Meet the Tree Doctor

Certified Tree Doctor – William McKinley

When did I start calling my dad the “Tree Doctor“?  When you’re in elementary school, and all the kids ask what your dad does, it’s hard to explain what an arborist does.  That lead to calling him a “tree doctor.”  As an arborist, William McKinley is certified to assess the damage done to a tree, diagnose the tree, and provide treatment options.  There are several reasons for why your plants may not be thriving, we call these “stress factors.”

The most common causes of a decline in the health of a plant are:

  • Poor Installation
  • Lack of Water
  • Lack of Accurate Nutrition
  • Too Much or Too Little Sunlight
  • Compact Soil
  • Insect or Fungal Infestation

Poor Installation

If a tree or plant is not safely transported from one area to another damage to the roots of the plant can occur.  It’s important to know about a tree sapling or plant seed before putting it into the ground.  Poor installation can lead to poor plant emergence or poor plant growth. Problems with installation of a plant can include: planting it too deep, planting it too shallow, the soil is too compact, too much fertilizer, dry soil, overly moist soil, temperature is too hot, temperature is too cold, inadequate light, herbicide in the soil, excessive fertilizer, pesticide spray damage.  If you have little to no experience with planting, William McKinley can provide is expert consulting services to help you care for your new plant.  New homeowners may not have knowledge about the soil left behind by the previous owner.  McKinley & Associates can conduct soil tests to search for pesticides and herbicides before you even start planting.  The more you know about your new plant the better you can care for it.

Lack of Water

A lack of water is an obvious reason for why some plants don’t make it, but too often plant owners over-water their plants drowning them.  It is very important to do your research before watering your trees and plants.  Flooded soil can be just as deadly to the health of your tree as a drought.

Lack of Nutrition

Different plants and trees require different nutrients to survive.  The soil on your land might not be meeting the nutritional needs of your plants.  Here is where McKinley & Associates can help.  We can do an analysis of your soil with a full report.  You will be able to see what nutrients your soil lacks, and find out how you can get your tree the nutrients it needs to thrive.

Too Much/Too Little Sunlight

Some plants thrive in sunlight, while others crave the cool shade.  Contact McKinley & Associates today to learn the right amount of light for your special new tree.

Compact Soil

Imagine that the roots of a tree or plant are like your arms and legs.  In compact soil the tree is unable to move it’s “arms” and “legs”.  Without the ability to move and expand their roots, a tree cannot grow and survive.  Contact us today to learn how to loosen compacted soil.

Insect or Fungal Infestation

If your tree is infected with insects or fungus it’s very important to treat these issues first.  At McKinley & Associates we can diagnose the types of bugs or fungus causing the problem, and then provide treatment.  Once the bugs or fungus have been removed, then we can treat the other stressors affecting the tree or plants growth.  To treat your tree there are a variety of organic sprays, chemical sprays, and soil injections to choose from.  A environmental consultation from William McKinley will allow us to diagnose the tree, and administer the correct treatment technique.

As a dedicated arborist and tree doctor, William McKinley can lead your tree or plant down the road to recovery.  Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.