Trees can be a beautiful and burdensome feature for homeowners. Mature trees can sell a homebuyer on a property and enhance an outdoor area, but aging trees can be a costly endeavor and even create disputes with neighbors.
Atlanta arborist Chris Heim has spent 30 years taking care of trees in Georgia, including historically significant trees, and providing maintenance in the form of fertilizing, mulching and lightning protection. Heim, manager of the Atlanta office for The Davey Tree Expert Co., chatted about tree maintenance and removal, as well as curb appeal.
Q: What can homeowners do with their trees to create more curb appeal?
A: We get a lot of calls from Realtors to inspect trees on a property. One of the biggest things we find in Atlanta, because we have so many trees, is they block the view of the home from the street. Sometimes the trees dwarf the house and make it look a lot smaller. Properly pruning the trees to get a better vista of the home from the curb is really good. Obviously identify and remove any trees that are dangerous or are dying. Another thing is to keep the trees properly pruned away from the home.
Q: If the property is new or has little landscaping, what do you recommend in choosing trees?
A: Know what your goal is for the tree. Are you looking for flowering and color? Are you looking for shade? How big do you want the tree to get, 10 years, 15 years down the road? Once you decide on your objective, pick the right placement for that tree to allow it to fully develop, without being a problem as far as the house, the driveway or shading the grass. A lot of times landscapes are developed without any kind of long-term plan.
Q: What are some tips for determining health of a tree?
A: The first thing is, if you're noticing something that doesn't look right, then you don't need to know what it is. Then you just need to call somebody who does know. Get an ISA Certified Arborist out there to do an inspection on your trees. They may uncover issues that are far more severe than you would know. Or they may be able to see what's going on and prescribe therapeutic measures to help that tree recover.
Q: What are your favorite trees in Georgia?
A: The biggest one is in Waycross (at the Baptist Village retirement community). It is a national champion live oak. It's called the "Village Sentinel," the second largest in the United States (at least 77 feet high, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission). Newtown Park in Johns Creek has the Johns Creek Veterans Memorial Walk. Within that 4-acre area is a huge, 46-inch diameter turkey-foot red oak. We've come in to preserve that tree.
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