Everyone loves to have a green environment around their home and trees are always a great addition. They can provide shade, look beautiful, raise the value of your property and even produce fruit depending on which ones you plant. 

But trees require constant maintenance to stay healthy, under control and safe. this is where an arborist comes in handy. Arborists practice a tree-specific component of horticulture. Because of their training, they can work with any type of tree to ensure that it’s healthy, structurally sound and looks good.

When should you hire an arborist?

There are a lot of jobs you can hire an arborist for. A good rule of thumb is that if you need anything done with a tree, an arborist will always be a good person to call. 

Tree pruning 

Many properties come with trees already. Whether you’re renting or buying, you’ll likely inherit at least one tree to take care of. As large trees grow bigger canopies, they don’t tend to think about power lines, property lines or what is underneath their branches. If left unchecked, their growth can become a serious hazard. 

An arborist can come regularly to prune branches to: 

• Remove overhanging branches from around gutters, roofs and power lines 
• Let in more light by thinning the tree
• Reduce the possibility of storm damage 
• Stop vermin from gaining access to the roof space
• Remove dead limbs to eliminate possible entry points for disease

Pruning may also be necessary to preserve the health of the tree, to remove potential hazards, or even just to make the tree more attractive. 

Planting new trees

Planting a tree isn’t as easy as digging a hole and dumping the new tree inside it. Young trees can tend to be fragile and susceptible to many threats. Overwatering, pests, poor soil, restricted roots and more can cause your new tree to die or wither.

Arborists know which trees are ideal for different climates and soil compositions. They can recommend trees that will work with your skill level, provide detailed care instructions and they can come back to check on the tree's health periodically.  

An arborist can also help you transplant your trees if you need to move them around. They can relocate your trees to more suitable positions within the property or bring advanced trees to the property and plant them as needed.

Tree removal

There are several reasons why it may be necessary to remove a tree. It could be in the wrong position, need to be cleared for construction, they might have died or are currently dying and they may be a safety hazard. 

Whatever the reason, removing a tree is a dangerous process. Without a professional, it’s common for tree removal to cause damage to the property or, at worst, injure someone.  

If the tree has already been removed but the stump remains, you will likely still need a professional to remove it. Stumps can be incredibly hard to remove but arborists have the tools and equipment to do it quickly and safely. They can also turn the stump into useable mulch to aid in water retention and weed prevention

Maintain the health of your tree

Trees are living organisms and can be susceptible to the elements, damage, disease and other health concerns. If you’re worried that your tree is sick or if there has been recent damage to it, it’s a good idea to call an arborist. 

They can help treat the damage, advise you on the condition of the tree and, in the worst case, let you know if it needs to be removed or not. If your tree looks like it has rot, if branches are falling randomly, if it isn’t growing new leaves, or if it has experienced damage from a storm or some other source, your arborist will know what needs to be done. 

In some cases, they can even perform tree surgery. Which may include branch bracing for added strength, tree injections to provide a nutrient boost to stressed trees, and possum guards to prevent possums from entering the tree and feeding off the leaves.

Root management

Tree roots can wreak havoc on the surrounding area. They are strong and find every nook and cranny to grow in. In many cases they can spread underneath concrete and homes, eventually causing serious damage. 

An arborist can prune roots without killing the tree and install root barriers so that paths and driveways are protected from root systems that may otherwise cause damage.

How much does an arborist cost?

Arborists will typically charge by the hour, with the rate determined by the complexity of the job, access, type of equipment and number of staff involved. The arborist cost could range from $70 per hour for basic stump grinding to $170 per hour for work that involves a truck hoist for tree pruning.

Some costs you can expect to pay for an arborist include:

• $500 - $2000 to prune larger trees
• Up to $800 for stump removal
• $200-$500 for the removal of a small tree
• $500-$2000 for medium to large tree removal 

As well as the services above, arborists can also prepare tree surveys, create an arborist report for the job, work with the local council, monitor tree performance during construction, and assess the safe life expectancy of a tree, amongst other things.

Questions to ask when hiring an arborist

When hiring an arborist, you should make sure that they are fully insured for worker’s compensation and public liability. Also, ensure that they are qualified and that they are prepared to give you a quote on the project that you are having carried out before actually commencing work.

When choosing an arborist, a few questions you should ask include:

• Are you licensed, registered and insured?
• Can you provide a written quote?
• What other work do you have at the moment?
• Can I see previous examples of your work?
• Who is supervising the work?
• What deposit do you require?
• When do you need progress payments?
• When can you start?
• Who is cleaning the site once the work has been completed?