Professional Tree Care

October 1, 2018 by Joseph Skibbie

When Do I Need a Professional to Handle My Tree Care?

Trees make up about 15% of your overall yard landscape. While 15% doesn’t seem like a lot on the surface, think about how important your trees are. They provide shade, they provide visual variety, and they’re a long-lived member of your ecosystem.

Trees can also be costly to replace or remove. Caring for them properly is not only the right thing to do for the environment, it’s the right thing to do to protect your investment. Any signs of stress, deterioration, or disease should be a clear indication that a tree health diagnosis—provided by an ISA Certified Arborist—is in your best interest.

Reasons to Consult a Professional on Tree Care

As a homeowner, when do you know you need to consult a professional? The following list of conditions or symptoms is a goodplace to start, although it’s not an exhaustive list. You should consult a certified arborist if you notice any of the following:

Thin, dwarfed, or damaged leaves
Tree care can be tricky and costly, which is why hiring a certified arborist is the best way to protect your property.
Leaf colors other than dark green (except for certain trees—such as Japanese or Norway maples—or during early spring and fall, of course)
Leaves that are slow to bud in spring
Leaves that drop early, before true fall has begun
Dieback at the tips of your trees
Dead or dying limbs
Dead or dying leaves
Bumpy scales or powdery substances on the bark, root flares, branches, or leaves
Loose, deteriorating, or heavily flaking bark
Growths such as mushrooms on the trunk, limbs, roots, or beneath your tree
Insect holes and/or bleeding on the tree’s trunk or branches
External damage from an impact to the tree—from a car collision or an accident with a winter snowplow (sometimes common along parkways)
Weather damage, from intense summer storms, ice storms, heavy winter snowfall, or ice
Damage from drought or spells of intense hot weather

If you’re noticing any of these signs, calling in a certified arborist can help you address a situation before it worsens. There are certainly conditions under which a tree cannot be saved, but there are plenty where an early intervention can save a beloved tree. Just imagine your yard without that grand oak in the corner or the beautiful maple shading your front porch. When in doubt, call us to come on out.

Advanced Tree Care combines top-notch equipment, cutting-edge technology, and well-trained staff to provide emergency tree removal and tree maintenance services. With a presence in nine counties and two states, we work daily to provide unparalleled customer service, safety, and efficiency—as well as the expertise to beautify your landscaping and community. Advanced Tree Care isn’t just our name—it’s also our purpose!

Hiring Certified Arborists

September 15, 2018 by Joseph Skibbie

Why Would You Hire a Certified Arborist?

Simply put, an arborist is a true professional in the art and science of tree care. He or she has spent at least three years in full-time arboriculture work, has prepared for and taken a comprehensive examination, and has agreed to a code of ethics regarding professional conduct. But when rubber meets the road—or roots meet the soil, per se—what is the difference in service a certified arborist can provide?

ISA Certified Arborist

hiring certified arborists — There can be big risks to your property and family when tree care is not done to the highest standards of a Certified Arborist.

When we talk about a certified arborist, we’re referring to a professional who has qualified as an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist. He or she has had hands-on experience for three years in pruning, cabling and bracing, tree climbing, tree installation and establishment, disease identification, removal, and more. Then, he or she has passed an exam that covers a range of topics on tree maintenance, emergencies, and care. Recertification happens every three years.

Why a certified arborist?

Tree care is complex, and mistakes can be costly. When a winter storm has rolled through and downed a huge old tree across your power line, or your garage is threatened by a weak branch, you want a certified arborist to handle the job. Other situations may be less immediately dangerous but no less important: warding off disease, enhancing your yard, or choosing the right species of tree that will thrive in your space.

The role of a certified arborist

A certified arborist can help you make sound decisions and avoid costly mistakes. For example, a certified arborist will know:

Which trees have invasive root systems and should never be planted near driveways, asphalt, sewer systems, or homes
Which trees should never be planted too close to a home or other structure
How to properly care for trees as they mature and age
When a tree has become infested or diseased, and how to safely remove it
How to coordinate the removal of a high-risk tree or one damaged by a passing storm—so that people and structures nearby are safe

It takes a great deal of knowledge and experience to understand all aspects of a situation—and what a tree (or its owner) may really need.

Choosing a tree service

Ensure you’re entrusting your trees to the best care—choose a tree service that’s led by a certified arborist. As with any other professional service, you’ll also want to consult customer reviews as well as reference the area of service, or the geographical range in which the tree service provides care.

Advanced Tree Care Certified Arborists

September 7, 2018 by Joseph Skibbie

You’ve heard us tell you before: proper tree care can be complex. Caring for trees, treating or preventing disease, and safely removing a tree all take a significant amount of knowledge and experience. When considering which company to hire for tree care, you should always choose a service led by a certified arborist. Such a service—like ours—will always deliver superior comprehensive service.

But what does it take to become an arborist? And what does certification really mean? In this article, we take you behind the scenes, so you can truly appreciate what goes into that level of knowledge and care.

Becoming an ISA Certified Arborist

Advanced-Tree-Care-Certified-Arborists — To become a Certified Arborist, he or she must go through extensive training.

First off, when we talk about certification, we’re talking about qualifying as an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist. To qualify, an arborist must have at least three full years of full-time experience in arboriculture. This experience must be hands-on and typically includes:

Tree pruning
Tree cabling and bracing
Tree fertilization
Tree planting, or called installation and establishment of trees
Diagnosis and treatment of tree problems and diseases
And, not least of all, tree climbing

Why so much experience, across so many different aspects of the job? ISA certification means that an arborist is prepared to provide the benefit of his or her maximum expertise to the care of trees across a range of situations: from commercial or municipal properties to residential situations, through all four seasons (in our area), and in routine and emergency situations. That level of professional certification requires contending with every aspect of the job for full preparation.

ISA Certification Exam

Three years’ experience isn’t sufficient alone. After providing evidence of three full years of experience across all those functions, the arborist must study for and take an examination. The topics of the certification exam include questions on:

Soil management
The proper identification and selection of trees
Installation and establishment of trees
Safe work practices
Tree biology
Pruning, cabling, and bracing
Diagnosis and treatment of conditions and diseases
Urban forestry
Tree protection
Tree risk management

After successfully passing the examination, the arborist agrees to a set of ethics that will govern his or her professional behavior. The arborist then receives a certificate with the ISA seal, which designates him or her as an official ISA Certified Arborist.

Certification is valid for three years, and continuing education is required to maintain certification. Before the three years are up, the arborist must become recertified—which happens either through retaking the certification exam or by accruing at least 30 continuing education credits.

Now that you know what becoming an arborist requires, you’ll understand why our professionals can deliver an outstanding level of service for the care of your trees.

Lincolnshire Homeowners Seek Lawn Care Service

August 18, 2018 by Joseph Skibbie

Lincolnshire Homeowners Seek Lawn Care Service

It’s inescapable and bittersweet: summer is on the wane. Slowly but surely, the pools will close, sunrise will come later, and local retailers’ shelves will overflow with back-to-school gear. In a few weeks’ time, temperatures will start to drop—and the new season will roll in. With that change, Lincolnshire homeowners seek lawn care services, but what are the best tips to care for your lawn as we transition to fall?

Give your lawn a cold, hard look

Lincolnshire Homeowners Seek Lawn Care Service — As the season changes, proper lawn care is vital to the success and beauty of your property.

Three-quarters of homeowners have a property with a lawn, and of those, nearly 70% think their lawns could be improved. That’s seven in ten homeowners. Are you among them? (Seven in ten readers will say: yes!)

If your yard could be improved—and be honest here—ask yourself if you need a full lawn renovation or merely some focused TLC.

Does your lawn have a few bare patches here or there?
Does your grass compete with weeds, like creeping Charlie or crabgrass?
Does it look a little thin?

If the answer to these questions is yes, you’re going to be able to see definite improvement with adherence to a few basic lawn care principles consistently over the course of the next season or two.

How about, though, if:

Your yard has a lot of dead patches in it
You see more weeds than grass

In those cases, you might consider a lawn renovation. A lawn renovation involves killing the existing turf and introducing—via reseeding or a combination of reseeding and sod—new turf that can take over and flourish.

Commit to a proper mowing schedule

Regular mowing keeps your lawn healthy, and it’s important that you create and stick to a mowing regimen. In our area, mowing typically begins the last week of April or the first week of May, depending on the weather. You should mow weekly during periods of rapid growth in late spring and early to mid-summer. Towards the end of summer and into the fall, you might switch to mowing every 10 days to two weeks. Continue mowing until grass has slowed its growth cycle completely.

Water optimally

Don’t overwater your lawn, as frequent watering and overwatering can acclimate your yard to an overdependence on water. In addition, some municipalities have restrictions on when you can—and can’t—water your lawns, because of water restrictions. Be sure to check with yours so you’re not in violation of any local ordinances.

Clear your yard of leaves before the first snow

Before the first measurable fall or winter snowfall, it’s important to have cleared the leaves from your yard. Decaying leaves can introduce mold or disease to your yard, which can affect the health of your yard next season. This situation can also affect the health of your shrubs, ornamental plants, and trees.

Even though we are a tree care company, we believe that a truly healthy property ecosystem reflects its interconnectedness. Trees flourish when your lawn is healthy and disease-free. As the new season arrives, be sure you’re caring for your whole yard.

Lincolnshire Homeowners Lawn Care Tips

August 17, 2018 by Joseph Skibbie

Your lawn is central to true curb appeal. A properly maintained lawn helps you feel good about your home—and can also boost its value, practically overnight. This is true whether you’ve just moved into a new home, are preparing to put yours on the market this fall, or simply are hoping to give the old homestead a facelift.

But where to start? July and August are hot, and by this point in the season, the lawn might be looking like it’s seen better days. What’s the priority, and what should you do for late summer and early fall lawn care?

Lincolnshire-Homeowner-Lawn-Care-Tips — Keeping your lawn in good shape makes a great first impression for potential buyers.

Mow—but not too short

Remember Goldilocks and the three bears? Goldilocks didn’t like her porridge too hot or too cold—but just right. The same is true for your lawn. A healthy, thick lawn is a thriving lawn with no space for the weeds to take off. To cultivate a healthy, lush lawn, don’t cut your grass too short when you mow. If you do, the grass blades can’t shelter the roots from the sun, and the grass can go into shock. Weeds start to take over. Aim to keep your mower blade 2 ½ inches from the roots, and never cut more than 1/3 of the grass blade. And, be sure that you’re always mowing with very sharp mower blades. Dull blades tear rather than cut the grass blades. (Pro tip: you’ll see white tips if your blades are torn rather than cut.)

Water—but not too much or too often

Water and sun drive the plant growth cycle. Grass that is overwatered gets overly dependent on receiving water from a hose or sprinkler system. It doesn’t develop a deep and healthy root system, which can protect it in times of heat or drought. Resist the temptation to overwater your lawn, and accept that at this time in the year, everyone’s grass is looking a little brown. When cared for properly, yours will be lush in the right part of the season.

Fertilize properly, whatever you choose

The proper time to apply fertilizer is early in the season when your lawn is growing rapidly. If your lawn needs a quick pick-me-up even at this point in the season, you can consider the application of an organic fertilizer, which is fast-acting and produces noticeable results. A longer-lasting option is organic garden manure. Less costly, organic garden manure can be far more labor-intensive to apply, and you’ll have to apply more per square foot than you would with fertilizer. However, organic garden manure does last considerably longer in the soil—and it’s better for the health of the soil (and your grass).

Be patient and vigilant with weeds

If you’re moving into a new home, and your lawn needs some TLC because it’s choked with weeds, your most important tool is your patience. Start by weeding, even if doing so requires you to break up the job into small chunks. Follow the advice above for fertilizing, proper mowing, and optimal watering. It may take more than a season or two, but eventually you’ll have the lawn of your dreams—and the lawn that is the envy of every other resident on your block.

It’s true that we specialize in tree care. Our philosophy, though, is that trees are only one part of your property’s ecosystem. Trees thrive best in a healthy, disease-free lawn. It’s all connected: when your lawn isn’t overly dependent on watering, it helps hold moisture in your soil, which also benefits your trees.