Importance of Healthy Soil Healthy trees need healthy soil that is rich in nutrients, moisture and structure. In urban environments, soil does not always provide the necessities for healthy trees in the landscape. Compaction, lack of organic material, insufficient pore space, and other critical problems make a harsh environment for root systems. During construction, topsoil […]

How Leaves Work Have you ever wondered what brings out the fall color of leaves? To find the answer, you have to understand how trees and leaves work. Trees need to eat, just like you and I do. But their food is not fertilizer any more than a multivitamin is food for us. Carbohydrates and […]

When we think about the best time of year to plant, we generally think of spring. But late summer/early fall is also a good time to plant a tree. If the tree is planted in early fall, it will have enough time to establish its root system before the ground freezes. Choosing the Right Tree […]

Getting to the Root of the Problem Tree roots are often the most overlooked, neglected, and abused component of the tree’s anatomy. Tree root problems are a major part of a tree’s health. In the mid-Atlantic region, tree roots are located mostly in the top six to ten inches of soil. This is due to […]

Predicting which Trees are at Risk During Storms During a hurricane or tropical storm, how likely will your trees become damaged? It’s not always easy to predict which trees will fall victim to a storm, but there are factors that can increase the risk. Take a close look at your trees to see how many […]

When Trees Need Fertilizer Are your trees looking a little peaked? They may be lacking nutrients and need fertilizer. Urban soils are often lack the nutrients that are found naturally in the forest, and trees have a harder time absorbing what is there. There are several factors that can lead to this condition: Competition from […]

Despite our best efforts to take care of our trees, sometimes even healthy trees are attacked by pests and diseases. Here in the Mid-Atlantic region, there are a number of common tree pests and diseases we see every day. It is not an all-inclusive list, but it covers the majority of the culprits that plague […]

Why do urban trees live shorter lives than trees growing in natural settings? Because of urban tree stress. As the name implies, urban tree stress affects trees growing in urban environments where conditions are not necessarily favorable to natural tree growth. Identifying Urban Tree Stress Urban tree stress can be diagnosed by recognizing a number […]