How to Choose a Qualified Arboricultural Practitioner for Your Trees

Understanding the Importance of Selecting the Right Tree Care Professional

• Value of Trees for Owners

Tree owners often recognize the significant value of their trees and want to ensure they are cared for properly.

• Risks of Incompetent Tree Care

Incompetent individuals or companies can inadvertently damage valuable trees, making the choice of arboricultural practitioners crucial.

• Consumer Vigilance

Consumers should be cautious, carefully examine previous work, and seek recommendations before hiring.

Identifying Different Types of Tree Care Workers

• Part-Time or New Operators

Some workers are new to the industry or operate part-time. Their equipment might be minimal, such as just a pick-up truck and chainsaw.

• Fully Equipped Professionals

More established practitioners use specialized equipment like bucket trucks, climbing gear (ropes and saddles), chippers, and chipper trucks.

• Large Multi-State Corporations

These firms often handle large-scale work, such as utility line clearance, recognizable by their uniform trucks and machinery across regions.

Evaluating the Equipment and Business Size

• Why Equipment Alone is Not a Competence Indicator

The size of the business or the sophistication of equipment does not guarantee skill or professionalism.

• The Role of Professional Organizations

Membership in state or national arboricultural organizations can be a helpful sign, though not conclusive, of a firm's competence.

The Significance of Certification and Professional Memberships

• Certified Arborists as a Benchmark

Firms that employ or are managed by certified arborists generally provide higher assurance of competence in tree care.

• Benefits of Certification

Certification assists consumers in distinguishing qualified practitioners capable of safely and effectively caring for trees.

• Professional Arborist Organizations

Many tree care professionals belong to organizations such as the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and others focused on tree maintenance and care.

How to Vet Your Arboricultural Practitioner

• Review Previous Work

Always request photo portfolios or references from completed projects to gauge quality and care.

• Ask for Recommendations

Tree Care Site Evaluation

30

Book Now

Seek input from neighbors, local gardening clubs, or tree care organizations for trusted providers.

• Confirm Certification and Memberships

Verify claims of certification and check membership in reputable arborist associations.

• Understand the Scope of Services

Know the type of work the professional specializes in—routine maintenance, storm damage, utility line clearance, etc.

Summary: Making an Informed Decision

• Taking Time to Research

Thorough research reduces risk of tree damage and ensures your trees receive proper care.

• Recognizing Professionalism Beyond Equipment

Look beyond trucks and tools; focus on qualifications and track record.

• Value of Certified Arborists and Professional Organizations

Certification and memberships are strong indicators of experience and commitment to best practices in arboriculture.

Why Winter Ticks are More Active and How to Manage Them in Your Yard

Ticks are often thought of as a warm-weather nuisance, but many people are surprised to learn that ticks remain active during the winter months. This activity can pose health risks, especially since adult deer ticks carry a higher chance of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease. Understanding why ticks stay active in colder seasons and how to manage their presence in your yard can help protect you and your family.

Hand in rubber glove and tick in dog skin in winter warm days.

Why Ticks Stay Active in Winter

Deer & Rabbit Plant Damaged Prevention

15

Book Now

Ticks do not hibernate like some insects. Instead, they become active during warm days in the cold season. Adult ticks, especially deer ticks, can emerge during winter and remain active into the following spring. This behavior is linked to their life cycle and survival strategy.

Adult deer ticks have had two chances to become infected with B. burgdorferi: once as larvae and again as nymphs. This makes them more likely to carry Lyme disease compared to younger ticks. Their activity during winter means that the risk of tick bites and disease transmission does not disappear with the first frost.

Ticks sense temperature changes and humidity levels. When winter days are mild, ticks take advantage of the conditions to seek hosts. This means that even in colder months, if the weather warms up, ticks can become active and pose a threat.

How Wildlife Influences Tick Populations

Wildlife plays a crucial role in maintaining and spreading tick populations. Animals such as deer, raccoons, and squirrels serve as hosts for ticks, providing blood meals that ticks need to grow and reproduce.

Controlling wildlife activity near your home is one effective way to reduce tick numbers in your yard. Here are some practical steps:

• Limit deer access: Use fencing or deer-resistant plants to keep deer away from your garden and lawn.

• Manage food sources: Avoid leaving pet food or birdseed on the ground, which can attract raccoons and squirrels.

• Remove brush and leaf litter: These provide shelter for ticks and small mammals.

• Create a barrier: A wide strip of wood chips or gravel between wooded areas and your lawn can reduce tick migration.

  
  

By reducing the presence of wildlife hosts, you can lower the chances of ticks establishing themselves in your yard.

Whitetail deer, doe, with a tick infestation visible on the ears and eyes of the animal. Spring season, Monmouth County, New Jersey.

Managing Ticks in Your Yard During Winter

Mosquito & Tick Treatment-Outdoor pest

15

Book Now

Winter tick activity requires year-round vigilance. Here are some tips to keep your yard safer during the colder months:

• Regular yard maintenance: Keep grass trimmed short and remove leaf litter where ticks can hide.

• Use tick control products: Consider applying acaricides (tick pesticides) in early winter when ticks are less active but still present.

• Protect pets: Use veterinarian-recommended tick prevention treatments for dogs and cats.

• Wear protective clothing: If you spend time outdoors during warm winter days, wear long sleeves and pants, and check yourself for ticks afterward.

• Create tick-safe zones: Keep play areas and patios away from wooded or brushy edges.

  
  

Monitoring your yard and taking these steps can reduce the risk of tick bites even when you least expect it.

Blurred man sprays and fogging natural insecticide to prevent and kill the Ticks, Anti-Ticks in the woods and bush

Final Thoughts on Winter Tick Awareness

Ticks do not disappear in winter, and adult deer ticks can be more dangerous because of their higher infection rates. By understanding their behavior and managing wildlife activity, you can reduce tick populations around your home. Regular yard care and protective measures during warm winter days help keep you and your family safe from tick-borne diseases.

The Hidden Danger of Over-Mulching: Understanding Girdling Roots and Tree Health

Trees are often seen as resilient giants, but many suffer silently from a hidden threat that weakens and sometimes kills them. This threat comes from girdling roots, a problem often caused by over-mulching or improper mulching techniques, such as creating mulch volcanoes around tree trunks. Understanding how girdling roots develop and affect tree health is essential for anyone who cares for trees, whether in a garden, park, or urban landscape.

Mulch volcano around tree trunk causing girdling roots

What Are Girdling Roots and How Do They Form?

Girdling roots are roots that grow tightly around the main trunk or larger lateral roots of a tree. Instead of spreading outward and downward, these roots wrap closely around the tree’s base, much like a wire tied around a branch for several years. This constriction can choke the tree’s vascular system, especially the phloem, which transports carbohydrates from the leaves to the roots.

The most common cause of girdling roots is over-mulching. When mulch is piled too thickly or shaped like a volcano around the trunk, it encourages roots to grow upward and circle the trunk rather than spreading naturally. This abnormal root growth eventually strangles the tree, restricting the flow of nutrients and water.

Why Girdling Roots Are Harmful to Trees

The strangulation caused by girdling roots limits the movement of carbohydrates to the roots. Without enough carbohydrates, roots starve and lose their ability to absorb water and mineral nutrients effectively. This root starvation leads to several problems:

• Reduced water uptake causes drought stress symptoms even when soil moisture is adequate.

• Nutrient deficiencies develop, weakening the tree’s overall health.

• The tree becomes more vulnerable to pests and diseases.

• Growth slows, and branches above the girdled area may produce smaller, lighter green leaves.

• Premature leaf drop occurs, reducing the tree’s ability to photosynthesize and recover.

  
  

In severe cases, girdling roots can kill a tree by cutting off essential nutrient and water flow completely.

How to Diagnose Girdling Roots

Detecting girdling roots early can save a tree from serious damage. The best time to check for girdling roots is late summer when symptoms become more visible. Look for these signs:

• Leaves above the suspected girdled area appear smaller and lighter green than normal.

• Premature leaf drop occurs on branches above the girdling.

• The tree’s growth slows or stops.

• The trunk base may show visible roots circling tightly around it.

• Soil and mulch piled high around the trunk can be a clue to potential girdling root problems.

  
  

To confirm, carefully remove some mulch and inspect the root flare—the area where the trunk widens at the base. If roots are circling or tightly pressed against the trunk, girdling roots are likely present.

Exposed girdling roots tightly circling tree trunk

Preventing and Managing Girdling Roots

Prevention is the best approach to avoid girdling roots. Here are practical steps to protect your trees:

• Apply mulch properly by spreading a 2 to 4-inch layer around the tree, keeping mulch 6 to 12 inches away from the trunk.

• Avoid creating mulch volcanoes that pile mulch against the trunk.

• Maintain a clear root flare by removing excess soil or mulch that covers it.

• Inspect young trees regularly for signs of girdling roots.

• If girdling roots are detected early, carefully prune the offending roots with the help of a certified arborist.

• In severe cases, professional root pruning or even tree removal may be necessary.

  
  

Mulching correctly supports healthy root growth and protects trees from stress caused by drought, temperature extremes, and soil compaction.

Properly mulched tree base with visible root flare and even mulch layer

Why Proper Tree Care Matters

Trees provide shade, improve air quality, and enhance the beauty of any landscape. Protecting them from hidden threats like girdling roots ensures they live long, healthy lives. Over-mulching may seem harmless or even beneficial, but it can cause serious harm if done incorrectly.