The Tree Doctor: A Guide to Tree Care and Maintenance

A practical reference for experienced and novice tree owners alike.

If you are fortunate enough to live on property that includes trees, The Tree Doctor is the ideal, fully-illustrated manual for care and maintenance. A sapling requires different care than does a young tree or a mature tree. Trees growing in an urban environment face unique challenges that demand an appropriate approach.

Tree owners will refer to this comprehensive reference many times throughout their tree's life. The topics include:

• Tree characteristics and the benefits of trees
• Tree species identification
• How to read a tree's condition by its leaves and bark
• How trees are sold and how to choose a healthy one
• Hardiness rating, soil analysis, and what trees need from the soil
• Planning and design, tree selection and placement
• Planting, after-care, maintenance, and pruning
• Management of young and mature trees
• Disease prevention
• Treatment for insect infestation
• How to get the most value out of your trees.

The Tree Doctor provides invaluable guidance to those new to tree ownership with advice on the right species for every space, whether to choose a shade or flowering tree, what to look for in choosing a tree, and how to hire qualified experts if you need to. The resources section helps readers to locate experts across the country.

The authors also explain how climate change and recently emerging pests and diseases -- including the Emerald Ash Borer -- are affecting trees and they provide steps to mitigate these threats to tree life and health. Urban dwellers will appreciate the attention given to planting and caring for trees in a city setting, how to water and maintain city trees, and what trees are more ideally suited for planting in densely populated areas.

Dan Prendergast is an arborist for the City of Mississauga, Canada.

Erin Prendergast is chief of staff at the Art Gallery of Ontario.