Gillies Tree Care
56 Fulton Cres L1R 2C9 Whitby, ON, Canada

You have the opportunity to celebrate the great benefits and shared love for trees on National Tree Day! This year's date of September 23, 2015 is a great opportunity to appreciate the lungs of the earth, our quiet crusaders that improve the air, water, and quality of our lives. You can participate at a local event location or just hug your favourite tree anytime! Event locations can be found at http://www.nationaltreeday.ca

National Tree Day is coming up fast, how do you plan on celebrating trees on September 25? Plant a tree with your family, go for a hike? Check out www.nationaltreeday.ca for more information and a list of events in your area!

A big congratulations to Riley Brown and Krista Strating on winning the Ontario Tree Climbing Competition in Kingston this past Saturday. They are now eligible to compete in the next International Tree Climbing Competition next summer in Milwaukee. Comedian Rick Mercer also stopped by the park and tried out a few of the events and interviewed some competitors. Be sure to keep an eye out for the episode of the Rick Mercer Report which should be airing at the beginning of October.

The weather has changed and it's the perfect time to start thinking about fall planting before winter arrives. Here are a few important things to keep in mind about choosing what trees or shrubs to choose for the selected location: 1. Size, is there enough space for the plant when it's full grown. 2. Location, Is it hardy enough for the zone you're located in (Native species are always a great choice)... 3. Sun/shade, how much sun will it get. 4. Soil type, rocky, sandy, loamy, rich, 5. Mess level, ex. a tree that could drop a lot of fruit/keys every year should be planted away from your pool or driveway if it is going to be a problem. Always do your research before selecting and before planting to ensure the tree will survive and live a long healthy life, or call Gillies Tree Care to take care of your planting needs.

We are very sorry to hear of the tragic workplace incident in Mississauga that claimed the life of arborist Milenko Doroslovac on Friday. Our condolences go out the family and friends that he has left behind much too soon. Stay safe everyone.

Congratulations to everyone who competed at the International Climbing Competition on Toronto Island August 3rd and 4th. We had a great time seeing everyone who came out to enjoy the competition and the beautiful weather. We look forward to seeing everyone again at the Ontario Tree Climbing Competition on September 14 at Lake Ontario Park in Kingston!

Brianna and her friend Shannon climbing at Humber College. Brianna is originally from Chatham Ontario being outside. She has taken the first year arborist pre-apprenticeship program at humber this year and has now begun her apprenticeship at Gillies Tree Care and plans on becoming an ISA Certified Arborist in the future.

Mark and Eric Batty

Girdling roots grow around the main stem of a tree, they can cut off or restrict the movement of water and nutrients within a tree.

Conks, or mushrooms are also an indication of rot in trees.

Trees provide us with many benefits like shade, privacy, and a visually pleasing addition to any landscape. Here is a list of some of the many other benefits trees offer that we may not have been aware of before. - Raise property value - Can reduce cooling costs by 30% and heating costs by 20-50% by providing shade and a barrier to the wind and limit snow accumulation - Reduce stress... - Reduce noise pollution by absorbing and blocking urban sounds which also reduces stress - Absorb co2 and produce oxygen which provides us with clean air to breath and help reduce smog - Reduce storm water runoff by absorbing and filtering large amounts of water through their roots and canopies instead of it collecting in streets and on properties. - Reduce temperatures in the city by providing shade and preventing the large areas of asphalt and cement from trapping the heat of the sun and reflecting it back into the environment which contributes to smog, global warming, and higher energy costs. - Prevent soil loss from wind and water - Shelter wildlife and promote biodiversity, providing a home for many animal species, including birds and insects that benefit complex environmental systems

The presence of Carpenter ants is usually a sign of decay in trees. They are large black ants, about 8-11 mm in length. Although Carpenter ants do not eat the wood, they chew the moist wood to make room for their expanding colony. The chewed wood (frass), which looks like sawdust is ejected out the nest entrance. If you notice carpenter ants, or frass on or around your tree it is a great indication of decay which could potentially result in structural failure (stem or limb breakage). Trees with Carpenter ants may require pruning or even removal.

Ties and rope left on trees for too long can have devastating results

Gillies Tree Care has official opened for the new pruning season. We are happy to announce the addition of two new members of the Gillies Tree Care team. Justin Spooner and Brianna Nydam. They are both first year graduates of the Humber Arboriculture Program.