by Steve Turner

You are ready to start your new landscape project—you have done the planning, researched your plants, and even had a soil test performed to help you make better choices in your plant selection. Your soil test will tell you 4 important things: the type of soil you have (sand, silt or clay), the pH of the soil, what nutrients are present and in what amounts, and the nutrient-holding capacity of the soil.

So now you are ready to begin, right? Well, that depends. Would you buy a house based upon just 4 facts, like size, location, age and style? Or would you want to know a little more, such as condition, extra features, color, floor plan, etc? While the 4 main facts are very important, it is often the other factors that will help determine your decision and your level of satisfaction in the end.

Knowledge equals success in most cases and your soil is no different. The first thing is to know whether you have dirt or soil. Dirt is what’s left after developers scrape off all the good stuff, while soil is alive and is a living, breathing network of millions of organisms working together in their environment.

There are six major types of soil organisms: nematodes, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, earthworms, and arthropods. What types, how many, and in what ratios will tell you how healthy your soil is and what types of plants will grow best in those conditions.

The first test you need to do is simply take a shovel and turn some soil over and look at it. Is there anything moving or any signs of life? Is there organic matter present? How hard was it to dig? Did you have to jump on the shovel or did it go right in? If you can’t answer yes to any of these questions, or you couldn’t even get the shovel in the ground, you have dirt. You need to create soil first, before you plant, to avoid future problems.

Just like us, soil organisms need three things: air, water and food. Build these into your soil, and the organisms will come. Tilling your soil and adding organic matter will accomplish all three at once. You will create more space for air and water, and add food to feed the organisms that make up a healthy soil.

This is a must in new subdivisions. Homeowners should request that landscapers amend the soil by tilling in compost and pay the extra costs to do so, instead of spreading a couple of inches of topsoil on top. They would save themselves money in the long run by avoiding extra water, fertilizer, and pesticides needed to keep a broken soil system running. Add in dead plants, replacements and the wasted time dealing with all of the above and it really starts to add up.

If you have soil without compaction and you have organic matter, but not a lot of soil organisms present, you can increase their numbers by first eliminating pesticides and excessive synthetic fertilizers on the landscape. In their place, use manure, kelp, or fish-based fertilizers, and continue to add organic matter to feed the soil organisms, which, in turn, will feed the plants. The interactions of all these soil organisms are critical to a healthy system and by manipulating the ratios of one or another, can dictate what types of plants will grow best in a particular environment.

The three major types of soil environments are fungi-dominated, bacteria-dominated, or an equal ratio of both. Trees, shrubs and woodland plants do best in fungi-dominated soils, lawns and prairie plants in bacteria-dominated soils, and agricultural plants in a balanced soil.

There are both good and bad types of all these organisms. Some nematodes feed on plants, fungi, bacteria, and even other nematodes. Some fungi feed on plants, nematodes, bacteria, and protozoa. And so on. In a healthy soil, the beneficial organisms will keep the parasitic organisms in check. The key to this is keeping the soil aerated. Compacted or saturated soils with little air cause anaerobic conditions in which the parasitic organisms thrive and the benificials die. If the soil has a foul smell, it is anaerobic.

Give thanks for soil decomposers such as earthworms, sow bugs, centipedes, etc. They are constantly aerating the soil, as they transport organic matter on the surface down into the soil. There, the other soil organisms can further break it down to forms that the roots of plants can absorb. They are the workhorses of the soil and have been tilling the soil long before the plow was invented.

The use of insecticides, fungicides and nemacides kills both the problem organisms and the beneficials, and is often only a temporary solution. This throws the soil out of balance and can create more problems that require more treatments. There are many alternatives available today that work with the natural system to correct the problem. Some examples are nematodes that feed on other nematodes, fungi that attack grubs and fungi that will kill other fungi for many lawn diseases. Often one application of these will last several years in the soil and avoid the need to constantly retreat a problem on a yearly basis.

All in all, after you understand the soil’s natural system, it is often easier to work with it than against it. Familiarizing yourself with it can save you time and money in the long run.

Steve Turner is a Certified Arborist from Arboricultural Services in Oakland County, Michigan.

by Steve Turner

Trees provide us so many benefits it would be hard to place a true dollar value on their worth. They provide shade, beauty and clean the air we breathe. Essentially as a group they help support life on earth. But how much is one tree worth and how do you figure it out? A tree’s monetary value in a landscape is measured by the cost of replacement, unlike a tree in a forest that is measured by its timber value.

Many factors go into appraising a landscape tree, including size, age, location, health, structure, and species. Each category is judged by its level of importance and a score is given in each. A formula is used to then determine a cash value of the tree’s replacement.

Obviously size and age are going to be very important factors because we use the cost of the largest tree we can plant and then start multiplying it until we get to the size of your tree. So take a tree that has a circumference of 100 inches, and the largest replacement tree is only 10 inches and costs a thousand dollars. If all the other factors are good, the value could be up to $10,000 for replacement. Slow-growing trees are going to be worth more than fast-growing trees of similar size in the same situation.

Just the mere location of a tree can affect its value. For example, if you have a huge elm in the center of your front yard as the centerpiece of your landscape, it is going to be valued much more than the same tree growing in the corner of a parking lot. Just like the value of a home, when it comes to trees an important asset is location, location, location.

The health of a tree is probably the most important factor. Obviously a dead tree has little value in a landscape, so trees that are stressed or dying are going to be of less value than strong, healthy ones. One factor to consider when determining the degree of a tree problem is judging whether or not it is a temporary or a permanent situation. Does it have an insect feeding on its leaves this year or is it infested with borers that will surely kill it? A short-term problem will have a minimal effect on the value of a tree, while more severe problems will decrease the value.

Tree structure is another important factor. A solid tree with good branching is going to be worth more than a tree that has hollows and poor branching, or one that has never been pruned to eliminate or reduce structural deficiencies. Keeping a tree properly maintained can add value and no maintenance or improper pruning such as topping a tree can significantly reduce its value. In fact, topped trees hold little value because the structural integrity of the tree was lost – over time the tree will likely fall apart.

The species of tree will be a major factor in determining worth. A large oak will be worth much more than a Chinese elm of the same size. Species with known problems such as weak structure or disease susceptibility will have a lesser value than those that do not. Volunteer trees such as mulberry, box elder, and tree of heaven are not as valuable as planned specimen trees like beech or Japanese maple.

Yet another factor is availability. If a tree is rare or in high demand it will be harder to find a comparable replacement to help determine its value. I know of a company that had to go to New York to find a suitable replacement for a damaged tree and the cost was well over $20,000 to purchase and move the tree back to Michigan.

So why is it important to put a price tag on trees? It is difficult to sell a large tree and move it, and the demand for this is minimal, so why the fuss for an appraisal? A few reasons come to mind, such as insurance, taxes, vandalism or neglect. If you have many large, mature trees that increase your property value and would be virtually irreplaceable, you can ask your insurance company about possible riders to your homeowners policy that would cover the removal and clean up of a tree if necessary.

With unpredictable storms and the presence of the emerald ash borer, which is killing our ash trees, many of us will be faced with the unplanned loss of a tree. Check with your accountant about IRS casualty loss provisions and find out if you are eligible for any tax deductions as a result.

Then there is the subject of neglectful damage or vandalism to trees. Let’s say a situation gets to the point where a settlement needs to be worked out. If the damaged tree is appraised, the tree’s owner can argue for the real value of the tree instead of settling for some small replacement. Appraisals can be done from old pictures or even stumps, which can tell a lot about the tree’s health and can aid in determining their worth.

Although most of us appreciate the beauty that trees provide us, fewer know the monetary value associated with their trees, and they would be surprised to find out they are so valuable. Maybe this increased awareness can save a few trees from removal and increase the level of care they receive. But to those who hold a sentimental attachment to a favorite tree, the dollar amount placed on it could never replace its loss.

Steve Turner is a Certified Arborist from Arboricultural Services in Oakland County, Michigan.

by Steve Turner

With the huge numbers of ash trees being removed due to the emerald ash borer, many people are experiencing sticker shock when they get estimates to perform the work. I hear it so often, “How come it costs so much to remove this tree?”

The biggest reason is insurance – our industry is a high risk business and we have to pay high premiums just to operate. Our workman’s compensation insurance is up there with coal miners or iron workers. We have to pay close to 25 percent of what an employee earns just for this insurance, and additionally, most companies will have a million dollar liability policy to cover any property damage that may occur in case of an accident.

Also, employees earn skilled labor wages, and the equipment required to be competitive is expensive and needs continuous maintenance or replacement.

Factors that affect the removal cost
So how do tree care companies determine what it costs to complete a job? We estimate time and the cost of disposing the debris. Most companies are charging between $65 and $125 per man hour. While this seems like a big difference, it’s really not because the ones who charge a higher rate often have more equipment and better-trained employees. This allows them to work faster and more efficiently than those with less.

When we are estimating a job, we are looking for things that are going to slow us down removing or trimming the tree, and looking to see how close can we get our equipment to the work site. The most common obstacles are structures, wires, fences and other trees and plants. If we are in tight areas with lots of obstacles, we have to remove the tree in smaller pieces and lower most or all of it to the ground with ropes and rigging devices to avoid any damage. This takes a lot more time than a tree we can let fall into an open area and cut apart on the ground.

Access to the job site is important and the less accessible it is, the higher the price will climb. Sites with limited or no access will take longer to remove the debris and get it to the chipper. The closer we can get the chipper to the work area without causing damage to the lawn the better. Jobs where everything must come through a 36-inch gate or are on the bottom of a steep slope are difficult and often require extra men to keep the debris from backing up under the work area.

Trees that span more than one yard can be tricky. We need to have written permission from the neighbor to access their yard or we have to lower all the debris back to the yard we are working from, which requires more skill and time.

Jobs with no backyard access or those that have large trees over many obstacles, especially houses, will often require the use of a crane. This technique is becoming popular because it reduces the amount of cuts and rigging that has to be done in the tree, which reduces the chance of accidents. If we use a crane, we can attach it to large sections of the tree and make one cut to release it and raise it over the house to the front yard where it can easily be cut up on the ground close to the chipper. So a tree that might take over 100 cuts and lots of rigging with little room for error can be removed in just a few sections and be placed in a more accessible area relatively quickly and safely.

If both the climber and crane operator are skilled in these techniques, a job that would have taken days can be done in hours. This will save the homeowner money and the company is able to reduce the amount of workman’s comp and hourly wage in exchange for the cost of the crane rental. Not all companies are skilled in these techniques and it would be wise to discuss their experience when considering them to perform the work. They will need to accurately judge weight and engineer the proper rigging in order to avoid tipping the crane or losing a load.

The condition of the tree is critical
Another important factor in quoting a tree removal is its condition and structural integrity. Can the tree be climbed or will it have to be done with a bucket? If it can’t be climbed, can we get the right equipment close enough or not? How long has the tree been dead; is it brittle or not? The worst thing you can do is delay removing a dead tree until the bark starts to fall off. If you wait a year or two after it dies it will surely cost you more, assuming it can’t be felled into an open area. Trees that have been dead for more than a year are very hazardous to climb and in many cases impossible to safely remove without the aid of aerial equipment or cranes.

Dead wood does not flex, it just cracks or breaks. When we cut a piece off and it swings down into the trunk or another branch, it explodes into pieces which can cause damage to nearby structures that would normally be out of harm’s way. I have seen pieces of dead trees fly well over a hundred feet upon impact, and trying judge where this debris might go is difficult.

The only advantage that dead trees have is that they weigh much less than live wood since they don’t have all that water in them. If a dead branch were to hit something it would do far less damage than if it were live. Nevertheless, don’t make the mistake of delaying the removal of a dead tree. If you don’t have it taken down in the first year it will cost you more, as well as creating a more hazardous work environment and increasing the chances for accidents.

Winter time is a good time
If your budget is tight, schedule the work for the winter, since most companies will give discounts for off-season work. It is faster to remove trees in the winter because we don’t have to be concerned as much about lawn damage or flower beds. This allows us to remove larger pieces with less rigging, saving us time and you money. Winter is also the best time to prune your trees because insects and disease organisms are dormant and the tree will have plenty of time to seal the wounds before they are active again in the spring. Winter is a slow time for tree companies and most would welcome any additional business at that time, so be smart and take advantage of a good thing for both you and them. The only drawback to winter tree work is scheduling around the weather – sometimes jobs can be delayed due to snow or very cold weather. The shortened daylight can also turn a one-day job into two, but in the end the work will get done and you will likely have more money in your pocket.

Steve Turner is a Certified Arborist from Arboricultural Services in Oakland County, Michigan.