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Category Archives: Tree Services

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How Well Did Your Trees Weather the Winter Storm?

Posted on June 10, 2013 - 5:02 pm by

May 2nd and 3rd of 2013 will probably exist forever in the weather records as the snowiest May “winter storm” to strike our area. Like an extreme application of shotcrete, the wet and heavy snow stuck to everything and only got heavier and wetter as the snow finally changed to rain. Power poles and lines, buildings, outdoor furniture; nothing was safe from the extreme weight of the driving snow. Thousands of trees in Rochester were damaged, and many types of plants, from decorative bushes and lilacs to mighty oaks and towering pines, felt the effect of this storm.

When there are broken or cracked limbs and branches, the damage needs to be removed to prevent additional injury to the tree or bush or potential damage to nearby structures or people. Some trees and plants were stressed, bent and twisted in ways you might think damaged them, but many species are quite hardy and will recover on their own. If you’re in doubt, let us check it out – our trained and certified arborists can assess your trees, shrubs and bushes and give you recommendations that best fit the needs of the plant.

The amounts of heavy, wet snow from this May’s storm are an unusual phenomenon, but the severe spring and summer storms yet to come with high winds, hail, and torrential downpours aren’t. As the season progresses, look for branches that are hanging or browning. That is a sure indication of a limb or branch that is damaged and no longer alive. This type of dead wood will eventually come down; how and when is uncertain. It is far safer for your tree, property and structures if the dead wood is professionally removed before a summer storm tears it from the tree and possibly causes additional damage. Our professional, experienced staff uses their expert skills and safe equipment to cut and remove damaged or dead limbs with minimal impact to the tree or the surrounding environment.

We Also Specialize In Lawn Care

We’re less than two weeks from the start of meteorological summer. If we’re lucky, there will be no more snow this season. But, you never know. After all, it is Minnesota. Our lawns could all use a little help this year! Check out our lawn care services and service packages to help make your lawn green and lush. Maier Tree and Lawn, The Green Care Company, will assist you with the trained and experienced professionals and superior products to make your yard the lush and thriving environment you desire!  Sign up online or give us a call and we’ll gladly help you decide which services or package will best suit your lawn’s needs and your budget.

Treat Trees Early to Defeat Bugs Later

Posted on March 20, 2013 - 5:36 pm by

Which of these statements is true: a) The best time to get a flu shot is after you’ve gotten the flu; b) The best time to get car insurance is after you crash your car; or c) The best time to treat your trees against an infestation is after you actually see bugs attacking them. Common sense should tell you none of these statements are true, but if you’re a bit hazy as to the best time to treat your trees, here’s a few tips regarding the when and why.

Like getting a flu shot before the flu season hits, the best time to protect your tree from an infestation or attack is before it occurs, and that time is early spring. Spring brings warmer weather which serves as an alarm clock to every creepy crawly bug out there. Mature bugs emerge and begin the cycle of life once again, and the top item on their preferred menu – your tree!

Treating your trees to maintain their health is a beneficial preventative measure. The Emerald Ash Borer is making news all across this part of the country, and it’s not a question of if it will get here anymore; it’s exactly when. It’s already killing thousands of trees across many states; including Minnesota (Winona and Twin Cities). Other pesky invasive insects also call our area home and put their preferred trees of choice in yearly jeopardy. A treatment plan for your trees can and will save you money down the road. You have car insurance because you know that replacing a totaled uninsured new car would be horrendously costly. Trying to save a tree injured by years of infestation can also be quite expensive, or worse. If left unattended, can result in the death of the tree and require removal.

But let’s focus on the positive – Maier Tree & Lawn has treatment programs available which will help keep your trees safe and strong. One of our preferred treatment products is Xytect™, which is a broad-spectrum systemic insecticide that is applied to the soil. Xytect™ targets the tissues within the tree where the insects feed. That’s why it’s imperative to initiate a treatment program in early spring to begin attaining a sufficient level of uptake into the tree tissues before the insects start actively feeding in late spring and summer. Xytect™ provides protection against Emerald Ash Borer, and is exceptionally effective against a broad range of other invasive insects as well.

Maier Tree & Lawn has the staff, knowledge and experience to help you with your tree treatment needs. Our ISA Certified Arborists will inspect your trees and provide you with the care and treatment options specific to their needs. So, as spring approaches, please give us a call and schedule a time for one of our consulting arborists to visit your home and discuss a program of care and preventative services for your trees. Treat you trees early to defeat bugs later – be proactive, and let us help keep your trees green, beautiful and safe for years to come!

Is Your Crabapple Tree Healthy or Infected?

Posted on March 7, 2013 - 10:58 am by

There are few trees that offer the phenomenal beauty as a crabapple tree in full bloom. From dazzling whites to intense reds, a flowering crabapple is an unforgettable springtime sight to behold. For most folks, crabapple trees are an ornamental delight in the spring and then simply exist once the show is over. Some use the crabapples to make jams and jellies, but most consider the tiny fruit a nuisance that requires extra yard work and attention come fall.

Apple Scab is a disease that owners of these trees should be mindful of. This condition is caused by a fungus, Venturia inaequalis, which infects the leaves and fruit of a crabapple tree. Infected leaves will exhibit an olive green to brown spot on them and can turn yellow. After a leaf has turned yellow it generally falls from the tree. An infected tree can drop the majority of its’ foliage, sometimes only a few months after the infection begins. In severe cases, a crabapple tree may lose every leaf prematurely.

Sanitation is crucial in helping prevent apple scab. Since the fungus exists on the leaves, proper disposal of leaves from an infected tree is very important. Another, more permanent solution is having the tree sprayed yearly with a fungicide to protect new leaves and fruit from the fungus.

Maier Tree & Lawn offers crabapple spray programs that generally begin in mid-April. If you have a crabapple that has shown signs of an apple scab infection you need to take action to ensure the infection does not ultimately kill the tree. Some untreated trees can survive a yearly onslaught of apple scab, but it severely weakens and stunts the growth and vitality of the tree. A tree which blossomed abundantly one year and then becomes infected may have fewer flowers the next year followed by an early drop of yellow leaves.

The arborists at Maier Tree & Lawn can determine the best treatment program to protect your tree. Our certified application specialists will spray your tree to provide the maximum protection affordable with the minimum of impact on the surrounding vegetation. It isn’t just a matter of “Spray and walk away.” Effective application is determined by factors including the size of the tree, what stage the tree is in for producing leaves, weather, and relative dryness or dampness.

If you have noticed in previous years that your crabapple tree has yellowing and spotted leaves that drop pre-maturely, call Maier Tree & Lawn now to schedule one of our arborists to come out and give you a quote for our preventative spray program. The only protection is by being proactive and spraying while the leaves are emerging. Once the leaves have yellowed, the tree is infected and there’s nothing you can do until the next year. Contact Maier Tree & Lawn today so we can schedule an early spring treatment and help you keep the beauty of your flowering crabapple vibrant and thriving!

The Weight that Waits Above

Posted on December 31, 2012 - 10:10 am by

Now that the leaves have fallen it’s easy to take a look at the actual structure of a tree and assess its’ shape and health. One concern that is readily identifiable is storm damage that needs to be addressed before it becomes a greater hazard. You may see jagged, ripped or badly broken end-points where a limb or branch was twisted and torn from the tree. This type of damage can severely compromise the health, structure, and strength-bearing ability of the tree. You’ll feel a lot better knowing instead of guessing if the tree is safe, especially if it’s near or hangs over your house.

The graceful beauty of a tree can be exceptionally deceiving. As it grows to great heights and tremendous width it must support countless limbs and branches plus tens of thousands of leaves. It truly is an engineering marvel.  But like all living things, trees can suffer weakness and illness from injury and disease. If a tree has been injured due to storm damage, it’s best to have it evaluated as soon as possible to ensure the tree is helped back to optimum health and strength. Our certified arborists are trained to evaluate a damaged or injured tree, and are appropriately equipped to provide the best remedy to help your tree survive and recover properly.

Winter is a great time to have any type of tree work performed. Without a full canopy of leaves, our arborists can easily review and evaluate the entire tree. Also frozen ground is better at supporting heavy equipment if it is required to remove large pieces of tree.

Take the time to look at your trees to see if there is damage or injury. If you think a tree may need attention give us a call. One of our certified arborists will gladly stop by and address your concerns. It’s far better to have the work safely and professionally performed during the winter then wait for the weight above to come crashing down when you least expect it.

Can You Safely Prune Your Own Tree?

Posted on December 20, 2012 - 4:21 pm by

What can be dangerous about pruning a tree? Improvement stores sell every type of cutting tool available, the branches you would like to cut don’t look too big and can’t possibly be very heavy, and you only need to climb three or four rungs on your step ladder to reach them. Piece of cake and what could possibly go wrong, right?

To be honest, a lot! It may look easy, but homeowners rarely consider the potential dangers this seemingly simple chore can hide. Cutting a branch requires a sharp tool. Working with sharp tools that may be motorized is, in itself, inherently dangerous. Using a ladder for any purpose contains risk. Standing on a ladder wielding a sharp tool in one hand, while trying to maintain your balance with the other, is an invitation to disaster. It is sad to say that every year people in our state die trying to do just that.

Maier Forest and Tree employs a staff of trained, certified and skilled professionals who understand the how’s and why’s of tree cutting and proper techniques. Maier has invested in the safest, most efficient, state-of-the-art tools to perform the cutting and pruning your trees require. From modern boom trucks that safely lift skilled arborist to specialized riggings that securely control and lower heavy limbs, Maier has the staff and equipment required to perform any tree work you may need.

Sure, you can save a few bucks up-front by pruning your own trees, but at what potential cost to your safety? Also, an improperly pruned tree can develop infection or structural weakness which will become a much larger and costlier problem as time passes. Consulting with a certified arborist and having the work skillfully and correctly performed by trained and experienced professionals can save you money, and possibly your life. Give us a call, and let us safely do the dangerous work for you.

Our Business is Looking Up

Posted on December 10, 2012 - 2:59 pm by

It’s true, business is growing at Maier Forest and Tree, but that’s because the main focus of our business is looking up – looking up into trees and analyzing the health and well-being of each tree we examine. Our certified and skilled professional arborists can spot problems that threaten the life of a tree or pose a hazard to life and property, as well as determine the most economical and safe solutions possible to mitigate the problem.

The fierce storm that blew through Rochester after Labor Day left extensive tree damage in its wake. The staff at Maier performed with impressive effort and outstanding achievement to assist those dealing with the overwhelming task of storm clean-up and recovery. If you were one of the “lucky ones” who didn’t experience a downed tree or massive fallen limbs and branches, now is the time to look “up” and see just how well your trees fared after the severe winds. If you aren’t sure what you should be looking for, call Maier, and we’ll be happy to come to your home and evaluate your trees.

This is the best time of year to have a tree inspected. Wind damage hidden by dense foliage can now be clearly observed, as well as potential dangers from infestation, infection, or improper growth. Our professional staff will discuss their finding with you and address your concerns to help you best understand the needs of your tree.

Winter is a great time for a tree to be repaired and rehabilitated. A tree that receives appropriate attention during the winter stands strong and ready to enter into spring as healthy, reliable and safe as possible.

When Little Trees Become Menacing Monsters

Posted on November 21, 2012 - 11:11 am by

Most everyone who plants a tree does so with the sincerest interests in mind; to fill a void in a large empty yard, as an Earth Day project with the kids, or to create cooling shade over the house and deck in the future.

Problems can occur when a tree is planted without regard to how big it will become in the years to come. Depending on the variety you plant that tiny seedling, easily toted in one hand, can grow taller and heavier than most dinosaurs. The shade tree that was just the right size when you bought your home can morph into a towering behemoth with branches that scratch and skitter across the upstairs windows, dig and drag against the shingles, and relentlessly thrash against the soffits and siding. When trees grow too large what are your options?

The solution is simple – call Maier Forest and Tree and discuss your concerns with one of our trained and certified arborists. We will come to your home, evaluate the situation, and provide you with a professional assessment to address your worries. Our highly trained and certified staff can perform the maintenance required for a healthy, beautiful and useful tree.

This is the best time of year to call Maier and ask for a professional consultation. We offer a discounted rate on tree work if you pre-book winter work before Thanksgiving. The winter months can be the best time to trim and maintain a tree. Give us a call now, get pre-booked on our winter schedule, receive a discount, and let us tame that monster tree so you can have a safe and enjoyable tree companion!

Call Now and Save on Winter Tree Work

Posted on November 14, 2012 - 11:56 am by

Maier Forest and Tree provides you the opportunity to prebook for tree services performed during the winter months. From tree maintenance such as deadwood pruning and house clearance to major work including limb removal or taking out an entire tree, Maier Forest and Tree has the professional staff and most up-to-date equipment required for the task.

Q: Is it safe to prune or trim trees during the cold of a Minnesota winter?

A: Absolutely! Winter is a great time to have this work performed on deciduous trees.  While certain types of pruning on evergreens can be harmful this time of year, all deciduous species can be pruned in the fall or winter without exception.

The Rochester area experienced some nasty wind storms during the summer of 2012 which damaged many trees. If you have a tree that suffered storm damage that has not been taken care of, Maier can give you a fast and professional quote on pruning or removal.

There is still time for you to call and reserve your spot on the winter schedule!

Visit our tree services page to learn more.

Save by calling now! Maier Forest and Tree is dedicated to customer excellence and superior service. Our highly trained and certified team will provide you the information you need to make an educated and informed decision.  So, call in the fall and be the winner in the winter!

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