Everyone is looking for the best deals, whether it is saving a few pennies per gallon on gas or saving a few thousand on a car. We have been conditioned to be cost-conscious over the past several years during the economic downturn; however, there are some categories that you just cannot afford to bargain shop. One such category is home improvement, and tree care services are included in this category. You may be asking yourself, “Why should I spend more of my hard-earned money on these kinds of services when I can have it done as quickly and cheaply as possibly by the first company that comes along?” Unfortunately, this line of thought can lead you down a dangerous road that may end up costing you much more in the long-run, may cause damages to your property, or even put your assets at risk. The list can go on and on.

Just as the saying goes, “You get what you pay for,” when it comes to your personal assets being dealt with, like your property needing a tree removed, it is essential to weigh the options when deciding on different Tree Care Service providers. That’s when your judgment needs to be at its best. There have been too many stories on the news about a tree or crane falling into someone’s house due to hiring a service that offers lack of experience, customer service, or a combination of the two. Below are a few things to watch out for and keep in mind when you are hiring a tree care service or professional to work at your home or on your property:

1. First and foremost, customer service in any business should be the first priority. A tree service company showing you a lack of customer service should immediately be a turn off. If that company doesn’t care enough to be sincere in front of you, how will they treat your property, whether you are home or not? Customer service starts with your initial call into their office, continues with your appointment with an estimator or sales representative, is followed by the tree care crew that should arrived at the pre-scheduled time, and ends with a follow-up call or email from the office to make sure that everything went smoothly and you were happy and satisfied with your service. If a company cannot take the time to take care of you, why would you want to spend your money to take care of them?
2. Receiving a low price/bid could be a strong indicator that this company is hiring workers “under the table,” defrauding the insurance companies and the government. It also saves the company a colossal amount of money because they are not paying for worker’s compensation or general liability policies (hence why the company priced you so low). There is no easy way to tell if they are contractors for the company, so that is why it is essential to check the company’s insurance and to rely on review-based websites such as Yelp, Google+, Angie’s List, etc. It is also within your right to ask for references of other work that the company has completed.
3. Another aspect of pricing to consider is that retaining the bottom-dollar priced Tree Service may also indicate a crew of very few experienced workers who will more than likely carelessly damage your property by not knowing how to use the equipment, nor having the proper equipment needed for the job.
   In the bigger picture, the likelihood for error is much higher due to lack of experience. Potentially, your house, driveway, septic system, or even worse your neighbor’s house are all at risk. All in all, it is worth paying a little more t
   o have a reputable Tree Care Industry professional on the job because that is what they are trained to do.If you have the time and ability, it is best to get several quotes, check reviews, and really do your research before you leave your most valuable asset in the hands of strangers. Bargain shopping is great when looking for designer threads, but when it comes to your home, sometimes you just need to spend a little extra to ensure that the job is done correctly, safely, and to your satisfaction.

Atlanta Arbor is a fully licensed and insured, dependable, professional and reputable Tree Care Specialist serving the metro Atlanta area’s tree care needs.  Standing by our quality craftsmanship and equitable prices, we specialize in tree trimming and pruning, tree removal, storm damage cleanup, tree plantings, and arborist consultations. We have been fortunate that our customers trust that our work will be done professionally, efficiently and correctly; they expect that their assets will not be at risk, and that they will be treated with the utmost respect. Atlanta Arbor may not always be the cheapest option (we are not the most expensive, either), but you can be sure that the job will be completed diligently and properly. Feel free to contact us for any of your tree care needs: 770.765.6555, info@atlantaarbor.com.

by: Josh Correll, ISA CERTIFIED ARBORIST #SO-6730A

Partially due to the lush, soft and feathery foliage that make up the pointed, needly leaves of the Leyland Cypress trees (cupressocyparis leylandii), they have become one of the most widely used species of trees in the residential and commercial landscape industries. Leyland Cypress trees are also very appealing to landscape firms and homeowners alike because the evergreen is a fast-growing barrier tree that provides privacy between close neighbors, an extra sound buffer from the interstate, a decorative hedge to beautify the front yard, and even windbreaks/screens to help slow soil movement from high winds . Leyland Cypress trees are fairly shallow rooted and are often not given adequate space to grow, making them susceptible to several canker and root rot diseases.

Canker Diseases
Leyland Cypress trees can be affected by many types of canker diseases, but in Georgia, there are mainly two: Seiridium Unicorne  and Botryosphaeria (Bot) Canker. Seiridium Canker is caused by a type of fungus and is the most destructive canker disease. Seiridium generally expands until the tree is destroyed. First symptoms to appear from Seiridium Canker include yellowing or browning of one or more of the top branches. Most people will notice begin to notice the discoloration in the Spring. Botryosphaeria Canker is caused by a different type of fungus and is not as destructive as Seiridium Canker. Bot Canker also affects several flowering trees and shrubs such as Redbuds, Dogwoods, Azaleas, and more. First symptoms to appear from a Bot Canker include rust colored branches and yellowing or browning of limbs.

Root Rot Diseases
Leyland Cypress trees may also be affected by root rot diseases. Root rot is generally caused by either oversaturated or poorly drained soil. Excess water makes it difficult or impossible for a tree’s roots to get the air they require; this causes the roots to decay or rot. There are many types of root rot, including Armillaria, Phytophthoria, and Annosum. The symptoms of root rot may include: dark and visibly decaying roots, yellowing or browning of leaves, branches and limbs, apical decline, and, in severe cases, death.

Contact Us
It is important to maintain the health of your trees for the sake of your home and property as well as other trees in the area. Infected trees can spread diseases to other trees in the same manner than people can spread germs and diseases. If you have any Leyland Cypress trees or other trees on your property that you are concerned about, give us a call (770.765.6555) or send us an email. Josh Correll is an ISA Certified Arborist and would love to take care of you and your tree healthcare needs.

References
UGA Extension Services
Arizona Cooperative Extension
North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service

The majority of people spend most of their time in the yard during the spring and summer months when the temperatures are warmer, the sun is out and the weather is just all around pleasant and it’s nice outside. Surprisingly, though, the best time of year to trim and prune your trees is actually during the colder winter months. Tree trimming has a lot of variables that factor into doing it correctly such as proper cutting techniques, how to climb the tree, when to trim, how much to trim, etc. But one of the largest factors is actually timing. Timing is everything. Trimming during the spring and summer can cause your trees to “bleed” as well as cause them to overexert themselves when their energy reserve is at its lowest. Spring and summer tree trimming can actually invite in different types of fungi as well as insects that can end up damaging your trees. Oaks are especially vulnerable from April to July; during these months if you do major trimming you can actually spread oak wilt, pruning can invite sap beetles that transfer the oak wilt and infect healthy trees. Your tree care specialist should be there to inform of you of these different nuances that you cannot be expected to know. Trees are one of the most important fixtures outside of your house and deserve to be taken care of by professionals. You need someone to tell you the important facts that you need to know.

If you are looking to raise the canopy on your trees to give your yard a better look for the spring or just trim some of those limbs away from the roof, now is the perfect time to do so. When trimming your trees properly all trees should be trimmed spike-less to cut down on the likelihood of damaging the tree. You should also never allow for a tree service to trim too much of the tree because this can cause the tree to die. Do not ever let anyone top your trees; this is a BIG mistake and an antiquated methodology that is more harmful than anything.  Call us today to have one of our trained tree care specialists provide you with a free consultation on trimming and pruning your trees. Call now 770-765-6555.

Realtors should always contact an arborist to check for dead, dying or hazardous trees to negotiate a better deal at closing for their buyers before putting in your final offer.  By bringing an arborist out to a home for a potential buyer, you will know for sure that your clients are moving into a safe, hazard-free home, inside and out.  No new home buyer would go without having a home inspection, so why would you not want to check the safety and condition of their trees. There are situations where trees can cost thousands of dollars that new home buyers shouldn’t have to incur.  If you happen to have any dead or dying trees, that is something that you can negotiate in the price of the sale or closing just as you would any internal home repairs.  And for the sellers, arborists help Realtors to make the home more inviting and make suggestions on opening up the landscaping to sell and increasing the beauty of the outside of the home with curb appeal.  Make sure that you have all of your bases covered inside and out when it comes to your homebuyers’ needs.

Some basic tips for looking for dead, dying or hazardous trees are to look for roots that have no natural flare, a flattened side of the tree, basal decay, crown decline, small leaves or premature leaf discoloration, increased bore activity and other increases in insect activity.  Not all of these signs may be apparent to an untrained eye; that is what we’re here for as trained professionals in the tree care industry.  We will help to mitigate risks, and inform and educate your clients on potential hazards. The obvious dead trees are easy to spot, it’s the ones with issues listed above that topple over unexpectedly, potentially causing major damage to your home or others.  So if you notice any of the signs of a dead or dying tree, call us today so that we can ensure the safety of your homebuyers new home and that you and your homebuyer are getting the best deal possible.

A single tree produces approximately 260 pounds of oxygen per year. That means that two mature trees can supply enough oxygen annually to support a family of four!