The story below is a preview from our September/October 2023 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
Local experts weigh in on good tree maintenance practices so property owners can keep themselves and their valuables safe from damage.
Courtesy of AAA Tree Works
Climbing trees using harnesses and ropes is a common method used by arborists to help them reach tall branches.
When you step outside your home, it’s likely you’ll spot at least one tree. While pretty to look at, trees are also vital components of our region’s ecosystems. Unfortunately, they can also pose a danger when they become unhealthy or aren’t regularly maintained. Local professionals share their tips for keeping your trees in tip-top shape so they can perform at their best and you can avoid unexpected disasters.
Tree Benefits
Courtesy of AAA Tree Works
For big tree removal and pruning projects, it’s safest to call in a professional for help.
The presence of trees plays many crucial roles in urban locations like Roanoke. While our area is doing an impeccable job of preserving this natural resource, it’s also undergoing expansions and land clearings to make room for new commercial and residential spaces. It’s the trees the region is safeguarding that are keeping our air clean in the midst of all these changes.
“With expansion comes traffic and with traffic comes higher amounts of carbon dioxide,” says Josh Salb, owner of AAA Tree Works. “A mature tree can absorb 48 pounds of carbon dioxide annually, about the equivalent of driving 50 miles.” He also indicates that trees have the capability of reducing runoff, which is helpful in places like Roanoke that are prone to flooding.
Trees also offer many benefits to individual properties and the folks who own them. In the summer months, shade trees located around homes can help reduce energy costs and provide homeowners with a little extra privacy.
Carrie Poff, owner and CEO of Brown Hound Tree Service, says that in addition to well-maintained trees giving a property’s curb appeal a boost and even increasing its value, they do wonderful things for a person’s overall health. “Spending time around trees can help lower blood pressure and reduce stress.”
Proper Planting
We’ve all heard horror stories of trees falling on people’s homes and cars during a storm, but our tree care pros say that in some instances, prevention of catastrophes like these can be avoided before a tree is even planted.
If you’re considering adding trees to your home’s landscape, the two key questions every property owner should ask themselves before picking up their shovel is what type of tree they want to purchase and where they hope to plant it.
“Where you decide to plant a tree is very important,” says Poff. “While that baby pine tree looks cute now, when it matures, it will be very tall. Place young trees that will gain a great deal of height away from your home, communication lines and power lines.”
Kyle Rose, Business Development Officer for The Green Team, seconds this statement and emphasizes that when in doubt, get in touch with an arborist or someone knowledgeable about trees at your local nursery for advice when deciding what species to plant.
Prevention & Maintenance Tips
Courtesy of Brown Hound Tree Service
Once your tree is in the ground, give it all the tools it needs in order to thrive. “Many trees … attract certain insects. It’s recommended to treat the trees with the proper insecticides, miticides and fungicides before they have issues,” Rose advises.
Salb states that having them on an appropriate fertilization schedule from the get-go is another way to keep trees growing at their best. Using a gradual release fertilizer ensures that nutrients are evenly distributed. “You should also conduct regular tests on your soil to see whether or not any of its components are deficient or absent.”
You can’t forget the water! “In general, mature trees require one inch of water once every seven days. During the first or second growing season, a new tree’s watering needs might range anywhere from four to 10 gallons per week,” says Salb.
As they grow, it becomes more imperative than ever that property owners do what they can to keep their trees in good shape. There are several ways to do this, with one of the most essential involving a little tidying up.
“If you have shorter trees, purchasing a telescoping pole saw and a hard hat and removing sucker growth or smaller dead limbs is perfectly safe,” says Poff. Another way to help keep your trees healthy is by mulching around them in the spring. “Just don’t create a mulch volcano! Mulch pushed up against the trunk of a tree can cause it to rot.”
When to Call the Professionals
Want to learn more about best tree practices, including when to call for backup and selecting the right tree care company for you? Check out the latest issue, now on newsstands, or see it for free in our digital guide linked below!
The story above is a preview from our September/October 2023 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!