Every tree and shrub have unique pruning needs based on their species, their health, and your objectives.

Some common objectives are:
• remove deadwood and hazardous limbs to maintain the health of the tree
• make long term structural cuts to maintain longevity of the tree
• balance overall shape of the crown
• up-branch to provide vehicle or house clearance

Prior to any work, we assess the health of the plant and discuss your objectives to define a clear pruning plan.

After the initial pruning, a maintenance schedule would look like this:

Trees: 3-5 year cycle depending on their growth habits, health, and environment.

Shrubs: 1-2 year cycle depending on their growth habits, health, environment, and how tidy you want your shrubs to look.

Trees and shrubs are plants that have woody stems and live multiple years. The oldest known tree is about 4,600 years old and lives in Southern California.

Shrubs grow to a maturity of under 13 feet and have multiple stems. Examples range from holly, rhododendron, boxwood, to a bog cranberry.

Trees can grow larger and are typically single stem (trunk) or may have a couple stems. Examples range from oaks, maples, birch, to redwoods.

If you only need your hedges trimmed, your landscaper may be the perfect solution based on your objectives. As arborists, we bring a different approach to managing your trees and shrubs. Our education and experience lead us to focus on the health, longevity in addition to the beauty of your woody plants and property.

The majority of the staff at Heirloom Tree are Certified Arborists and a Certified Arborist is on-site at every project. They have passed the ISA Certified Arborist exam, which requires recertification every 3 years, and have either three or more years of full-time, eligible, practical work experience in arboriculture and/or a degree in the field of arboriculture, horticulture, landscape architecture, or forestry from a regionally accredited educational institute.

Learn More About the New England ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) Certification

During our inspection of a tree we look at many factors to determine it’s overall health.

The following are our initial considerations:
• What percentage of deadwood is in the crown of the tree?
• Are there cavities present on the stem?
• Are their wounds on the trunk?
• Is the color and size of the foliage natural?
• Are there competing dominant trunks or leaders?
• Is the structure of the branches and crown stable and prepared for long term development?
• Is there a pest or disease present?

A property evaluation begins with a walk of the property with you to review and discuss your objectives and priorities while educating you on the possibilities. Often, we will return to walk the property again, independently, taking a closer look at each tree and shrub in order to fully evaluate the scope of your project.

We then provide a detailed written summary and project plan, and schedule a follow-up call.

Yes! We prefer to assess the existing trees and shrubs prior to construction to mitigate and lessen damage caused by construction equipment. Stress and damage causing trees to die is often not apparent for many years after construction. Early preparation and care can make all the difference in saving a tree’s life.

Yes, with our background in invasive species research and land management we have extensive experience in the effective removal of woody invasive plants.

We do not offer spray programs.

We love to prune fruit trees and have extensive experience in it, from apple, peach, pear, crabapple, paw paw, and everything in between. We also offer backyard orchard design and installations and have installed a number of small personal orchards for clients.

Preparing your property for construction can determine whether existing trees and shrubs survive or not. Some typical negative impacts that lead to disease and demise are:
Soil compaction around trunk hindering a tree’s ability to uptake water and nutrients
Trenching within the root system causing root damage

Prior to any construction project consider a Damage Mitigation Plan to assure the health and longevity of your beloved trees and shrubs.

Heirloom Tree has a Certified Arborist in every project team. This distinction is significant. Proper pruning is an art and science which requires many years to become proficient in. We make the right cut in the right location while considering and planning 10-12 years out for that tree’s life.

What gets us up in the morning?
• Each landscape is a piece of art!
• We love thinking big and small as we manage a client’s woody plant collection
• We’re excited to educate our clients on the art and science of arboriculture
• We care about the plant’s health and structure
• We’re concerned about that plant’s place in the overall design of the property
• We’re striving for an entirely holistic environment

We love what we do!