• Our Arborists have the experience and training to detect potential tree and shrub problems before they become life-threatening or hazardous.

• Our Arborists can prescribe services for trees and shrubs to prevent problems.

• Our Arborists can consult with other landscape and lawn care services to coordinate treatments.

Just as no two landscapes are identical and client objectives vary, there is no universal Plant Health Care (PHC) program. However, all successful PHC programs share key features.

PHC is essential for monitoring the health of trees and shrubs, enabling the early detection and management of issues before they become serious. This monitoring can range from annual visits to more frequent inspections, such as monthly check-ups, tailored to the size and diversity of your landscape as well as your specific goals.

When problems or potential issues are identified during a monitoring visit, your Green Tree arborist will collaborate with you to create effective solutions. For instance, they may advise adjusting lawn irrigation to prevent excessive moisture that can negatively impact tree roots.

Additional solutions may include strategic pruning or targeted pesticide applications. Your Green Tree arborist will provide comprehensive information about your trees and shrubs, empowering you to make confident management decisions that align with your budget and objectives.

Each Plant Health Care (PHC) program is expertly tailored to meet the specific needs of your landscape. Accurate pricing is determined through a Green Tree arborist’s thorough site visit and assessment. Whether you're interested in a targeted plan for a few key trees or an inclusive approach for your entire landscape, we have you covered.

PHC programs offer flexibility in their structure. Some provide monitoring for a fee and bill separately for each treatment, while others charge an annual fee that encompasses all seasonal monitoring visits and a range of potential treatments. With these comprehensive Green Tree programs, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that treatments for most potential issues are pre-covered, eliminating unexpected costs.

At the core of PHC is the commitment to individualized service and flexibility. Trust that your Green Tree arborist will design a Plant Health Care program that perfectly aligns with your goals and fits your budget.

To provide property owners with more options, Green Tree arborists create Plant Health Care (PHC) programs. The goal of PHC is to maintain or enhance the landscape's appearance, health, and safety by using the most effective and environmentally sensitive practices and treatments available. PHC includes regular monitoring, preventive treatments, and a collaborative relationship between the arborist and the property owner.

Trees play a vital role in your home's landscape, working together with turf grasses, shrubs, and other plants that thrive in the same soil. Their roots intertwine, competing for essential water and nutrients, and a mature tree’s roots can reach well into your lawn or flower beds.

It's important to understand that any treatment applied to the lawn will undoubtedly affect the appearance and health of the trees. Likewise, treatments administered to trees have a significant impact on the vitality of the turf grass below. 

The way you care for each plant in your landscape directly influences the health of all the plants in that space. A cohesive approach to landscaping ensures a thriving environment for every plant.

Like humans, trees require a balance of nutrients to sustain good health and biological function. In urban environments, soil often lacks the natural nutrients found in untouched ecosystems due to construction, compaction, and the removal of organic matter like leaves and grass clippings on an annual basis. Additionally, pollutants and runoff can deplete essential minerals, leaving the soil nutrient-poor and inhospitable for healthy tree growth. Fertilizer is often required to replenish nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and trace elements, ensuring trees have the resources needed for strong roots, vibrant foliage, and resilience against pests and diseases.

On another note, applying fertilizer without testing the soil around your trees can have adverse effects, including increased pest resurgence and higher maintenance costs. Before fertilizing every area of your property (including your beautiful lawn), please read the information below.

Plants protect themselves from natural enemies by producing toxic compounds called allelochemicals or secondary metabolites. There are thousands of these compounds, including phenolic compounds like tannins, terpenes found in pine resins and herbs, alkaloids such as nicotine and morphine, and cyanogenic compounds that release cyanide, which can be found in cherry leaves and other plants. Research has shown that these compounds help defend against insects, pathogens, and mammals.

Studies indicate that when trees are fertilized, the levels of allelochemicals tend to decrease. This drop in chemical levels often happens because plants face a trade-off between growth and defence. Plants that grow more slowly generally have higher levels of these defensive compounds and are better at resisting insects.

Fertilization is often thought to make trees better at resisting insects, but little evidence supports this idea. In fact, most studies suggest that fertilization actually weakens trees' resistance to insects. For example, it has been shown that fertilization lowers tree resistance to sucking insects like aphids, adelgids, scales, psyllids, plant bugs, lace bugs, and spider mites. It also reduces resistance to chewing insects such as caterpillars, sawflies, leaf beetles, leafminers, and borers, as well as to browsing animals like deer, moose, and hares.

Using an economic analogy can help us understand trade-offs in plant growth. Think of carbon from photosynthesis as the tree's income. This income can be reinvested. When a tree invests carbon in making new leaves, it generates more carbon, which can lead to even more leaves. This process creates rapid, exponential growth, similar to how a retirement fund grows when interest is reinvested. However, if a tree uses carbon for defensive chemicals instead of growing leaves, its growth rate will slow down. This is like a retirement fund that grows more slowly when interest is spent on other expenses rather than reinvested.

Fast growth comes with trade-offs. Trees and other plants have limited resources to support their functions, so they can't meet all their needs simultaneously. For example, when plants focus more on producing flowers and seeds, their growth in leaves and stems can slow down. Additionally, studies show that when plants have more nutrients, they grow above ground, like in their stems and leaves, but less below ground, in their roots. This leads to a lower root-to-shoot ratio in the plant.

Many studies show that trees grow faster when they have more nutrients available. However, these trees also have lower defensive chemicals and storage reserves. In contrast, trees growing slowly in areas with limited nutrients tend to have more roots than their shoots. These slower-growing trees also store higher levels of defensive compounds and reserves. How trees use nutrients affects their ability to resist insects and tolerate stress.