Calgary Tree Services
Tree Care Consultations
Sometimes you're not sure what's wrong with your tree or what to do about it.
Maybe the leaves are turning yellow or it looks like something's eating the leaves.
Perhaps there are holes in the trunk or a section of the tree canopy looks like it's dying.
Or maybe you're planning to do some major landscaping or construction and are concerned about how that might affect nearby trees.
Whatever the reason, we can help diagnose the situation and provide a solution. We'll take a look at your tree(s) and the surrounding area, discuss your needs and desires with respect to the tree(s), and determine the best path forward.
When needed, we partner with the best local arborists that specialize in tree health care and together we are able to correctly diagnose and properly treat your trees for long-term health and safety, like tree doctors! Rather you need
tree cabling, or simple
fertilization and
mulching
or even
new trees planted. No matter the tree care need, Calgary Tree Services has you covered!
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What Is Tree Health Care?
The objective of tree health care is to proactively maintain or improve a trees appearance, vitality, and, safety. It's a holistic approach that uses the most cost-effective and environmentally sensitive practices and treatments and works toward long-term solutions.
Why Is Tree Health Care Important?
Many of the trees that make your landscape beautiful and add property value are subject to environmental stresses, such as insects, diseases, and environmental conditions that compromise their ability to thrive. Many of our landscape plants are not native to this part of the world, plus they're frequently exposed to imported insects and diseases. Most significantly, they're exposed to "Human Factors" that create stress, including construction, grade change, soil compaction, mechanical injury, over- or under-watering, road salt, air pollution, and more. In order for plants to thrive and survive, these issues must be addressed.
How Tree Health Care Works
Tree health care involves routine monitoring for early detection, preventive treatments, and a quality working relationship between the arborist and the property owner to ensure your landscape is healthy every season. We work with you to design a program based on your goals and the specifics of your property. This isn't a "one size fits all" approach. We share with you the best knowledge from our certified arborists, based on the latest research, so that together we can find solutions that prevent and treat problems while protecting people and the environment. A regular THC program with Calgary Tree Services will keep your trees healthy and beautiful for the long term.
Call us today to schedule a complimentary consultation with a certified arborist.
Scheduled A Tree Inspection
We recommend an annual tree inspection of all trees on your property each year or two, you probably visit your doctor for a check-up to make sure everything’s ok and to discuss any health concerns you may have. It’s the same with trees, a tree inspection allows us to identify any change in the tree’s health before the problem becomes too serious. By having regular inspections of mature trees (at least once a year), you can prevent or reduce the severity of future disease, insect, and environmental problems.
What Happens During a Tree Inspection?
During a tree inspection, our arborists look at many things to evaluate the vigor and health of a tree, including the four points below.
Is the tree producing new leaves or buds, and what do they look like?
A reduction in the extension of shoots (new growing parts), such as buds or new leaves, is a fairly reliable cue that the tree’s health has recently changed. To evaluate this, our arborists compare the growth of the shoots over the past three years to see whether there’s a reduction in the tree’s typical growth pattern. Obviously, we can’t do this unless the tree has had regular check-ups.
How do the leaves’ size and shape look? Does twig growth seem normal?
Anything out of the ordinary, such as spotted, deformed, discolored or dead leaves and twigs, can be signs of disease or insect problems that should either be treated or closely monitored.
Are there any signs of crown dieback (gradual death of the upper part of the tree)?
Further signs of poor tree health are trunk decay, crown dieback, or both. These symptoms often indicate problems that began several years before. Loose bark or deformed growths, such as trunk conks (mushrooms), are common signs of stem decay.
Any abnormalities found during a tree inspection are noted and our arborists will closely watch the tree(s) over time to determine if and when action should be taken. If any problems are found that need immediate action, our Certified Arborists will recommend treatments that are tailored specifically to the issues your trees are experiencing.
Tree Health Services
Treatment of Insects & Diseases
Insect pests and diseases can have a devastating effect on your landscape's appearance and health. If left unchecked, a disease or insect infestation may claim the life of your shrubs and trees. Fortunately, there are applications available to combat the attack of an insect pest or disease. An accurate diagnosis is the most important step toward curing the issue. In addition to helping with your current landscape issues, our certified arborists are able to prescribe preventative treatments that will help safeguard your landscape from future problems.
Disease & Infestation Prevention
Sometimes established plants were planted in the wrong place or the variety planted is naturally susceptible to a specific disease or insect pest. In these circumstances, we also have the ability to implement preventive treatments for these trees and shrubs.
Whenever possible we like to use integrated pest management to keep threshold levels of insect and disease down.
Root Treatments
There is a reason for that old saying “Getting to the root of the problem.” Most of our trees' roots have been mistreated and neglected. We have a number of techniques we utilize to revive plants roots. When your trees, shrubs and landscape plants have healthy roots they are disease resistant and more aesthetically pleasing. Whether it’s a simple fertilization or a detailed soil analysis, we’ll get to the root of the problem!
Why Use Our Certified Arborist's?
A Certified Arborist is someone who has gained extensive training, experience, and a high level of knowledge in the art and science of arboriculture. These professionals must also go through a comprehensive examination that will enable them to become Certified Arborist if they pass. Now get this. All Certified Arborists must continue to master their craft long after they receive their certification. This is so they can be constantly up-to-date with the latest technologies and techniques in the field of arboriculture if they wish to remain certified professionals. Therefore, if you’re thinking about hiring a tree pro to take care of and maintain your trees, Calgary Tree Services Arborist's are the way to go. Anyone with a chainsaw can chop up tree branches and limbs and call it pruning. It’s the knowledge and expertise in the proper way of pruning, trimming, and removing trees or stumps that really makes a difference.
Call us today for all your tree needs.
Should I just cut my sick tree down?
While undetected illness may leave a tree unable to recover, early detection and application of treatment can save a sick tree. We recommend having your tree inspected by one of our ISA-certified arborist, to determine the best course of action when it comes to sick and dying trees.
How can I Inspect my trees for health issues?
Steps for Checking Your Trees:
● Visual Inspection: Take a thorough look at your tree from every angle. Examine the canopy down to the roots, keeping an eye out for any of the issues mentioned above.
● Touch and Tap Test: Gently poke the bark to see if it feels soft or crumbles, which could suggest decay. Tapping on the trunk and listening for hollow sounds can also indicate internal problems.
● Monitor Changes Over Time: Observing your tree across different seasons can help you notice and diagnose diseases early. Changes in appearance, growth patterns, or seasonal behaviors can provide critical clues about the tree’s health.
What are the signs that my tree needs health care?
Leaf Changes: Observing your tree’s leaves can provide the first clues about its health. If you notice leaves turning yellow or brown when it’s not fall, or if they develop spots or unusual patterns, these are potential signs of disease. This discolouration is often one of the earliest indicators that something isn’t right with your tree.
Wilting Leaves: Leaves that appear limp or droopy could signal more than just a lack of water. If the soil around your tree is moist yet the leaves wilt, this could indicate a disease. It’s crucial to differentiate between underwatering and possible infections to address the issue correctly.
Bark Abnormalities: The condition of a tree’s bark is a window into its health. Look for symptoms like cracks, holes, or spots where the bark has peeled away, exposing decayed wood beneath. These signs can suggest that the tree is battling an infection or other health issues.
Unusual Growths: Keep an eye out for abnormal growths such as mushrooms or raised bumps on the bark or roots, which could indicate serious internal problems. A white, powdery substance on the leaves might be powdery mildew, a common fungal issue among trees.
Sap or Goo: The presence of sticky substances oozing from the tree, often referred to as “gummosis,” can be a reaction to disease infection. This symptom is especially prevalent in trees like cherries and peaches.
What can I do to help prevent tree diseases?
● Water Wisely: Both over-watering and under-watering can stress your tree, making it more susceptible to diseases. Ensure you water appropriately based on the species and local climate conditions.
● Mulch Properly: Applying mulch helps maintain soil moisture and temperature but keep it a few inches away from the trunk to avoid moisture buildup against the bark, which could lead to diseases.
● Prune Properly: Regularly removing dead or diseased branches can prevent the spread of infections and improve air circulation around the tree, crucial for deterring fungal diseases.
Caring for trees is a worthwhile endeavour that enhances your landscape’s beauty and contributes positively to the environment. By familiarizing yourself with the signs of tree distress and disease, you can take proactive steps to ensure your trees remain a vital and healthy part of your garden. Remember, a little knowledge and effort in tree care can go a long way!
What is a tree injection? How is it done?
Tree injections are usually systemic treatments that are injected directly into the tree, usually at the base of the tree near the root collar.
Injections get to the area of the tree where treatment is needed quickly and are often better for the environment than sprays as there is no overspray or runoff that may impact other wildlife or plants.
What is a soil injection? How is it done?
A soil injection consists of fertilizer and water, which delivers nutrients to the tree's roots, where they are most needed. Some systemic treatments, such as soil drenches, are also given as soil injections.
Soil injections are often injected into the soil in several spots, to ensure that the whole tree receives the needed treatment. This can also serve as a simple way to aerate compacted soil at the same time, bringing more oxygen to the tree roots. Soil with more aeration is fluffy and has spaces for water and organisms to stay where the tree roots will use them.
Which treatments are sprayed, and which are injected?
Many of our treatments are injected, providing longer-term control of the pest. In our area.
Most of the preventative treatments like pine beetle and other bark beetle treatments are sprayed. This puts the repellant on the bark where the insect would attack.
What is horticultural oil and why is it used?
Horticultural oil, sometimes referred to as hort oil or dormant oil, is a refined form of mineral oil. When sprayed on plants and trees, the thin layer of oil can kill pests including mites, aphids, white flies, scale, and more. Horticultural oils are most effective when applied before “bud break,” and before an infestation occurs.
When you inject the soil, are you polluting the ground and well water?
No. The products are placed in the soil profile where the roots are and have a surfactant in the mixture that keeps it where the plant can access the products. We also will add in fungal species that form a symbiotic association (called mycorrhiza) that help the plant uptake nutrients. Bacterial life in the soil breaks the minerals down into more soluble forms for the fungi or plant to uptake.
We will take special precautions when working near wells or areas where water accumulates or flows. This prevents our products from the potential of contaminating water. Sometimes we just can’t help a tree because it’s growing in a place where we can’t take the chance of polluting a water source.
Do any of the sprays used harm beneficial insects?
Any product, whether organic or chemical in its makeup, that will affect a pest insect, have the potential to affect a beneficial insect. Horticultural oils, biological treatments, and insecticidal soaps have less potential to harm beneficial insects, especially when appropriately timed. Some treatment sprays may impact other insects but are used as a last resort and are carefully applied (both in terms of timing and location). Beneficial insects are drawn to and found in areas where the pest insects are to feed. By preventing high pest populations in the beginning, we are less likely to harm beneficial insects because they aren’t there.
One of the most important parts of prescribing any treatment is recognizing the population of the pest in the treatment area. Establishing a threshold for treatment will drastically reduce the chances of harm to any beneficial organism.