In many cases, when a tree is showing signs of damage, disease, or decay, it may already be too late to address the problem. Luckily, with the right plant health care and maintenance program, your trees can stay healthier and more resilient than those left untreated. From the initial assessment to dormant pruning – even storm cleanup – with a little TLC, your trees can thrive and provide all the benefits you expect from these green assets.
Inspect, Assess & Plan Accordingly
Before you can start developing a tree care solution, you need to see what you’re dealing with on your property. Scheduling regular property assessments is the best way to maintain a working knowledge of the health and well-being of the trees on your property. It gives you the ability to identify hazardous trees that need immediate attention, helping keep your property safer from falling limbs, protruding roots, or other issues. Additionally, you can make sure your trees have the proper clearances and are compliant with local building codes. Assessments also help you understand the quality of your soil and how it’s affecting your trees, so you can create a plant health care strategy to deal with these issues.
Conducting a tree inventory can also be a big help. Knowing the species, number of trees, and their characteristics and what they need to thrive is a critical step in establishing a baseline understanding of the trees on your commercial property. Working with an ISA Certified® Arborist can help you conduct the inventory, and work with you to develop a plan to address both short and long-term issues and schedule ongoing maintenance.
Find The Right Services
Throughout the lifespan of your trees, routine maintenance and care are required for a long, healthy life. Much like your car, there are routine services that happen more often – regular oil changes, alignments, and other annual jobs – and longer-term items that are more significant in scope – brakes, new tires, etc. So while a tree lives longer than most cars, there are always things to monitor and maintain.
Shorter-term services like dormant pruning can be performed yearly or, depending on the state of your trees, every other year, but neglecting this crucial step can lead to property damage or liability issues if dead or damaged branches aren’t removed in a timely manner. Performing tasks like pruning and fertilizing in the off season gives you time to focus on other, more pressing issues during the height of the growing season.
In the event of storm damage – the “fender bender” in the car analogy above – your tree care provider can work with you to develop a cleanup plan, and in some cases, work with insurance providers to help you address the situation and move forward effectively. Here’s an example of how one of our teams worked with a client to navigate a post-storm cleanup.
Know Your Trees
Across the U.S., there are huge variations of soil types, climates, precipitation levels, and other variables that can make or break a commercial landscape. Even a single state can have several different environments for plants and trees – and knowing which varieties can cope with your particular set of variables is essential to creating a healthy, safe, and sustainable landscape.
As a property manager, you have to wear lots of hats on any given day. But with the right tree care provider, you can count on quality service, a commitment to the beauty and safety of your property, and constant, open communication. With over 140 years of industry leadership, Davey’s teams of experts have the knowledge to help your property look its best, year after year.
STAY AHEAD OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND ENJOY HEALTHY, HAPPY TREES – CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DAVEY REP TODAY!
