Ten common Atlanta Tree Service questions

1. How do I know if a tree is dying or dead?

The foliage will start to turn brown and die back on your tree.  Many times there will already be limbs or even sections of the tree that have little or no leaves and/or needles. Often, hardwood trees will lose most of the foliage in the extremities and have a large emergence of sucker sprouts coming from the trunk of the tree this usually means the tree in highly stressed and is probably dying. It can sometimes be hard to identify dead or dying deciduous trees in the dormant season sense thier are no leaves any way. Here are a few clues.

Bark falling off/blue or grayish looking stained areas on the trunk and limbs/the overall color of the tree appears to be drab and dull. Many times their will be Pieces of limb tips and or sections of the tree starting to break out from the top down and fall.

2. What should I do if I think my tree is stressed dying or dangerous?

Call a certified arborist and have your trees assessed promptly. Many times people notice decline in their trees when it's already too late, or they wait and see if the tree or trees will simply "come back". This is rarely the case and in most instances by the time a qualified arborist is called out the trees are already in advance stages of decline, and it may be too late to recommend treatment for them. Promptness is also key when dealing with trees you already know are dead to because if a tree service is hired to remove the tree soon after the tree has passed the point where it could potentially be saved it will help their job to be much safer and more efficient. Due to the fact that trees start to rapidly decompartmentalize while they are dying, causing the wood to possibly become unsound and lose more of its structural integrity as time passes. This in turn will make them more dangerous to remove and more time consuming to clean up.

3. What is the right time of year to have my trees pruned?

Many large woody native or indigenous specious can be pruned year round with few significant detrimental effects. Flowering trees and shrubs may need to be pruned at different times of the year as not to affect their bloom production or cause any damage to new growth associated with frost. There are also certain advantages to pruning trees in the dormant season or winter time. Consult with an arborist for more information on what the most ideal times might be to prune your trees.

4.  What is woodland management?

Selective thinning can help your trees grow to their fullest potential.  When trees start to grow many times they are overcrowded.  If left alone, they will eventually weed themselves out through natural selection.  Many trees on properties are capable of getting very large, in turn, dominating large areas and using all the available resources they can get to do so.  As a wooded area starts to become established around our homes or on our properties it is important to manage the trees.  First, the trees should be identified in order to have a basis as to which trees may be more desirable than others. Diversity is important as well and through knowing what each tree is one can start to make decisions on which ones to cultivate based on a number of factors, such as growth habits, life expectancy, aesthetic appeal, even wild life habit.  The reasons go on and on. 

 Thinning and culling trees, especially early on, will benefit the remaining trees and your property in many ways.  Resources will be more plentiful making trees healthier and in turn, more resistant to insect infestation and disease. More space per tree generally means trees tend to grow much more symmetrically and broader rather than linear.  Under story trees and plants thrive in shade environments, but not super dense shade were plants become stifled from too much lack of sun and air flow.  Having ample spacing between trees also makes wooded areas much more hospitable. Mosquito populations decrease, less moisture and humidity is trapped, and sunlight dapples through.  Wooded areas have depth of field rather than looking impenetrable, therefore adding to security around your home making things more visible. Dogwoods and other shade loving plants and trees bloom much longer and vividly in partial shade rather than full shade.