Category Archives: Featured Articles

How Trees Fight Climate Change

Have you ever wondered how trees fight climate change? Planting trees is a great way to leave a positive imprint on the Earth while helping in the fight against climate change. Here are how trees fight climate change at your home and in your community.

How Trees Fight Climate Change

We only have one Earth, so we all have to do our part to make sure we minimize our carbon footprint. Ensuring future generations have a comfortable climate, functional eco-system and enough natural resources to sustain them is vital. Westchester Tree Life wants you to get involved in the fight against climate change by planting a tree. By planting a single tree you are giving back to your community. Learn more from Arbor Day here.

Combat Climate Change from Your Home

Adding trees to your Westchester residence has many benefits. The U.S. Department of Energy have reported that planting trees on the south and west sides of your house you can reduce heating and cooling costs. This is a great way to cut costs while benefiting the environment. The U.S. Forest Service Center for Urban Forest Research has stated that you can save up to 30% of energy use simply by properly placing three trees around your home. Read more about how trees can help fight climate change at home from the Arbor Day Foundation here.

Local Action: Fighting Climate Change in Your Community

How can you take action to fight climate change in your community? Stay knowledgeable about current climate change topics and statistics; if you’re looking to take action, think up a creative, effective way to get involved. Not sure how to begin? Try simply by getting a few neighbors together to discuss the benefits of planting some trees in your neighborhood! The U.S. Forest Service Center for Urban Forest Research has stated neighborhoods with well-shaded streets can be up to 6–10° F cooler than neighborhoods without street trees. Though it seems small, that temperature difference can make a world of difference. For more ideas and information on fighting climate change in your community, click here.

How to Attract Butterflies to your Yard

Leave a reply

With the return of warm weather we are starting to see a familiar and welcoming sight. Little splashes of color that flutter by and add vibrancy to our landscapes. Indeed, the butterflies have returned. Every time we see one of these beautiful specimens we can’t help but smile and feel content for the few moments we share with their presence. So how do we attract more and more butterflies to our yards? Let’s take a look at some key elements.

Naturally, if you were to sit and wait for them you would eventually see one or two. However, if you know what they are looking for and provide the proper trees, flowers, and shrubs for them, you will have your own butterfly sanctuary to enjoy! For starters, it’s best to start with a variety of flowering/fruit trees and shrubs to attract butterflies to your garden. It is recommended that you choose a mixture of both rapid bloomers and varieties that have a longer bloom time. With the addition of these types of plants you will start to see American ladies, silvery blues, zebra swallowtails, Compton tortoiseshells, and northern pearly eyes . . .just to name a few.

The eastern red-bud tends to bloom in early spring and is one of the earliest bloomers. This leads to the attraction of such specimens as the silvery blue, zebra swallowtails and dreamy duskywings. This would be a great addition to any landscape to help kick off the welcoming of the butterflies. Plus you are helping the environment because its nectar and pollen attract butterflies necessary for healthy orchards and vegetable gardens.

It is very important to know what these beautiful creatures are looking for in order to create an inspiring butterfly sanctuary in your yard. The majestic flutter-bys instill a joy and peacefulness to our everyday. It is a very simple process and takes minimal work to give these beauties what they are looking for . . .and well worth the effort!

Westchester Garden Guide

Leave a reply

What plants, trees and shrubs are you planting this season? Consider adding some of these plants, trees and shrubs from our Westchester Garden Guide.

Sweet Woodruff, (Galium odoratum)

Sweet woodruff is an excellent groundcover; via Pinterest

This fragrant spring woodlander forms a beautiful green carpet. Sweet Woodruff is a lovely groundcover, ideal for ground beneath trees. Planting sweet woodruff will give your Westchester garden a finished look.

Jack Frost, (Brunnera macropylla)

Jack Frost via Wikimedia Commons

Don’t let deer ruin your beautifully cultivated Westchester garden! Jack Frost is a deer resistant groundcover that adds a lovely touch to your property. Silver veined leaves are topped with blue blossoms, reminiscent of forget-me-nots. Plant this groundcover in a shady area that needs a pop of color!

Lilac, (Syringa ‘Palibin’)

Syringa ‘Palibin’ via Pinterest

The sweet fragrance of a lilac is a staple of spring gardening. Try planting the Syringa ‘Palibin’, which is more resistant to mildew than other types of lilac. They have a tendency to have a longer blooming period than large lilacs.

Mount Airy, (Fothergilla)

Mount Airy via Wikimedia Commons

The Mount Airy is the perfect shrub to plant in a compact garden. Yielding brush-like flowers during spring and gorgeous foliage during fall, Mount Airy brings year-round beauty.

Gorgeous Hydrangeas

Leave a reply

Curating the perfect garden is an art. Selecting which flowers, shrubs and trees to integrate can be difficult. Gorgeous hydrangeas always make for a wonderful addition; here’s why.

Hydrangea Westchester Tree Life

Beautiful Bushels of Flowers

Did you know Westchester Tree Life can help customize a plant health care plan just for you?

Hydrangeas bloom from spring to late fall. Their tiny flowers grow in clusters and can be pink, purple, blue and cream. The cool thing about hydrangeas is how easy it is to manipulate their color; all you have to do is control the pH of the soil. If you would like your hydrangeas to yield pink blooms, you can raise the pH of the soil with limestone. Lowering the pH with elemental sulfur will result in blue flowers.

Healthy Hydrangeas

Westchester Tree Life can assist with your soil! Call today: (914) 238-0069

Whether you prefer your hydrangeas potted or planted, well drained soil is key. If you are planting hydrangeas, dig a hole slightly larger than the plant. This will result in loose, pliable soil. If you are potting hydrangeas, do not plant any deeper than one inch above the original pot height. Select a place where your hydrangea can get a little bit of morning sun as well as afternoon shade.

All About Lilacs

Leave a reply

The sweet, soothing fragrance a lilac bush emits is wonderful. In addition to their signature scent, lilacs are also a lovely ornamental addition to your Westchester property. Unsure whether this is the right plant for your property? Read all about lilacs here.

All About Lilacs Westchester Tree Life

All About Lilacs

One of the reasons we love lilacs, is because they are a versatile addition! Lilacs can grow as medium to large shrubs, or small trees; the tallest a lilac will get is approximately 20 feet. You can tell the maturity of a lilac by inspecting its bark. A mature lilac will have gray-brown bark, while a young lilac will have green-brown bark. Being a deciduous plant, lilacs lose their leaves annually. Lilac Westchester County Tree Care

Did You Know?

Did you know there are over 1,000 varieties of lilac bushes and trees? The key to keeping your lilacs looking their best is knowing which variety is best for you.

Planting a Lilac

Westchester Tree Life Planting Lilacs

Lilacs thrive in fertile, well-drained soil. When inspecting your designated planting site, keep in mind that lilacs prefer humus-rich, neutral to alkaline soil, as well. Ideally this spot will have a minimum of 6 hours of broad sunlight for your plant to thrive in.

Blooming

Lilacs Westchester Tree Life

The lilac can produce clusters of lavender, purple, pink or white blooms. Despite having a three-week window for flowering (which occurs during springtime), varieties such as the Josee or the Boomerang can bloom multiple times a year. View House Beautiful’s list of Lilac facts here.

Ensure your lilac is planted properly and has a plant health care plan to maintain its beauty with help from Westchester Tree Life. Call Westchester Tree Life today (914) 238-0069

Spring Gardening Checklist

Leave a reply

Spring is officially here! Our Spring Gardening Checklist makes preparing your Westchester home for warm weather easy.

Spring Gardening Checklist

Westchester Spring Gardening Checklist

Each homeowner’s spring gardening checklist will vary. Before you create your spring gardening checklist, write down any goals you have for your Westchester property. Consider long term and short term goals for your yard.

Walkways & Walls

Spring Gardening Checklist Westchester Tree Life

Westchester county’s past snowstorms may have taken a toll on your yard’s walkways and walls. Check your stone walkways and walls for damaged or missing pieces. This is the perfect time to re-position your yard’s layout.

Tree Removal

Tree Stump Grinding Westchester Tree Life

Westchester Tree Life can professionally remove that unsightly tree stump from your yard.

Spring cleaning is the perfect time to remove that dead tree or stubborn tree stump from your yard! Westchester Tree Life’s certified arborists can offer tree removal and tree stump grinding services. Request a consultation online here.

Tree & Shrub Planting

Let Westchester Tree Life take care of tree and shrub planting this year!

Trees can provide the perfect amount of privacy, while adding aesthetic appeal. If tree and shrub planting seems overwhelming to you, our team of professional arborists can help! We can assist you in selecting the best trees and shrubs for your yard, and provide a customized plant health care plan for you. View all of Westchester Tree Life’s services here.

Garden Shed Organization

Storage Secrets for Your Garden Shed, bhg.com

Don’t forget to add garden shed organization to your spring garden checklist! Starting the season with a tidy workspace will entice you to spend more time outdoors. Throw away any tools which are broken, clean and stack gardening pots, and keep additional potting soil and mulch on hand. Check out Better Homes & Gardens’ “Storage Secrets for Your Gardening Shed” article here.

Leafing Out…Spring has sprung!

The first hint of green signals that spring is coming. Once trees have begun leafing out, we know that spring Westchester county has sprung. How do trees know when to bud leaves? What happens if trees bud too early?

Leafing Out Westchester Tree Life

Dormant Trees

Dormant Winter Trees

Trees are dormant throughout winter. During dormancy, a tree’s metabolism comes to a standstill due to low temperatures and lack of sunlight. Dormant trees are not dead, they are simply in a state of rest, as they await spring’s warmth.

Budding Trees: How Do Trees Know When to Bloom

A look at different tree buds via Naturally Curious with Mary Holland

Did you know that your tree’s buds were most likely formed last summer? It’s true! These pre-formed buds are protected during winter dormancy by “bud scales”.

Tree buds are formed during summer and protected by “budding scales” through winter dormancy; via Wikipedia

The date your trees will begin budding depends on a variety of factors. Factors which effect a tree’s budding cycle include temperature, location and tree type. You can tell a tree is about to bud when weather becomes consistently warmer, and the days longer. As nights shorten, the changing levels of the photoreceptor phytochrome triggers the trees to bloom.

Leafing Out: Early Bloomers

Call Westchester Tree Life’s professional arborists for a plant health care plan, if your trees are blooming too early!

Early blooming occurs when warm temperatures plunge. This temperature shock can stress your trees out, potentially damaging new growth. If fruit and flower buds bloom too early, there is a chance they might not bloom again later in the year, while leaf buds are likely to bounce back. If you are concerned about your tree budding too early, call Westchester Tree Life!

Why We Love the Dogwood Tree

1 Reply

Spring is here and it’s almost time for your dogwood trees to start blooming! The dogwood tree is a lovely ornamental tree that is easily identifiable by its bark. Here are some reasons why we love the dogwood tree.

Blooms from a dogwood tree via Pinterest

The tree’s beautiful blooms up close via Pinterest

Landscape Design: Bright Blooms

A beautiful dogwood tree via dogwoodtree.org

Instant curb appeal via dogwoodtree.org

Add a pop of color to your Westchester home by planting one or two dogwood trees. These trees grow anywhere from 20 to 30 feet and feature white, pink or red blooms! A blooming dogwood is a signal that winter has passed and spring has truly begun. During fall, the these trees yields red and purple leaves and red berries.

Distinctive Bark

The bark of a dogwood tree via CarolinaNature.com

The distinctive bark of a dogwood tree sets it apart. The bark of a dogwood tree is often compared to the texture of an alligator. This is because the gray bark begins to crack into tiny squares once the tree has matured.

The Drought Tolerant Dogwood

via arborday.org

The Japanese dogwood tree via arborday.org

Though the most popular species of dogwood tree is the Cornus florida, the Japanese dogwood, Cornus kousa, happens to be more drought tolerant. The Japanese dogwood can handle more sun, which is ideal for some homeowners.

Anatomy of a Tree

Leave a reply

How knowledgeable are you when it comes to the anatomy of a tree? Being able to identify parts of a tree is helpful in identifying tree illnesses and safety hazards. Tweet your tree anatomy questions at us: “@westchestertree”.

tree-trunk-westchester-tree-life

Starting from the Bottom: The Root System

A healthy root system makes for a healthy tree! The purpose of the tree’s root system is to anchor the tree, as well as absorb water and minerals from the soil. There are two kinds of roots, large perennial roots and small, short-lived “feeder” roots.

Did You Know: Tree roots are typically found in the top three feet of soil.

The Five Parts of a Tree Trunk

westchester-tree-life-tree-trunk

Did you know a tree trunk has five parts? A tree trunk is comprised of the outer bark, the inner bark, the cambium cell layer, sapwood and heartwood!

The heartwood is the innermost layer of the tree trunk, and acts as the supporting pillar of the tree. Though the heartwood is technically dead, it does not decay or lose strength while the outer layers of the tree are intact. Heartwood is a composite of hollow, needlelike cellulose fibers which are bound together by a chemical-like glue, lignin, making it almost as strong as steel.

The layer which covers the heartwood is the sapwood, which later hardens and turns into heartwood. Sapwood acts as the trees pipeline for water, helping it move up to the tree’s leaves.

After the sapwood is the cambium cell layer. The cambium cell layer annually produces new barn and wood in response to auxins, the hormones which are passed down through the tree. Auxins stimulate growth in cells and are produced by leaf buds at the ends of a tree’s branches.

Next is the Phloem, or the inner bark, which acts as the pipeline for food. The Phloem only lives for a short time before turning to cork; this cork is part of the tree’s protective outer bark.

Lastly is the outer bark, which protects the tree from the outside world. This outermost later helps keep out moisture and prevents the tree from losing moisture; the outer bark also insulates against extreme temperatures.

Branches, Twigs and Leaves

tree-leaf-westchester-tree-life

A tree’s branches and twigs spring out of the trunk and are the supportive structure for leaves, flowers and fruit. Through the process of photosynthesis, leaves make food for the tree and release oxygen into the air.

How Trees Are Damaged During Construction

1 Reply

Winter is the perfect time to begin planning your upcoming spring projects and renovations. If you are considering tackling a construction project near your home or residence, try to keep the surrounding trees in mind to avoid potential damage. Here are a few ways trees are damaged during construction.

Do you have tree care questions? Call Westchester Tree Life!

Trunk and Crown Injury

Westchester Tree Life serves all of Westchester county.

Did you know construction equipment can injure the portion of your trees which sit above ground? Branch breakage, wounds to the trunk and tearing of the tree bark are all ways your tree can become injured during a construction project. To avoid permanent or fatal injuries to your tree, ask your team to be mindful of their equipment, or mark a barrier.

Root Damage

This diagram helps to explain how nutrients move through a tree’s system, beginning with the root system.

Construction which is tearing up ground or affecting the ground can potentially damage your tree’s roots! Your tree’s root system is vital, as it absorbs water and minerals from the soil and sends them up the trunk to nourish the tree. When planning construction, try to cut as far away from the tree as possible; a good rule of thumb is to steer clear of working underneath the tree’s crown.

Did You Know: Damage to a tree’s roots can affect its ability to stand upright during storms, causing potential danger and property damage.

Soil Compaction

Soil that has not been compacted vs. compacted soil via Mother Earth News

Be aware that heavy construction equipment can cause soil compaction. This reduces pore space which is necessary for water and air movement. Soil compaction can halt root growth, limit water absorption and penetration and decrease oxygen.

For more information on how trees are damaged during construction, check this guide from Trees Are Good.