Tree Care Information from Experienced Certified Arborists

Is my tree or shrub too big? This is perhaps the question homeowners ask me most frequently when requesting pruning advice. The short answer is “no” – trees and shrubs are programmed to grow to their ultimate size and can do so with beauty, strength and grace if we allow them to. What follows gets more to the point of the request: “Can my tree or shrub be made smaller?”

This spotlight focuses on one of Wachtel Tree Science’s newest employees, Luke Scheberl. Luke joined our team in May 2018 following his graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Forestry and Master’s Degree in Soil Science. Luke’s insight helps us as Arborists see problems below ground that are exhibited as stress in trees above ground.

Maintenance programs should be developed for trees and shrubs in both residential and commercial landscapes. A good maintenance program includes: monitoring and controlling insect and disease problems, making timely applications of water, mulching, and fertilizing.

There are so many oaks dying across the state that scientists have begun using the term “oak decline” to describe this phenomenon. These oaks are often declining from multiple issues and must be assessed by a Certified Arborist to correctly prescribe a treatment plan.

I first met Neal & Nancy Paisley at a home and garden show at State Fair Park. I remember well as I was just a few months pregnant and hadn’t told anyone other than my husband and mother. It was a slow evening and the Paisleys were pleasant and interested in trees. So we talked trees for a while.

When it comes to hiring an arborist to manage your trees, remember that efforts performed on a tree can last for years or even decades, which is why doing it right the first time is so important. Here are some points to consider before choosing an arborist.

Every spring has its wet weather and needlecast is always brewing at some “normal” level. What is different this time is the sheer numbers of trees showing the infection and the speed at which it has progressed from last year. This is an alert and call to action: if your Spruces have deteriorated, but still retain green ends on most of the branches we can help.

Evergreens are commonly planted trees throughout our Wisconsin. They are an excellent choice for your property, but unfortunately fungal diseases can affect their health and result in unsightly landscapes. The susceptibility of an evergreen to disease is a result of not only the species but also the growing conditions inflicted upon trees.

The unwanted insect Emerald Ash Borer was an unexpected arrival from Asia in 2001 and it has been progressing across the country as the experts have predicted. As other deciduous trees leaf out this spring, it will become obvious how the problem has spread by the increased number of dead or thin trees seen.

Summer is in full swing and your yard is looking beautiful. Then you notice one of your tree’s leaves have been almost completely destroyed with just the leaf veins remaining, giving the leaf a skeleton appearance. Unfortunately, your tree has been infected with Japanese Beetles.

Thoughts from an experienced arborist: Working with trees is certainly a rewarding endeavor. However, really what makes it so rewarding is working with the people who care for their trees. I could say I am in the tree business, but in reality I am in the people business, we all are.

The role evergreens play in the landscape has always been a prominent one. Their beauty often frames the remainder of the landscape, home, prominent features, or are some of the prominent features themselves.