Say “NO” to 1-Year Warranties on Newly Planted Trees

A one-year warranty is a very common specification for landscape projects. One year may be enough for smaller shrubs and plants. However, it takes 2-5 years for medium-sized trees and longer for large-sized trees to successfully establish. Most balled and burlapped trees lose 80+% of their root system during digging and transplanting. Container-grown trees come with all their roots, but the containers change the structure of the root systems. Growing back those lost root system takes time! Adding the challenges of the harsh built environment, it is a wonder how any trees survive and grow. 1-year warranty for larger-sized street trees is not only insufficient, but very misleading to the customers by suggesting 1 year is enough. Then where did the 1-year warranty come from? And why it is generally accepted?

It is unfair to ask landscapers to cover the establishment when they are not paid to do the maintenance. It is unfair to the landowners including municipalities and residents when they are misled and think one year is enough.

Growing these trees to maturity is what the landowners pay for. Replacing dead trees, even at the cost of the landscape contractors, is NOT in the best interest of the landowners.

This talk will discuss the root problems around this issue. Provide alternative solutions that make contractors profitable by offering appropriate warranties. It will not only make landowners such as municipalities happy with healthy and thriving street trees, but also waste less of the tax-payers money. We will also address to the landscape contractors how to not lose money on tree planting projects and lose interest in bidding on public projects.