FAQs & Landscaping Tips
Tick Barrier Treatments
Is there an organic product that can be used for Tick Barrier Treatments?
The term organic can be misleading; organic only indicates that a product is found naturally in our environment. However, as an option, we do offer treatments using a product that is derived naturally from extracts of the chrysanthemum flower.
My property was just serviced and I have children and pets. Are there any precautions I need to take?
All of our products allow safe use of the treated areas once dry. On an average summer day, most products will dry within one hour.
I saw one of your technicians servicing my property, why didn’t they spray my front lawn?
Applications to your property target prime habitat areas. These include wooded or brushy areas, and mulched areas such as planting beds and high grasses. Ticks prefer shaded areas from which they can climb a couple feet from the ground.
Can I expect instant results with your Tick Barrier Program?
Yes, both products used will provide instant suppression.
Will watering my lawn affect the benefits of my Tick Barrier Treatment?
Once the product has dried, standard irrigation to your lawn or shrubs will not affect its abilities.
Plant Care
My property was just serviced and I have children and pets. Are there any precautions I need to take?
All of our products allow safe use of the treated areas once dry. On an average summer day, most products will dry within one hour.
Does your Plant Health Care program eliminate all the insects on my trees and shrubs?
No, to do so would cause more damage then good. Many insects are actually very beneficial. Insects like butterflies and honeybees pollinate flowers, and the larvae of ladybugs are excellent predators of pests such as scale and aphids. All of our programs are designed to maintain the natural balance of nature.
I signed up for a multi-visit Plant Health Care program. Are all of your services included?
Our multi-visit programs are designed to treat the most common plant health problems. Although all specialty services are not included, our technicians will still inspect each tree and shrub and report their findings.
Fertilization
Why do I need to Fertilize?
Trees planted in urban settings, near structures, in lawns, near roads, sidewalks or curbs are exposed to stresses not found in a natural environment. When construction occurs, topsoil is stripped from the site, when we install lawns around trees we create competition for rain and nutrients, when we rake the leaves we remove the natural source of nutrients from organic debris. In the woods, the trees receive necessary nutrients from decaying organic matter, but in the cultivated areas, they will need extra attention.
Most healthy plants can live with native pests and diseases. Nutrient deficient, drought stressed, trees injured by weedwackers are more likely to succumb to the damage of insects and diseases.
Proper care of trees consists of mulching around the base of the tree to prevent mower injury as well as reducing compaction, fertilization to provide the roots with the necessary nutrients that increase the tree’s vigor, provide the trees with water during droughts and proper pruning to remove dead and diseased branches.
How is Deep Root Fertilization better then conventional methods?
Deep root fertilization places the fertilizer in direct contact with the roots. This reduces the amount that can be trapped in the thatch layer of your lawn or taken up by grasses and ground covers.
Does fertilizer actually feed my trees?
No, although commonly referred to as plant food, fertilizer does not feed trees. Trees create their own food through the chemical process of photosynthesis. Fertilizer provides plants with the essential nutrients it needs for photosynthesis to occur. Fertilization also provides other nutrients required for other chemical processes such as wound healing.
Why should I fertilize my tree? I just had it pruned and don’t want it getting bigger.
By specially blending the individual ingredients of our fertilizer, we provide trees with what they need. Fertilizing improves vitality which in turn can reduce damage from insects and diseases.
How often should I be fertilizing my trees?
Trees should be fertilized no more than once a year. In some cases a longer interval is better
I’ve heard that fertilizing can harm my trees. Is this true?
Yes, improper fertilization can harm plants. That is why your trees should only be treated by qualified arborists.
Hazardous Tree Evaluation
What is Hemlock Woolly Adelgid? I’ve heard it referred to as a disease and as an insect.
The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid is an insect. Mature adults can be spotted on the underneath of twigs and needles by their obvious white, cottony covering. Once situated, they become stationary and reproduce.
Are my trees too tall to be treated?
Our state of the art equipment is capable of spraying trees up to 70′. When treating even taller trees or trees that cannot be sprayed due to location, we can utilize specialty treatments that work from the inside out.
If I stop my hemlock treatment, will they become re-infested?
The majority of hemlock pests are spread by means of birds or wind carrying them from tree to tree. Any hemlock not being periodically treated can become infested.
Do other insects feed on hemlocks also?
The primary pests of hemlocks are the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, spider mites and hemlock scale. All of these pests can be controlled with the same environmentally friendly product.
Does the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid feed on other species of plant?
No. The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid is a host specific pest.
General Tree Care
What type of tree should I buy?
Tree selection is one of the most important investment decisions for a homeowner. First, examine the location where you want to plant your tree. Before you choose, take the following into consideration: * Amount of space * Clearance from overhead and underground utilities * Weather conditions * Purpose of the tree * Exposure to sun and wind
What are the benefits of continuous tree care maintenance?
Benefits include: * Air Filtration—filters out particulate matter and absorbs harmful gases. * Purifies Water—slows and filters rain water and protects aquifers & watersheds. * Cost Reduction—reduces yearly heating and cooling costs. * Climate Control—obtained by moderating the effects of sun, wind, and rain * Increase Property Value—well-cared landscape properties are 5-20% more valuable than non-landscaped estates.
What is tree pruning?
Pruning is the cutting or removing branches or parts of trees to improve the shape or regulate growth of trees. This is the most common tree maintenance procedure. Usually, pruning is done as a preventative or corrective measure to remove dead branches, crowded or rubbing limbs, eliminate hazards, and increase light and air penetration.
What is tree topping?
Topping is the indiscriminate cutting of tree branches that are not large enough to assume the terminal role. Other names for topping including "heading," "tipping," "hat-racking," and "rounding over." Topping is perhaps the most harmful tree pruning practice known. Often, homeowners top their trees because they feel that they have become too large for their property and are a hazard. However, topping will make a tree more hazardous in the long term and is very harmful to the health of a tree.
What should I do if I think my tree has insect or disease problems?
As soon as you notice any abnormality in the appearance of your tree, you should begin a careful examination of the problem. Insects and diseases can threaten the health of a tree. By identifying the specific symptoms and understanding the causes, you may be able to diagnose the problem and take appropriate actions for treatment. You should contact Red Cedar Arborists for assistance immediately.