Tree Care Tips

One dry summer can wipe out decades of growth. Use these expert tips to protect your Northern Virginia trees from drought damage before it’s too late.

It only takes one accident to find out why tree service insurance matters. Protect yourself by hiring the right company in Northern Virginia.

Homeowners often wonder how tree services determine tree trimming costs in Northern Virginia. Green Vista explains the factors that increase pruning prices.

Making some of the common pruning mistakes in Northern Virginia can harm or kill your trees. Green Vista explains how to avoid mistakes while trimming trees.

Stump grinding is a vital service but one that too many homeowners don’t know about. Green Vista explains everything Northern Virginia homeowners need to know.

Is winter the best time for tree removal? Absolutely! Uncover the benefits of winter tree removal for your Northern Virginia property from Green Vista today.

When and how you prune fruit trees makes a huge difference in their health, fruit quality, and production. Learn the proper timing, techniques, and more.

In Northern Virginia, urban yards are too small for shade trees. These 5 small trees for smaller spaces offer beauty and function for compact yards.

Planning to plant a tree where an old stump was ground down? It might not be the best option. Learn all about replanting trees successfully in Northern Virginia.

Northern Virginia faces the threat of floods, so prepare your yard with flood-resistant trees. These trees will be able to survive while flooded and look great, too.

Are your neighbor’s trees presenting a danger to your property? Learn your legal rights to trim a neighbor’s overhanging trees in Northern Virginia and when you can have the court compel them to trim their trees.

Have you seen a remote-control tree removal crane in action? Wonder why we use one? Discover the benefits, such as making the job safer and more efficient, and why we use one in Northern Virginia.

Trees can become uprooted during extreme weather, from old age, or due to eroding soil or unhealthy roots. Learn if and when an uprooted tree can be saved, how to prevent uprooting trees, and more!

Learn what affects the cost of tree removal, what questions to ask the tree removal company, and how to know whether the price is reasonable.

Many property owners in Northern Virginia don’t know that broken, missing, or damaged bark can be a sign of tree distress. Learn what to do if your tree has torn or missing bark.

Ready to enhance your landscape’s appearance and safety? Stump grinding can turn your outdoor space into a safer, more beautiful haven for you and your family. Read about the benefits of stump grinding in Northern Virginia.

Who do you call when storms damage your trees? Green Vista! Learn how Green Vista Tree Care can handle your storm damage cleanup needs in Northern Virginia.

You may know some of the dangers of untrimmed trees in Northern Virginia, but did you know that not regularly pruning your trees can impact your home value, create safety hazards, harbor pests, and more?

Contrary to popular belief, not every tree is destined for a landfill. While it's true that trees affected by disease or decay may end up as waste, this is not the inevitable end for all.

Discover the best wood types for furniture that are perfect for crafting stunning pieces in Northern Virginia and Fairfax County.

Dive into our expert guide on how to prepare for a tree removal in Northern Virginia. Avoid surprises. Know what to expect!

Are those mushrooms spouting around your tree a problem? Learn about mushrooms that grow on trees and other Northern Virginia tree fungi. Click now for mind-blowing insights!

Severe weather can wreak havoc on any tree, but some trees handle high winds better than others. Here are ten wind-resistant trees ideal for Northern Virginia.

Native trees can benefit your Northern Virginia property, but some may need a little extra care. Learn which native NoVa trees can be problematic, what you can do if you have or plan to plant any of these trees on your property, and how Green Vista Tree Care can help.

Caring for native trees and plants easier than maintaining non-natives. Here are some other reasons you should grow native plants in Northern Virginia.

Three serious tree diseases are putting your Northern Virginia trees at risk. Learn how to identify the symptoms of these diseases and how you can prevent them to keep your trees healthy.

Invasive vines often look like native vines, but there is a clear difference: Invasive vines can harm or kill your native plants and trees. While many of these vines look similar to natives, there are some characteristics you can use to determine which vines are harmful. Once they are identified you can take the steps to get rid of invasive vines by using our invasive vine removal resources and strategies.

Mature, well cared for trees on properties are valuable, provide shade, and make any area look more welcoming. However, the closer the mature trees are to buildings, especially houses, the more problems they can cause. Roofs, especially, can suffer damage from nearby trees. In this article, we’ll discuss how roofs and trees impact each other, some things to consider when it comes to your trees, some issues to watch for, and how to protect your roof while maintaining your trees.

Winter tree pruning has many benefits, both for your trees and for your wallet. Learn why dormant pruning is a good choice for northern Virginia residents.

Planting trees near utility lines is risky. It might reach powerlines and cause huge problem in the future. Read this article to know which kind of trees and shrubs you can plant so it will be safer for your property.

All trees provide a lot of benefits to us. But there are also trees that pose problems and could potentially be a threat to other trees on your property. Read this post to learn more about some of the invasive trees in Virginia that you should avoid planting on your property.

Tree removal damage to landscape or lawns is inevitable specially when done in a wrong way or by non professional people. Here's what can be done to avoid damages and protect your property.

As summer temperatures rise, people start to wilt – and so do trees. In fact, trees can experience heat stress that not only makes them look bad, but also makes them more susceptible to insect and disease problems. Early identification and treatment of heat stress go a long way toward helping them recover. Here's how to identify and treat heat stress in trees.

Removing a tree from a confined or hard-to-reach area can be difficult and dangerous. Learn when, why, and how we do these difficult tree removals (and see us in action!).

Construction or landscaping can stress and even kill trees, particularly in urban areas. In this article, we explain why it happens, how you can prevent damage and protect your trees during construction, and how to help them recover after the project is finished.

Use the impressive display of fall leaf colors to remind you that this is also an important time to give your trees a little extra TLC so they survive winter in tip-top shape. Here are the things we recommend doing each autumn.

Is it worth spending money on tree maintenance? What’s the ROI? What types of tree work have the biggest impact? What should you avoid? We answer those questions and more to help you increase your home’s value.

Tree pruning can give you the look and space you want without harming your trees - but only if it's done correctly. Learn what to ask a tree service company (or yourself) before trimming overgrown trees.

Mulch, when used in moderation, has many benefits. But somehow it's become popular to pile mulch around trees. This causes many problems, most of which aren't immediately apparent. But make no mistake about it – mulch volcanoes are a death sentence for trees. Here's why and what you should do instead.

Spring yard cleanup can be overwhelming. Keep it simple by starting with these quick things to help your landscape and trees when spring arrives in Northern Virginia.

Spring tree care lays a solid foundation for the long growing season ahead and helps keep your trees healthy, beautiful and safe. Here's what to do ...

Are tree branches touching power lines dangerous? Can you trim the trees yourself? What about secondary lines - is it OK if trees touch those? We answer those FAQs and more!

Ten simple steps you can take before snow, ice and cold weather arrive to protect trees through the Northern Virgina winter.

Before you select a tree for your home landscape, there are three things to check and three places to look. Do all of these and you'll be able to choose the best tree for your property and avoid common problems.

Description, targeted trees, damage, symptoms of infestation, and treatment options for the four most common and destructive tree pests in our area, plus two new ones to watch out for (it's just a matter of time until they arrive in our area).

Are yellow tree leaves in summer a serious problem? We share details about why leaves turn yellow, what signs to look out for, what's likely causing the problem, and what to do about it.

You've probably seen many newly-planted trees held up with stakes. But is it necessary? We answer all your questions about whether a newly-planted tree should be staked, how to stake a tree, how long to leave it, what to use, and what not to do.

These delicious fruiting trees grow well in northern Virginia and are generally the easiest to care for. We cover the best varieties, growing conditions, care, and more.

Tree removal, pruning and stump grinding will leave a pile of wood chips. Here are 10 ideas for how to use them in your own yard rather than having them hauled away.

In winter, a dormant tree still needs water to maintain itself until spring. These FAQs answer all of your questions about why, when, and how to trees in winter.

Our top recommendations for winter tree care. What to do, how to do it, and what not to do to keep your trees healthy and safe through our northern Virginia winters (December through February).

Looking at that overgrown tree in your yard and thinking about pruning or removing parts of it yourself? Ask yourself these questions first to see whether DIY tree work is the best option.

Each autumn, as deciduous trees start dropping leaves, are you left wondering what the heck to do with all those fallen leaves? Here are three options for dealing with fallen leaves on your northern Virginia property.

Many shrubs grow well in northern Virginia, but these are the 5 best shrubs to plant this fall. They're beautiful, easy to grow & now's the time to plant!

Problems caused by tree roots can be found in every neighborhood in northern Virginia. Roots invade sewer and water pipes, enter cracked foundations, lift sidewalks and crack paved areas, and spread above ground to trip you. Learn why it happens, how to fix the problem, and how to prevent it.

After flooding, heavy rainfall, or even due to overwatering, trees can suffer from too much water. Essentially, waterlogged trees can drown. Learn to recognize the symptoms of excessive water damage, how to help your trees recover, and how to prevent it from happening again.

You'll be surprised when you learn about all of the things that trees do to help us. There are so many benefits, in fact, that we’re still learning about all of the positive impacts they have on our lives. But scientists and arborists have learned a few, and we’ve described them for you in this article.

Tree removal is inherently dangerous but using a crane can make it safer for the tree workers, homeowners and surrounding area. However, tree removal using a traditional crane still requires a tree care professional to climb the tree. That's why we've invested in a remote-controlled, tree-cutting crane that eliminates the need to place anyone in potential harm's way. Check out the cool video of it in action!

Rock salt and ice melt are helpful during northern Virginia winters, but they can kill your plants. Protect your plants with these tips and alternatives.

Winter storms, with high winds, ice, and heavy snow, can all cause trees to split, branches to break, and large limbs to fall. In this article, we share some tips on how to prevent, spot, and treat ice and snow damage from winter storms.

During winter, temperature swings can cause enormous damage to thin-barked deciduous trees through something called sunscald. But it's easy to prevent if you know how. Here's what you can do this winter to keep your trees safe.

What makes trees in northern Virginia change from green into shades of yellow, orange, red and purple each fall? Here's why it happens, what affects the timing and brightness of the display, and when you can expect peak leaf color this year.

Plants and lawns need to be watered, but trees get enough water from rainwater, right? Not necessarily! In fact, you should probably water your trees more than your lawn, as trees are a larger investment. Learn how you can tell if your trees need water, the best way to water them, and the best time of day to water to ensure that you're not wasting water.

Summer storms in northern Virginia are a common and dangerous occurrence. Although we all love the warmth and sunshine of summer, it also brings with it torrential downpours, violent thunderstorms, occasional tornadoes and high winds – we’ve even been hit with hurricanes – all of which put trees and property at risk.

Topping is the practice of drastically cutting back all of a tree’s larger branches to make them shorter, with the goal of creating a smaller tree. Unfortunately, topping usually has the opposite effect - if it doesn't kill the tree. Learn what topping is and the associated costs (to your tree and your wallet).

During the winter, if your trees make loud cracking sounds at night, or you notice vertical splits in the bark, it's probably frost cracks. Caused by large temperature swings, these cracks usually heal themselves in healthy trees. Take good care of affected trees to ensure that they recover, and call in the pros if the split persists or gets worse.

  Trees have endless benefits, from energy conservation to wind protection to creating healthy air for us to breathe. But as a living organism, trees are prone to death and disease, can be injured, and may grow where you don’t want them to. As a result, they sometimes need to be removed. As a homeowner,…

Do you know what the biggest killer of newly-planted trees is? Poor tree planting practices. Here’s the best advice I can give you when it comes to planting a tree – “Plant a $5 tree in a $100 hole.”  That doesn’t mean buy a cheap tree or line the planting hole with gold. It means…

Many people associate fall with the changing color of tree leaves – over the space of a few weeks the whole landscape seems to magically morph from green to brilliant shades of orange, gold, red, and purple. We often get asked for recommendations on the best trees to plant in Northern Virginia for stunning fall…

I recently drove through a neighborhood where many of the homes had maples, dogwoods, mulberries or white pines in their yards. One even had an elm. The maples are slowly destroying the sidewalks, the dogwoods are damaging the siding of the nearby houses, the mulberries make a huge mess when the berries ripen, the elm…

We usually think of tulips and daffodils when we think of spring flowers. But some of the best blossoms of spring come from spring-flowering trees. Their emerging fragrance fills the air and falling petals dance in the wind like spring snow, blanketing the ground in color. These are the landscape trees that brighten the early…

Simply put, Certified Arborists save you time and money.  Healthy well-maintained trees are one of the most important elements of any landscape. Mature shade or evergreen trees beautify the neighborhood and provide shelter for wildlife, but they have monetary benefits, too. Trees have a positive impact on property values, they help improve air quality, reduce…