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We are finding creative ways to handle the labor shortage:)

Dear friends and customers,

This seems like it has been a cold winter but we are still working so please let us know if you need any tree work done. We get asked a lot when is the best time to prune trees. For most trees the very best time to prune is late winter. This is because fungal spores and insects are dormant, we can see the tree structure easily, we don’t have to worry about trampling flowers and the pruning cuts will heal over quickly in the spring. The main trees and shrubs that you do not want to trim now are ones that flower on last seasons growth such as lilacs and rhododendrons. These should be pruned right after they are done flowering. Winter is also great if you have trees along the lakeshore that need removed because sometimes we can drop them on the ice and clean them up.

We now have a customer portal!

Through our new software, our customers can now view and pay invoices, see proposals, see payment history and also request a new service or a service call. If you think this will be valuable to you please copy and paste the link below into a web browser and create an account. You will need to provide the same email that we have on file for the system to recognize your account. Please let us know if you have any questions.

https://app.singleops.com/accounts/firmanirrigation/portal

What trees really need!

It’s amazed me as I’ve worked on trees, studied trees and gone to classes for years how many similarities there are with trees and the human body (or an animal for that matter). When a body has a nutrient deficiency it can show up first in the nails, skin, hair, (among many other things). When a tree has a nutrient deficiency it often shows up as chlorotic (yellowing) leaves, smaller leaves, reduced shoot growth, etc. Another interesting similarity is that just as the body needs a heathy microbiome so does the tree. Without healthy soil with lots of micro-organisms in the root zone of the tree it will have a hard time surviving without a lot of help.

The heart of our plant health care program is to help create healthy soil around the trees and plants so that the trees can better take care of themselves. To treat trees for pest, fungal issues, nutrient deficiencies, etc. without addressing the soil is like giving a person medicine without addressing the root problem which might be the diet or antibiotics killing off the good bacteria. The problem with much of our soil that we plant trees in is that it is “dead”. There is very little fungi, bacteria, insects, worms etc. In the forest setting the soil is full of these things because the leaves, sticks, and wood stays and decomposes creating food for the micro-organisms. Trees in the forest not only create their own compost but this layer acts as a layer of insulation so that the soil doesn’t get too cold or hot. This layer of leaves and debris also acts as a cushion so that rain and foot traffic doesn’t compact the soil.

What we believe is needed more in our landscapes is to imitate this natural setting as much as possible by using more compost and mulch around trees. I feel this is the first step toward healthier trees in our landscapes. Planting groupings of trees instead of individual trees helps us keep the irrigation water off the trees too. We also use organic liquid fertilizer containing carbon to help feed the micro-organisms in the soil. Other treatments such as insecticides and fungicides may be needed too, especially with all the non-native diseases and pest that are attacking our trees. Creating healthy soil should always be at the top of the list of priorities.

Please feel free to contact us for a consultation about your trees. One of our certified arborist will be happy to give you a complete inspection of your trees and recommendation for each one. They will be plotted on our software, each tree will have it’s own health record that you will be able to view. They will have pictures and will be plotted on a map too so you will know which is which.

Thanks for taking the time to read my newsletter, I hope you are having a great winter!

Dave Firman