As you think about hiring a prospective tree spraying service in the Memphis, TN or Olive Branch, MS area, you want to be able to feel confident that you’re making a good choice. But that can be difficult if you don’t know anything about what separates a great tree spraying company from a not-so-good one.
You might even be wondering, Don’t they all just do the same thing?
But the truth is, just like any other service company out there, in any industry you look at, there are going to be some tree care companies that are better than others. Everything from the approach that they take to treatments to the actual products they’re using can be different—and can impact results.
Taking the time to talk to a prospective tree spraying service can help you determine whether they’re a good fit for you. You should ask some very specific questions when they visit your property.
Of course, we recognize that you might have no idea what to even ask. That’s why we’ve rounded up a helpful list of questions. The answers (or lack of answers) to these questions will help you better gauge whether they know their stuff and you should be serious about hiring them.
While you might assume that the technicians of any tree spraying service would know a lot about the different plant species in Memphis, TN or Olive Branch, MS, the truth is, they don’t. In fact, some of the big-name national companies that have a revolving door of employees might be constantly hiring new technicians, maybe even who have only a few months experience, and they simply aren’t as well-trained as you would hope.
But it’s important to know what different plants you have as problems will impact different species in various ways. This makes plant identification a really important step in the overall tree spraying process.
There are many different signs of a sick tree or shrub and you want to be sure that the technician on your property is able to identify them. Why does it matter? Because different problems require different solutions.
While some tree care companies will just get out there and spray everything (which we’ll talk about shortly), the best approach is a customized one. But in order to do that, you need to make sure that you’ve hired a tree service with technicians that actually identify specific problems that they see.
The various causes behind tree and shrub problems can produce different symptoms. Some (of many) potential symptoms of a sick tree or shrub include discoloration, stippling, sticky substances, stem dieback, lesions, and blisters, among others. Your tree spraying technician should be able to give you a sense of what you can expect to occur based on the problems they’re seeing.
As we mentioned, the frustrating truth is that many tree spraying companies do not take a customized approach. They just get out there and spray everything on every property. But this is highly unnecessary.
Instead, knowing which plants that insects and disease are likely to attack is the way to do it. Tree spraying should be a targeted approach, customized to the specific property.
If you have certain trees or shrubs that have needs outside of what a typical program would cover, it’s important to find out this information upfront. A typical plant health care program is designed to address the majority of problems that most properties are likely to be dealing with. But that’s not to say that you might have issues that are outside of this scope.
For instance, if you have scale on a Crape Myrtle Tree, then at Master Lawn, we have a specialized control product for this that’s not normally part of our program and we would let you know if we feel you should add it on.
Most clients say that having options outside of the typical programs is a value-add for them and helps give them peace of mind that their entire property is truly covered.
It is incredibly helpful when your tree spraying service also provides cultural recommendations that will help you ensure your trees and shrubs get (or stay) healthy. Of course, not all tree care companies are going to go out of their way to provide this information.
At Master Lawn, we truly believe in partnering with our clients. We feel that the best way to achieve the best possible results is by working together.
For instance, if we have recommendations about watering or pruning habits that we think will have an impact on your plant’s health, you can be sure we’ll be sharing that information with you.
Getting a sense of how much experience a technician has can also be a helpful factor in making your decision. As we mentioned, a lot of tree care companies in this industry are known for having a revolving door of employees. But that can have an impact on the overall service that you receive.
At Master Lawn, our average tenure is around 6 years, though we have had employees who have been with the company for as long as 20 years. That’s often unheard of in the lawn and tree care industry, but we’re focused on building a place where employees want to stay for the long haul.
Sometimes nothing beats hearing from other customers who have already worked with a particular company. Don’t hesitate to be upfront with the company you’re considering and ask them where you can find out what their clients have to say.
They’ll be able to tell you what sites they’re reviewed or ranked on. And if they’re reluctant to do so, you might want to take that as a red flag.
We know that we’ve given you a lot of questions to ask—and a lot to think about—but we believe that making the wise choice for a tree spraying service in Memphis, TN or Olive Branch, MS is worth some research.
If you don’t put in that work, and just choose the first company you come across, a name that you know, or the “best price,” then you could wind up being unhappy with the results that you receive. The fact is, the wrong treatment for certain problems can actually exacerbate them. Now, not only is your problem not fixed, it’s worse. You’re out time, money, and back to square one of hiring someone.
But if you make a wise choice the first time, and hire a tree care company that is great for the job, then you can feel confident that your trees and shrubs are in good hands. After all the research you did and questions you asked, you deserve that peace of mind.
When you invest in our Plant Health Care program, peace of mind is exactly what you’ll get. You can let go of the worries that something might happen to your trees or shrubs and instead be able to rest assured they’re in good hands.
Ready to invest in protecting your landscape? Request a quote, get your customized Plant Health Care plan, and become the master of your landscape.
Image sources: blight, crape myrtle
