Inside scoop
How to get the most out of a tree service company
A mentor of mine would say that "we love to love our trees to death" with unnecessary, costly and even harmful "treatments".
On the other hand, timely and appropriate interventions can be tremendously beneficial, improving tree health, minimizing damage, generating savings and increasing safety.
Knowing the difference between the two is expert tree care.
Below
Tips to help you get the best care from a (decent) tree service
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CAVEAT EMPTOR
Unlike many other states, NY has no requirement that tree workers be credentialed or insured. This is reflected the the state of the field; there is frankly a huge amount of really terrible work done on trees in NY. This is not only matter of aesthetics, but actually damaging trees and increasing their risk potential.
None of the following advice pertains to companies run by folks who know little about trees or have much regard for them. Such folks are often fine for removals and are frequently the low bidders. As long as they can provide a certificate of insurance and the situation doesn't require extreme care, they're often fine for tree removal. Simply destroying a tree does not require a life-long love of them or deep tree knowledge.
By contrast, for​ tree care you'll want high-information tree-lovers. Even a Certificate of Arboriculture should not be confused for a certificate of careing deeply about trees. Unfortunately there is no certificate for that.
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Assuming you've found someone who really cares about trees and knows them well, here are our thoughts on how to get the most out of the relationship.
COMMUNICATE IN TREE-SPEAK
We work in places that boast different tree species, we pruning in various styles for different types of clients, but strategies for getting the best tree care trancend these variables. Not matter how big the tree is, what kind it is, etc., try starting the conversation about your trees with feelings or objectives like, "I'd like more light" or "it's feeling chaotic". Painting this kid of picture allows for creative, tree-healthy solutions. Prescriptions like "I want that branch removed" limit options. Prescriptions can exact an unneccesarily high toll on trees where other methods may meet the same objectives in a more tree-friendly way.
PRUNING IS WOUNDING. CATEGORICALLY.
Where trees and people coexist, pruning is generally needed to assure a tree's long term viability while meeting safety requirements and aesthetic preferences. Nonetheless, when pruning it is essential to keep in mind pruning is wounding. Big cuts are big wounds and small cuts are small wounds. All things being equal, trees respond more effectively to small wounds, while big wounds can lead to disease, decay and increased risk.
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Skillful pruning often involves making a large number of small cuts rather than a smaller number of large cuts. This can be labor intensive by comparison, but is much more refined aesthetically and can prevent serious damage that costs more to manage over time or even leads to premature tree removal. Trying to get from A-Z in one round of pruning can sometimes result in significant damage, where getting to the same place over the course of a few years may have a negligible impact.
REALLY SEEING TREES
Your tree pro should have things to say about your specific trees. Every specimen is very much itself. Two trees aren't the same simply because they're the same species. A tree isn't necessarily "young" because it was planted just a few years ago. (It may exhibit traits of old age as a result of stress). Nor is it necessarily dangerous because it's large, nor unworkable because the canopy is dense. Each specimen is unique, warranting sincere consideration before aligning its constraints with our desires. A skilled Arborist will take into account the species, the specimen, the context and the client. There is no one-size-fits-all in top-notch tree care. If you suspect that you're getting canned recommendations, consider getting a second opinion.
TOPPING TREES IS EXTREMELY DESTRUCTIVE!
If "pruning is wounding" then topping is just about the worst way to wound a tree. There are ways to make cuts that work with a tree's defenses. Topping cuts are large, indescriminate and change a tree's natural defenses. There are many ways to reduce a tree's size or risk profile without topping. Topping is so destructive that it is illegal in some municipalities, in part because it tends to INCREASE a tree's hazard potential. The International Society of Arboriculture declares that "Topping is perhaps the most harmful tree pruning practice known." One way to quickly weed out the worst of the worst is to ask if they'll top your trees.