For years, Ross Tree has been a trusted name in tree care, providing a full range of services. However, the landscape of tree health is changing, and so is Ross Tree. We are proud to announce our significant evolution, transitioning from a general tree service business to a specialized plant healthcare company that focuses on the overall well-being of trees and their surrounding landscape. By choosing Ross Tree Company, property owners are not just getting a service; they are investing in the long-term health and vitality of their trees, ensuring that they will continue to be valuable assets. We invite homeowners to experience the dedicated plant healthcare company difference!
This shift is not just a title change; it represents a fundamental change in philosophy, encapsulated by our motto, “Integrity in Action.” Our primary goal is no longer just reactive tree trimming and removal but proactive health and prevention, ensuring that yard trees thrive for generations. Removals should always be a last resort.
The Value of Healthy Trees
The main reason for our transition is that trees are economically, environmentally, and emotionally valuable. It takes a holistic approach to protect these property assets. Mature landscapes with trees can significantly increase property value, potentially by up to 10%. A home with a beautiful 100-year-old White Oak is considerably more valuable with the tree than without it. Beyond their economic value, trees offer environmental benefits such as carbon sequestration, cooling, and oxygen production, as well as psychological benefits that contribute to human well-being such as ambiance and beauty.
Why the Shift to Plant Healthcare?
Ross Tree’s approach to plant healthcare is multi-faceted, combining cutting-edge techniques with a deep understanding of tree biology. We focus on enhancing the overall health of trees by strengthening their root and vascular systems, enabling them to respond more effectively to treatments and pruning. Healthy trees can compartmentalize better, meaning they heal faster after pruning or damage. We now emphasize:
Education and Prevention: A key part of our mission is educating the community about common pests and diseases, such as the Emerald Ash Borer and Elm Beetles, as well as diseases like Cytospora cankers, Thyronectria cankers, Fire blight, and Anthracnose.
Leveraging Tree Expertise: We have three International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborists on staff, as well as three Qualified Supervisors licensed by the Colorado Department of Agriculture. An ISA certification signifies an arborist’s qualification to assess tree health, crown structure, and susceptibility to insects and diseases. Knowing the species of a tree is crucial because it helps our arborists anticipate and eliminate irrelevant pest concerns. For example, Kentucky Coffee or Catalpa trees do not attract aphids, so why treat these trees for these soft-bodied insects? A qualified supervisor license allows individuals to apply or supervise the application of state-restricted pesticides. Our Supervisors passed all necessary exams to acquire this license.
Advanced Tree Injections: Ross Tree pioneered tree injections in Denver in the 1990s. Our certified arborists assess tree health on-site while our climbers can identify insect damage caused by the Emerald Ash Borer and other insects that attack from the top down. After inspecting, our arborists determine the appropriate injection type, which can be direct, soil-based, or topical. These applications directly deliver insecticides into trees, controlling and preventing damage caused by tree insects.
Standards-Based Pruning: Ross Tree abides by the pruning standards defined by the Tree Care Industry Association. Rather than merely sawing off limbs, proper pruning is based on plant physiology to improve the health of trees. Pruning also removes dead branches, which can become pathways for disease to enter internal tissues. We prune young trees to form a dominant leader, establishing good structure, promoting air circulation, and preventing disease. Check out our handbook on Standards-Based Pruning.
Tree Hormone Stimulation: Ross Tree utilizes hormone stimulants to save highly stressed trees deemed salvageable. These products jump-start vascular system flow and nutrient delivery, helping trees “pitch out” tree insects and encourage compartmentalization. We apply Cambistat, a hormone product, to slow tree canopy growth, for trees located in small yards or located near buildings. The hormone also promotes the establishment and elongation of the root system. We also understand the role of auxin, a crucial hormone for healing and other tree functions.
Customized Tri-Level Tree Fertilization Program: Unlike competitors who often apply reactive, chemical-heavy programs, we prioritize a holistic, organic-based formulation. Our goal is to be as organic as possible, avoiding large amounts of nitrogen common in competitors’ salt-based fertilizers. These nitrogen-laden fertilizers can burn lawns and trees by causing reverse osmosis. Our program focuses on the macronutrients phosphorus and potassium. We use chelated iron to facilitate uptake in our heavy clay soils. Iron is essential for trees, playing a vital role in chlorophyll production, which is crucial for photosynthesis. We include Yucca extracts to improve water availability and humic acids that help break down fertilizers for better absorption. We include Mycorrhizal fungi to form a symbiotic relationship with roots, aiding in nutrient uptake. Ross Tree deep root feeds at a higher PSI to aerate the soil, improving oxygen penetration. For young trees, we use soil drenching to protect new root systems. Click here for more information about Ross Tree’s Tri-Level Tree Fertilization Program.
Property owners who want to protect their tree assets from Denver’s arid climate and unpredictable weather should call 303-871-9121 or click here to fill out a request service form