Tag Archives: tree care in chappaqua new york

Westchester Tree Life: Tree Care in Westchester County

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.

Mature Tree Care

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Mature trees bring more than just beauty to your property. They provide shade that can reduce cooling costs and increase your overall property value. Mature trees are a sign of longevity and endurance. It takes decades for a tree to grow to its mature, stately height. Caring for mature trees takes knowledge and experience. Mature trees face problems we don’t typically see in smaller trees. With their lofty height, larger limbs, and often sprawling root systems, your most majestic trees are often most at risk.

The first step to ensuring the health of your mature trees is to have them inspected. At Westchester Tree Life, we take a proactive approach and complete a careful inspection of each tree from crown to root. We look for signs of pests, damage, and disease, as well as any indications of weakness or rot. The inspection will tell us the extent of any necessary pruning or if the tree is at risk of falling or dropping large limbs.

Mature trees can benefit from mulching. Mulching protects your trees roots from temperature and moisture extremes as well as damage from lawn mowers. Plant based mulch decomposes over time, providing nutrients to the tree. Before you pile on the mulch, it’s important to know what you’re doing. Mulch should cover as much of the root system as possible with a depth of 2 to 4 inches. You don’t want the mulch to pile up against the base of the tree where it can decay the bark. Instead, leave a mulch-free area a couple of inches wide around the trunk.

Other, more complex, issues are important to the health of your mature trees. Soil composition and density affect the nutrients your tree has access to and its stability. Drainage is another crucial element to consider. If you aren’t sure how to determine the pH of your soil or whether or not it is too loose to securely anchor your tree in place, Westchester Tree Life can assess the soil and advise you on any needed changes.

With their larger, higher branches, mature trees pose a challenge when they need to be pruned. Attempting to prune a large tree yourself can be dangerous for both you and any nearby structures. Pruning mature trees requires knowledge of how trees heal; branches and limbs should be removed only when necessary. Because of the danger involved, this type of pruning job requires special equipment and training. You should always leave the pruning of mature trees to an expert arborist.

Sometimes, the removal of a mature tree is necessary. Mature trees, in spite of their size, aren’t immune to disease, pests, rot, and other types of damage that can lead to falling. A downed tree can cause extensive damage and injury. Westchester Tree Life can not only safely remove mature trees, but can advise you on suitable replacements.

With proper care and maintenance, mature trees can add great value to your property. Trust experts like Westchester Tree Life to keep your trees in their best condition!

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.

Crown to Root Inspection

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We often talk about the importance of having trees inspected by a qualified arborist in order to maintain their health and safety. But what does this inspection involved, and what does the arborist look for? A comprehensive tree inspection means carefully examining the state of the tree from the crown all the way down to the roots. Today, we’ll discuss what an arborist looks for and evaluates during this crucial inspection.

Let’s start with the crown, or canopy, of the tree. First, the arborist will assess the overall vigor of the tree. Does the tree look like it is growing well, healthy, and free of stress factors? Or, does the tree appear weak and seem to be growing more slowly than expected? Additionally, the size and color of the foliage are indicators of the tree’s health. Areas of the tree with dead or discolored foliage may be cause for concern. The arborist will also assess the crown of the tree for pests, damage, and common problems associated with that particular species of tree. A close assessment of the crown will also evaluate the health and condition of the branches, looking for dead, cracked, or broken limbs.

After a close inspection of the crown, the arborist will move on to an inspection of the trunk of the tree. The trunk can tell us a lot about the overall health of the specimen. The appearance of the bark will be examined for color and texture and any areas of dead or missing bark will be noted. The arborist will also look for cracks, damage, decay, mushroom and other fungal growth, oozing sap, galls, and cavities. Any lean to the the trunk is an important characteristic as it could indicate a risk of falling during extreme weather.

Finally, the arborist will inspect the root crown and roots of the tree. This may require a small amount of digging or removal of debris from around the base of the tree. Again, signs of pests, fungal growth, and damage will be noted. Additionally, the arborist will assess the condition of the soil around the roots to make sure it isn’t too weak to securely anchor the tree. Any cracking or lifting of the soil, which indicate shifting of the tree in high wind, will also be taken into account.

Once the arborist has a complete picture of the overall health and status of the tree, he or she can give you an accurate idea of any risk factors associated with the tree. How likely is it to fall or drop large limbs? Is it at risk from disease or pests and does it need to be pruned or otherwise serviced? Should it be removed? A root to crown inspection will answer all of these questions and help guide you on the needs of your trees, including what you can expect down the road!

Tree Removal

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Sometimes, it becomes necessary to remove a tree from your property. The tree may be damaged or diseased to the point where it can’t be treated and won’t recover. A tree in this condition poses a risk to your property and can even be dangerous. The last thing you want is for someone to be hurt by a falling tree.

Removing a tree can be a dangerous undertaking. You should always turn to a professional when the tree in question is damaged by insects or disease, is near power lines, or is more than 20 feet tall.

Additionally, some communities have tree removal legislation in place. This legislation is designed to protect healthy heritage trees or maintain the number of trees in an urban area. For example, when a tree is removed, some areas require that another tree be planted to make up for the loss. Navigating these regulations can be tricky, but a professional arborist will be familiar with area policies and can advise you best on how to proceed.

Once you schedule the removal of a tree, a professional crew will typically remove large limbs first, feeding them through a chipper to create mulch. Next, the trunk of the tree is cut into sections which are hauled away. The stump is typically left as close to the ground as possible and can be ground for complete removal.

At Westchester Tree Life, we take great care to plan for the safety of our crew and your property. Our expert tree removal specialists carefully assess each situation in order to remove a tree with minimal impact on the surrounding vegetation and without risk to nearby structures and power lines. If you have a tree on your property that you suspect is in need of removal, give us a call!

Tree Maintenance and Storm Safety

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Summertime brings sunny days and warm nights, but it can also bring dramatic thunderstorms and, depending on where you live, hurricanes or tornadoes. Once the season passes and fall turns to winter, weather threats include gusts of wind heavy snow and thick layers of ice. All of these things can have an impact on the trees on your property.

Summer is the easiest time of year to inspect your trees and have them pruned or otherwise maintained. Keeping your trees healthy and strong is the best way to prevent damage during severe weather. A weak tree is subject to dropping heavy limbs or falling onto your home, power lines, car, or even a person. You can minimize the risk to your property by taking a proactive approach to tree care. The key is knowing what to look for and when to consult a professional.

If you have a lot of large trees on your property, investing in an inspection from a professional arborist is the most effective way to head off problems before they lead to expensive and potentially dangerous problems. An inspection will reveal signs of decay or insect damage you may not know to look for on your own. Professional inspection will reveal where your trees need to pruned, how their growth may affect other structures on your property in the coming years, and whether or not you may need to consider removing any trees or large limbs.

Once you’ve had an inspection and taken care of any issues with your trees, you can help to maintain the health of the trees by careful observation. Knowing the warning signs and what to look for will allow you to stay on top of future risks. If you see any of these symptoms in your trees, you definitely need to consult a professional to minimize the risk posed by these issues.

1. Significant leaning of the tree to one side.

2. Cracks in the truck of the tree or major limbs.

3. Mushrooms or other fungus growing from the bark of the tree.

4. Tree branches hanging over the roof of your home.

5. Limbs or branches that are very close to or hanging over power lines.

6. Any signs of decay or hollowing of the tree.

It’s also a good idea to recheck your trees after each major storm to check for any beginning signs of damage that could escalate during the next big weather event. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an inspection, give us a call!