Find Answers About Tree Issues

True pruning will:

• Preserve and encourage good branch structure
• Correct poor branch structure
• Reduce potential hazards
• Give the arborist the opportunity to examine the tree more closely than from the ground
• Improve the overall health of the tree by removing dead, diseased, and dying branches

The quick answer is no. Whether someone calls it "topping," "heading," "tipping," or "dehorning," cutting large amounts of a tree's crown is improper pruning and it is never the right thing to do for a healthy tree.

No. Moss is an air plant. It will not damage a healthy tree unless it overtakes a tree, covering the foliage so that photosynthesis does not occur. Moss is not parasitic like mistletoe, which will spread and kill a tree, it simply attaches itself to the exterior bark of the tree.

There's no need. Both Spanish and ball moss are natural in Florida and nature will limit its growth in healthy trees. 

Normal pruning removes some moss. It is natural to have some Spanish moss in your Florida trees. Moss can be handpicked or sprayed out, but the effort of removing moss could do more damage to your tree than any possible benefit and also be very costly.

Yes! Mistletoe is a parasite, robbing vital nourishment from your tree. It will kill your tree if not removed.

We choose the most economical way, grinding the stump down below grade, that is we grind it deeper than the grass line.

In the past, this was part of the standard recommendation, apply a liberal coat of tree wound dressing to any fresh cuts. Recently though, research has shown that this actually works against nature. When a cut is made properly, a healthy tree will heal by itself. Let nature take its course.

In general, every three years for shade trees. Please ask us about your specific tree.

As the old saying goes, "when the pruners are sharp." By that, we mean that most trees can be pruned at any time of the year. However, there are some exceptions, like fruit trees, flowering, and ornamental trees. 

No. Filling holes or cavities in trees does more harm than good. It creates hidden spaces for moisture, fungus and disease to accumulate and rot the tree from the inside.  

Yes, the urban environment in Florida is the reason that it is always a good idea to fertilize your trees. Ailing trees or trees in decline may need additional fertilizer applications throughout the year. 

Not always, but for many trees, the answer is "yes." You can contact your municipality (city or county) to obtain their list of protected trees and size limits. Mid-Florida Tree Service, Inc can help you obtain the required permits when needed.

Grand trees, the gold medal winners of their kind, add value to the community and are trees of larger stature. These ancient trees have been granted special protection regarding pruning and removal. They must be reviewed and permitted by the inspectors of your municipality.

Hillsborough specifies older oak trees as follows:

A Grand Oak is a tree of the genus Quercus with a trunk measuring 34 inches DBH (tree trunk diameter measurement at 4.5 feet above grade) and greater, with a tree condition rating of good or better according to the Tree Condition Evaluation Form, and with trunk circumference, height and crown measurements totaling a minimum of 175 points in accordance to the Tree Point System methodology.

Air spading involves using high-pressure jet sprays to reduce compacted soil beneath a tree. The air spade nozzle is inserted into the soil around the base of the tree, spraying compressed air to loosen the compacted soil.

When an arborist uses an air spade, they are typically removing soil from the base of a tree in order to expose the root system underneath. With the roots exposed the arborist is able to:

• Prepare for root inspections
• Remove excess soil
• Diagnose tree or root issues
• Prepare for a variety of treatments
• Excavate deeply planted trees