Contributed by Libby Coley
Being a trusted adviser for our clients means taking the time to vet other colleague companies who provide complementary landscape services. Lucky for us, Arborway Tree Care is one of our trusted partners in business. We recently met up with Bob Kelley, Plant Health Care Manager and ISA Certified Arborist at Arborway, to get the inside scoop on the company: their services, company philosophy, and some tips of the trade!
Arborway Tree Care is a full-service tree company that has served metro Boston for 40 years. Arborway offers many services that complement CD & Co. These include plant health care, health maintenance and structural shade tree pruning, structural cabling and bracing, crane services, lot clearing, storm damage and stump grinding. Many of our clients use Arborway Tree Care for their disease and pest management services.
Bob joined the Arborway team four years ago. As Plant Health Care Manager and ISA Certified Arborist, Bob wears many hats. In any given week, you can find him doing tree work and plant health care in the field, in the office doing paperwork, or meeting clients. Bob shared that one of the best parts of his job is talking with clients about what’s going on with their trees and why. Educating their customers and thoughtful planning are important to Arborway.
We asked Bob what he thinks a property owner should know in terms of tree care:
- Bob said that adequate water uptake is the most pressing issue these days for trees and plants, especially in light of the last three years of drought. In previous years, Bob stressed the importance of watering perennials and shrubs from July 1st to the end of the growing season (typically around the middle of October) in the absence of normal rainfall, but now he stresses the importance of watering all plants. He also advises homeowners to water large shade trees if they are of high value to the property.
- Bob stresses safety above everything when it comes to trees. It’s crucial that trees are structurally sound, especially in stressful conditions such as drought and storms which can tip the tree into irrevocable failure.
- Plant Health Care. Bob points out that monitoring and treating plants for pests and diseases is the best way to keep a landscape healthy.
What are the biggest challenges facing trees in 2017? Bob anticipates a quantifiably larger rate of tree decline and pest/disease problems after three continuous years of drought. Three is a key number here – healthy trees can survive on stored energy for three years, but any additional stress makes them more susceptible to health issues after that point. Bob also highlighted that the gypsy moth and winter moth hatch in early spring and noted that mid-March to July 1st is Arborway’s busiest time of year. During this short period of time, their Plant Health Care crews apply several different applications before buds break and after leaf emergence including pesticides and fungicides.
If you want to learn more about Arborway Tree Care, check out their website: www.arborwaytree.com
