Tree & Plant Diagnostics
Evaluation of decline, discoloration, dieback, unusual growth, and loss of vigor.
Diagnose • Educate • Solve at the root
We get to the root of the issue!
Professional tree and plant diagnostics, clear explanations, and practical solutions from ISA Certified Arborist and degreed horticulturist Kristy Garland.
ISA Certified Arborist
Degreed Horticulturist
Wisconsin Licensed Applicator
About Root Cause
Answers before assumptions.
Root Cause LLC was founded in 2026 by ISA Certified Arborist Kristy Garland. After more than 10 years working in arboriculture and plant health care, Kristy recognized an important need: property owners deserve to know what is happening to their trees and plants, why it is happening, and what can realistically be done to correct or manage the problem.
Kristy holds a degree in horticulture and brings extensive hands-on experience in tree and plant diagnostics. Root Cause examines the full picture, explains the findings in understandable terms, and recommends practical options for correction, treatment, monitoring, further testing, or replacement.
Kristy is also a Wisconsin-certified and licensed commercial pesticide applicator. Root Cause LLC holds a Wisconsin Commercial Pesticide Application Business License, allowing professional plant-health treatments when they are appropriate.
No plant is too big or too small. She loves them all.
How Root Cause can help
Care based on the actual problem.
Symptoms may come from insects, disease, planting mistakes, roots, soil, weather, watering, construction, or several factors working together.
Root & Planting Problems
Planting depth, buried root flares, girdling roots, mulch, soil, and root-zone stress.
Insect & Disease Management
Identification, monitoring, and treatment recommendations when action is warranted.
Plant Health Care
Fertilization, soil and root-zone care, trunk injections, and practical care plans.
The clues matter
What you see is only the beginning.
A thinning plant tells us where to start. A closer inspection of needles, buds, twigs, bark, roots, and site conditions helps narrow down why it is happening.
Needle loss, bare twigs, and thinning growth are often the first signs a property owner notices.
Small details can reveal important clues and help determine the most sensible next step.
Correcting the cause
The problem was underground.
This tree had been planted incorrectly by landscapers. These photographs show the investigation and corrective process as the buried root flare and structural roots were uncovered.
Excess material is cleared so the tree’s actual planting depth can be evaluated.
Excavation reveals the trunk flare and structural roots hidden below grade.
Problematic roots and surrounding conditions can now be evaluated and addressed.
Good tree care often begins below the surface.
Request an inspection
Concerned about a tree or plant?
Complete the form and Root Cause will follow up to discuss your concern and the next step.