At the start of our human experience, trees were considered sacred. European druids worshiped oaks, baobabs featured prominently in tribal African life, and redwoods played a significant role in Native American rituals.
So why do humans neglect trees so often nowadays?
For many homeowners, it’s a lack of knowledge. Trees aren’t like houseplants—they have their own care and maintenance requirements, and their size means that safety is a serious consideration.
This is why hiring an arborist is so important for tree care. Here are four essential benefits of hiring an arborist.
What is an Arborist?
Before we talk about the benefits of hiring an arborist, it’s important to understand what an arborist actually does.
An arborist is a type of horticulturist trained in the art and science of planting, caring for, and maintaining trees. Certified arborists are those who have passed a certification exam by the nation’s top tree experts. There are six types of arborist certifications:
- Certified arborist
- Arborist utility specialist
- Arborist municipal specialist
- Climber specialist
- Aerial life specialist
- Board-certified master arborist
All six certifications require rigorous examinations by the International Society of Arboriculture.
Arborists are not to be confused with landscapers. Traditional landscaping involves landscape and hardscape installation, lawn care, garden bed preparation, mulching, and other tasks. An arborist focuses exclusively on trees.
It sounds like semantics, but it’s actually a safety issue, for workers and trees alike. Landscapers may not have the tools and training they need to safely perform arboricultural operations.
Benefits of Hiring an Arborist
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the benefits of hiring an arborist to care for your trees.
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Planting the Right Way
Pop quiz: how do you properly plant a tree?
Do you dig a hole big enough for the root ball and bury the root ball? Nope.
An arborist has a critical advantage over the average homeowner: they know the safe way to plant a sapling to maximize its potential for growth over the years.
For example, they can offer guidance on where to place a tree. If a tree is placed in the wrong location, the tree may not have everything it needs to survive. And even if it does, it could put other plants (or your house) at risk as it grows over the years.
An arborist knows how to assess a site for factors like:
- Soil conditions
- Exposure to sun and wind
- Hardiness zone
- Drainage
- Space constraints
- Human activity
- Insect and disease susceptibility
Based on the location, they can tell you if a tree should be planted there. Or, conversely, they can give you recommendations on where a specific tree can go in your yard. Then, they can ensure the tree goes in the ground the right way.
Safe and Healthy Pruning
Most homeowners approach pruning from a curb appeal perspective. But pruning isn’t about aesthetics, especially where trees are concerned. In reality, good pruning practices can keep your trees healthier.
Trees may need pruning to:
- Train young trees to develop a strong structure
- Create a better, balanced shape for a damaged tree
- Reduce the potential for storm damage
- Remove damaged branches
- Remove branches that interfere with structures, causing wounds in the tree
- Remove dead, diseased, or weak branches
- Remove excessive weight at the ends of branches
An arborist can determine the type of pruning necessary to maintain or improve the health of your trees. They also know how to prune trees so that they don’t wound the tree and instead encourage healthy growth.
Healthcare for Your Trees
Your trees are living things, and just like any other living thing, they need some TLC to stay in prime condition. And despite what you may think, trees actually require ongoing care, especially in difficult seasons like summer and winter.
Proper healthcare can help the tree grow in a strong, healthy way. It also helps the tree do a better job of protecting itself against disease and insects.
Good healthcare can even help prevent the biggest cause of tree death: stress. Fun fact: trees can get stressed, though their stress isn’t quite like human stress. Trees get stressed due to environmental factors like improper planting, poor watering, and even human activity (especially in urban environments).
An arborist is trained to identify the signs of tree stress and can help you mitigate the health risks your tree may be facing. Think of them as Doctor Dolittle, but for trees.
Tree Removal
Sometimes, though, your tree is no longer healthy staying where it is. Maybe it was damaged in a storm, maybe it’s causing damage to your house, or maybe it has started getting sick over time.
In that case, an arborist at an expert tree removal company can help safely remove a tree.
Many ISA-certified arborists have a Tree Risk Assessment Qualification, which means they are uniquely qualified to conduct a tree risk assessment and offer mitigation recommendations.
Tree removal is a last resort, but it may be recommended if:
- The tree is dead or dying
- The tree is causing an obstruction that cannot be remedied through pruning
- The tree is in an area where new construction requires removal
- The tree is crowding and causing harm to other trees
- The tree is considered an unacceptable risk
However, removing a tree isn’t as simple as breaking out a chainsaw. You have to know how to account for the toppling tree to protect workers and you have to know how to remove the stump from the ground.
Fortunately, arborists are well-trained in all of these procedures, so if a tree needs to be removed, they can do so quickly and effectively.
Thinking of Hiring an Arborist?
Hiring an arborist doesn’t just get you beautiful trees—it gets you healthy trees. And that means your trees will be with you for many years to come.
Want more tips on how to care for your plant life? Make sure to check out our blog for more great posts.
