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Index : Miscellaneous Gardening Topics
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- 31. Leave Tree Trimming to Qualified Professionals - Top
You wouldn't pay a carpet cleaner to soil your carpets, a plumber to clog your drains, or a mechanic to break your car. Then why pay a tree trimmer to destroy your trees?
That is what can happen if you hire and untrained, inexperienced person to prune your trees. There are many people who fancy themselves arborists, but that's a term reserved for persons who have the expertise and are qualified to improve the quality of your tree through selective pruning, not destroy it with random hacking!
Before selecting a specific person or company to prune your valuable trees, ask some important questions to help select the most qualified to do the job.
Ask for a brief description of the arborist's formal training and practical experience. A professional arborist will be proud of his background. While formal education courses are not always necessary, a definite display of ongoing local and regional continuing educational courses is strong evidence of a progressive attitude and a desire for professional enhancement.
Certification is another indication of competency. A certified arborist is an individual who has achieved a level of knowledge in the art and science of tree care through training, at least three years experience, and having passed a comprehensive examination. Certification is administered by the International Society of Arboriculture and the National Arborist Association.
Know what specific services the person or company performs. In addition to tree pruning, most professionals also provide fertilization, pest control, and careful inspection services. If pruning or removal is to be done, make sure adequate cleanup services are provided.
Find out how long will the work take. The professional arborist will be able to accurately estimate the length of time the job will take, and then stick to it.
Make sure the person or company your considering has proof of liability and workmen's compensation insurance, and an occupational license. Require proof be shown prior to entering into a contract for services. Be sure to check the effective dates for such coverage.
As I mentioned earlier, a certified arborist is a person with proven knowledge about trees. If your considering an non-certified arborist, ask some questions to determine their level of knowledge.
Find out if the person has had any training on tree pruning, and if so, who provided it. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Service offers many training programs for landscape professionals which includes instruction on pruning. One of these is the Smartscape program.
Ask the tree trimmer to identify several of your trees. Any competent landscape professional should be able to properly identify (by common and botanical name) most of the trees that grow here. If there is a hesitancy to perform this simple task, or if the responses contain major errors, then you have a non-professional.
Question the person's experience in basic pruning techniques. Answers should indicate a strong reluctance to "top" trees. Terms like "target pruning", "drop crotch pruning", thinning, and "dead wooding" should be used to describe the methods of pruning to be done.. Have the person explain the type of cuts they will make on your tree, and the reasons for those cuts. If "topping" your tree is suggested, find someone else. Topping of trees is never warranted.
Ask for three or more local client references, with phone numbers and the approximate time the tree work was performed. Any hesitancy to provide this information should serve as a red flag!
Request a complete estimate of all services recommended before signing a contract. This should be on a formal estimate sheet with complete details of all work intended to be performed. In addition, there should be a work guarantee in writing which assures you adequate protection. Read it carefully before signing any document.
Finally, secure a formal contract. For you protection against possible future disagreement over what services were suggested and agreed to, this is a valuable document. If you sign, be sure receive a legible copy for your files.
Written by John Begeman, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the University of Arizona, 520-626-5161. - Updated: June 2, 2002
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