It’s not an exaggeration to say that Connor Walsh’s love for trees is deeply rooted – pun intended.
Walsh, the owner of Minneapolis-based Bratt Tree Company and a ISA Certified Arborist, has been working in arboriculture since he was a teenager. At the time, he viewed it simply as a summer job where he could earn some extra money. He had no idea it would turn into a lifelong passion and a thriving career.
“I went to college for a while and I decided I’d rather be an arborist,” said Walsh, who purchased Bratt Tree Company from his father-in-law five years ago. “I really like climbing trees and the science piece of it is really cool. I love being able to help protect trees from insects and diseases.”
Now that Walsh has been an arborist for nearly 20 years, he’s learned that there are plenty of misconceptions about trees and how to care for them.
“A lot of people think they can go get a book at Home Depot, read it and then do their own tree work,” he said. “But that’s not a great decision. There’s an enormous amount of danger involved and you could be putting yourself and your home at risk if you try to do it yourself.”
That said, there are a number of things homeowners can do to ensure that their trees stay healthy and disease-free. If you’re looking to prolong the life of your trees so that future generations can enjoy them, here are a few of Walsh’s suggestions:
- Water your trees weekly: Many Minnesotans have sprinkler or irrigation systems that are set up to water their grass and assume there will be enough left over to take care of their trees. However, that’s not actually the case, Walsh said. If you want to make sure your trees stay hydrated, he recommends turning on your hose at 20 percent power and leaving it somewhere in the tree’s drip line for an hour once a week. “If it’s really rainy, you don’t need to do this,” he said. “ But if it’s dry enough for you to think about watering your grass, you should consider watering your trees, too.”
- Put mulch at the bed of your trees: While having grass that goes up to the base of your tree isn’t directly harmful, mulch is definitely a better alternative. Not only does it help regulate the soil temperature where the tree is growing, it also provides a barrier from wire weed trimmers which can cause significant damage.
- Be mindful when planting your own trees: Oftentimes, when people purchase plants from a nursery, they’ll dig a hole that’s too deep and only big enough to accommodate the pot or burlap sack that the tree comes in. Then, as the stem and the roots expand over time, the roots are cut off from the flow of nutrients and water they need to survive and the tree will eventually die. When planting a tree, a good rule of thumb is to dig a hole that’s two to three times wider than the diameter of the tree’s root ball. The depth should be two or three inches less than the height of the root ball.
- Pay attention to your existing trees: If you notice large, dead branches or defects in the trunks of your trees, call a certified arborist ASAP. “Most companies – ours included – do free estimates,” Walsh said. “In other words, it won’t cost you anything to have an arborist come over and see if something’s going to be potentially dangerous for you or your home.”
- Stay on top of maintenance: On any given weekend, you can probably find at least one of your neighbors attempting to prune or trim their own trees. That’s because a lot of them think it’s a DIY type of job when in fact, the opposite is true. “There’s some science that goes into how the cut is made and where it’s supposed to be,” Walsh said. “Making improper cuts on trees can invite decay into the stem and can cause your tree to rot.” Additionally, if you have small trees and try to prune them without knowing what you’re doing, you can prevent the tree from becoming structurally sound in the future. By hiring an arborist to come out every few years to handle your pruning and trimming, you’ll not only keep your trees healthier and make them more aesthetically pleasing, you’ll also be making them safer.
- Whatever you do, hire a professional: There are a few red flags to look out for when choosing a tree service. First, if anyone knocks on your door and tells you that they’re trimming all the trees in your neighborhood and they’ll take care of yours for $50, steer clear. The same rule applies if the employees of the company you call show up in shorts and without hard hats. “These people probably don’t know what they’re doing and can end up causing a lot of damage to your property,” Walsh said. “The ones who are on the up and up with industry standards and modern techniques are going to arrive wearing all their personal protective equipment and you can trust they’re not going to drop anything on your house.” When you’re hiring a tree company, make sure they are fully licensed, bonded and insured and that they employ ISA Certified Arborists. “It’s definitely worth your time to do your research,” Walsh said. “When it comes to your home, you can’t be too careful.”
Aside from caring for trees, Walsh also believes in taking care of himself. He’s been part of the CrossFit SISU family for several years and is once again returning as a sponsor of the SISU Summer Throwdown, which is being held June 24 and 25.
Why does Walsh keep coming back? For him, it’s pretty simple.
“A lot of gyms are just out to make money, but the people at CrossFit SISU legitimately care about their members,” Walsh said. “They’re all about supporting their community.”
Bratt Tree Company has been proudly serving the Twin Cities for more than 30 years. Their ISA Certified Arborists perform a variety of services including pruning, trimming, stump grinding, plant health care and emergency tree removal. For a free estimate, click here to fill out a contact form or call (612) 474-5454.
