Oak With Unstable Root System Removed

Tree removal of dangerous Oak tree with unstable root system by Giroud Crew Members: Dan Rombold, Mike Teti and Jim Shields, includes the step by step process of tree removal, how the lines are fastened around limbs to be carried off by a 165 ton crane and cutting limbs and giant sections of the tree.

Have Giroud evaluate your trees before storms strike. Trees with root problems, cracks, defects and deadwood are prime targets for damage in a storm. Your Giroud Arborists will inspect your trees and determine if repair or removal is required.

Cables Installed in Giant Poplar

Get a bird's eye view from high up in a giant Poplar to see how cables are installed in a tree. Giroud team members: Mike Teti, Will Cowley and Luis Borges install cables to support weak limbs and protect an Ambler, PA family's favorite tree. Watch as Giroud Climbers position the cables to properly support the limbs, drill the holes, set through bolts and adjust cable tension.

Cables help trees stand up to winter storms. Have Giroud check your favorite trees now to see if cables are needed!

Giroud Successfully Treats Oaks at Jeanes Hospital for Bacterial Leaf Scorch

Drive down any street with Oak trees or just look in your own back yard. Many Oaks are infected with Bacterial Leaf Scorch (BLS), a serious, often fatal disease. “There is no cure for BLS,” says Drew Slousky, Giroud Vice President. “However, treatment with Oxytetracycline, an antibiotic, can dramatically improve a tree’s chances of survival.”

The proof is in the results. Giroud has been treating the Oaks at Jeanes Hospital for BLS for several years. The Oaks at Jeanes now display full crowns of lush green leaves. Just across the street, untreated oaks show BLS decline.

Bob Dugan, Head Groundskeeper at Jeanes, explains the treatment for BLS: “Bacterial Leaf Scorch is the tree version of cholesterol in humans. The bacteria clog a tree’s vessels. Oxytetracycline slows down the growth of the bacteria which enables nutrients and water to travel up and down the tree.”

Now is the best time to test for BLS. If your tree is infected, treatment must be applied in early Spring when the bacteria is most vulnerable.

Giroud Rebuilds Drought Stressed Lawn

Scorching heat and minimal rainfall through the summer months have left many PA lawns in horrible condition. As grass turned brown and thinned, patches of bare dirt became the perfect breeding ground for opportunistic weeds and crabgrass to invade and take over many lawns.
If more than 50-60% of your lawn is covered with weeds, crab grass or other undesirable vegetation, the best solution is to start from scratch with a complete renovation. Mike Taraborrelli, Giroud Lawn Care Manager, shows how to evaluate the condition of your lawn and the steps Giroud uses in a renovation to create a healthy, thick, green lawn.

Creating A Children's Fort In the Woods

Jenny Galiani, of Ambler PA, had an idea to make a tangled wooded area of her yard into a secret fort for her children to explore, play and let their imaginations run free. Enter Dan Rombold, Crew Leader for Giroud Tree and Lawn and the brush-hog. Dan shows Jenny, her son Thomas and friends, how the brush-hog works; discusses the design of the play area and mows down brush to create the fort.

Giroud Removes Hazardous Oak Between Two Houses

It's like threading a needle. A hazardous Oak is carefully rigged, cut and lowered piece by piece through a narrow space between two houses.

Lawns Damaged by Dry, Hot Summer

The damage is glaringly apparent on area lawns. The dry, hot summer has taken its toll and many lawns are exhibiting brittle, brown grass, insect and disease problems.

Turf expert, Nancy Bosold, Penn State Cooperative Extension, sums up the situation, "As great as last year was for grass-growing, this year has been horrendous. Renovations will be important." She recommends:

• Soil test if you haven't done it in the last three years.
• Before reseeding, dethatch, mow low and remove dead material and clippings
• Choose the right grasses for the site, topdress and if site is compacted, use a core aerator
• Optimum seeding dates are now through mid-October.

"You can do the above steps yourself if your lawn damage is minimal," advises Mike Taraborrelli, Giroud Lawn Care Manager. "More extensive renovations may require professional help." To see Ms. Bosold's full article go to: Bosold-Penn State Coop Ext Lawn Report

Trees Damaged by Drought and Record-breaking Heat

What did the dry, hot summer do to your trees? “Dead limbs, leaves falling off or changing color too early and insect or disease damage are just a few of the signs that your trees are under stress," says Rob Nagy, Giroud Representative and ISA Certified Arborist.

"Assess the damage," recommends Rob. Have your Giroud Arborist do a root to crown inspection. If your trees are stressed, a deep root injection of fertilizer is the best way to strengthen the tree and rebuild its root system. Additionally treatment needs to be scheduled for serious insect and disease problems.”

Giroud Helps Bucks County Housing Group

Giroud donates removal of dangerous limbs over playground at a shelter for homeless families in Doylestown, PA. The donation is part of the Giroud Treework for Charity program which was established in 1997 to help local non-profits care for their irreplaceable trees.

Giroud's Mike Teti Places 2nd in ISA Climbing Competition

Watch climbing at its best! After a five year hiatus, Mike Teti, Giroud Field Trainer, returns to competition at Penn-Del East ISA’s Championship. Placing 2nd out of 35 top climbers in the Preliminary Round, Mike moved on to the Masters Round to finish 2nd out of the 5 best climbers. As head of Giroud's training program, Mike helps each member of the field team perform at the top of their game.

How to Control Ticks!

It's Tick Season! Ticks spread Lyme Disease as well as other serious illnesses. Learn how to stop ticks from infecting your family and pets from Giroud representatives: Rob Nagy, ISA Certified Arborist and Rodney Stahl, Jr., PA Certified Applicator, along with Giroud Customer, Dr. Francis Felice, of Huntingdon Valley.

Ticks like the shade. They seek protection from the sun in ground level vegetation such as high grasses, underbrush, shrubs and woods. Giroud can help protect your family from ticks and tick borne illnesses through property inspection, cleaning-up shady tick habitats, deer repellant and tick control treatments. Call for a free evaluation today: 215-682-7704

Giroud Treats Destructive Pests With Horticultural Oil

Scale, Mites and Adelgid damage trees and shrubs. Horticultural oils are a Green approach to treating these destructive pests. Drew Slousky, ISA Certified Arborist, and Ken Watson, PA Certified Applicator, explain how Giroud uses Horticultural Oils and show treatment being applied on Pines, Azaleas and Arborvitaes.

Check your trees for the following warning signs: white cottony spots, rust colored needles, major needle loss or excessive thinning. Ask your Giroud Arborist to inspect your trees to determine if treatment is needed.

Tree Spotlight: Syringa Reticula

With a profusion of perfect, creamy, fragrant flowers and cherry-brown bark, the Syringa Reticula (aka Japanese Tree Lilac) is possibly the most trouble-free lilac you can grow. Hardy and tough, the Tree Lilac is resistant to mildew, borers and scale. It grows 20-30 feet tall and blooms in early to mid-June.

Follow these steps to maintain a healthy and beautiful plant:

• Provide water during bloom and heavy growth periods.
• Prune to ensure good air circulation and to maintain shape.
• Prune immediately after flowering to avoid removing flower buds.

Tree Spotlight: Pyrus Calleryana ’Chanticleer’

Called the Improved Bradford Pear and selected “Urban Tree of the Year” by City Tree Magazine, the 'Chanticleer' Pear is less prone to the problems associated with the Bradford such as branch breakage with heavy winter snow and fireblight.

The Chanticleer has year-round appeal. In the spring, the Pear displays clusters of 1-inch, white flowers. followed by pea-sized, inedible fruits. By fall, the leaves turn shiny dark red to scarlet.

With an upright-pyramidal tree that is much narrower than other ornamental pears, the Chanticleer is an especially good choice for sunny locations where lateral space to spread out is limited. At maturity, this Pear reaches heights ranging from 30 to 50 feet. Very adaptable to many different soils, it tolerates drought, heat, cold, and pollution.

CBS Local News Interviews Giroud About Hiring A Tree Service for Storm Clean Up

From lifting trees off houses to hiring a qualified tree service, 3 on Your Side's, Jim Donovan, interviews Lou Giroud, President of Giroud Tree and Lawn. Watch: 3 On Your Side Interview.

Lou discusses how recent storms have left many trees with hidden damage. He encourages homeowners to have their trees checked from root to crown by an ISA Certified Arborist. When hiring a tree service, Jim Donovan advises to:

1. Use Referrals
2. Use Certified Arborists
3. Check for Workers Compensation and Liability Insurance
4. Be careful of door to door solicitations
5. Opt for local businesses

Storm Damage Alert...Shake Snow Off Trees!

Protect your small trees and shrubs from storm damage. Another major storm is striking our region. The combination of heavy, dense snow and high winds can break or split trees and shrubs. You can minimize damage to your highly valued small trees and shrubs by periodically removing snow from the branches. Use a long pole or rake to gently lift branches and shake to dislodge snow or ice.

Blizzard Leaves Trees with Hidden Hazards

Please have your trees checked for safety! Giroud Arborists have found serious damage on thousands of trees since the recent storms.The problem is what you can't see. The heavy, wet snow put more weight on trees than they are used to handling. While many trees and limbs have already fallen; there are still many more with cracks or splits that have a high potential for failure. Beyond these hazards, the heavy snow load may also have compromised tree strength and stability. Finally, smaller ornamentals that are highly valued in your landscape may not pose a safety threat but could be lost if action isn't taken to correct the damage. Have your trees checked for hidden hazards. Schedule a free inspection with your Giroud Arborist today at: 215-682-7704 or customerservice@giroudtree.com