Mature trees are the kings of the forest. They provide us with a whole range of
benefits – from improving our air quality, to managing carbon and reducing runoff.
And it’s because of those benefits that we need to do our best to make sure we’re
taking care of them as best we can.

One way we do this is something called crown reduction.

When the summer turns into fall, it becomes time to put a lot of stuff away for the
winter. We put away our bathing suits, beach towels and shut down our pool. We
winterize our lawn mower and get our snow blowers tuned up.
That being said – should your garden hose also follow?

Trees can hold a special place in our hearts for a wide range of reasons. Sometimes
they simply stand the test of time – living through hundreds and thousands of years
of weather, families, history and the like. Others just give our lawn the look we’ve
always wanted it to have.

You’ve done everything right. You’ve planted your tree in the right place, given it plenty of water and you’ve mulched perfectly. But then after a few weeks, you’re noticing that your leaves are emerging and presenting a brown, yellow or even wilted appearance. When trees are doing this, there is most certainly a problem – but can you do anything about it? Let’s jump right in!
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​Sometimes folks like us are needed for major projects in your yard, but sometimes, it simply makes more sense to do things yourself. And sometimes, it’s more fun that way! But just like anything else in life, it’s important that you take all the necessary safety precautions before doing your day to day landscaping work. Here are four of some of the most commonly asked questions we get regarding this topic, and what you can do to keep safe.

Sometimes it can be a little tough to see your favorite shrubs or trees dealing with the hefty load of snow after a big storm. Sometimes it looks like they’re right on the cusp of breaking even – and oftentimes our instinct is to want to shake the snow off and release our beloved plants of their burden. ​​

​Ivy has a lot of positive connotations with it in popular culture, particularly for the classic look it can give to certain settings. We even think of great universities when we think of Ivy. But the truth of it is – that while it might look good – it’s almost always something that in the case of a tree – can cause a lot of damage in both the short and long term to your plants.

While it’s easy to see and appreciate the growth at the top of your tree, it’s a little bit more difficult to see the growth that’s not in plain site – particularly root growth. Root growth is usually the most significant indicator that a tree is sturdy and healthy – but more precisely – it gives us a peak into the different growth patterns a tree experiences throughout the year. 

When do they grow?

​While pests are generally something you don’t want to have around your trees, ants are a little bit different. Some ants aren’t a problem at all and some can even help your tree in certain situations. Other ants? Not so much. So to help cut through the ambiguity, this week’s discussion is going to center around what to do about ants around your tree.