Gibbs And Culpepper Tree Service

Q. Why is topping bad?

A. The practice of topping is so wide spread that many people believe it is the proper way to prune tree. However, topping can cause a variety of problems in trees, and ultimately cause problems for homeowners.

Q. Topping & Pruning" What's the difference?"

A. Topping is the excessive and arbitrary removal of all parts f the tree above and beyond a certain height with no regard for the structure or growth pattern of the tree. Pruning is the selective removal of certain limbs based on the structure and growth pattern of the tree.

Q. When to Prune

A. A few tree diseases, such as oak wilt, can be spread when pruning wounds allow spores access into the tree. Susceptible trees should not be pruned during active transmission periods.

Heavy pruning just after the spring growth flush should be avoided. This is when trees have just expended a great deal of energy to produce foliage and early shoot growth. Removal of a large percentage of foliage at this time can stress the tree.

Q. How much should be pruned?

A. The amount of live tissue that should be removed depends on the tree size, species, and age, as well as the pruning objectives. Younger trees will tolerate the removal of a higher percentage of living tissue than mature trees. An important principle to remember is that a tree can recover from several small pruning wounds faster than from one large wound.

A common mistake is to remove too much inner foliage and small branches. It is important to maintain an even distribution of foliage along large limbs and in the lower portion of the crown. Over-thinning reduces the tree's sugar production capacity and can create tip-heavy limbs that are prone to failure.

Mature trees should require little routine pruning. A widely accepted rule of thumb is never to remove more than one fourth of a tree's leaf bearing crown. In a mature tree, pruning even that much could have negative effects. Removing even a single, large-diameter limb can create a wound that the tree may not be able to close. The older and larger a tree becomes, the less energy it has in reserve to close wounds and defend against decay or insect attack. The pruning of large, mature trees is usually limited to the removal of dead or potentially hazardous limbs.

Q. What is a Certified Arborist?

A. An arborist by definition is an individual who is trained in the art and science of planting, caring for and maintaining individual trees. ISA Arborist Certification is a non-governmental, voluntary process by which individuals can document their base of knowledge. It operates without mandate of law and is an internal, self-regulating device administered by the International Society of Arboriculture. Certification provides a measurable assessment of an individual's knowledge and competence required to provide proper tree care.

Certification is not a measure of standards of practice. Certification can attest to the tree knowledge of an individual, but cannot guarantee or assure quality performance.

Certified arborists are individual's who have achieved a level of knowledge in the art and science of tree care through at least three years experience and have passed a comprehensive examination developed by some of the nation's leading experts on tree care.

Certified arborists must also continue their education to maintain their certification. Therefore, they should be up-to-date ion the latest techniques in arboriculture.

Q. Why Hire an Arborist?

A. An arborist should be insured for your protection. Most homeowners policies do not cover uninsured contractors.An arborist is a specialist in the care of individual trees. Arborists are knowledgeable and equipped to provide proper care. Hiring an arborist is a decision that should not be taken lightly. Proper tree care is an investment which can lead to substantial returns. Well cared for trees are attractive and can add considerable value to your property. Poorly maintained trees can be a significant liability. Pruning or removing trees, especially large trees, can be dangerous work. tree work should only be done by those trained and equipped to work safely in trees.

Q. What kind of services can an arborist provide?

A. Arborists can provide a variety of services to help maintain your valuable investment.

1. Pruning - the arborist can determine what type of pruning in necessary to maintain or improve the health, appearance, and safety of your trees, These techniques include

Eliminating branches that rub each other.
Removing limbs that interfere with wires, building facades, gutters, roofs, chimneys, windows or obstruct streets or sidewalks.
Removing dead or weak limbs that pose a hazard or may lead to decay.
Removing diseased or insect infested limbs.
Creating better structure to lessen wind resistance and reduce the potential fro storm damage.
Training young trees.
Removing limbs damages by adverse weather conditions.
Thinning or removal of unnecessary branches.
Improving the shape or silhouette of the tree.

2. Removal - Although tree removal is a last resort, there are circumstances when it is necessary. An arborist can help decide whether or not a tree should be removed. Arborists have the skills and equipment to safely and efficiently remove trees. Removal is recommended when:

The tree is dead or dying.
The tree is considered irreparably hazardous.
The tree is causing an obstruction that is impossible to correct through pruning.
The tree is crowding and causing harm to other trees.
The tree is to be replaced by a more suitable specimen.
The tree should be removed to allow for new construction.

3. Emergency Tree Care - Storms may cause limbs or entire trees to fail, often landing on homes, cars, other structures of other trees. The weight of storm damaged trees is great and they can be very dangerous to remove or trim. An arborist can assist in performing the job in a safe manner, while reducing further risk of damage to your property.

4. Planting - Some arborist plant trees and most can recommend what types of trees are appropriate for a specific location. The wrong tree in the wrong location could lead to future problems due to limited growing space, insects, diseases, or poor growth.

5. Other services - Many arborists also provide a variety of other tree care services including:

Practicing Plant Health Card: a concept of preventative maintenance to keep trees in good health which will help the tree better defend itself against insects, disease and site problems.
Fertilization.
Cabling or bracing for added support to branches with weak attachment. Aeration to improve root growth.
Installation of lightning protection systems
Spraying or injecting to control certain insect and disease problems.

Q. How do I select the right arborist for the job?

A. There are a variety of things to consider when selecting an arborist which include:

Membership in professional organizations such as the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) the National Arborist Associations (NAA) or the American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA) demonstrates a willingness on the part of the arborist to stay up to date on the latest techniques and information.

Check in the phone directory yellow pages for those arborists who advertise as ISA Certified Arborist. Certified arborists are experienced professionals who have passed an extensive examination covering all aspects of tree care.

Ask for proof of insurance and then phone the insurance company if you are not satisfied. A reputable arborist will have personal and property damage insurance as well as workers compensation insurance. Many homeowners have had to pay out large sums of money for damages caused by an uninsured individual claiming to be a tree expert. You could be held responsible for damages and inquires that occur as a result of the job.

Ask for references to find out where the company has done work similar to the work you are requesting. Don't hesitate to check references or visit other worksites where the company or individual had done tree work. Remember, tree care is a substantial, long-lasting investment; you would not buy a care without a test drive!
Unless you know and are comfortable with the arborist, get more than one estimate. You may have to pay for the estimates, and it will take more time, but it will be worth the investment.

Be wary of individuals who go door to door and offer bargains for performing tree work. Most reputable companies are too occupied to solicit work in this manner. Improper tree care can take many years to correct itself and in some cases never corrects itself. Are you willing to take that risk with your valuable investment?
Good arborists will only perform accepted practices. For example, practices such as topping a tree, removing an excessive amount of live wood, using climbing spikes on trees which are not being removed, and removing or disfiguring living trees without just cause, are unnecessary.

Don't always accept the low bid. You should examine the credentials and the written specification of the firms who submitted bids and determine the best combination of price work to be done, skill and professionalism to protect your substantial investment.

Q. How do I recognize tree hazards.

A. Trees provide significant benefits to our homes and cities, but when trees fall and injure people or damage property, they are liabilities. taking care of tree hazards makes your property safer and prolongs the life of the tree.

Trees are an important part of our world. They offer a wide range of benefits to the environment and provide tremendous beauty.

However, trees may be dangerous. trees or parts of trees may fall and cause injury to people or damage to property. We call trees in such situation hazardous, to signify the risk involved with their presence. While every tree has the potential to fall, only a small number actually hit something or someone.

It is an owner's responsibility to provide for the safety of trees on his/her property. This brochure provide some tips for identifying the common defects associated with tree hazards. However, evaluating the seriousness of these defects is best done by a professional arborist.

Regular tree care will help identify hazardous trees and the risk they present. Once the hazard is recognized, steps may be taken to reduce the likelihood of the tree falling and injuring someone.

Q. What tree do you think I should plant?

A. Before this question can be answered, a number of factors need to be considered. Think about the following questions:

Why is the tree being planted? Do you want the tree to provide shade, fruit, seasonal color or act as a windbreak or screen? Maybe more than one of the above?
What is the size and location of the planting site? Does the space lend itself to a large, medium, or small tree? Are there overhead or below ground wires or utilities in the vicinity? Do you need to consider clearance for sidewalks, patios or driveways? Are there other trees in the area?

What type of soil conditions exist? Is the soil deep, fertile and well drained or is it shallow, compacted and infertile?

What type of maintenance are you willing to provide? Do you have time to water, fertilize and prune the newly planted tree until it is established or will you be relying on your garden or tree service for assistance?

Q. How do I avoid tree damage during construction?

A. As cities and suburbs expand, wooded lands are being developed into commercial and residential sites. Homes are constructed in the midst of trees to take advantage of the aesthetic and environmental value of the wooded lots. Wooded properties can be worth as much as twenty percent more than those without trees, and people value the opportunity to live among trees.

Unfortunately, the process involved with construction can be deadly to the nearby tree. Further, unless the damage is extreme, the trees may not die immediately, but could decline over several years. With this delay in symptom development, you may not associate the loss of the tree with the construction.

It is possible to preserve trees on building sites if the right measures are taken. The most important step is to hire a professional a arborist during the planning stage. An arborist can help you decide which trees can be saved, and can work with the builder to protect the trees throughout each construction phase.

Q. How are trees damages during construction?

A. Physical injury to the trunk and crown - Construction equipment can injure the above-ground portion of a tree by breaking branches, tearing the bark and wounding the trunk. These injuries are permanent, and if extensive, can be fatal.

Cutting of roots - The digging and trenching that are necessary to construct a house and install underground utilities will likely sever a portion of the roots of many trees in the area. It is easy to appreciate the potential for damage if you understand where roots grow. the roots of a mature tree extend far from the trunk of the tree. In fact, roots typically will be found growing a distance of 1-3 times the height of the tree. The amount of damage a tree can suffer from root loss depends, in part, upon how close to the tree is cut is made. Severing one major root can cause the loss of 5-20 percent of the root system.

Another problem that may result from root loss due to digging and trenching is that the potential for the trees to fall over is increased. the roots play a critical role in anchoring a tree. If the major support roots are cut on one side of a tree may fall or blow over.

Soil Compaction - An ideal soil for root growth and development is about fifty percent pore space. These pores, the spaces between soil particles, are filled with water and air. The heavy equipment used in construction compacts the soil, and can dramatically reduce the amount of pore space. This not only inhibits root growth and penetration, but also decreases oxygen in the soil that is essential to the growth and function of the roots.

Smothering roots by adding soil - Most people are surprised to learn that 90 percent of the fine roots that absorb water and minerals are in the upper 6 -12 inches of soil. Roots require space, air and water. Roots will grown best where these requirements are met, which is usually very near the soil surface. Piling soil over the root system or increasing the grade will smother the roots. It only takes a few inches of added soil to kill a sensitive, mature tree.

Exposure to the elements - Trees in a forest situation grow as a community, protecting each other from the elements. The trees grow tall, with long, straight trunks and high canopies. Removal of neighboring tress, or opening and shared canopies of trees will expose the remaining trees to sunlight and wind. The higher levels of sunlight may cause sunscald on the trunks and branches. Also, the remaining trees will be more prone to breaking from wind or ice loading.

Q. How do I identify and cure plant disease?

A. correct diagnosis of plant disease requires a careful examination of the situation an systematic elimination of possibilities by following a few important steps.

1. Accurately identify the plant. Because infectious pathogens are mostly plant-specific, this information can quickly limit the number is suspected diseases.

2. Look for a pattern of abnormality. This can often provide key information regarding the cause of the problem. For example, if the affected plants are restricted to a walkway, road or fence, the disorder could be a result of wood preservatives, de-icing salts, or other harsh chemicals.

3. Carefully examine the land. Factors to observe include:

- drainage
- history of the property
- number of species affected
- percentage of inured plants in the area

Poorly drained areas are ideal for the development of root rot induced by a variety of water molds. The history of the property and adjacent land may reveal many problems such as herbicides applied to agriculture lands or sanitary landfills whose gas can drift several hundred feet and damage plants.

The number of species affected may also help to distinguish between infectious pathogens that are more plant-specific as compared to chemical or environmental factors that affect many different species. Most living pathogens take a relatively long time to spread throughout an area, so if a large percentage of plants become diseased virtually overnight, a pathogen is probably not involved.

4. Examine the roots. Note their color: brown or black roots may signal problems. Brown roots often indicate dry soil conditions or the presence of toxic chemicals. Black roots usually reflect overly wet soil or the presence of root-rotting organisms.

5. Check the trunk and branches. Examine the trunk thoroughly for wounds, as they provide entrances for cankers and wood-rotting organisms. Such wounds may be caused by weather fire, lawnmowers, rodents, and a variety of other environmental and mechanical factors. you can avoid extensive decline by removing branch stubs and pruning out cankered limbs.

6. Note the position and appearance of affected leaves. Dead leaves at the top of the tree usually the result of environmental or mechanical root stress. Twisted or curled leaves may indicate viral infection, insect feeding, or exposure to herbicides. The size and color of the foliage may tell a great deal about the plants condition, so make mote of these and any other abnormalities.

7. Think about current and past management practices. Sometimes a plant's current problem is actually a result of previous applications.

Armed with information from this careful examination, you can now consult a plant disease reference or expert and make a diagnosis of the problem.