Scheduling Tree Care Service: How and When
Portland Fruit Tree Project is now offering fruit tree services! Whether you are interested in learning how to care for your own trees or finding skilled professionals to do so we have the resources to meet your needs, all while strengthening your community and promoting food justice. Fruit tree service is an ongoing care program that ensures your trees receive the seasonal maintenance and upkeep they need for holistic health and aesthetic quality. Following a consultation, we offer two options: full service, and DIY orchard stewardship.
Consultation
Whether you are a budding arborist or just looking for someone to spruce up that apple tree, booking a consultation is a great first step. Any tree service requires communication between the owner (that’s you) and the orchardist (that’s us) to make sure that your trees are receiving the care they need and that your goals are being met, whoever is working on them and whatever they are. During this session you can expect us to:
Walk you through pruning and shaping your trees, identifying and treating pests, and improving overall health and yield
Compile notes and recommendations from this visit and provide you with a detailed tree service plan that explains what needs to be done over the course of the year to your specific site.
Provide you with meaningful information and resources so you can go on to do your own orchard maintenance, or choose to enlist one of our experienced orchardists to do it for you.
Full Tree Service
Our inclusive tree service is a good fit for anyone who either is not interested in, or does not have time to do their own fruit tree management. After a consultation, we establish a schedule of season-specific maintenance to ensure the long term health and aesthetic quality of your trees, while decreasing the amount of future work needed. Our experienced orchardists are able to recognize the specific needs of your site and will perform maintenance to make sure your trees thrive! Tree care varies seasonally, here is what you can expect depending on the time of year:
Winter: pruning, mulching, pest care
Spring: water sprout removal, water check in (discussing with you what your tree will need and some options), non-chemical pest care, thinning fruit
Summer/Fall: pruning, harvesting, and cleanup of fallen fruit to reduce pests and mess.
Full-Service clients will also have access to Portland Fruit Tree Project’s harvesting program and can participate in food justice efforts in the Portland area!
DIY Orchard Stewardship
DIY orchard stewardship is a good fit for anyone who is interested in caring for their own trees; whether you have a single backyard tree or a sizable orchard this program grants you access to useful information for maintaining and/or establishing fruit trees via monthly emails. These visuals, tips, and reminders are tailored to seasonal needs and offer comprehensive tutorials on topics like:
Treating for pests and diseases.
Improving your trees health through soil amending, holistic sprays, and mulches.
Pruning for shaping and to encourage fruiting.
A subscription to this program also grants you special access to live workshops and our network of fruit-enthusiasts with whom you can share your questions and findings throughout the season!