To many people, a tree service is who you call when your trees need trimming. Indeed, trimming is the bulk of the work that most tree services do. However, many also offer a wide range of other services to keep your trees healthy. Although each company differs in the exact services they offer, here are some common tree services you might want to take advantage of as a tree owner.

1. Tree Bracing

Often, when a tree has a limb that has started to crack or that leaks excessively, you assume your best choice is to have that limb removed. But if that limb makes up a substantial portion of the tree, removing it may ultimately kill the tree. Bracing offers homeowners an alternative to removing damaged limbs. Basically, a tree service will use a series of cables to strap the limb up, giving it support. This will prevent the limb from cracking even further, and it may even give the tree a chance to heal the crack. Over time, you can slowly remove smaller branches from the limb to make it lighter, which will help speed the healing, too.

2. Deep Watering

Mature trees do not typically need watering as they have deep roots that can extract water from far below the surface of the soil. However, if there has been a long period of drought, even the deep-down soil may be dry, and your tree may start to suffer. Applying water to the surface of the soil may not get you very far as other plants will utilize it before it moves deep enough for trees to access it with their roots. A tree service can instead use a protocol called deep watering. Basically, they will use a big tube to stab deep down into the soil and apply water directly where the tree's roots can access it.

3. Spraying

Insects and fungal infections can wreak havoc on trees. The best way to manage both of these pesky issues is to prevent them in the first place. If a certain pest or disease has been common in your area, you can arrange to have a tree service come spray your trees with either insecticides or fungicides. This will hopefully protect the tree from disease and insect infestation going forward.

To learn more about the exact services that your local tree care company offers, call them and ask. They'll tell you exactly what they can and cannot do for your trees.