Dial Environmental Blog

When it comes to taking care of your yard you want to place your trust in someone who knows what they’re doing. The life of trees is extremely delicate and how they are grown and maintained can make a huge difference. Arborists are certified specialists that possess the knowledge to grow award winning lawns by understanding the biological needs of the trees in your yard.    An arborist is trained to identify tree species and their requirements for a flourishing life. They can diagnose issues and understand how to mend unhealthy, or sick, trees. To become a certified arborist they must undergo extensive educational training and testing along with continued education to maintain their licenses. Trees make up such a large part of the ecosystem that it is imperative they are taken care of to maintain a healthy world and picture perfect yards.  What Does an Arborist Do?  An arborist has...

When it comes to growing a healthy lawn, nothing is more frustrating than constantly keeping up on mowing and watering only to have it brown or grow in patchy. In order to give your lawn a fighting chance, many lawn care professionals aerate their lawn once or twice a year to get that lush green lawn every homeowner wants.   Unfortunately, not a lot of homeowners know what aeration is or the benefits it provides for your lawn. That is why the experts at Dial Environmental created this article, to make sure you know how to get the best looking lawn in the neighborhood! What is Lawn Aeration?  Simply put, lawn aeration is a process that basically involves opening up your lawn so it can breathe and grow. Aerating consists of going across your lawn, typically with an aerator, and pulling about 3 inch plugs out of the ground. By plugging...

Spiders are one of the stealthiest insects, making them difficult to find and remove from homes. Most people are scared of spiders and don’t really know how to get rid of spiders on their own. Although most spiders found in homes are harmless, they still are an intruder that homeowners should get rid of.  Why are There Spiders in Your Home?  Before you can keep spiders out of your home, you need to know why they are attracted to your home in the first place. Spiders are in your home because of food and shelter. Spiders like to hide in dark places and your home has a lot of them like basements, bulkheads, attics, and under decks. Spiders are in your home to look for food. However, spiders don’t usually eat crumbs of our food like most other pests. Spiders are hunting the other pests and know that the food in...

Termites are tiny insects that feed off of wood. They swarm quickly and can cause thousands of dollars in damage to your home before you even know they are there. Although a termite infestation is horrible to deal with, you can solve it. With a quick termite inspection, you can fix the problem as soon as you know about it.  Termite inspections also allow you to put into place preventative measures that will cost less than repairing the damage from a termite infestation.  How Does a Termite Inspection Work? There are two main seasons where termites come alive in New Jersey, and that is in the early spring as well as late summer. Typically if you notice you have a termite problem it is going to be during one of these two times of the year. This also means that you should request your termite inspection report during this time, to...

Cockroaches are hideous creatures with six legs and can grow to over two inches in length. Found all over the United States, these winged creatures are worrisome to homeowners and can affect people susceptible to asthma. They are nocturnal creatures who are active every season of the year.   There are two main types of cockroaches found in the United States, the German cockroach, and the American cockroach. Cockroaches have been around since dinosaurs walked the earth, they can live almost a month without food, and two weeks without water! How Cockroaches Enter Your Home Although they are pretty interesting creatures, you definitely don’t want cockroaches in your home. They can be found in any living space but usually, enter your home when looking for a food or water source.    Cockroaches love to crawl through cracks in your walls or holes in vents. They can even find holes in pipes,...

Harsh winter conditions can be incredibly challenging to your shrubs and trees. Freezing temperatures, icy winds, and heavy snow for months can all take a toll on your landscaping.  Yet the biggest threat to your plants and greenery during the winter months is water loss, also called desiccation. Frozen soil keeps plants and shrubs from replacing their stored water supply with moisture from the ground. Overlooking your landscaping’s need for a healthy amount of water during the off-season isn’t a good plan. The experts at Dial Environmental can help keep your plants from drying out by taking the proper precautions before Old Man Winter arrives.  How Cold Weather Affects Your Plants  Plants and shrubs, such as bushes, are very threatened by cold temperatures that cause desiccation and browning of leaves. On days when the air is cold and the sky is sunny, the needles and leaves of plants become warm which...

A chill is in the air, leaves are falling, plants are no longer blooming, and everyone is anxiously awaiting winter’s arrival. Now that you’ve put away or covered your lawn furniture, it may seem like there’s nothing else to do outside until next spring. However, that’s an incorrect assumption. The cold autumn and winter months are often the best time to practice Dormant Pruning. What is Dormant Pruning? Dormant Pruning is a style of pruning trees and shrubs during a period that will cause the least amount of stress to the plants. In the Northeast, the cold winter months can be the best time to perform the routine maintenance of dormant pruning. That’s because plants are in a “resting” phase, usually starting during the autumn season and extending until early spring.    By working with an ISA Certified Arborist, you can prune damaged tree limbs, elevate low limbs, shape canopies, clear...