Tag Archives: new york arborist

Best Trees for Fall Foliage

The best way to personalize your home in Westchester county is by planting a garden, trees and shrubs. Add a splash of color to your landscape with trees that will produce vivid foliage during fall; here is the first part of our list of the best trees for fall foliage! Stay tuned for our complete list next week.

The Japanese Maple

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The Japanese Maple is a beautiful tree come autumn, due to the vibrancy of its leaves! This is a great ornamental tree to add to your pre-existing garden or walkway area.

The Sassafras Tree

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The Sassafras tree is interesting, if only for its strange leaf shape, which is softly rounded. A medium-to-fast growing tree, the sassafras can be trained to grow as a single-trunk tree or a dense and bushy thicket.

The Black Tupelo

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Scientifically known as the nyssa sylvatica, the black tupelo is a trademark autumn tree for its renowned fall color. In addition to its beauty, the black tupelo is an important late-spring food source for bees!

John Jay Homestead in Katonah, NY

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Recently Westchester Tree Life volunteered at John Jay Homestead in Katonah, NY during the Independence Day event! Our team of certified arborists were happy to discuss trees with members of the community and share in a community experience.

About John Jay Homestead

via townvibe.com

Located in Katonah, NY, the John Jay Homestead is one of New York’s six historic state sites administered by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation-Taconic Region. The John Jay Homestead is also known as the Bedford House or the John Jay House. This historical New York landmark was the home of statesman John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the United States. The John Jay Homestead was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1981.

The John Jay Homestead Independence Day Celebration

John Jay Homestead July 4 2004 Fife and Drum

newyorkhistoryblog.org

The annual John Jay Homestead Independence Day celebration was held on July 4th, 2016, and sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bedford-Armonk and the Homestead. This community event begins with a period-piece portrayal and reading of the Declaration of Independence. Following the powerful speech there was live music, Colonial era games, pony rides, a hay ride, a petting zoo and a demonstrations of Colonial-era crafts and trades, including blacksmithing. Katonah NY Westchester Tree Life Westchester Tree Life’s team of arborists were also in attendance to partake and educate on the topics of arboriculture.

John Jay Homestead Westchester Tree Life

Franco Compagnone, 10 from South Salem, gets a little help cutting a log from Brent Cameron with the Westchester Tree Life Inc., during the Independence Day Fair at the John Jay Homestead in Katonah, July 4, 2016.
via lohud.com

Our team of arborists helped children cut their own slice of wood with a hand saw, and explained how to count a tree’s growth rings. This hands on experience allowed the community to ask questions about the growth of trees as well as the relative importance of trees!

View more photos from the John Jay Homestead Independence Day celebration here.

Summer Pruning

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Maintain your Westchester County residence looking its best this summer with summer pruning from Westchester Tree Life! Our professional arborists can properly and safely prune your tree branches and shrubs.

Summer Pruning Westchester Tree Life

Summer Pruning

Summer Pruning Westchester Tree Life

Summer pruning is ideal when attempting to direct the growth of your tree branches. Pruning can also reduce the total leaf surface, which overall reduces the amount of food which is created and sent to the roots.

Defective Limbs

Removing defective limbs should be left to professionally-trained arborists, due to the serious danger risks associated with the process. Westchester Tree has the training and equipment to properly removed defective limbs. Defective limbs can be defined as dead branches or limbs that hang down too far.

Westchester Tree Life: Tree Care in Westchester County

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Westchester Tree Life, Inc., has been providing quality affordable tree care in Westchester County since 1985 and boasts an extremely satisfied clientele. We feel that it is our knowledgeable, experienced staff that sets us above the competition. Licensed and certified arborists, as well as members of the Tree Care Industry of America, International Society of Arboriculture, and New York State Arborists, are what make our staff one in which you can place your utmost trust and confidence in.

Voted the Best Tree Care in Westcheter County, NY by Westchester Magazine!

We support our employees to continue to learn, grow and excel in their work through workshops and seminars which allows us to stay on the cutting edge of the tree care industry. It is because of our dedication to the tree care industry, hard work and natural love of trees that our business continues to flourish.

Westchester Tree Life are also proud members of the International Society of Arboriculture!

We are committed to…

Providing our customers with the highest quality tree care possible, using the most efficient environmentally friendly methods available, all the while adhering to strict safety standards.
Completing each job on time, for the quoted price, while exceeding our clients’ expectations.
Staying on the forefront of our industry, and always striving for excellence in Professional tree care.
Ensuring the safety of our staff with an ongoing comprehensive safety program.

Westchester Tree Life is proud to participate in assisting and volunteering in the community and charities. The following are Westchester Tree Life’s most recent volunteer projects:

John Jay Homestead, Bedford, New York
Chappaqua Town Park, Chappaqua, New York – Westchester Tree Life donated time to clean up the Chappaqua Town Park in honor of Earth Day.
Chappaqua Meeting House, Chappaqua, New York
Saw Mill River Audubon Society, New Castle, New York
New Castle Historical Society, Chappaqua. New York
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Armonk, New York – Westchester Tree Life dontated time to completely wrap St. Stephen’s Blue Spruce tree with new, multi-colored and energy-efficient LED Christmas Lights for Christmas 2014! Read more here.

Tree Care in Westchester County

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A Guide to Tree Care in Westchester County

When you buy your first home, you may be so focused on the house itself that you don’t give much thought to the trees on your property. Even if you quickly find a landscaper to cut the grass, mulch beds, and keep hedges looking tidy, odds are you won’t think about your trees until one of them has a problem. Westchester Tree Life has all of the skills and services needed to care for every tree on your property.

Many of the services offered by Westchester Tree Life are probably obvious to most homeowners. Yes, we prune trees and remove trees that are dead or pose a falling danger. We grind stumps once a tree has been removed and can advise you on how to deal with tree pests and disease. However, we can also help with issues such as tick control and prevention of damage from your local deer. We are experts at cabling trees — installing steel cables to support the tree, reduce strain, and help prevent damage during storms.

Beyond dealing with major tree issues, Westchester Tree Life offers a variety of services to keep your property looking its best. You can count on us for species selection advice, planting, landscaping, organic fertilization, insect spraying, land clearing, wood chipping, managing the health of all of your plants in addition to trees. Westchester Tree Life provides tree care in Chappaqua, New York, tree care in Rye, New York, tree care in Armonk, New York and tree care in the rest of Westchester County!

Whether you have a large tree in need of pruning or a set of bushes being devoured by deer, Westchester Tree Life can help! Give us a call to request a consultation to learn more about what we can do to keep all of the plants on your property in excellent health and condition.

Proper Tree Planting

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Spring is one of the best times of the year to plant, but do you know the steps of proper tree planting? This seemingly easy project is actually a quite complicated procedure! The improper planting of a tree can lead to an unhealthy and high maintenance tree, which could become a costly venture.

The Planting Site

Before you shop for your tree, select the planting site for your new tree. It is vital to keep in mind that your tree will need space to grow. Consider any power lines which may interfere with your growing tree’s branches; it is ideal to maintain at least a 15-foot distance from a utility line, after allowing for 20 years of growth.

Soil Check – Check the soil in the area of the planting site which you have selected. Most trees thrive in a moderate to well-drained site.
Climate Conditions – Selecting a tree which can thrive in your climate conditions will set you up for success!

Selecting the Proper Tree

Once you have identified the planting site, spacial restrictions and soil and climate type of your area, you are ready to begin tree shopping. We advise that you select a healthy tree from a reputable tree nursery. The staff will be able to assist you in selecting exactly the type of tree for your area, while also explaining how to best care for your new tree!

Proper Tree Planting

More complicated that simply digging a hole and sticking a tree in it, proper tree planting has specific steps and guidelines which should be followed for success. Before you begin, remove any dead or broken branches.

Digging the Hole – The width of the hole should be at least twice the width of your tree’s root ball. The hole should not be deeper than the root ball. Avoid compacting the soil around your tree’s root ball.
Backfill Soil – Mix one part peat moss or composted organic material with four parts soil for your backfill soil.
Mulching is Key – Apply 3-4 inches of mulch over your tree’s root ball, while staying slightly away from the trunk. This helps to keep soil moist while reducing weed growth. Do not apply more than 4 inches of mulch, and keep away from the trunk of the tree. Only brace your tree if it is absolutely necessary.
Watering Procedure – Water your tree extensively after planting and at least once a week during dry periods. Avoid wetting the leaves of the tree, when watering.

If you come across any issues while planting your tree, feel free to call a professional arborist at Westchester Tree Life; we are happy to assist and answer any questions you may have.

Maintaining your new tree’s health is just as important as proper tree planting procedure. A competent and professional arborist (arborists are specifically trained in tree health and the care and maintenance of trees; this is not true of lawn care professionals) can offer diagnosis and preventative maintenance to keep your trees (new and old) in peak condition!

Call Westchester Tree Life today: (914) 238-0069

(All information cited from the National Arborist Association, now known as the Tree Care Industry Association)

American Dogwood Tree

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The American Dogwood Tree, Cornus Florida

The blooming of the American Dogwood tree is a tell-tale sign that spring has arrived. These trees reach a height of 30 feet at most, and produce white, pink or red bracts with a center of bright yellow flowers.

Once the heat of summer arrives, these beautiful blossoms give way to light green leaves; during Autumn, the foliage of American Dogwood trees turn a deep red before falling.

The Benefits of Planting an American Dogwood Tree

Visually appealing during all four seasons
Full leaves offer shade during the summer
A modest-sized tree

Caring for an American Dogwood Tree

The American Dogwood tree flourishes in partial sun, and prefers nutrient-rich, well-drained soil.

Ecological Benefits of Trees

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The ecological benefits of trees are all around us . . .literally! They affect the air we breathe, the soil we stand on and grow our food in, the wood we build our homes with, the water we drink, the sun that shines on us, and even our minds on a psychological level.

Can you imagine living in a world without any trees? Well luckily you won’t have to, because without them we actually wouldn’t survive. Trees absorb the CO2 that we breathe out, and release the oxygen that we breathe in.

Trees also help the soil too. Trees use soil to grow their roots into, which in turn holds the soil in place. Without roots holding the soil, rain or hills would cause the soil to erode.

Ever sit under a tree for some shade on a hot summer day? Trees are great for providing shade, whether its for one person, or a whole house! Having tall, leafy trees around your house can block out a lot of the sun, and thus keeping your house cool without the use of an expensive air conditioner!

So many of the fruits we eat come from trees. Apples, pears, peaches, lemons, oranges, you name it! And it’s not just food that we humans eat, many animals and birds get their food from trees as well.

Sometimes trees just make us feel good. Whether we realize it or not, our brains just like to see trees. Studies show that trees can make us feel more calm and focused, as well as less violent.

We at Westchester Tree would love to help you take care of your trees so they can continue to provide you with these benefits, so give us a call at (914)238-0069 or visit our website to learn more.

Dutch Elm Disease

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Elm trees are a great, beautiful variety of tree, but they’re vulnerable to something called Dutch Elm Disease which can cause unsightly patches on the tree, or even tree death.

Dutch Elm Disease is due to a fungus spread by the elm bark beetle, and is not limited to just any one kind of elm tree. Once a tree catches Dutch Elm Disease, the tree tries to block the affected area from spreading the fungus, but this process also cuts off parts of the tree from receiving water and nutrients, which slowly kills the tree. The disease originated in Asia, but has since spread to North America, Europe, as well as New Zealand due to the spread of the beetles that carry it.

So what are some symptoms of Dutch Elm Disease, and how can you prevent your elms from the disease altogether? The first sign that a tree may have become affected might be a barren branch or a branch with yellowing leaves towards the top of the tree during the summer or other times when leaves would not normally be turning their fall colors. This will spread throughout the rest of the branches and eventually reach the roots, which kills the entire tree.

If you can get diseased branches pruned from the rest of the tree before the fungus spreads, you may be able to save the rest of the tree. Don’t forget to burn any affected branches after they are removed so they don’t accidentally infect anything else.

If you think you have an elm tree that is being affected by Dutch Elm Disease and would like help containing the damage or removing the tree if too much damage is already done, contact us at here on our website, or call us at (914)238-0069

The Sugar Maple

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The Sugar Maple, also known as Acer saccharum, is a beautiful addition to any yard! Sugar Maples are known for their bright, eye-catching foliage during Autumn, especially in New England, and are one of the largest trees in the hardwoods family!

Sugar Maple trees flourish in cool, moist climates, and are able to grow on sands, loamy sands, loams, and silt loams, but does best when planted on well-drained loams! A loam is defined as a fertile soil of clay and sand containing humus. Sugar Maple trees tend to do best when placed in an environment with abundant organic matter.

Sugar Maple Forest Westchester Tree Life

Image Courtesy of http://www.nhdfl.org

Why are Sugar Maple trees an ideal choice for your yard? The Sugar Maple is a tree that continues to grow up to 148 ft., and has wide, dense leaf coverage which offers a great amount of privacy. Consider planting a string of Sugar Maple trees instead of a fence, when considering privacy options for your residence or business. The large, looming Sugar Maple tree also offers cover from direct sunlight, and a windbreak, which are factors that play into the cost of your home or business’ heating and cooling bills.

Spring Grove Nursery Westchester Tree Life

Image Courtesy of springgrovenursery.com

The resilient Sugar Maple Tree is a fantastic option when considering what trees to plant on your business or home property!