Atlanta is a city known for its trees. We enjoy one of the most heavily wooded urban areas in the United States. However, much of that tree cover is disappearing due to new construction techniques that clear cut new developments. So when it comes to the trees on your property, proper tree care and tree preservation is essential. Of course, sometimes a tree does need to be removed. When it comes to both tree preservation and tree removal, you want to hire only the most experienced and knowledgeable arborists to do it right.

Where to Find Complete Care for Your Trees [infographic]

There are two main reasons to hire an arborist. The first is to preserve and enhance your tree. The second is to remove it. The tree specialists listed on TrustDALE.com have the knowledge and experience to do both safely and successfully.

Pruning Your Tree

Pruning a tree is an art as much as it is a science. It requires detailed knowledge of tree growth patterns and tree health issues. Improperly pruning a tree can cause undue stress and even kill a tree. Properly pruning a tree can enhance its health and make it safer for the humans who share its space.

Before pruning a tree, you need to know why you are pruning.

Every branch that is removed from a tree changes its growth. Trees are living creatures, and any cut to the tree creates a wound that needs to properly heal to maintain the health of the tree. So it is important only to prune a tree when you have a good reason. Depending on the reason to prune, your arborist may take a different approach to the pruning process.

Common reasons for pruning include the health of the tree, encroachment of the tree into other spaces, and human safety. 

When it comes to the health of the tree, pruning needs to be very specific. Dead or diseased branches can actually harm a tree, so they should be removed. In addition to the harm to the tree, dead or diseased branches have a higher risk of coming down, especially in a storm. If they overhang a street or a building, they could be a risk for major property damage. In such cases, an arborist will evaluate the best way to remove the dead or diseased branches to preserve the health of the tree and reduce risk to human property.

Another reason to prune a tree is because it interferes with the property around the tree. For instance, a tree may be dangerously close to power lines. Or it could be overhanging a roof, creating a dangerous possibility of falling branches in a storm. If a tree is too thick over a lawn or garden, it can also reduce sunlight and inhibit the growth of the vegetation below it. Trees can also encroach on sidewalks or other areas humans need to move around. Any of these problems could be a reason to prune a tree. In these cases, an arborist who is well trained in tree biology will help devise a plan to thin or shape the tree while doing minimal harm. A well-maintained tree that is trimmed to be compatible with the space around it can enhance the quality and the value of a property.

Sometimes a tree can be pruned for its own health. While most trees can survive well on their own, there are times when appropriate and careful pruning can enhance the health of the tree. Trees produce a thick, dense crown of leaves to absorb sunlight and produce the sugars that feed the tree. However, at times, some judicious pruning can increase light and air penetration to the inside of the tree’s crown. Of course, in nature trees are pruned only be storms and other natural means. So if your tree is healthy and not encroaching on human property, it may be best to let it be.

Tree Removal

At times it may be necessary to remove a tree. If a tree is dead, it should be removed to avoid danger from falling branches or even collapse of the whole tree. Or sometimes a tree may just not be in a good place for the rest of the property. Whatever the reason for tree removal, the professionals at Richmond Tree Experts have the experience and skill to remove your tree quickly, cleanly, and safely.

One method they use is to bring in a compact crane that can literally pluck the tree out of its spot. From there it is moved to the street or another safe area where it is cut up and removed. Because there are no wood chippers, the process is much less noisy than traditional tree removal. It is also clean and fast.

Another method Richmond Tree Experts uses is a bucket truck (sometimes called a cherry picker) to safely approach a tree and cut it down in pieces. This is a safe method for removing dead or diseased trees that may not support a climber.

There are times when a crane or a truck cannot maneuver close enough to a tree that needs to be removed. In these cases, Richmond Tree Experts will use an experienced climber to scale the tree and safely remove it in pieces. Some of their climbers have been climbing trees for 30 years, and all of their climbers are highly experienced.

Other Services Provided by an Arborist

Arborists are tree experts. While some of the most common services they provide are tree pruning and tree removal, that is not all they do. Trees can require care to maintain their health just like any other living thing. For example, arborists can help diagnose and cure tree diseases. They can also help determine other common causes of deteriorating tree health. In most cases, when a tree is showing signs of poor health, it is due to human causes. Even when a tree is diseased, the disease is often a symptom of human-induced stresses. When healthy, a tree is usually able to withstand pests and infections on its own.

One human-induced tree stressor is compacted earth. A healthy tree sends out roots in a wide area around the tree. Many of these roots are relatively close to the surface. When the area around the tree is paved over or trampled by heavy foot traffic, the roots close to the surface can be crushed. Those roots play a vital role in the tree's health, allowing it to access and absorb necessary nutrients. When they are crushed, they cannot do their job, and the tree suffers. Trees also need soil that has some breathing room. Soil that is paved over or that becomes to compacted loses its air pockets, making it harder for a tree to “breath”.

Finding the Right Tree Care

Trees are living organisms and require careful care just like a pet or a person. That’s why you can’t let just anyone care for your trees. In addition, many tree care experts out there will only do part of the job.

For instance, when it comes to removing a tree, many companies cut down the tree but don’t remove it, or remove the tree but don’t grind the stump. The professionals at Richmond Tree Experts are the whole package, They will cut down and remove a tree and its stump.

If you are trying to preserve a tree, you want professionals who really know about trees. Just like finding a doctor for a person, you need to find an arborist you can trust. Luckily TrustDALE has done the research, saving you time and worry.

If you need an arborist, contact a TrustDALE Certified Tree Service CompanyThey have undergone Dale’s rigorous 7 point investigative review and agreed to Dale’s Make-It-Right Guarantee. Dale trusts Richmond Tree Experts and so can you!

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