MY PHILOSOPHY

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It’s simple, really.

Guy LeBlanc inspecting a new (then) climbing technique

For over 40 years, I have continually provided people honest, dependable tree care of the highest quality.  From consulting to pruning to problem diagnosis and everything in between, I personally provide my clients with all of these arboricultural services.

I could have gone with a traditional business model in which workers who have minimal (if any) experience and training can’t even communicate with the clients.  Most so-called arborists go that route, and frankly, it ain’t pretty!  I intentionally avoided that route, and have never regretted it.  The quality of work with such operations is usually substandard, even if the arborist running it is very knowledgeable.  You just can’t consistently control what’s going on 40 feet in the air unless you go up there yourself.  And that’s the way I’ve done it for over 35 years.

Another thing you will never get from Arbor Vitae Tree Care is service you don’t need.  Many larger tree services operate on volume to keep all those marginally-skilled employees working and the checks rolling in.  This means lots and lots of repeat visits for stuff your trees just flat don’t need!

A great example of this is fertilization.  Many companies sell this without even assessing the nutritional status of your trees.  The client is just put on a regular schedule (and of course a regular bill).  From my 40+ years in Austin, I can assure you the vast bulk of this is totally unnecessary for your trees (and sometimes polluting to our aquifers).  I recommend fertilizing trees only when needed, and never just as an income stream.

The same is true for many routine, “seasonal” pesticide applications.   Such applications should never be made without evidence or high probability of a persistent problem.  My experience is that somewhere around 75% of all noticeable insect infestations in Austin abate without any treatment at all, and research has shown that some pesticides and fertilizing can make some insect infestations worse.

But pruning is perhaps the most over-sold tree care service in Austin.  Again, trying to make that next boat payment, too many tree services are pruning trees way too frequently, and way, way too aggressively.  If a tree company is suggesting that you take more than about 15% of the foliage out of a healthy tree with no structural defects, or is recommending that your trees receive complete pruning every year (not just minor pruning), you are almost certainly dealing with either a scam artist or an ignoramus (see my Pruning Tips page).

So the bottom line is, if you really care about your trees, and you want to be sure you’re getting the best value for your money, you should deal with a highly experienced arborist of proven integrity.  My record as an arborist and business owner speaks for itself.

To arrange an initial consultation, call

5one2 301-8700