Our Conference Experience

Our son, Brendan, flew in from Los Angeles for the conference as well. He was just two months old when he attended his first TCIA event in 1998. Brendan still works in the business (now remotely) in various capacities. One of which is marketing and content creation, so to keep an eye on our Facebook page as you can expect to see a recap video coming soon!

After WMC 2018 in Maui, we committed to the process of becoming a TCIA Accredited company. “Accreditation is a third-party consumer confidence verification program…[that] helps consumers identify qualified tree care companies who conduct business in a safe, legal and ethical manner.”

Accreditation for Black Diamond

Becoming an Accredited tree care company aligns with Black Diamond’s core values of Safety, Excellence, and Integrity. We successfully completed the program in May of 2019. This year in Puerto Vallarta, we were recognized as one of several companies that have become Accredited in 2019. The Black Diamond team is proud to be one of only five companies in Vermont to achieve Accreditation.

Bill and Denise are excited to implement what they learned this year at WMC as Black Diamond continues to accomplish goals set for 2020. We look forward to building the culture of our company, enhancing your customer experience, to better serve our community.

The post Winter Management Conference Update appeared first on Black Diamond Tree Service.

Part of preventing ice damage is planning in advance. If you’re thinking of adding new trees, consider the size they are likely to grow to, where the limbs may extend to, and dangers that could be 25 years down the line. If your trees are already planted and you don’t have plans to add more, there are still safety measures to account for to avoid breakage and damage.

Immediate branch or tree removal is vital. If storm damage has caused a limb to break either partially or fully, removing them quickly and safely can benefit both your property and the tree. If the broken branch is not properly pruned, a new and even weaker branch is likely to sprout and pose a new risk in the future. Poor pruning can also invite insects which increases the risk of infestation and disease.

Reach Out to Us

As Accredited and certified tree care professionals, we are prepared to help you with every step of the process. From tree planting to pruning and damage control, we don’t expect you to know it all. If you are concerned about a tree, have noticed a potential weak spot, don’t hesitate to call. We can arrange anything from site visits, to removals, to ongoing tree care.

The post How to Prevent Ice-storm Damage appeared first on Black Diamond Tree Service.

Not all trees and regions change color at the same time, but if the leaves on a specific tree are changing color and falling long before others around it, there could be an issue. We’ll be able to inspect for potential damage, insect infestation, diseases, or other warning signs.

Why it Matters

“Premature color change can be an indication that a tree isn’t vigorous enough to withstand insects and disease organisms that may attack it, not to mention the usual changes that occur when the weather turns cold,” says Tchukki Andersen, BCMA, CTSP* and staff arborist with the Tree Care Industry Association. “Occasionally, only one or two limbs of the tree will show premature fall color. This could be a sign of a disease at work, though only the infected limbs are weakened.”

The more common situation is for the entire tree to exhibit premature fall coloration, a phenomenon usually linked to root-related stress. “Trees respond to these stresses by trying to curtail their above-ground growth,” adds Andersen.

Leaves Know Best

Leaves can be thought of as small factories containing raw materials, products and by-products, all in chemical form and some with color. As the leaf is “abandoned” by the tree, the green chlorophyll – the dominant chemical found in most leaves – is broken down and “recycled,” leaving behind other-colored chemicals. Supply lines to the leaves also become clogged, affecting which chemicals are left in the leaf: If the major chemical remaining in the abandoned leaf is red, the leaf turns red; if it’s yellow, the leaf turns yellow, and so on.

“The yearly variation in color intensity is due to fluctuating weather conditions, which can affect the balance of chemicals and their composition in the leaves,” Andersen says. Differing amounts of rainfall, sunlight, temperature, humidity and other factors may have an effect on how bright and how long the “leaf-peeping” season will be in any given year.

What to do

Take a look at the entire tree. See if there are visible signs of damage to the roots, trunk and/or branches. Just because colors are coming early, that doesn’t mean your tree is doomed or it needs to be removed.

As professional arborists, we can assess your tree and landscape and work with you to determine the best course of action, if necessary. We may also recommend treatments, including planting new trees, correcting soil deficiencies, increasing water and nutrients, monitoring for pests or providing pest management.

Give Us a Call

As with anything dealing with the trees on your property, never hesitate to give us a call. It’s easy to view trees as long-lasting, strong, indestructible plants and while in many cases that’s true, they are also vulnerable to a variety of changing conditions. It’s important to monitor trees, limbs, and leaves to be sure your property is always healthy, safe, and beautiful.

The post Early Fall Color Could be a Sign of Tree Distress appeared first on Black Diamond Tree Service.