Tree Health Care

Tree and plant health care runs through most of our projects and is vital to keeping our plants, trees, and landscape healthy and sustainable. We take a proactive, holistic approach to plant and tree care so that we can ensure and improve the plant’s ability to thrive in the environment. Plant Health Care is about both solving problems and preventing future ones from occurring.

Where problems are found we can develop a custom plan for your site, garden or landscape based on the local tree and plant population, growing conditions, soil type, and other environmental factors.

Correctly located plants and trees are assets to any site and offer a range of health and environmental benefits. In addition to adding value to a site from aesthetic to financial benefits as shown opposite. As those trees and plants become older, the value of the landscape increases.

But for as much time and care we put into them, many factors can cause trees and shrubs harm and prevent them from being healthy, and as a result, they are likely to lose value, have increased management costs and potentially become unsafe.

Some of the factors that can contribute to the lack of vitality in your trees and shrubs include the following:

• Lack of Nutrients
• Compacted Soil around Trees
• Restricted Rooting Area
• Water logging
• Changes to the rooting environment
• Insects, Pests and Disease

These can result in trees becoming stressed and unhealthy. Plant Health Care Plan Involves routine monitoring, preventive treatment, and an understanding of what you want to see from your site. The initial steps involve a thorough assessment of your trees and landscape and developing a plan based on your needs.

A Plant Health Care program is an ongoing process of inspection, monitoring, and testing to ensure the early detection of problems that could potentially damage your landscape. We want your landscape to be healthy, and taking a proactive, long-term approach will allow us to detect any health issues earlier, so we can help you maintain the proper environmental conditions for your plants.

Soil Tests

Nutrient Analysis and  Soil Structure

It can be critical to understand what soils you have on-site and to do this, we work with a range of labs to carry out classification tests, including moisture content, plastic limit and liquid limit tests (LL, PL & PI) Bulk Density Test, Dry Density Moisture Content Relationship, Natural Moisture Content, Particle Size Distribution. (wet and dry sieve)

Tree Pest and Disease

Some Pests or diseases can be limited to the outer canopy; these can be cosmetic and last only a season or two and the trees then recover and grow. However, sometimes problems can cause a loss of vitality in a tree which can be compounded over the years leading to decline and failure. 

Some issues cause severe problems and will need early intervention, such as Oak Processionary Moth, Accurate Oak Decline or Sirococcus blight a fungal disease of Cedar and Hemlock. Issues such as Ash Decline, Leafminer, Mildews, and Wilts insect infestation can build up over time and treatment or intervention would be beneficial. 

Using specialist monitoring equipment such as Arborcheck, we can provide a benchmark before treatment starts and understand better trees’ likely responsiveness to treatment. We are experienced users of various types of treatments from soil drenches through to injection systems such as the bite system.