The former head of the Flagler County Extension Service who now runs his own company, Advanced Tree Care in St. Augustine, was recently named a Board Certified Master Arborist by the International Society of Arboriculture.

This means he's in pretty select company. Only about 100 other arborists carry this title. Lippi is the first in Florida to do so, according to the ISA.

We caught up with Lippi this week to pick his brain about the subject he knows best -- trees -- to find out what uncertified arborists like ourselves need to do with ours this time of year.

Q. When do homeowners need to call an arborist?

"When they start getting conflicting information on work that's needed," Lippi said. For example, one tree service says "that tree needs to come down" while another says "that tree needs to bepruned."

"That's when I can step in and save people some money."

Q. : It's almost winter. Is it OK to prune trees at this time of year?

"This is a very good time to do the work. The services aren't as busy. And the leaves are off most trees, making the (tree's) structure easier to see."

Here in Florida, you can still plant hearty trees and shrubs at this time of year, he added.

Q. Are there any trees you'd like to see more people planting?

"There are a few that have done better in the hurricanes," like live oak, sabal palms and magnolias, he said. "Those I tend to promote first."

Q. What's the biggest mistake people make when planting trees?

"Usually, they're not irrigated properly," he said, adding that a bubbler works better than a sprinkler.

"A lot of trees are also plant-ed too deep," Lippi added. Remember, the top root should be at, or slightly above, ground level.