problems like Sudden Oak Death so we can offer the best solutions for YOUR site. Contact your representative today if you are concerned about your oaks, we will help you preserve them for you today AND for your children tomorrow.

To get in touch with one of our certified arborists, fill out the form below:

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