When you’re not feeling well, where’s the first place you turn? Besides searching the web for your symptoms. We turn to doctors to help heal a myriad of ailments for ourselves, children, and pets. So why not our trees? Tree doctors, also known as arborists, are trained to diagnose and treat all sorts of plant issues including disease. Some even specialize in a specific disease or tree. Discover more about what a tree doctor can do, and may not do, and decide whether you need to call one in the morning.

What Tree Doctors Do

Tree doctors are certified arborists that have received training in caring for trees. They should also have a license from an organization like the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). Not only do arborists have a degree and certification in a related field, but they must continue their education to cover new ways of assessing and caring for a tree.

Some of the ways an arborist cares for a tree include:

• Health assessments
• Disease diagnosis
• Pest prevention and control tactics
• Maintaining proper maintenance schedules for planting, water, and fertilizing
• Determining tree safety protocols

While a tree doctor may know how to trim a tree to keep it healthy, it may not be an arborist that does the work. Similarly, a tree doctor would diagnose a disease, pest problem, or safety concern, but you may have to look for another professional to carry out the control strategy or remove a tree if needed. This is like having a doctor refer a patient to a specialist. It’s all an important part of the process, but some professionals have different strengths.

When to Call an Arborist

There are some instances when all you need is help correctly identifying a tree issue. Maybe you’re noticing signs of distress in a tree or want to know if it needs further attention. A tree doctor can assess the situation and come up with a follow-up plan. Then it’s up to you whether to call a specialist to help carry out the plan or tackle it yourself. However, properly diagnosing the plant issue is a crucial step in solving the problem, so it’s best to have a professional opinion.

You can also call a tree doctor when you need a second opinion about a tree issue. Maybe you’ve already called a company to trim a tree and they end up suggesting it come down altogether. Call an arborist to weigh in on the situation before you decide to take this costly step.

Just like when you’re researching healthcare providers, you want to check any references or referrals for your tree doctor as well. This is especially helpful for those offering second opinions. Be sure they’re familiar with the type of tree you’re dealing with and are certified in the area you’re asking about, whether it’s a disease or pest control.

For more information on tree issues and how to properly care for them, contact the tree doctors at Elite Tree Care. Not only do we diagnose but we help to treat the issue and prevent further complications too.

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