Our Tree Services are always a cut above.

The trees on your property are most likely the most valuable plant you have purchased, and will last the longest if you take proper care of them. They need to be well maintained and cared for just like your lawn in order to keep them beautiful, safe and healthy.

ALM can help you protect your investment with proper tree care. Our arborist will prune the trees on a regular basis, to both keep the trees looking beautiful and prevent damages to your property. Trees should be pruned before monsoon season as the monsoons bring high winds and heavy rains which can damage trees. Our team of professionally-trained arborists will ensure the health of your trees through regular pruning. ALM has specialized training and equipment to promote strong growing trees that will enhance the value of your entire landscape.

ALM knows how to properly prune the trees so the trees stay safe and structurally sound. Our arborists can also conduct an inspection of each tree to analyze if fertilizing will benefit the trees and which is best for the trees, soil and surroundings. We can also help with tree removal, stump grinding and emergency tree services if Mother Nature ever has other plans.

We’re not afraid to go out on a limb. ALMs’ Commercial Tree services include:

• Tree trimming
• Tree fertilization
• Tree replacement
• Stump grinding
• Large tree removal
• Emergency tree services

The goal of tree pruning is to produce a mature tree which has a size and form close to what it would naturally attain. Tree pruning should be done to maintain a healthy canopy. Tree pruning needs to take into consideration pedestrians, vehicular movement, and visibility of signage, traffic and lighting. Proper tree pruning will ensure longer life and structural strength for increased safety and less corrective pruning throughout its lifespan.

Trees allowed to develop with minimal pruning will often require only correction of obvious structural faults, such as poorly positioned or strongly competing limbs, weak branch attachments, or limbs that are damaged or dead. Only personnel trained in the science, proper techniques, and art of pruning should be allowed to prune trees. An important goal of planting trees is to provide shade over hot paved surfaces. There are times when trees are placed incorrectly and get too large for the space have thorns that could cause injury or damage, or they are too close to a structure.

A careful assessment is needed to avoid over pruning. Tree pruning is a task complete with a light hand which works with the tree over a period of years. Extreme practices that remove as much as possible to minimize pruning are counter productive and not encouraged at any time.

WHEN PRUNING – DO:

• Allow lower small branches to remain on young trees to develop trunk caliper and taper.
• Retain lower branches on newly planted trees for at least one complete frowning season-provided minimal removal to maintain a neat appearance.
• Retain natural shape of tree and trim minimally as tree grows, to attain ultimate 7’ clearance under canopy at maturity, along walkways, or in accordance with municipal requirements.
• Remove material obstructing sight lines or other potential liabilities.
• Maintain shade over paved surfaces including sidewalks and parking lots by not excessively pruning tree canopies.
• Remove diseased or dead branches.
• Remove branches that conflict with structural limbs which form the overall canopy shape-i.e. crossing branches, and branches that rub against each other.
• Remove branches to the selected structural scaffold branch without leaving a stub or portion of branch. Remove to just above a lateral branch or bud.
• Thin canopy to create balance and allow some light to filter through to inner branches and trunk.
• Remove limbs larger than 2” diameter during the dormant season, when the tree’s growth system is less active.
• When the trees have fully leafed our in the spring, after frost season, branches which do not leaf out or have green cambium, may be removed using proper pruning techniques.

WHEN PRUNING – DO NOT:

• Top or stub cut branches
• Remove terminal buds.
• Prune into unnatural shapes such as boxes or sphere.
• “Lion Tail” tree branches.
• Prune to leave two co-dominant trunks.
• Over raise the canopy.
• Flush cut limbs.
• Remove more than 20% of the canopy branches.
• Remove limbs that provide obvious buffering for adjacent properties.
• Over prune young trees.
• Use pruning paint sealer.
• Use anvil type pruners.

The book used for training our employees in Sustainable Landscape Management (SLM) is Sustainable Landscape Management by Janet L. Waibel landscape architect and certified arborist. Also, all landscapers receive ALCA SLM training.