Tree Health Care

Health Care For Trees

Caring for your trees can pay huge dividends. According to real estate experts, an aesthetically pleasing, and well maintained landscape with healthy trees can add up to 20% of a home’s value. The integrity of your trees is particularly important, as The Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers states that a single mature tree can be valued at between $1,000 and $10,000.

Benefits of Trees

But that only speaks of their financial value. There are many other benefits that trees provide which directly impact the way that we live.

• Trees purify the air by releasing oxygen into the atmosphere
• Trees save, and store water, which then evaporates, causing a natural cooling effect in the environment
• Trees provide us with different types of nuts, fruits, and berries
• Trees provide us with wood
• Trees prevent soil erosion
• Trees help us to mark the seasons
• Trees provide a natural habitat for

While trees are enormously beneficial to people and the environment many factors can come into play to transform those assets into liabilities. To nip a potential tree problem in the bud property owners should be aware of potential tree issues so they can make informed decisions in order to protect their trees and property.

Tree Health Awareness

Poor tree health can be caused by living things, such as insects, mammals (deer, for example), or fungi. Trees may also suffer damage from non-living things such as lightning, drought, construction activity, or soil nutrient deficiencies.

Trees are resilient and if a threat to it’s health is discovered in time it can recover.  If the root zone of a tree is impacted by events such as construction, droughts, or flooding then the tree’s health will start to deteriorate, often showing signs such as:

• Wilting—plants limited in their ability to take up soil moisture will show signs of wilting, premature leaf drop, and yellowing.
• Thinning foliage—dead and falling branches, poor growth, and wilted brown leaves in summer indicate a tree in stress.
• Fungi—look for mushrooms on and around the base of weakened trees.

Root Damage Cure

In cases of moderate root damage or drought tree health can be restored in three steps.

• Pruning at the canopy level will help the tree recover as less water will be needed.
• Watering will help with recovery of the root system by reducing the amount of energy it expends in search of water.
• Fertilizer will help to stimulate new growth in both the root system and canopy.

Soil compaction is another cause of poor tree health. This could be the result of construction activity such as driveway installation, lawn installation, or raising the level of the soil. Remedy this with soil aeration in addition to the three steps above.

Insects and Disease

There are a wide variety of insects, some of which work in tandem with fungi, that can harm trees. An important distinction is that many of the more common tree pests operate out in the open, devouring foliage, constructing webs, and making their presence known. Concerned property owners only have to contact a certified arborist to understand the scope of the problem and, if necessary, implement a solution.

Less common tree pests are those that are capable of severe destruction, are difficult to control, and are not usually found out until it’s too late. Several species have been found in New Hampshire and Massachusetts where agencies in both states are implementing measures to alleviate the problems.

Asian Longhorned Beetle

Don’t Move Firewood

After Forestry officials in Massachusetts discovered that destructive insects such as the Asian Longhorned Beetle and the Emerald Ash Borer remained active in logs and firewood for years after harvest, a ban was instituted on the transport of firewood across state lines in 2011. Quarantines now exist in most of the U.S. in order to limit the movement of pests.

Asian Longhorned Beetle

The Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) is a wood boring insect that attacks hardwood trees including maple, birch, and elm. It was discovered in Worcester, MA in 2008 and in Boston in 2010. ALB has not as yet been found in New Hampshire.

Emerald Ash Borer

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is a dark green beetle that has, so far, killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in North America. It’s the larvae stage of this pest that wreaks havoc by feeding on the inner bark of ash trees, interfering with the tree’s ability to transport water and nutrients.

In Massachusetts EAB has been found in four communities of Essex County on The New Hampshire border as well as in central and western Massachusetts. In New Hampshire EAB is concentrated in central and Southern New Hampshire including Salem and Windham in Rockingham County.

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid

Elongate Hemlock Scale

Both the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid and Elongate Hemlock Scale are tiny pests found in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire infesting varieties of Hemlock. It may also be found in nearby Douglas fir, Cedar, Yew, and Spruce.

Early detection and treatment are key to managing these pests.

Beech bark disease

Beech bark disease is found in North America from Nova Scotia down to the Mid Atlantic.

The disease is a result of two separate actions. First a Beech tree is attacked by the scale opening a wound and then one of two fungi attack the wound setting in motion the tree’s demise.

Scales which are observed on high-value ornamental trees before the onset of the fungus can be controlled with insecticides.

Tree Preservation

Trees which are monitored and properly maintained can thrive in urban or rural environments. If you are concerned about trees on your property an assessment by a certified arborist from Royal Green Tree Service can determine the health of your trees to either reassure you, or to uncover the root cause of declining tree health or stress.

If health issues are present we’ll outline a tree preservation plan so you can continue to enjoy the many benefits of your trees.

All of us here at Royal Green Tree Service are committed to helping you maintain the health of your trees. Whether you need to have a tree pruned, or a hazardous tree removed from your property, we are here to provide you with the highest level of technical expertise available. Contact us today to have the health of your trees and shrubs assessed at no cost by one of our certified arborists.

We are Fully Licensed, Fully Insured, Fully Equipped, and Fully Prepared.

Thanks for your interest in Royal Green Tree Service.