Spring Tree Tips from Expert Arborist Mark Chisholm and STIHL
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Inquiries:
Anita Gambill (757)
486-9151
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As
we turn away from the harsh winter months and head toward the growing season, here
are some tips from expert tree care professional Mark Chisholm and STIHL to
help keep your trees and plants healthy. Chisholm is a third-generation
arborist with the Aspen Tree Expert Company in
PREPARE TO
PRUNE
The best time to
prune trees and shrubs varies depending upon species and desired results.
Pruning during the “dormant season,” or when the trees have no leaves, is
usually best. This is the time to prune young trees for future structure,
remove live limbs that are too low or close to the house, and remove limbs that
might have been damaged in winter storms. Keep in mind, though, that dead and
damaged limbs can be pruned any time throughout the year.
Visit stihlusa.com/information
for Chisholm’s instruction guide on how to prune properly.
MAXIMIZE YOUR MULCH
Trees and landscape
beds respond well to being mulched. Remove competing grass away from the trunks
of trees and plants to help them flourish. Just remember that, in this case, more
is not better. Keep mulch thickness down to just a few inches and pull it back
near the trunk to avoid contact as if mulch is piled
around the trunk, it holds moisture and heat. This can cause developments of cankers
and other ailments. It also encourages a secondary roots system to develop
above the primary one, which could include girdling roots.
CHECK
IRRIGATION
Now is the time to
make any necessary adjustments to your sprinkler system. Watch to see if there
is any water pooling around trees and provide a remedy if there is. Watch to
ensure that plants that are prone to fungal problems are not sprayed directly
with sprinklers, which could result in a severe issue if left as is. For example, if your sprinklers are spraying the foliage of
a dogwood tree, it may be more likely to host powdery mildew and anthracnose. A
mugo pine battling with diplodia tip blight will have more trouble defending
itself with the extra watering. Be sure to look into the needs of each species within
the sprinkler’s reach.
REMOVE LEAF LITTER
If the trees in
your landscape are susceptible to certain fungal problems (such as dogwood or
sycamore anthractnose and pines affected by diplodia tip blight), removing leaf
and needle debris will help reduce this effect.
STUDY YOUR
SOIL
A soil sample can
alert you to any nutrient deficiencies in your trees. Have a specialist come
out and take a sample before you start a fertilization program of any kind.
Prescription programs are much more precise than blanket programs and they can
help you to save money if fertilizer and additives are not needed.
TALK WITH A PRO
Get in touch with
an ISA Certified Arborist or a Board Certified Master
Arborist now to discuss your specific landscape needs. They can spot
problems that need your attention before they develop or advance too far. They
can also make sure that you are in tune with how to best care for your trees
and provide accurate advice so that you can keep them green on your own.
For
more tips from Chisholm and STIHL, visit www.stihlusa.com.
For more information on how to find a certified arborist or tree care company
and other tree tips, visit www.treesaregood.org
or www.treecaretips.org.
About STIHL Inc.:
STIHL
Inc. manufactures the number one selling brand of gasoline-powered handheld
outdoor power equipment in America for homeowners and professional
landscapers*, as well as the number one selling brand of chain saws in the
world. STIHL products are sold through servicing power equipment retailers from
coast to coast – not mass merchants. STIHL products sold through U.S. STIHL
dealers are for distribution in the
*"Number
one selling brand" is based on syndicated Irwin Broh Research (commercial
landscapers) as well as independent consumer research of 2009-2011 U.S. sales
and market share data for the gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment
category combined sales to consumers and commercial landscapers.
STIHL is pleased to support the work of
Independent We Stand
, the
Tree
Research and Education Endowment Fund (TREE Fund)
,
International Society of Arboriculture (ISA
), the
Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA)
,
National FFA
,
Professional Landcare Network (PLANET)
, the
American Tree Farm System (ATFS)
, and the
National Association of State Park Directors
.
About Mark
Chisholm
One
part acrobat, one part expert rope climber, one part tree physiologist, and
several parts competitor and thrill seeker, Mark Chisholm is a third-generation
arborist with his family-owned Aspen Tree Expert Company in New Jersey. His
expertise in tree care has made him a sought after consultant and industry
spokesperson for the world of arboriculture, and he regularly travels the globe
to consult with international arborist associations.
Chisholm has won every
International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) New Jersey Chapter Tree Climbing
Championship for the last 19 years and has conquered the wider tree-climbing
world on three occasions, most recently in 2010, when he won his third ISA
International Tree Climbing Championship. He will compete for the 2012 New
Jersey Tree Climbing Champion title in June.
