Tree Inspection

Just like all other living things, trees have a life span and there is a myriad of circumstances that can reduce that life span. A tree that has been stressed is more susceptible to irreversible insect infestation, fungal infections, and accidents - so the first step in the process is to determine whether or not your tree is stressed, and if so, by what.

The earlier you detect a decline in your tree's health, the less expensive in the long run it will be to deal with it. Often times there is nothing we will be able to do to "cure" a tree, but there are plenty of things we can do to reduce the chances of a catastrophic failure or to prolong its life.

Below are several conditions that may indicate that your tree may be in poor health or might be susceptible to poor health in the near future. If you notice anything like these with your trees, don't put off contacting us. An inexpensive pruning job now is much better than an expensive removal with a lift later.

Die-Back

It is not uncommon for smaller branches to stop producing leaves on an older tree, but if you notice a large area of the tree no longer producing leaves, then something is out of the ordinary. This could also look like a thinning overall in the trees ability to produce leaves. We will be able to determine what is most likely causing the decline and recommend a course of action.

Mushrooms

There are hundreds of species of mushrooms that will grow on trees and all of them indicate that some part of your tree is in poor health. They are often indicative of rotten areas in a tree due to too much moisture or other stressors, and surely point towards further decline. We can determine how much of the tree might be rotten and if it is in danger of failure.

Insect Infestation

Sometimes insects can be the cause of a tree's poor health and other times they can be an indicator of it. If we discover signs of insect damage we can determine what insect it is and to what extent it will impact your landscape. From there we can create a plan to mitigate any hazards that could arise from those projected impacts. Some insects will show up and affect your tree only after the tree has been in decline, such as carpenter ants. Woodpecker holes are the results of the birds going after ants in trees that are already rotten.

At Very Good Tree Service we can help by identifying your trees and explaining the different issues that may affect them, your environment, and your family.

We look at many different factors when we arrive on-site to discuss a tree.

First, we will ask questions and listen carefully to determine what you, the client, are interested in accomplishing.

Once we understand your goals we will check for irrigation systems, power lines, phone/cable/network/utility lines, dogs, dog poop, fences, concrete, lawns, landscaping, foot traffic, distance from trees to vehicles, and other situations and potential obstacles that may impact, or be impacted by, the tree in question.

We will carefully search for potential hazards in each tree such as rot/fungus on the trunk and roots, large broken branches, hollows, included bark with co-dominant stems, lightning strikes, visible rot, ground heaving, and any pests that may cause long-term damage.

We will also look for turf at the base of a tree; if there is turf and we see a decline in tree health, it is likely that the turf is taking all of the water and nutrients from the ground, leaving little for the tree.

Our goal is to keep our customers' trees healthy and safe, or foster them to become healthy and safe once again.

This starts with identifying the tree species.

The top five most common tree genera in New Mexico are:

1. Siberian Elm (Ulmus Pumila not Chinese Elm or Ulmus Parvifolia)
2. Cottonwoods (Poplar)
3. Ash (Fraxinus)
4. Pine (Conifer in the genus Pinus of the family Pinaceae)
5. Mulberry (Morus, a genus of flowering plants in the family Moraceae)

Once a species has been identified, we can then determine best practices for managing that particular tree.

For example, the #1 most common tree genera in New Mexico in the list above is the Siberian Elm:

• They are a messy species but grow very well in Northern New Mexico and provide a lot of shade.
• With a little clean up every couple of years they can stay healthy for a long time.
• They often leak liquid from the bark or old cuts, which is called Wetwood or Slime Flux. This is a bacterial disease that is often foul-smelling and caused by drought (which we have a lot of). There is no treatment for it other than to prevent it by watering your trees.
• The "sap" that drops from Elm trees is called "Honeydew" and isn't actually sap at all - it is the poop of the European Elm Scale (similar to Pinon Scale).
• Many trunks and branches of Elms are black. This condition is called Sooty Mold which grows on Honeydew.