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Recognizing Hazards in Your Trees Before It Becomes an Emergency Tree Removal Situation

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There are many situations where you may have no other choice than to bring a tree down. But, with proper maintenance, you can extend the longevity of your beloved shade-makers. Below is a list of things to look for to help keep tree-related emergencies at Melbourne.  Check Your Tree Roots If tree roots are threatening the home’s structures, you should contact a Certified Arborist to provide input on how best to cut the roots without hurting the tree’s health. Tree roots are powerful enough to penetrate and destroy your home’s foundation. The rule of thumb for measuring the length of a tree’s roots is called the grow line.  If the branches of a tree can reach the roof or walls of the building, then the roots can reach the foundation. Subsequently, check the roots for signs of decay.  Some signs included: Thinning of canopy with gradual death of the tree Branches will die Wilted leaves Stunted growth Cankers or sunken areas on the trunk indicating root-deca...

The Most Damaging Tree Trimming Technique

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Hat Rack Pruning, also known as Tree Topping, is the absolute most damaging tree trimming technique.  It will kill the tree. Hat rack pruning is a method of cutting off a tree’s lateral branches at random lengths, which then destroys the tree’s appearance and leaves branch stubs that will eventually start to decay.  This  tree topping technique is a surefire way to kill a tree long before it has had the chance to live its natural life cycle.  The Dangers of Tree Topping The practice of tree topping creates large, open wounds that become exposed to the elements, to harmful insects, and to decay. The branches are destined to die a slow death, consumed from within by rot, until they break off and fall, damaging anything in its path.  The tree will also eventually die as more and more branches rot and break. And the drastic reduction in the leaf surface damages the tree’s root system, leaving it more susceptible to uprooting. A topped tree decreases your ...

What are Some Benefits to Pruning Your Trees in the Winter?

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Some Benefits to Pruning Your Trees in the Winter Include: Reduces the risk of spreading fungal diseases like Dutch Elm, Oak Wilt, and Hypoxylon Canker Prepares trees for a healthier and robust Spring Easy to Evaluate the Structure In the winter months, your deciduous trees will lose all of their leaves and this makes all the limbs and the structural integrity of the trees easy to evaluate. Evergreens don’t lose their leaves or greenery in the same manner, but if you have a mixture of both types of trees, your evergreens may lose some needles or leaves from winter weather and storms. On your deciduous trees, it’s much easier for a trained professional to identify any dead limbs that need to be pruned. They can also identify any dangerous branches that may fall on a person or a structure when they are weighed down by thick ice or snow. This benefit is to keep your trees safe. Spring Has Sprung When you have your trees pruned in late winter, it allows you to contain them i...

How to Properly Care for Your Trees at the End of Summer and Early Fall

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If you take pride in your landscaping, chances are you’ve put a lot of time and energy into caring for your trees. Keeping your trees and fields in good health and preparing them for the next season doesn’t have to be difficult. With a bit of diligence, you can set your trees up to be beautiful and healthy all year long. Late summer or early fall is the perfect time to take a look at your trees and keep an eye out for potential problems. There are a couple of obvious warning signs you should look for when checking for tree trouble. Leaves Changing Colors Too Early An early color change could be a sign of stress. Believe it or not, stress affects trees much the same way it affects people. Stress weakens trees and leaves them more vulnerable to disease or parasites. Heat and drought can stress trees causing premature color change. However, if you notice it’s only the leaves on a branch or two that are changing, your tree may be dealing with a disease. Leaves that have dark spots...

Planting the Right Tree

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Planting a tree and learning about proper tree care is an incredibly rewarding experience. Not only is this therapeutic for many, but trees give off oxygen that we need in order to breathe. They also provide protection to several animals like squirrels or birds. However, before you can plant a tree, you need to decide on two things: which type of tree to plant and where to plant it. This alone is an important decision that should be carefully planned. Below are some helpful tips for planting the best tree for your area. Use the Right Soil Your landscape plan needs to take into consideration the type of soil present in the prospective location. The wrong soil will prevent your tree from surviving. Arborists have experience identifying different soil types and can help you figure out the difference between soil types, including: Acidic Drought tolerant Loamy Alkaline Moist Rich Sandy Silty loam Well-drained Wet Wide range Clay Consider Sunlight Exposure Sun exp...

Protecting Trees During Winter

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You don’t have to be a tree doctor or a professional to keep your trees safe during winter. But there are several factors to consider when preparing your garden for the cold season. Below are a few tips for protecting your trees from various winter dangers this year. Snow and Ice Heavy snow and ice storms can cause branches to bend and break under the weight of snow and wind. Some ways to keep branches strong include: Wrapping small branches together with a strong cloth two-thirds of the way above the weak point. Prune and remove weak branches. Have a tree doctor or arborist tie together the main branches of large multi-stemmed trees. Root Injury Roots can develop injuries in winter because they don’t become dormant as quickly as the branches, buds, and stems. Keeping the soil temperatures high and moist before the ground freezes is essential in protecting trees from injury. The best ways to reduce root injury in winter are to: Cover the new and exposed roots with ...

Planting Trees For The Spring

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Are you curious about the best way to begin planting tree seedlings this upcoming season? Here are a few tips to follow so your seedling grows big and strong! Keep the Roots Watered While you dig, it’s important to keep the roots from drying out, or your tree may never grow. Make sure the root ball is soaked so that it doesn’t reject water from the soil around it. Adding seaweed products may help the seedling avoid shock from the transplant and nurture root growth! Prepare the Soil When you start planting tree seedlings, you’ll want to ensure that the hole is big enough (about 2-3 times the diameter and no deeper than the ball of roots) so that the tree has room to settle and grow. You may need to loosen some of the dirt from the root ball to ensure proper placement. Once the tree is settled in the ground, fill the hole back with the original dirt to help the seedling acclimate. Seedling Aftercare You may think fertilizing the seedling right away will help, but hold off ...