Tree & shrub care:

• Prune or trim: remove dead or unwanted live branches
• Shape: remove part(s) of tree or shrub to reduce height or circumference and give tree or shrub the appropriate shape for that species
• Drop: cut down tree, leave all parts of tree at site
• Remove: cut down tree, haul away all parts of tree

Stump grinding or removal:

• Grind: grind stump to 6 inches below ground level plus grind all large anchor roots (does not include clean up of debris).
• Remove: same procedure as for grinding, except that debris will be cleaned up and disturbed soil will be put back in hole from which stump was ground.

Trees and Shrubs:

Selection

Most important, perhaps, is selecting the tree or shrub that is appropriate for your planting zone as all plants have specific climate requirements. Planting a tree or shrub in a zone which is not appropriate may kill the plant the first summer that it gets too hot or the first winter that it gets too. Likewise, not enough water as well as too much water may kill or seriously affect its longevity. Mature size of the tree or shrub should also be a primary consideration.

Planting

You will find several options when selecting a tree or shrub. Some are potted, some are bare-root, etc.
Once you have chosen the correct tree or shrub it is very important to remember that your selection is small compared to what its mature size will be. Therefore it is essential that you consider the mature size of the specimen you are about to plant. Be sure that the tree or shrub is not planted too close to any structure, over-head wires, driveway, sidewalk, etc. which might necessitate frequent and extreme reduction-pruning or even removal when the plant reaches its mature size.
Once the tree or shrub is planted it is important that you understand that you must care for the plant as long as it lives. Some care can be provided by the home owner while other care is best left to professional tree care providers.

Watering

Watering can be and generally is done by the home owner. Since tree and shrub roots penetrate deeper into the soil than do the roots of grass it is not necessary to water as frequently as one might for a lawn. However, if the summer is quite dry and you should decide that you will let your lawn go dormant, it is essential to remember that trees rarely can tolerate the same dry conditions that grasses can. Trees will not recover from drought conditions severe enough to cause a tree to lose its leaves in the summer. Hence, even if you choose to let your lawn go dormant, to save your trees and shrubs they must be watered deeply but not as frequently as you would water a lawn. The tiny, hair-like roots of a tree are called feeder roots. These roots extend out from the tree. They are not close to the tree trunk. Since the feeder roots will extend at least as far out as the overhead branches extend, it is important to water out at least as far as the overhead canopy extends. Use a sprinkler on a lower setting and letting it run for several hours then move it to the next spot as this will give more coverage than simply using a hose without a sprinkler. Keep moving it every few hours until going all the way around the tree at the outer edge of the canopy. Giving the tree about 2 inches of water, in the manner described, every couple of weeks will usually suffice. If it is unusually hot, dry and windy it would be wise to increase the frequency or the amount of water as trees transpire more rapidly in hot, windy conditions than they normally do.

Pruning

To maintain the size and shape of a tree or shrub it is necessary to prune the plant regularly. Pruning should start early in the plant’s life as that is the best way to ensure that as the tree matures, it will be more structurally sound, healthy and aesthetically pleasing. Early pruning generally eliminates the need for severe pruning later in the life of the tree or shrub. Maintaining the tree or shrub regularly, sometimes annually, will reduce the negative visual impact that would occur if the plant had to be severely pruned after years of neglect. Professional pruning will also help to reduce storm damage. Trees that have not been pruned may be so dense that during a wind storm, the wind is unable to pass through the branches. The tree becomes an impenetrable wall and large, weaker branches are broken off. Snow and ice storms can wreck havoc on any tree or shrub but if properly maintained the damage will be less extensive since heavy, horizontal limbs will have been removed and those are the branches most subject to damage as the weight of snow or ice increases. Regular tree maintenance by a professional tree care service will also minimize property damage and personal injury as branches that are more subject to storm damage might very well have been removed before the storm and therefore reducing the risks.

Cabling

Sometimes it is possible to prevent the splitting of a tree at the crotch by cabling the two big branches to each other. Cabling will give support to both of the branches as the stress on the branches is reduced. By proper maintenance, the need for cabling will be more likely to be recognized and thus it would likely prevent one whole side of the tree from breaking off due to its own weight, the weight of snow or ice, or from a wind storm.

General maintenance

Regular maintenance is essential. Purchasing a tree is expensive. Having it planted is another expense. It is necessary, of course, to add in the cost of professional maintenance. That tree, however, adds to the value of your property, provides shade, reduces air conditioning, etc. The cost of losing that tree because of neglected maintenance and then having to have it removed and another tree planted will undoubtedly be greater than the cost of regular maintenance.