There are countless Denver landscaping companies, so it can be difficult to figure out which one you should do business with. A great way to narrow down your options is to look for companies that employ arborists. An arborist is a professional who is trained to care for trees and shrubs. Why is it so important to choose a company that has an arborist on staff? Here are some of the many reasons:

Spot Signs of Trouble

Landscapers can completely transform your property and make it much more visually appealing using flowers, plants, and shrubs. But, caring for a tree involves far more than making sure it looks good. Arborists are trained to inspect trees and identify potential issues before they become major problems. Arborists will be able to spot the signs of diseased or decaying trees, pest infestations, and other problems that could seriously damage the trees in your yard. However, landscapers are not trained to look for these problems. Therefore, they may not recognize these signs until it is too late to do anything about them. If these problems are not addressed, the tree could become so weak that it topples over, which could damage your home or even worse, hurt someone who is on your property.

Specialized Equipment

Landscapers have to use a wide variety of tools, such as lawn mowers, edge trimmers, and clippers. But, arborists use far more advanced and dangerous tools that landscapers may or may not be familiar with. For example, landscapers only need a hand held set of clippers to trim a small shrub on the ground. On the other hand, arborists need climbing and rigging equipment in order to climb up a tree to trim branches or remove sections that could be a hazard. Landscapers most likely do not have experience working with the equipment needed to do this task, which is why you should never ask them to do it unless they have a certified arborist on staff.

Special Services

Arborists perform a wide variety of services that landscapers do not. For example, landscapers may suggest that you remove unsightly tree stumps in your yard, but unless they have an arborist on staff, there’s no way for them to remove it for you.

Arborists are also trained in how to properly prune trees to keep them healthy and strong. Landscapers may offer this service, but they often don’t understand the science behind when and how to prune a tree. For instance, landscapers may not know when it is time to prune a tree or how much should be trimmed off of the tree to promote growth. Many landscapers may even make the mistake of suggesting tree topping, which is a method of pruning that could do irreversible harm to the trees in your yard.

An arborist can also assist with planting trees, which is another service that most landscapers do not offer. It is much more difficult to plant a tree than it is to plant a small shrub or flower garden. Arborists have to take a number of factors into consideration when planting a tree, including the future growth pattern of the tree, the amount of sunlight and shade the tree will receive, and the type of soil the tree needs to thrive.

These are just some of the many special services that are offered by arborists in the community. If you hire a landscaper that does not employ an arborist, you will not have access to these valuable services.

Emergency Help

A landscaper cannot respond in the event of an emergency, but an arborist can. This means if a tree falls over or starts tilting to one side after a windstorm, you should contact an arborist for assistance. An arborist will come to your property as soon as possible and either remove or trim the tree back to reduce the risk of property damage or injury. Arborists are even trained to handle situations where a tree could fall on top of a power line. This can be extremely dangerous, which is why it’s absolutely imperative to let a professional handle it instead of trusting a landscaper who is not a certified arborist.

How to Choose An Arborist

As you can see, it’s incredibly important to hire a landscaping company that employs an arborist. But, how do you know when you’ve found the right arborist for the job? First, ask if the arborist belongs to any professional organizations. The best arborists are involved with the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) or the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA). You should also make sure the arborist is certified by the ISA. Arborists with this certification have gone through extensive training, so they are able to handle many different types of challenges.

Once you’ve narrowed down the list of potential arborists, don’t be afraid to ask for references. If the arborist is not able to give you a list of potential clients that you can contact, ask if you can have a list of addresses that he has worked on in the past. Instead of speaking directly to the client, simply drive by the property to check the quality of the arborist’s work.

You should also ask a handful of different arborists for estimates, but keep in mind that the price should not be the only factor that you consider when choosing an arborist. An arborist that charges much less than other professionals in the industry may be doing so in order to make up for the fact that he does not provide the same quality of work. Learn more about how to hire an arborist.

Are you ready to take the next step and work with a team of certified arborists? Arbor Garden is a locally owned and operated tree services company that specializes in tree pruning, removing, stump removal, planting, and pest management. Our certified arborists are more than happy to answer your questions and care for your trees. Contact us today to learn more about our tree and integrated pest management services and receive a free estimate.