3. Prune or skirt up trees to 15 feet clearance to allow people to see office signs
4. Grass needs to be green and healthy by fertilizing quarterly and watering as needed
5. Seasonal flowers to be placed on corners and sides of the main entrance
6. Place low voltage lighting by monuments to give them a highlight
7. Beautify office entrances by planting color flowers
8. Refresh red curbs by applying new paint when color is fainted
Taking care of these items will allow you to be one step ahead of your competitors by beautifying the property. Investing in these areas will seem to be out of budget will the return will be greater than the invested.
A key topic to remember is that California is now under mandatory water conservation. Meaning one can get fined if there is water run off in the streets, curbs, sidewalks or pavement. Too much of this will lead to possibly having to water lawns and plants during the evenings or nights.
So Cal Tree Care, Inc strongly believes that everything generated in the property should stay there. We believe in being a sustainable company by promoting the efficient use of all natural resources. All clipping from the shrubs and trees if it remains on property in a couple of years it will turn in a natural fertilizer. By recycling the mulch onto the property it will give a healthier landscape. Adding to this idea you are also helping landscape companies from taking biomass to the land fields, saving money on fuel, man hours, overtime and less emissions to our environment. Ultimately once again saving you money.
As budgets continue to reduce don’t be afraid to negotiate services with your current or mew vendors. In difficult times we need to apply new and fresh ideas seeing if they can help to be more creative on the managing of your property and getting a greater return.
2009 is going to be tough for all but in these difficult times is when uniting our needs and services’; helping each other is a guarantee to success.
So Cal Tree Care and Landscape management is a leading company in the field by recommending and working with new efficient ideas to our customers.
President
So Cal Tree Care Inc and Landscape Management
February 4, 2009
PLANNING AHEAD FOR YOUR COMMUNITY’S TREE CARE NEEDS
Trees play a valuable roll in every community’s appearance. They offer social, environmental and economic benefits. Well maintained trees are more appealing to potential residents. They promote a feeling of serenity, peace and tranquility and are a long-term investment in every community’s landscape. With the proper care, they can provide a cooling effect in common areas and buildings, and shade for parking and playground areas.
Often managers call a tree care company only when they notice a problem with one or more trees in their community. Some of these concerns are as simple as sick trees that need extra care. Other problems may be severe; such as a large failure that involves personal injury or property damage. Sometimes property managers defer maintenance due to budget limitations, which often place tree care low on a priority list. This can prove to be a great liability, as trees may become a high risk liability if only pruned on an emergency basis. The environment is continually changing and so are each community’s trees. Due to the necessity of regular maintenance, it is recommended that property managers create a plan or health care program for the trees within their communities. An adequate budget for each property’s arborscape will help promote a beautiful, healthy and safe community.
It is important to create an annual tree maintenance plan with a professional that is trained and experienced in tree maintenance and plant health care. The task of tree maintenance can be simplified by consulting with a Certified Arborist. An Arborist is defined as an individual who is trained in the art and science of plant health and caring for and maintaining individual trees. A qualified Arborist is experienced and knowledgeable in proper pruning standards, precision removal techniques, emergency tree care services, proper planning for planting and reforestation, fertilization, diagnosis and treatment, cabling, tree safety procedures and general plant health care knowledge. An Arborist can easily asses a community’s needs and help the management team prepare a tree care program and budget. Each community should have its own tree care plan, individual to its climate, species, and goals unique to the community itself.
A comprehensive tree care program must include a schedule of annual maintenance, designed to promote public safety and optimal plant health. This annual tree maintenance plan will consist of a schedule of the appropriate time of the seasons to trim each type of tree in your community. For example, Conifers (cones bearing evergreen trees such as pines) should only be trimmed in the late fall, early winter seasons. These trees are trimmed when insects that will infest and harm them are dormant. Oak trees fall into the same trimming season as the pines. Oaks are susceptible to boring insects that will prey on freshly cut trees trimmed in an inappropriate season.
Your community’s maintenance plan will also include a periodic fertilization, diagnosis and treatment schedule. Proper fertilization and treatment of infestation is a valuable key to continued optimum plant health care. Your Arborist will recommend inspection and assessment schedules specific to each individual case that requires attention. In addition, periodic site visits will assist in the early detection of infestation and diseases.
The annual plan will also include monitoring the amount of water your trees are receiving. There are a large number of water related tree problems that occur in communities. Too much water will promote the growth of fungi in the soils that can cause fatal root and buttress rot. These water related problems can be irreversible and lead to tree decline and ultimately tree death, if not detected in the early stages. Too little water can stress trees to the point of decline, which can be corrected if detected at an early stage. Trees need to be watered specific to their species. Quarterly monitoring by a certified arborist will address watering issues. Mulching trees is a great way to put nutrients back into the soil for the benefit of the trees, as well as assist in holding moisture in the soil for longer periods of time. Mulching a tree requires the turf to be removed from the base of the trees for the purpose of weed abatement and water conservation. Mulch should be no deeper than 3 inches to be effective for water conservation and proper gas exchange in the root zone area.
Fruit bearing trees may present a trip/slip hazard, in addition to staining and increasing wear on outdoor and indoor flooring. Most fruit bearing trees, such as the Olive, Carrotwood and Ficus, should be trimmed in the early springto reduce the fruit production, especially in areas of high traffic. Some of these trees can also be treated with a chemical application to reduce fruit production. Your arborist will be able to recommend the appropriate time of a tree’s cycle to apply these treatments to reduce fruit production.
Palm trees are a source of fruit bearing species that produce an abundance of flowers and seed pods. These pods, in a high traffic or a pool area may present a liability for trips; in addition to staining and unnecessary stress on pool filtration equipment. Palms require pruning at least once annually and sometimes require a secondary seed pod removal in high traffic and pool areas. Palms will show signs of yellowing if they are lacking nutrients.
Eucalyptus trees may be trimmed anytime of the year. A trained Arborist should evaluate each of your Eucalyptus for safety, especially in high traffic areas such as playgrounds, parking areas, common areas, slopes and greenbelts. Eucalyptus trees in southern California are also susceptible to infestations of insects and fungi and should be examined to ensure the health and safety of the tree.
A community can easily be remembered for the quality and beauty of its trees. Trust the care of your trees to a Certified Arborist.
