Arborist and tree health care in St. Louis
Help My Tree offers arborist checks and yearly tree care in St. Louis. Start with the condition of the tree and its rooting space. A soil test comes before fertilizer, and a preservation evaluation comes before a removal decision.
Updated 2026-10-25
What a year of care looks like.
Most of the work happens below ground, in the soil the roots live in. Here it is, one step at a time.
A year of care, step by step.
Most of the work happens below ground, in the soil the roots live in. Press play, or pick a step.
Start at the soil line.
Two things we look for first: mulch piled against the trunk, and soil packed hard by mowers, cars and feet.
Uncover the root flare.
Compressed air blows the soil away without cutting roots. A root wrapping the trunk can be cut free, if that is safe for the tree.
Loosen packed soil.
We open channels in the packed soil with air and work in compost, so new roots have somewhere to grow.
Test before adding anything.
A soil test shows the pH and nutrients, and it decides what, if anything, the tree needs.
Add only what is short.
Many trees need no fertilizer at all. If the test shows a shortfall, we add only what is missing.
Mulch wide, water deep.
Two to four inches of mulch, as wide as you will allow, kept off the trunk. In dry spells, a slow, deep soak.
Come back every year.
We check the tree top to bottom once a year and leave a written report, so small changes get caught early.
A yearly visit should test the care plan, not trigger automatic feeding.
Is this your tree or a city street tree?
St. Louis Forestry describes trees in the public right of way as street trees.[6] Common examples include trees between a curb and sidewalk or in sidewalk cutouts.[6] The city maintains those trees; trees outside public rights of way are the landowner’s responsibility.[6] If the boundary is unclear, ask Forestry before commissioning work. The city requires a Permit to Maintain for maintenance on a city tree.[1] A tree beside your home is not automatically yours to alter.
Why does oak timing matter here?
MU Extension reports that oak wilt is widespread across Missouri.[3] It recommends planning oak pruning outside the high-risk period from mid-March through mid-July.[3] The advice matters for work around the tree as well as deliberate pruning: construction damage can also create wounds.[3] Sudden wilting deserves attention, but this page cannot identify a disease from leaf color. MU points suspected cases to its Plant Diagnostic Clinic for verification.[3]
What does a health plan look at?
Bring notes about new paving, grade changes and watering. MU Extension says fertilizer does not repair poor drainage or careless planting.[8] Our root-care services include compressed-air work to expose root flares and loosen compacted soil. A yearly care visit includes a soil test and written report. Ask what problem each proposed action addresses and what finding would change the recommendation. Cabling and bracing are available for assessment, not promised fixes for every weak union.
Why not feed every tree each year?
MU Extension says landscape trees may need little or no supplemental fertilizer when well sited or supplied by mulch and surrounding lawn care.[8] Its guidance also warns against repeated phosphorus and potassium additions without regard to soil levels.[8] Our fertilizer service is conditional on a soil test showing a need. A yearly visit is an opportunity to check the plan, not an automatic product application.
Where does mulch fit?
Our rule is to test before adding anything. Many trees need no fertilizer.[8] Mulch does more for less is our starting position, not a promise for every site. A five-year soil study found woodchip mulch the most cost-effective individual treatment.[12] The study concerned compacted soil in the United Kingdom, not a trial in your St. Louis yard.[12] It supports considering mulch before more elaborate interventions; it cannot predict an individual tree’s recovery. Tell us what has already been applied and how the ground is used.
Questions about this work
Can I hire you to care for a street tree?
Start with Forestry permission. The city’s permit page requires a commercial service with an ISA Certified Arborist and current required licenses.[1] Our credential labels do not establish permit eligibility for a particular job.
Is this a pesticide treatment offer?
No. This page offers assessment, soil-test-led care and the non-pesticide services described above. It does not offer pest-control injections or sprays.