Services – Fertile Earth Land Care

Services Provided by

Fertile Earth Land Care

Tree and Landscape Maintenance Consulting

Management recommendations for trees, shrubs, lawns, home orchards, vegetable and flower gardens
Tree health and structural assessments
Certified arborist services, inspections, reports and specifications.
Fire Defensible Space - Vegetation Management Plans

Plant Health Care – Integrated Pest Management Provider

Note: Don is a “naturopathic” tree doctor, specializing in a wholistic – wellness approach for prevention and early intervention of tree and landscape problems with organic methods and materials, soil improvements, correction of growing conditions and management.
We may not be able to offer curative treatment for advanced pest or disease condtions.

Monitor your trees and other plantings regularly, and call at an early stage for assistance, don’t wait for problems to develop beyond a practical treatment time-frame.

Assessment Questions

Please review and answer as best you can, the questions that apply to your tree problem, and/or questions that you have for best management practices.

Do you have any specific information on the history and possible causes of the tree problems? What kind of trees are affected? How many? How old are the trees, if you know? All the same kind or various species on the same property? Have any trees died?
Have neighbors, nearby properties had similar tree problems?
What was the time frame of the onset of the problems? Sudden occurrence, all during one season, or longer period of decline over two or more years?
What signs first appeared of tree stress and die-back? What part of the tree was affected - Top first then slow progressive decline, or more rapid decline of entire tree, or sections of tree declining and then followed by other sections?
Were there any signs of pests or disease observed during the period of decline and mortality? Chewed or missing plant parts, bleeding trunk cankers, discoloration or die-back?
Was any treatment provided by anyone, at any stage?
Have there been any significant changes, - site work, paving, construction, utilities trenching, gas or sewer leaks and repairs, in the vicinity of the affected trees, cently or during the last few years?
What kind of irrigation system is active, - drip emitters, netafim, sprinklers, hand-watering, - how much, how often, and source of water if you know, - well water, municipal water or recycled water. Who adjusts the irrigation controller for daily or seasonal weather changes?

Fertilization program, what materials are applied in what amounts with what application schedule, quarterly, annually? Has soil testing and prescription amendments been utilized, or general chemical or organic fertilizer applications? Or nothing?

IPM monitoring for pest and disease issues: who inspects and recommends treatments, and what chemical treatments or bio-pesticide treatments have been provided?

Send Photos

Close ups of the problem areas are important, but also step back and paint a complete picture of the site, the tree, and the problem. 5 or 6 photos maximum for most situations.

Entire tree and site. With the top of the foliar crown from two directions if possible.

Medium distance and closeup view of tree trunk and branch structure.

Close up of leaf and twig view for tree ID and other determinations

Close up view of the affected problem area.

All these pics need to be in good focus and at a medium to high resolution for zooming in for a closer view if needed. Sending photos by E-mail attachment or Google Drive sharing is preferred. Text message or WhatsApp photos and videos can be considered.