Tree Care 101: What Is Tree Surgery?

Have you heard of tree surgeons? How about tree surgery? Both play vital roles in tree health, and they are important for the overall wellbeing of these plants and those who have them on their property.

While working as a tree surgeon can be potentially dangerous, it's important to know that these professionals take their jobs seriously and that they'll be able to help your tree whenever it might need it. But what exactly do they do, and what does tree surgery even entail?

Read on to learn everything you need to know about both.

What Is Tree Surgery?

Put simply, tree surgery helps your tree's preservation and overall lifespan. It involves any aspect of tree care that might aid in this process, and it can even involve removing dead or dangerous trees and planting new ones as needed.

A lot of trees that end up needing removal are already sick, dead, or dying. Their removal means less chance of that disease spreading to other healthy trees, and it is an overall safe move to make if you live in an area surrounded by trees.

If the whole tree isn't damaged, however, then tree surgery can simply involve removing the diseased parts of a tree to prevent it from spreading throughout the rest of the organism. Tree surgeons perform these tasks, along with a host of other things.

What Does a Tree Surgeon Do?

Regular maintenance plays a significant role in their job, and it makes up a substantial portion of the work tree surgeons do. Here are a few things that all tree surgeons are going to (or should) be able to do:

·         Crown reduction and lifting

·         Tree felling

·         Tree stump and root removal or grinding

·         Emergency tree work

·         Tree pollarding

·         Dead wooding

·         Tree surveys

The "crown" of your tree is the canopy of its branches. Reducing the crown simply means pruning branches evenly throughout the entire crown. If pruning is never carried out, it can affect how much light gets through to organisms below, and it will play a role in how much they grow.

Crown lifting helps achieve this same thing, but it lifts the canopy to a new height so light can get through. In some cases, a tree surgeon or an arborist may find that a tree needs to be removed altogether, which is tree felling.

Caring for Stumps

When a tree is removed, the stump must be removed as well, and roots should be removed separately. A tree surgeon will typically bring in a stump grinder to destroy anything that is left in the ground, along with the roots.

Other times, stump removal may not be necessary, meaning that further treatment will be given to ensure everything grows back properly.

Tree Pollarding and Deadwooding

Tree pollarding is like branch removal because that is what the process entails, but in this case, all of the branches are going to be removed. Only the tree trunk is going to remain, and it is meant to encourage new growth in the entire tree itself.

You do not have to take that route, though. You can always opt to only remove the necessary portions of the tree itself.

Deadwooding is one of the methods that involve only taking what is necessary from the tree. It is the practice of removing only dead portions of a tree, and it cuts away loose and/or dying branches whenever it is needed. Typically, this route is going to be taken after a storm when branches are knocked loose.

Tree Surgeon vs. Arborist

Before we list the differences between these professions, it is important to note that they are both qualified to conduct services on trees around your home. he two terms are even used interchangeably.

An arborist, however, is going to hold a formal degree in horticulture, arboriculture, forestry, plant or environmental science, or some other related field, while a tree surgeon does not require a degree.

Arborists must have the right certifications such as City & Guilds NVQ’s to perform their jobs, and they should also have on-site experience.

So, while a tree surgeon is going to perform the necessary treatments on trees, an arborist can be thought of as the doctor — performing check-ups throughout a tree's life and caring for it, as necessary.

They will be able to help you know where certain trees can thrive, and where others are not going to do so well. They can also diagnose and create treatment plans for your trees, while a tree surgeon is typically going to be the one performing the treatments, as necessary.

When Is Tree Surgery Necessary?

When is tree surgery necessary, though? In a lot of cases, a tree surgeon is going to perform regular maintenance on a tree, as well as give emergency treatments when it is necessary.

So, whenever a tree needs to be felled, or shrubs or branches need to get pruned, a tree surgeon is more than likely going to be the one performing those tasks.

Emergency treatments are usually necessary when a storm passes through your area, a tree falls, or some other scenario causes damage to the trees around your home. In cases like these, you can call and schedule emergency tree services, which are going to help bring your tree back to its former glory.

Need a Tree Surgery Company?

If you need a tree surgery company, it is important to act fast. You might think it is a clever idea to try and fix things yourself, but certain issues are best left to the professionals.

Tree health is important not only for the environment but also for the safety of those living around them. That is why, no matter the tree service you are looking for, Graftin Gardeners is a perfect choice. Not only can our tree surgeons be there any time you need it, but they can get the job done properly the first time, every time.

Contact us today to book a free consultation.