Education

Goodbye Old Man Winter and Hello Spring!! You may have already begun to notice the birds chirping and singing together in the early morning hours or the buds on your plants and deciduous trees waking up. With the fluctuating temperatures over the last couple of weeks, we know that Mother Nature is preparing us for a much-needed break from the long, dreary Winter we have had here in St. Louis. Early Spring is one of the best times to start preparing your trees, shrubs, and landscapes for a strong and healthy growing season.  The Winter months can leave your trees an...

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arborist, tree trimming, tree pruning, tree care, tree health

Hat Rack Pruning, also known as Tree Topping, is the absolute most damaging tree trimming technique.  It will kill the tree. Hat rack pruning is a method of cutting off a tree's lateral branches at random lengths, which then destroys the tree's appearance and leaves branch stubs that will eventually start to decay.  This tree topping technique is a surefire way to kill a tree long before it has had the chance to live its natural life cycle. Yet there are still people/companies in the St. Louis area topping trees. The Dangers of Tree Topping T...

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arborist, tree trimming, tree pruning, tree care, tree health

It is still wintertime in St. Louis, but spring is right around the corner, and we are looking forward to some warmer weather, sunshine, colorful flowers, and tree foliage. But before spring arrives, there are some things that you should consider about your trees and shrubs, and what may have happened to them over these last few months. Your trees and shrubs are still dormant, so before we transition into spring, now would be the best time to get outside and perform a ‘Winter’ tree and shrub inspection throughout your property because the trees are ...

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Having trees near your home help in many ways, but can also lead to dangerous situations.  Learn what to watch for to help determine your tree's health and avoid needing an emergency tree removal.

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storms, tree care, tree health, tree removal

What to do when a bad storm comes through uprooting trees, tears limbs off the trees, and leaving other limbs hanging high above the ground? Instead of risking injury to yourself and further damage to the surrounding structures, call a professional tree service company who is properly licensed and certified to safely remove the debris.  

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arborist, arboriculture, tree trimming, tree pruning, storms, storm damage, uprooted tree, downed limbs

Other terms used in this field are tree trimmer, tree surgeon, tree climber, tree clipper, tree pruner, etc.  A certified arborist is all of those things and more, but a tree trimmer is not an arborist.  Being a true arborist requires the appropriate education. An arborist studies arboriculture. What is arboriculture? It's a field of study in cultivating and managing individual trees, shrubs, vines, and other perennial woody plants. The practice of arboriculture is executing these practices to maintain the proper care of trees by se...

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arborist, arboriculture, tree trimming, tree pruning, landscaping

CLIPPER TREE & LANDSCAPE TREE WINTERIZING CHECKLIST Are you ready for Missouri wintry weather? If you have limbs over hanging your home, sidewalk or driveway you may want to consider having them pruned, removed or have a supplemental support cable installed before the stresses of winter weather causes them to fail. If there are dead, dying, diseased and/or unsafe limbs it may be best to remove them. Do you usually prep your house for the cold winter months, like tarping your a/c unit, or patio furniture? It seems that most everyone does some sort of preparation fo...

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Planting a tree, the right way takes a little more than digging a hole, sticking the tree in the ground, and laying the hose next to it. However, following a few simple tips is all you really need to do to give your new tree a good start in its new home. Plant in the Spring Many seasoned green thumbs will tell you planting in the fall is your best bet. Conventional wisdom says planting in the fall gives it plenty of time to establish itself and acclimate to the heat of summer. Contrary to popular belief, spring plantings give the tree plenty of time to ready itself...

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What to Do When Leaves Fall in Your Garden Many homeowners dread the thought of falling leaves. Raking and bagging them can make for hours of tedious work. Leaves give us more than just beautiful views in the fall. They can give gardeners who think outside the box ways to grow robust and beautiful flowers and plants. Leaves and Your Lawn Leaves in the garden aren’t typically a cause for concern, but leaves on the lawn can be trouble if you don't handle them the right way. Having a lawn covered by layers of leaves may look pretty in the fall. And...

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If you take pride in your landscaping, chances are you’ve put a lot of time and energy into caring for your trees. Keeping your trees and fields in good health and preparing them for the next season doesn’t have to be difficult. With a bit of diligence, you can set your trees up to be beautiful and healthy all year long. Late summer or early fall is the perfect time to take a look at your trees and keep an eye out for potential problems. There are a couple of obvious warning signs you should look for when checking for tree trouble. Leaves Changing Colors T...

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Winter can be a wonderful time of year. Christmas lights, presents, family gatherings and good food. But, winter weather can be a challenge for tree owners. Some of the same things that make winter a wonderful time of year can make it treacherous for trees and problematic for tree owners. Snow and ice make for winter fun with snow angels and beautiful scenery. However, as snow and ice buildup on tree branches, the extra weight can prove to be disastrous for your trees and your property alike. When limbs and branches give way to the weight of the extra snow and ice,...

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Let's start with the basics. What does it mean to prune a tree? Pruning is the systematic removal of branches. It is true most trees can survive without pruning. However, pruning help trees remain healthy and vital. It can also help them fight off disease. Why Do I Need to Prune Every time a branch is removed there is potential for injuring the tree. This is why you can't just fire up the chainsaw and begin lopping off branches to your heart's content. Removing dead branches is one of the most common reasons for pruning. Just like humans, trees have ...

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Arborist Training is Important In many jobs, you receive on the job training from another employee who has the specific knowledge to teach you the correct procedures. Tree care can be hard to learn because different species of trees, shrubs and plants need different levels of care in the manner they are planting, irrigation and fertilization--not to mention diseases and insects as well. This makes training a very important step in becoming a tree care specialist. What is the Tree Care Academy and Why is it Important? The Tree Care Industry Association (TICA) is an ...

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Take a Look at Your Trees As the weather warms chances are you'll find yourself spending more time outside enjoying mother nature. Whether landscaping is part of your job or you’re a weekend warrior, now is a good time to take a look at the plants on your property and make sure everything is in good shape. If you keep a watchful eye on your landscaping, you've probably seen lichen in the past. Although most of us would rather not see fungus on our trees, lichens are harmless. Lichens Evil Twin Hypoxylon canker is a fungal disease native to many sta...

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You might have fertilized your lawn before and this may help your lawn grow, but is it really what it needs? Is there a deficiency in your soil that fertilizer is only bandaging? Could you be over fertilizing it? It’s important to understand exactly what your lawn area needs to help you buy the products you need to resolve your issue! This same concept can be applied to your trees. Soil tests allow you to see what your soil might be missing in order to enhance your plants’ health, and a chance for survival. Soil tests have the potential to save you a lot of m...

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Storm Damage to Your Trees can be Dangerous If you live in the St. Louis area, you know just how quickly a storm can pop up while it moves in and out quickly. They bring heavy downfalls of rain, huge winds, and lightning, not to mention a ton of snow in the winter. It's important to assess your trees after a big storm of any type. It doesn't take long for a storm to damage trees near your home, which are the same trees that protect your home from the heat and strong winds. An assessment includes a very detailed process to decide which trees are still viable an...

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Sometimes while you’re out and about, you may notice some trees have abnormally spaced and sized limbs. Some of them may appear too low to the ground, while some may appear to be missing from the lower half of the tree making the tree look awkwardly empty. Structural pruning is an aspect of tree care that can extend the life of your tree, and bring out its true beauty if done correctly. This aspect of tree care is ignored by many homeowners, or done improperly, more regularly than you might expect. This article is going to go over particular details of structural prun...

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A lot can go wrong with trees. Between weather, animals, and humans there’s a lot of factors to be worried about! Being able to diagnose problems with your trees can help you prevent these same issues in the future. Now, not all defects can be avoided. Sometimes it has to do with the species of said tree, age, drought, pests, or disease. It’s impossible to protect your trees from everything. There are plenty of measures that can be taken to mitigate damage and even fatality though. Effective pruning, ideal site location, proper planting, and periodic inspection ...

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During the winter months, conditions for trees can be harsh. When trees start to decline it’s not normally due to one thing, but rather a combination of things. These different elements put the tree under stress. A tree under stress is more susceptible to disease, pests, and keeps it from effectively transporting nutrients. The cold temperatures, snow/ice accumulation, salt being spread on roads, and sun scalding can be detrimental or even fatal to your trees. These damages may be seen immediately, but in a lot of cases the damage won’t be easily noticed until a...

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Cool Season Grasses (Kentucky Bluegrass, Perennial Ryegrass, Tall Fescue, and Fine Fescue): Mow at regular heights until growth stops. Apply lime if soil test indicates need. Fertilize moderately after cool days slow leaf growth (1 to 1 ½ pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft.) Nutrients at this time will encourage root growth and thickening of turf. Soluble nitrogen fertilizers are used more efficiently by turf in late fall; aerate now if needed. Late September is the best time for broadleaf herbicides, especially for perennial broadleaf weeds. Keep leav...

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This article will discuss how to extend the blooming season of knock-out rose (rosa sp.) bushes through “deadheading”. Before we get started…a few comments on safety and hygiene. First off, roses have thorns, which most everyone knows. It is recommended that you wear gloves while deadheading your rose bushes. Also, be mindful about long sleeves and pants to protect arms and legs. When grabbing spent blooms or dead stems for removal be sure to “hold” the stem and not “squeeze” the stem as too much pressure can cause thorns ...

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Pin Oaks are one of the most prolific trees in the Saint Louis area. They grow very rapidly and provide deep shade, quickly. Recently, many oak trees across town have been infected with Oak Wilt and suddenly die within six weeks of showing signs of outward infection. Pin Oaks and other oak trees should NOT be pruned in the Spring (March through June). Clipper begins scheduling Oak prunings in July after the danger of spreading disease. Trees at risk for infection include: In the vicinity of other Oaks that have recently died suddenly impro...

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Emerald ash borer (EAB) infestations have been detected for the first time in 12 Missouri counties this spring. In southeastern Missouri, EAB was detected in Carter, Dent, Iron, Phelps, Ripley, Shannon, Stoddard, St. Francois, St. Genevieve, and Texas counties. A total of 27 counties are now known to have EAB infestations across Missouri. You can prepare for EAB’s arrival by knowing the signs of an EAB infestation. Report EAB suspects if they’re in a new county where EAB has not yet been found. And start planning how you can manage EAB infestations when ...

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