Sitting by the warmth of my wood stove, in January, is an all too real reminder that Wisconsin winters are long and often brutally cold. As a species, humans are incapable of surviving a Wisconsin winter without some form of protection or retreat.

It may seem far off now, but spring will be here before you know it! It's important to be prepared for the upcoming months and to know how to get your trees from leafless branches to full, beautiful foliage. 

As the temperatures get cooler and typical sources of food become covered in snow, animals will look for any kind of meal - including trees. To protect your trees and shrubs from animal damage, it's important to implement one or several of the following kinds of barriers. 

Last issue, we discussed pruning as a way to reduce structural stress on your trees. Cabling and bracing rods (structural support systems) also function as protectors of a tree's structural integrity. When properly installed, cables help to redistribute structural stress and bracing rods can provide support to weak branch attachments.

There are few things better in winter than a roaring fire. However, if you purchase the wrong type of wood, your evening glow of warmth could be cut disappointingly short. Willow, for example, burns incredibly fast and produces relatively little heat. Instead, you'll want to purchase woods like birch, hickory, maple or oak. These woods have a high BTU/ft3, meaning they'll burn warmer for a longer period of time.

First Choice's Mark Pinkalla stopped by WJFW's "Up North at 4" to share fall and winter pruning tips. 

As part of our research commitment to help the study of arboriculture move forward, First Choice is assisting the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point with an ash tree leaf study.

Another important element of fall tree maintenance is fertilization. However, there is more to effective fertilization than making a quick trip to your local home improvement store and picking up a bag of fertilizer. Read on for five fertilization tips. 

During the autumn months, many homeowners sit back and watch their leaves turn from green to colorful hues, thinking their tree maintenance is done for the year. However, fall – and winter – is important and advantageous time to prune your trees to keep them healthy for next spring.

It’s important for Wisconsinites to get a “clue” about the significant role they play in the spreading of invasive species and diseases like emerald ash borer, gypsy moth, oak wilt and Dutch elm disease.

At First Choice Tree Care, our ISA Certified Arborists are the roots of our business. Learn more about how we train our arborists in this article. 

First Choice Tree Care President Ken Ottman made a home visit to Studio A reporter Brian Kramp's beautiful Glendale backyard to discuss tips for effective and efficient watering, especially with the late summer heat. View the segment here.

Wisconsinites finally welcome summer in July! During these much-needed hours spent sun-soaking and relaxing outdoors, it is important not to forget about the health of your trees and landscape. Many homeowners are not aware of the proper amount needed to water trees, and instead assume that increased temperatures call for (more)

First Choice Tree Care President Ken Ottman went out to Brookfield with Fox 6's Laura Langemo to discuss the Emerald Ash Borer - sign of infection, treatment options and the danger it brings to the ash trees of Southeast Wisconsin.

First Choice Tree Care expands its services to include full scale lawn and garden maintenance services with the recent acquisition of Milwaukee firm "Trees Are For Us."