Preparing Trees for Storm Season

David Horvath from Davey’s Lake Bluff, office talks about the importance of having arborists inspect your trees before a storms, so you can keep your home safe.

In this episode we cover:  

• First thing arborists look for during storm prep (00:58)
• What homeowners can do to help arborists during storm prep (1:46)
• What an arborists is looking for (2:56)
• Oak Decline (3:31)
• The best time of year for arborists to assess trees (4:53)
• What time period has the worst storms (7:23)
• David's experience as an arborist (7:52)
• How the arborists career has changed (9:48)
• Keeping up with new pests and diseases (11:13)
• Importance of pruning for storm prep (12:33)
• Why you should have a professional do the work (15:48)

To find your local Davey office, check out our find a local office page to search by zip code.  

To learn more about reducing storm damage read our blog, How to Reduce Wind and Storm Damage on Trees.

To learn more about the importance of pruning before storms read our blog, How Does Tree Pruning Reduce Storm Damage.

To learn more about prepping your landscape for winter storms read our blog, Your Backyard Tree Checklist For The Winter Storm Season. 

Connect with Davey Tree on social media:
Twitter: @DaveyTree
Facebook: @DaveyTree
Instagram: @daveytree
YouTube: The Davey Tree Expert Company
LinkedIn: The Davey Tree Expert Company 

Connect with Doug Oster at www.dougoster.com. 

Have topics you'd like us to cover on the podcast? Email us at podcasts@davey.com. We want to hear from you!    

Transcript

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Doug Oster: Welcome to the Davey Tree Expert Company's podcast, Talking Trees. I'm your host, Doug Oster. Each week our expert arborists share advice on seasonal tree care, how to make your trees thrive, arborists' favorite trees, and much, much more. Tune in every Thursday to learn more, because here at the Talking Trees podcast, we know trees are the answer.

I'm joined again this week by David Horvath. He's a sales arborist for the Davey Tree Expert Company in Lake Bluff, Illinois, a little north of Chicago. Right, David?

David Horvath: That is correct, Doug. Good morning.

Doug: Well, last time we talked all about pruning. We might touch on that subject today, but getting these trees ready for summer storms, what's the first thing that comes to mind?

David: First thing that comes to mind is, well, first calling a company. Calling an arborist to come out and assess those trees.

Doug: When you do go out to a property, what's the first thing you're looking for?

David: First thing I'm looking for is really around structures, around the house, around play sets. My primary concern is always safety.

Doug: Yes. Looking up is important, right? [laughs].

David: Very much so, and not forgetting to look down occasionally so you don't trip and make an embarrassing moment.

Doug: Yes. Actually, I was with an arborist on Sunday from Davey. We were walking out of the radio studio and he saw something that-- I don't know what it's called, but some type of fungus that he just basically said that tree is done. That's part of the looking down, right?

David: That's part of the looking down. It's, yes, right around the base of that tree. Really important and often overlooked by homeowners and landscapers.

Doug: When we're thinking about having an arborist out to check out our trees, is there something we should be doing in advance? I like to have as much information as I can for the arborist when he comes, so I'm always pointing this and that out.

David: I think, for me, I always love it or appreciate it when a homeowner has a list of their big concerns. All too common it's, "I don't know. You're the arborist. Tell me what I need to know." I always try to redirect that into, "Well, are there things that you're curious about? Maybe your gut is telling you, I'm not comfortable. Something doesn't appear right." Then from there it's just, again, taking them down that lead or that direction of, "Are your bedrooms on this end of the house?" Really trying to direct that focus of safety.

Also being careful, because we don't want to sell through fear. We don't want to get down into that arena, but we want to educate and just make sure that they're made whole by us doing a thorough inspection of those trees. Keep their families safe.

Doug: What else do you think about when you're going to a property and you are thinking about, geez, the summer storms are on the way?

David: Outside of pruning, I'm always-- As I'm looking up, I'm assessing those trees for patterns of dieback to see if that indicates something else at play. To see if we have insect activity. On the north shore here, we're dealing a lot with oak decline, so we're seeing a lot of insect activity and disease activity in this area. You're doing a lot of things beyond just looking for, are the trees ready to withstand the storm?

Doug: Tell me a little bit about oak decline, because I've been hearing about it. I live in an oak forest and it's in decline. Is this like a national thing or East Coast or spotty areas? What's going on?

David: It's definitely not a localized-- That's really one of the things from Missouri all the way up to the Northeast through the Midwest. It is a large geographical area. This has really been going on for decades. These trees have been under stress for a very, very long period, and now we're getting into these events that are really-- In a sense if you look at it, it's breaking the camel's back. It's just too much for that tree to handle. We get these insects and diseases if we look at them as finishers. They come in and they're doing pretty quick work, but because these trees have already been stressed out for decades.

Doug: I guess it's a good lesson for diversity in the forest, right? I know that's something that every arborist I talk to recommends. That's what I'm trying to do in mine. Every time I lose an oak I'm putting something different in, and many times native.

David: Very important. That way if something comes in, you're not with a plain canvas after it's gone through the area.

Doug: What is the best time of the year to bring an arborist in looking at your trees? Do you like to do it when the leaves are on or off?

David: For me, it doesn't matter too much. Although I guess, speaking generally, if I'm assessing for decline in the oaks, it is really good that-- June timeframe is really good. We're out there early enough that we can see the symptoms of that decline. Then we're also at a stage in that season where we can start to do, or we still have the ability to do, a lot of treatments yet that year if there's possibility of trying to salvage that tree, or at least extend its time period in the landscape.

Outside of that, as most arborists, we're still able to get a pretty good general idea of what's going on with tree health. Whether it's looking around the base of the tree for basal butt rot or decay mushrooms around the base, we're able to see if there's an excessive amount of deadwood in that. The crown of the tree. It can be done throughout the year, but I guess if I had to say what is my preferred timeframe, I love the month of June to assess trees.

Doug: Of course, you can come any time. If somebody has a concern they're looking up, it doesn't matter what time of the year it is. They can call and bring you in.

David: Yes. Call as soon as you see something that is concerning. There is really no silly question. I always tell people I went to school for this. Most homeowners didn't go to school for this. I always say, "Well, why should you know that?" I get apologies like, "I'm really sorry. I should've known that or something." My answer is, "No, you shouldn't. You didn't go to school for it. That's my job. Thank you for inviting me to your home."

Doug: You do want to get to these problems as soon as possible. It's going to save you money. You can't climb a tree that's dead already.

David: Correct. If it's too late, we might not be able to save it. We might not be able to salvage that tree, and then removal's the only option. Yes, that June timeframe. What can be nice, that can be a good planning point too for homeowners. Let's say we're dealing with oaks or elms and we have a lot of pruning, we're kind of forecasting because we're going to have to reserve that for winter. That allows the homeowner too to start to budget for winter. For that work that we're essentially prescribing for their property.

Doug: Where you're at near Chicago, what is the worst time of the year when it comes to storms? Is it winter storms or summer storms, or is it both?

David: I would say it's both. Those summer storms where they come through really quick high winds, you get a lot of limb breakage. Then in winter when we do get those events with freezing rain or ice, a lot of splaying in a part of evergreens, and just limb failure because of that weight load that the tree just never anticipated.

Doug: What is your normal day like as a sales arborist? Is it different every day or--

David: It is different every day. That's why I love, love, love what I do. Because not only is it just meeting with different customers, which is-- That's the spice in my job, is all these different personalities that I get to meet with. Then there's days where I am running tree crews and I'm going out and setting them up on the job and communicating those expectations that I set with the homeowner. Then there's days where I don't have crews, but I'm starting out earlier on appointments with customers. It's a really fast-paced job of there's not much idle time during the growing season, and getting a lot of phone calls from homeowners and field staff to help them out in situations.

Doug: When you're dealing with clients on a regular basis, how often do you like to go out and look at their trees?

David: Ideally, I want to be out there once a year. In reality, I'm not always able to get to every property once a year. Something I've done over the years is I've always set the expectation that I have with the homeowner that here's my ideal goal for you. However, if you ever see something that's concerning or you have a question, never hesitate to either contact me directly or call the office to schedule an appointment. There's never a limit to how many times I will meet with a homeowner. I do have homeowners. There's one that I have to go out to Monday, and that's probably his sixth or seventh visit this season.

That's how these relationships are formed, is just attending to customers' needs. You have some customers, boy, they're happy if they see you once every two years, and you have customers that they want to see you probably once a month, and that's okay.

Doug: What has changed over the years that you've been doing this as far as the job, or has anything changed in what you're doing?

David: I think for me, things that have changed is just styles of communication with homeowners. When I first started in 2011, we did quick forms or quick writes, and we wrote everything on the spot. Now we're doing everything electronically on a laptop. Texts are a common thing. That's just so common for so many homeowners. I think one of the things as an arborist when you meet with somebody new, to get in the habit of automatically storing their phone number in your mobile phone. Because we get a lot of texts from people that say, "Hey, could you stop out?" and there's no who it was, where they are.

They have already formed that relationship in their mind with you. Yes, it leads to hundreds of contacts, but it makes your life so much easier when you don't have to come back and play this game of trying to figure out who it is that texted you. You have it saved already. That's a big difference. I would say 50% of my customers contact me directly to schedule appointments instead of going through the office, and that's just the comfort level that they have.

Doug: Then how do you keep up with all the changes out there? Diseases, pests. Spotted lanternfly one year, gypsy moth the next. How was that part of the job?

David: For me, that is just staying up to date with publications. I love, out of Cornell University, Branching Out. I'm subscribed to that. That really keeps me abreast of the situation. Then going to conferences and seminars during the season, in the dormant part of the season. In winter this past year, we went to the Wisconsin Arborist Association conference up in Green Bay. That was three days of just going over all that's new in the world of insects, diseases, and safety. You're meeting with other people in the industry outside of your company, and you start to get a better pulse of what's going on elsewhere. That really keeps you up to date.

Doug: Are you watching for the spotted lanternfly that we have here in the east?

David: I am. I am. I have a few properties where I have a tree-of-heaven on properties. Those are properties I check in on now and then to see if it is showing up yet since they love that particular tree. Of course they'll go on other trees, but that one in particular, it's a good way to scout for it.

Doug: Back to summer storms. Anything else that you can think of that we want to talk about relating to our trees when we're thinking about what's coming?

David: Yes. Again, back to that pruning, what we're wanting to look for is if the trees haven't been pruned in a long time, is doing some proper thinning. I thought about that. I think a lot of the times it's easy to distinguish or separate ourselves from some of the competition out there that aren't certified arborists. We see it. In the industry, we call it lion's tailing. A lot of my guys and I love the term when they turn a tree into a giant broccoli plant. That's incorrect thinning. If you think of broccoli, everything's out at the ends, and we see that.

People will call us on and say, "No, we just need the deadwood. We had them thinned," and they look like giant broccoli plants. That's moving that weight all the way out to the ends. If you get a big nasty storm coming through, those limbs are more likely to get broken because all the weight is out at the end. The center of gravity is out. Ideally, we want to thin throughout the periphery of that crown. Really focusing a lot out on those ends so that that wind load is evenly being distributed through that crown.

Doug: it's so funny you bring that up because when I did walk out of the radio studio with the arborist and we were chit-chatting, he showed me the fungus underneath the one tree, and then he just started laughing about the way the whole place is pruned, and it's exactly what it is. It's an entire broccoli-looking trees. Besides that, we also-- When we pull out of that, there's a place across the street that everything is volcano-mulched. I mean, as tall as a person volcano-mulched.

David: It seems like it's been decades that we've been going over not to volcano-mulch and it's continually perpetuated in the landscape. As long as we have one bad actor out there, there's going to be somebody else that's going to watch that bad actor and mimic it. It keeps us busy, that's for sure, when we have to go out there and remediate some of these trees.

Doug: We've talked about volcano mulch a lot on the podcast, and I just don't see any end in sight. Tell me what it's like if I'm in the car with you and you're driving by and you see one of these places like that.

David: For me, I always get a chuckle. I get a really big chuckle because so many of my customers now, they pick it up when they drive around. They drive around and they say, "Oh my gosh. When I drive around I see utility poles now." I talk about it so much. That's when I realize how much I talk about is when my customers tell me, "Ugh. I was driving in this area and all the trees looked like utility poles." Tells me I've been doing my job at preaching that message.

Doug: Maybe through osmosis between you and me and all the other arborists, we can stop that awful volcano mulch and the crazy pruning.

David: Yes.

Doug: Last time we talked, we talked extensively about pruning, but I love what you had to say there, especially thinking about storms. It has to be done right. A normal homeowner should not be ever up on a ladder with a chainsaw or something crazy like that. Safety is everything. Talk a little bit about having a professional do the work.

David: Having a professional do the work. It is so important, not only for peace of mind. You don't want anybody to get injured on your property. Part of that process of making these recommendations is educating really the hazards of our work, and what can happen if things do go wrong. Again, we don't want to sell a customer through fear. We want to educate. Having a group, especially such as Davey, where we're so orientated to doing things safely so that everybody goes home safe to their families is no different than the customers we're taking care of. They want to come home to their family. Just relaying that message to our customers.

I like to remind people if they have firewood, to pick up a piece of firewood and hold that out like that, just to start to get people to better grasp on the weights that the climbers are dealing with up there. It's not as simple as hey, just cut that limb off. It's cut that limb off, have it tied off so it doesn't go through your roof, doesn't go through your window, or land on the car in the driveway. Very, very important to have a team that communicates, comes up with a plan on the property of how they're going to execute that work to keep the customer's property safe and whole. Because you can get it done cheap, but you might have some additional expenses after the work is done.

Doug: Well, I'm going to leave it right there, David. That's a great way to end this. As always, I appreciate your time, and I know that we will talk again. Thank you.

David: I look forward to it, Doug.

Doug: Thank you very much.

David: Thanks. Bye-bye.

Doug: Tune in every Thursday to the Talking Trees podcast from the Davey Tree Expert Company. I am your host, Doug Oster, and do me a big favor. Subscribe to this podcast so you'll never miss a show. If you have an idea for an episode or a comment, send me an email to podcasts@davey.com. That's P-O-D-C-A-S-T-S@D-A-V-E-Y.com. As always, we'd like to remind you on the Talking Trees podcast, trees are the answer.

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