Tag: tree trimming

Preparing Your Yard For Tree Removal

Darren Robinson Tree Service , , , ,

If a tree on your property is overgrown or damaged, it may need removal. Before calling a removal service, you should prepare your yard by clearing out vehicles, lawn ornaments, and outdoor furniture to keep them from being damaged by falling debris.

Tree Removal

Some services will climb the tree, while others will use a bucket truck to reach the upper reaches of the crown or trunk. They will also determine if the tree is in danger of falling.

There comes a time when a once-loved tree in your yard becomes a liability rather than an asset. For this reason, many homeowners and DIYers resist haphazardly removing trees unless they are essential. But when is that point reached? How can you know if that withered white oak in your backyard is ready to come down or that mangled maple is on its last legs?

The first thing to do is examine the area around your problem tree. If it is close to a sidewalk, street, or power lines, for instance, you should consider having it removed. This will help to keep pedestrians, cars, and trucks safe from falling branches and debris.

You should also take into account whether the tree is encroaching on your home and/or lawn. This could be due to overgrowth or simply that it is too large for the space that it is in. It is also a good idea to have trees that are growing in tight spaces, such as between buildings or in the middle of a driveway, removed before they start to cause damage or block a view.

Another important consideration is whether or not a tree has started to lean. If a tree is leaning more than 15% from vertical, this is a very dangerous sign and it should be removed immediately. If the tree is leaning suddenly, this could be a sign of structural issues that can cause it to fall in a storm or other event.

Finally, if a tree has been damaged in a storm or by a disease, it may be a good idea to have it removed. The best way to determine if a tree needs to be removed is to have it examined by an arborist.

After a tree is removed, it is a good idea to get rid of the stump and roots. This can be done by using a stump grinder or by digging the stump up with a spade and then burning it out with kerosene or fuel oil (never gasoline). The liquid should be poured in until it is completely saturated. Then, a stump grinder can be used to grind the stump and roots out of the ground.

Preparing for the Removal

The best way to ensure that a tree removal process goes smoothly is to prepare the area ahead of time. This includes clearing the yard of any obstacles, such as cars or other vehicles, furniture, toys, and decorations that might get damaged by the equipment. It’s also a good idea to move any plants, garden tools or equipment away from the work zone to prevent them from getting in the way of the professionals.

Additionally, you should check whether the services you hire are bonded. This is important because it means that they carry private insurance, which can help you recover damages if they cause any damage to your property. Make sure you ask them to provide proof of their bonded status before hiring them for your project.

Before the crew arrives, you should also clear the area around the tree to ensure that they can access it easily. This will help them avoid any unnecessary damage and can save you a lot of money in the long run. It’s important to note that the workers will need to go back and forth between their vehicles and your house during the process, so you should leave them enough space to do so without causing any unnecessary traffic.

When preparing your yard, it’s also important to keep in mind that there will likely be a stump leftover after the process. The stump can become a tripping hazard or fire risk, so you should have it removed professionally, too. The stump can be ground up and used as mulch, or you can simply have it removed to make room for new growth in your yard.

During the preparation phase, it’s also a good idea to inform your neighbors about the tree removal appointment. This will make them aware that there will be noise and debris in the neighborhood, which can cause inconvenience to them. It’s a simple courtesy that will help you avoid animosity between you and your neighbours. You may also want to consider informing them about how long the job will take and what your expectations are.

Getting Started

Tree removal is a very dangerous job, so homeowners typically hire professionals to perform this service. Often, local governments require homeowners to obtain a permit before beginning work on trees that are over 10 feet tall. If this is not done, the homeowner could face a significant fine. Some cities also have regulations governing the amount of time that a home owner can leave a tree standing, depending on how close it is to power lines and buildings.

Before the professional arrives, the homeowner should clear the area around the tree. This should be twice as wide as the height of the tree and should be free of obstructions such as sheds, fences and cars. The tree care experts will need to be able to move back and forth between their vehicles and the area where the tree is located. If there are any breakable items or pets in the vicinity, they should be moved or moved away from the tree for safety reasons.

It is also a good idea for the homeowner to clean up the debris once the tree has been removed. This can make the cleanup process easier and less stressful for both the homeowners and the tree removal service. The debris can be turned into something useful such as firewood, woodworking projects or mulch. The thicker sections of the tree can be cut into logs while smaller branches and leaves can be run through a chipper.

If the customer does not want to use the materials, they can be taken to a waste management center for organic recycling. Many tree removal services will offer this as an option for their customers to reduce their environmental impact.

Before starting a tree service business, the owner should decide what type of entity it will be and how it will be structured. This will have a major impact on how the business is taxed, so it is a good idea to seek the advice of an accountant or attorney. The owner should also consider what types of services it will offer to residential and commercial clients. Choosing to focus on one or the other is a big decision that will influence how much money can be made.

Safety First

When dealing with large, potentially dangerous trees, safety is always first. It’s important for professionals to have the proper equipment, including heavy-duty gloves that protect hands from cuts, splinters and other injuries; safety goggles or glasses to keep debris from getting in the eyes; a hard hat for when working near tall tree trunks; and a chainsaw with regular maintenance checks to ensure optimal performance.

It’s also important for tree removal companies to set clear rules and communicate them clearly to their crews. This will help to reduce accidents and ensure that everyone is aware of the dangers at hand. For example, it’s important to be mindful of the environment around a tree – from power lines to wildlife that may be in the area. It’s also a good idea to have a back-up plan for when things go wrong, from knowing how to reach emergency services to ensuring that everyone is up-to-date on CPR and first aid training.

The other issue is that a tree can be unpredictable, especially when it comes to the direction it falls. If it hits a house or other structure, it can cause major damage that requires costly repairs. It can also hit power lines and potentially cause a power outage that affects the entire neighborhood.

A lot of people are afraid to remove a tree even when it is in danger, and that’s understandable. It is a dangerous job that should be left to the professionals. However, if it’s in danger of falling on your home or damaging your property it’s important to hire a company that has the expertise and skills to safely remove it.

The right tree removal company will be able to assess the situation, make recommendations and provide you with a fair price for the work that needs to be done. They will also take the time to properly prepare for the removal so that it’s as safe as possible. They’ll estimate the felling zone, make sure there’s plenty of room and cut a notch in the tree to guide its fall. They’ll also look for kickback limbs that could catch them by surprise and prevent them from safely cutting the tree.

Pruning Your Trees and Shrubs Properly

Alice Sanders Tree Service , , , , , ,

Pruning is one of the least understood and most abused gardening chores. When done improperly, pruning can damage a plant or even cause it to produce less fruit and flowers.

Palm Tree Trimming Phoenix can help trees survive a storm or other natural event. It can also protect people’s and property’s safety by removing branches close to or growing over power lines.

tree service

Dormant pruning is the process of performing routine maintenance on trees and shrubs at a time when they are not actively growing. This can include elevating low-hanging branches, removing broken and damaged limbs, or creating space between your home or structures and your landscaping. Many times, these tasks can be performed more dramatically in the winter than during the spring, and are a great way to ensure walkways and paths are clear of any overhanging branches that might cause a safety issue for you or your guests.

When pruned during the dormant season, a plant’s energy can be conserved for healthy new growth and blooming the following year. This is especially important for plants such as trees and shrubs that are prone to insect infestations or diseases, since open pruning wounds can make them more susceptible to infection.

During the fall and winter, a plant’s energy is used to store nutrients in preparation for hibernation over the winter. When a plant is pruned during the dormant season, that energy can be directed into repairing the pruning cuts made and developing new buds for the next growing season. Often, dormant pruning is performed in the late fall to early spring, when you can better see a tree’s overall branch pattern without the leaves.

As a result, a professional landscaper can more easily identify the proper shape and form for a plant and remove any unhealthy or dead growth. They can also better target the areas that need special attention, like eliminating sucker growth or promoting certain garden forms and styles. Lastly, dormant pruning can also be done with a greater level of precision than is possible in the summer, when plants are in full bloom and more difficult to assess their health and structure.

The benefits of dormant pruning also extend to commercial properties, as it allows for the safest and most effective way to maintain an estate-quality landscape. With dormant pruning, a property’s landscaping can be maintained to an ideal size, while also maintaining a clean and consistent aesthetic that appeals to tenants, visitors and passersby.

When spring arrives, many homeowners are eager to get their hands dirty and begin their outdoor projects. Pruning is an essential gardening task that can be done anytime in late winter and early spring when trees and shrubs are dormant. However, pruning during this time requires a certain level of skill and knowledge.

Proper pruning can increase the health of plants, improve their appearance, and enhance their overall value to a property. It also can help control the spread of disease and insects, and promotes new growth.

The most important part of pruning is removing dead branches and thinning areas that are overgrown. This is called crown thinning, and it helps maintain a balanced and healthy shape to the plant. Thinning should not remove more than a third of the entire foliage area of the tree. It is also critical to identify and prune crossing or rubbing twigs and branches, as these can cause damage or breakage to other limbs.

Other types of pruning include reducing the size of a shrub or small tree, reshaping a tree or shrub to maintain its form, and rejuvenation. Reducing the size of a tree can reduce the amount of shade it casts and prevents it from growing into structures such as power lines or driveways. It can also improve visibility and reduce the risk of damage from wind or snow.

Reducing the size of a shrub or small tree is typically done by removing the oldest and thickest twigs, which can often be found on the ends of branches. Removing these can help the shrub or small tree grow more densely and be healthier. Reshaping a tree or shrub can help it stay the shape you want, such as creating a defined hedge or creating a more formal garden design.

Some trees and shrubs should not be pruned in the spring. These are those that set flower blossoms before the current year’s growth begins, such as magnolias, azaleas, lilacs and forsythias. Taking these off before they bloom means that you will be cutting off the dormant buds, which will result in no flowers. Likewise, birch and maple trees should not be pruned in spring because they are very sappy and can “weep” sap all over the place.

Using summer pruning, fruit trees are pruned to thin out the canopy, allowing adequate light penetration throughout the crown. This focuses energy into fruit production, prevents over-cropping and enables good pollination. This is the main pruning method for apple and pear trees trained as restricted forms (cordons, espaliers, fans, pyramids and spindlebush) and is also used on other ripening fruit crops such as cherry and loganberry.

A key aspect of summer pruning is to remove any limbs that are dead, damaged or diseased. This not only improves the appearance of your tree but also reduces the risk that a weak limb will fall during a storm and damage your home. Dead limbs also block the growth of other limbs and can be a magnet for aphids, scab and mildew fungi, so removing them makes the tree more resistant to these pests.

Removing suckers and water sprouts is another important aspect of summer pruning. These are twiggy, vegetative growths that develop at the base of older, larger limbs and take up precious resources that could otherwise be reserved for developing fruit buds and spurs. Watersprouts and suckers should be snipped at their bases before they grow too tall and shade other limbs in the canopy.

Many limbs that are left untrimmed will become long and heavy during the summer. If a branch is too long, it is not only difficult to reach the ground to pick fruit but is more likely to break under its own weight during a storm. Summer pruning can help with this by making heading cuts, that is, cutting a lateral shoot back to its point of origin, usually 8 to 9 inches from the scaffolding branch.

Every time a branch is headed back during the summer, it rapidly releases ethylene gas, which rises and saturates the entire canopy. As a result, more flower buds will be produced throughout the crown. This is especially effective on young trees and on scab and mildew resistant rootstocks that are prone to overvigoration from the bottom-up.

A final reason to prune in the summer is to limit the growth of fruit trees that are too tall. Making a thinning cut mid to late summer on an apple or pear tree back to a lateral bearing fruit will lower the canopy and prevent it from shading other trees and alleyways. This is particularly beneficial on scab and mildew-resistant or low-vigor apple and pear cultivars.

Many gardeners prune their shrubs, roses and perennials in the fall, so it makes sense to prune trees at that time too. However, it’s usually best to leave major pruning until late winter-early spring. This is because pruning in early fall stimulates new growth at a time when the plant is preparing to enter dormancy and shut down production of chlorophyll. This tender, new growth is more vulnerable to cold weather damage than mature wood.

While there are some exceptions, it’s generally best to focus fall pruning on removing dead, diseased and hazardous branches. Keeping shrubs and trees trimmed to reduce the potential for storm damage is also important in the fall. In addition, it’s a good idea to take down any dead or damaged branches that hang over structures or create a safety hazard. Prune any branches that have grown into power lines as well.

Other common pruning tasks in the fall include removing crossing or rubbing branches and thinning out dense thickets. In general, a trimmed tree has better resistance to snow and ice and can more easily withstand strong winds. This is especially true if you remove branches that are growing too close to a house or other structure. Pruning crosses or rubbing branches can also influence the health of your tree by directing water and nutrients away from healthy tissue.

Most flowering shrubs and some evergreens bloom on the old growth produced in the summer. Prune these plants in the fall, and you may lose their spring beauty. Examples of these plants include lilacs, forsythia and spirea.

For some flowering and berry-producing plants, such as azaleas, camellias, forsythia and lilacs, pruning in the fall can help to promote blooms and fruit. If you do prune these plants in the fall, be sure to cut back any spent flowers and remove all berries that have fallen. Also, be careful when pruning holly and other evergreens with fruit bearing branches that you don’t damage or cut off the buds for next year’s harvest. These buds are usually protected by needles and will be hidden until spring.