Five Top Tree Care Tips for Summer

Do trees like the summer as much as we humans do? They will if we take proper care of them. Every season has its own unique effect on trees, including our hot summers, so it’s especially important to pay attention to the do’s and don’ts of proper care during June, July, August and September. The following are some of our top tips on how to keep your trees healthy during the warmest months of the year.

1. Help trees keep their cool

Did you know that hardscaping materials surrounding trees can intensify heat? It’s true, and it is an important reason why the choice of landscaping material should be carefully considered. For example, decomposed granite (often used as mulch under or around trees) makes radiant heat more intense because it absorbs the heat and sun and then reflects it. Other heat “sponges” for trees include block walls, structures, glass, and water surfaces, which all absorb and reflect the sun in hotter months. Too much heat can stress otherwise healthy trees.

2. Pay attention to fallen twigs and leaves

If your tree begins to shed twigs or leaves during the summertime, it’s trying to talk to you. While this is a normal process in the fall, it’s a reaction to stress in the summer.  Technically, this is known as “summer dormancy,” “summer leaf drop,” and/or “cladoptosis”, and it commonly appears in birch, maples, willows, hackberry, and western red cedar tree species. If this is happening outside your window, there are a few potential explanations:

Your tree may be reacting to soil compaction;

You may have planted a shade-loving tree in the direct sun (or the reverse scenario);

You may have saturated soil;

Or, more than likely, heat and/or drought is the culprit.

The good news is that proper watering should help bring the tree back to health. But remember, planting your tree in the right spot at the get-go will minimize any health issues down the road.

3. Water your tree in the right way!

While it is best to plant a new tree in the spring or fall, you can do it in the summer – if you are dedicated to watering consistently. Summer planting poses a greater risk of damage to transplanted trees. During the first few years, your tree is using up a great deal of energy trying to establish its roots, and thereby making it more vulnerable to heat and droughts. Deep watering (keeping the soil moist to a depth that includes all the roots) is crucial to helping the development (and speed) of root establishment.

How much water is too much? You might be surprised to learn that overwatering is a fairly common tree care mistake. The rule of thumb is to avoid causing soggy soil. The goal is to have damp soil that dries in a short period and will allow enough oxygen into the soil. You can usually achieve this with a steady stream of water from a garden hose for about 30 seconds; a diffuser nozzle is best for tree seedlings. If you want a more accurate read, insert a garden trowel into the ground about 2 inches deep, moving the blade back and forth to establish a small trench. Put your finger in the hole: if the soil is damp, you won’t need to water; if it’s dry, however, you will. After a couple years, the root system of your tree becomes established enough to allow it to better withstand a hotter and drier summer.

4. Let mulch do some heavy lifting

Mulch is a great addition to landscaping since it can help retain moisture. This makes mulch especially helpful for new and transplanted trees. The reason for this is that mulch acts as a natural buffer from both drastic hot and cold temperature changes that we Mainers experience each year. It also prevents soil compaction, keeps the weeds out by helping prevent root competition, and helps minimize damage from lawnmowers and string trimmers. To correctly mulch around a tree, remove any grass within a 3 to 10 foot area  surrounding the base (depending on your tree size), and pour natural mulch, such as bark or wood pieces, within this circle. The depth of the mulch should be about 2 to 4 inches, but be careful to keep the mulch from touching the trunk of the tree.

5. To prune or not to prune …

Summer pruning is often done for corrective purposes, especially since the warmer months make for easy identification of defective limbs. Summer pruning is sometimes used to “dwarf” the development of a branch or tree.

However, use caution when considering pruning in the summer. Leaves keep trees cool, and too much pruning can put the tree into stress. In addition, if you prune a tree too drastically, you could expose the tree bark to intense sun creating a condition known as ‘sun scalding’. Younger and thinner trees are especially susceptible to sun scalding, and excessive heat can actually kill the entire tree or its limbs. Remember: trees rely on leaves for food production and shade in the hotter months, so please make sure they have what they need to thrive!

It’s important to look at why you feel the need to prune in the summer, or in any season. If you feel a tree is getting too large, it may simply be the wrong species of tree for your yard. Or, your over-watering and over-fertilizing may be putting the tree into growth overdrive.

As a rule of thumb, limit your summer pruning to dead/broken branch removal, especially if it’s posing a threat to your property or people. Keep in mind that regular pruning is not always necessary every year.  When it doubt, call a tree service pro.

Let us handle your summer tree services!

If you are more interested in using your summer weekends to hit the beach or host a BBQ, we don’t blame you! You can rely on our expert tree services to get the job done. After an on-site visit, we can help determine any seasonal tree services that you may need, in the summer and throughout the year.

Talk with a BJS Tree Service expert for all your tree

Spring Tree Maintenance

Spring is a good time to prune out any frost damage to your trees and other plants, which may have occurred from the harsh winter.

In spring, you can prepare your yard for summer landscaping by thinning or removing deadwood and/or removing the unwanted parts of your existing landscaping. This will help prevent damage to any new landscaping.

Should I worry about bugs and insects on my trees?

Many insects become active in early spring so now is a good time to consult a professionally trained arborist to inspect your trees and shrubs for unusual pest activity.

What should I do to make sure my trees are healthy after a rough winter?

• Check your trees for damage that may have occurred over the winter.

• Check mulch rings to see if additional material needs to be added. If the mulch is less than 2 inches thick, grass growing through it may become troublesome. Enlarge mulch rings whenever possible.

• Many insects and diseases are active during the spring months. Check your trees and shrubs regularly for any sign of pest activity.

• If our spring weather is dry, be sure to deeply water your trees and shrubs when necessary. Water is critical during leaf and shoot development.

• Avoid using herbicides beneath trees that warn against such use on the label. The same herbicides that kill dandelions can hurt trees if they are not applied properly.

• Fertilize trees and shrubs as part of your normal annual program.

• Remove critical risk trees if your Tree Specialist recommends.

• Weed beds, cut back perennials and trim fall flowering shrubs as appropriate.

When to Prune

This depends to a large extent on why you prune. Light pruning and the removal of dead wood can be done anytime. Otherwise, here are some guidelines, but recognizing that individual species may differ is important to remember.

Winter Pruning

Pruning during dormancy is the most common practice. It results in a vigorous burst of new growth in the spring and should be used if that is the desired effect. It is usually best to wait until the coldest part of winter has passed. Some species, such as maple, walnuts and birches, may “bleed”—when the sap begins to flow. This is not harmful and will cease when the tree leafs out.

Summer Pruning

To direct the growth by slowing the branches you don’t want; or to slow “dwarf” the development of a tree or branch, pruning should be done soon after seasonal growth is complete. The reason for the slowing effect is that you reduce the total leaf surface, thereby reducing the amount of food manufactured and sent to the roots. Another reason to prune in the summer is for corrective purposes. Defective limbs can be seen more easily, or limbs that hang down too far under the weight of the leaves.

Pruning Flowering Trees to Enhance Flowering

If your purpose for pruning is to enhance flowering:

1. For trees that bloom in spring, prune when their flowers fade.
2. Trees and shrubs that flower in mid- to late summer should be pruned in winter or early spring.

When Not To Prune: Fall

Because decay fungi spread their spores profusely in the fall and healing of wounds seems to be slower on fall on cuts, this is a good time to leave your pruning tools in storage.

Now that you know when to prune your tree learn the basics of tree pruning.

.

Local Tree Removal & Grinding Services

Having a tree removed from your property is a serious undertaking. It requires years of experience and continued training to make sure that everyone from technicians to neighbors to homeowners remain safe throughout the removal process.

Important things to look for in a tree service company:

• Are they licensed arborists?
  
• Are they insured and OSHA Certified?
• Do they have a long history of both large and small tree removals?
• Are they utilizing professional, well maintained equipment?
• DO NOT listen to a company who claims you can remove the tree yourself.

Why have a tree removed:

• The tree is currently dead, or will be in the coming months
• The tree is infested with damaging insects
• The tree is suffering from an incurable disease
• It has grown too large for its location
• Has sustained irreparable storm damage
• Is aesthetically out of place in your landscape

Risks of NOT removing trees:

• They represent a danger to people, homes and property
• Spread disease and infestation to other trees and plants
• Encroach upon public spaces – blocking sight lines and violating municipal codes
• Have a negative impact on property values

Gain real estate with tree stump removal
Remove that unsightly, in-the-way stump. Tree stump removal and tree stump grinding beautifies your landscape, while freeing up areas for other plantings or uses. After tree removal, stump grinding is the next step. After a tree has been cut down, tree stump removal still needs to happen. This is most commonly done by grinding.

Surviving the Slow Season

Tree service companies in most regions of the country have some time of the year during which business is slow. The slowdown is inevitable, but there are ways to keep your company going until business booms again.

Planning ahead

Determine what your total expenses are for the slow season and set aside funds during the busy season. That way, you can meet your obligations without risking assets or employees.

Maintaining that rainy day fund is one of the survival strategies that Noel Boyer uses. A certified arborist and owner of All About Trees, LLC in Springfield, Mo., Boyer says he has never had to dip into his savings. Instead, he minimizes off-season expenses by deferring optional repairs and purchases. Other companies suspend insurance coverage on vehicles that won’t be used during the off-season.

“Knowing that [my employees and I] have families to feed and sometimes the work isn’t there [motivates me to set funds aside],” he says. “It’s better to lose a little in the winter than to have to retrain new people in the spring.” Although many winters have been busy due to ice storms, Boyer has had his share of slow ones. “I haven’t had to lay anyone off in several years.”

Promotional opportunities

One way he’s tackled the slow season is by offering winter specials. He sells off-season work by mentioning winter rates on his estimate sheets. Boyer discourages regular clients from having elms and oaks pruned during the growing season due to disease susceptibility, and instead presells those services and provides them during the winter. He offers a 10 percent discount to those who schedule nonemergency work during the slow season and seeks to divert certain jobs. For example, working in a poison ivy infested area is less hazardous during cold weather.

Earlier this year, Boyer’s business was slow and he considered offering new services, but instead invested in radio advertising. Designed to promote his business’ name change and the advantages of treating trees damaged in past ice storms during the winter, his $5,000 in ads brought in $50,000 worth of work.

Steve Chisholm of Aspen Tree Expert Company, Inc., in New Jersey and brother of two-time ISA tree climbing champion Mark Chisholm, also works with clients to postpone optional work into the winter months.

“We try to delay municipal and commercial services until the off-season,” he says. “Municipalities have learned to budget for work at that time and know they’ll get better rates. They also pass on complaints from home- owners that are more obvious in winter.”

The strategy keeps Aspen in a strong position; their winter backlog is generally two weeks, as compared to four to six weeks during the warm season.

“Be more proactive in talking with condominium associations and management companies in the fall to encourage them to schedule January work,” Chisholm adds. He stresses educating clients to recognize that winter service is better for trees and for surrounding landscape features.

He doesn’t offer coupon promotions, fearing that it leads consumers to seek the lowest price, regardless of service quality. In addition, he points out that off-season discounting can be detrimental to tree service companies as the costs remain about the same year-round.

Other tree service companies promote themselves by devoting extra attention to newsletters, Web site maintenance and speaking engagements during the slow season.

“I never miss a chamber of commerce meeting or any other opportunity to keep my name out there,” Boyer says.

With the explosive popularity of social networking, the next slow season may be the time to check out Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. The sites don’t charge for accounts and are easy to use. Tree care tips posted on Twitter and Facebook or videos on YouTube can be a great way to reach consumers and business owners.

Lighting the way to profits

When traditional services aren’t in demand, some tree care companies branch out with seasonal offerings. Services such as snow clearing and firewood sales are common choices.

James Tuttle in Lubbock, Texas, took liberties with the concept of tree services and began marketing his company as a Christmas decorator 25 years ago. His company provides and installs lights, inspects them periodically during the season, and removes and stores them after the holidays.

Early on, the holiday services were a small part of his overall business, but one that he could perform with his existing equipment and crews. In fact, when Tuttle began, he didn’t own a bucket truck and primarily lit trees, rather than structures like homes and businesses.

“We tended to do a few large jobs that might take a week to complete,” he says. “I favored jobs like that because publicity is priceless.”

To light up a large business, such as a shopping center, crews worked during the day and evening. On one high-profile job, a single, large tree required a week’s effort. A shopping center contract calls for Tuttle’s entire staff of nine to work for a day and an additional two to three workers for four additional days.

Tuttle says no changes were needed in his insurance, as lighting work is less hazardous than standard tree services. His area does not require business licenses; in other areas, companies may be required to obtain and/or alter licenses.

After years of success with this service, Tuttle purchased a Christmas Décor franchise in 2007 to expand this aspect of the business. Blake Smith founded Christmas Décor more than two decades ago to augment his lawn care business. In this business model, the franchisee furnishes and maintains all supplies.

“We discourage clients from owning the lights because if we package and store the lights, the next year everything fits and is ready to go. You don’t have any tangled messes,” Tuttle says.

With the expansion, Loving Tree Care is completing many more small jobs, such as residences, and is finding equipment needs differ, especially with newer homes. With the trend of constructing larger homes, often topped with steep-pitched roofs, special techniques and equipment are necessary. Tuttle now uses bucket trucks and sometimes cranes, which serve as rigging points for climbers who are decorating steep roofs.

Tuttle says two to four hours are needed to decorate a typical home with two trees, and a crew of two to three generally completes three to four residences per day. He says that tree lighting is more detailed and time-consuming than structures, although windows are complicated to complete.

The pricing structure for residences averages $900 to $1,500 in Tuttle’s area. He adds that the gross income is divided approximately in thirds: one-third each to supplies, labor and profit.

He urges those considering a holiday lighting service, which could expand into special event lighting throughout the year, to learn the business and its techniques and processes thoroughly. “When I took over the franchise, I was surprised that I didn’t know much,” Tuttle says, although he had performed such installations for decades. Also, it isn’t a 9-to-5 operation. Shopping center work, for instance, must be done after retail hours. He expects to have a crew working 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. this season, which begins in October with the creation of a large animated display at Tuttle’s office site, and wraps up with the removal of decorations by mid-January.

Holiday lighting services can be marketed through company newsletters, advertising, publicity and community involvement. Tree Loving Care donates holiday lighting to families who have members deployed in military service.

Maintenance and training

Downtime during inclement weather can be used for other purposes. Boyer dislikes having his crew out of work, so he schedules occasional trips to tree climbing competitions and has the staff perform equipment maintenance work during those times. “Our equipment is in better shape during the winter than any other time,” he says.

Training and earning certifications are other ways to keep employees busy while ensuring that you have a sharp team to work with when the phone starts ringing again.

Boyer points out that when off-season work is available, it is vital to remember that winter is simply a less productive time. When humans, trees and machines are coping with reduced sunlight and cold weather, a day’s work doesn’t accomplish as much as it does in May. Chisholm finds that winter work, especially if heavy snow is involved, can translate into repeat visits for cleanup work revealed when it melts.

A roar of thunder, an electrifying strike of lighting or a vicious gust of wind—while we stay indoors, our trees are forced to weather the storm.

We already do our best to keep trees in tip-top shape, so they’re protected from storm damage. But what if they still fall victim to the elements?

Whether light or severe, storm damage to trees can be alarming. Read on to find essential steps for inspection and repair if your tree is injured during a storm.

Repairing Storm Damaged Trees

First and foremost, your safety is the top priority. If storm damage left large hanging branches or broken power lines, call us.  That limb could fall at any moment, and broken power lines could still be live, so avoid them at all costs.

How to Inspect a Storm Damaged Tree

After a storm, walk around your tree and look for these danger signs:

• Hanging or broken branches
• Splits in tree branches
• Broken or uneven tree top, called the canopy
• Decay, holes, splits or cavities in tree trunk
• Heaving soil at the base of the tree
• Pulled or visible root system
• Uprooted or toppled tree
• Entire tree leaning

If you spot any of these signs, it’s usually best to phone a professional because your tree poses a risk and could fall or break at any time. Use your discretion, and know a certified arborist can help with every step of the process. They can clean up storm debris, repair damaged spots by pruning and determine if your tree needs to be removed.

Or if you’re curious, learn more about the most common tree injuries and what to do next below.

What to Do When You Find a Broken Tree Limb

1. Prune small, broken branches to prevent further damage. Pests see an opening in the tree as an invitation to settle in, which can be especially harmful as your tree needs extra strength to heal.
2. Do not attempt to prune large branches or branches that are too high up.
3. Prune broken limbs back to the point where they join a larger branch. If there are strips of bark protruding at the breaking point, remove the branch and smooth the wood with a saw.
4. For injuries like those in #2 and #3,call a professional, so the tree heals correctly and no one gets hurt.

How to Save a Split Tree

1. Minor splits on branches that are not hanging or otherwise deformed should heal on their own. Think of these as small paper cuts that will be better before you know it!
2. If the split looks like a gash and is still connected to an unharmed branch, smooth the bark out to help the healing process. Think of these splits as more serious injuries that need stitches to heal.
3. Severe splits on larger branches or the trunk aren’t an easy fix. These splits are like if you broke your finger and cut it badly–a bandage just won’t cut it at this point. You need to go to the doctor, and the same is true for your tree.

1. For splits listed in #2 and #3–or if you’re not sure how severe the split is–it’s always better to phone for help sooner than later.

1. What to Do if the Top of the Tree Broke Off

1. Do not top the tree–even if limbs in the tree’s canopy broke off. Cutting off the top of a tree can significantly alter its structure and leave it vulnerable to infestation.
2. Assess whether most of the tree’s crown is still intact.
3. If at least 50 percent of your tree’s canopy is undamaged, it can usually stay afloat–with help from your local arborist. But if your tree lost more than 50 percent of its top, it may have to be removed.
4. BJS Tree Service can give you a definite answer and provide next steps after seeing the tree in person.

Suspect your tree is in trouble? Request a free consultation to get an expert inspection and best next steps.

By Mark Chisholm, certified arborist

When it comes to tree care, some jobs are too big and too dangerous, or just need professional expertise to keep the tree healthy. My rule of thumb: unless you can work with both feet on terra firma, you should hire a professional tree service. Working at height requires proper training and protection due to a number of risky variables such as electrical wires, wildlife, nearby fences, buildings or homes. Of course, hiring a tree service comes with its own set of risks. To get your money’s worth and protect your interests, you need to ask your tree care professional these important questions and make sure you understand and agree with their answers.

1. Will they provide an up-to-date certificate of insurance and a copy of their work contract?This should be your first and most important question. You want to ensure they are properly insured and that you will not be liable for damage, accidents or injuries.
2. What are their credentials?Try to hire a company with an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborist, a Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) Accredited Business or one employing a Certified Tree Care Safety Professional (CTSP). Will they be working in proximity to electrical conductors? If so, they will need to be Approved Line-Clearance Arborists.
3. Can they provide a list of references?Any quality company will be happy to share a list of satisfied customers. Ask for customers that they have done work for in the past month or so; you don’t want ancient history.
4. Will they give you a detailed estimate?Get written estimates from three equal companies to compare prices and understand the scope of the job, which leads into the next question.
5. How will the job be approached and what equipment will they use?You don’t want massive power equipment driving over your lawn and flowerbeds causing collateral damage unnecessarily. If they are going across your lawn, make sure they know the locations of sprinkler heads or other objects that may be damaged. What is their policy if they damage something and is it acceptable to you? It may be a good idea to photograph the area before work begins so you have a record in case there is damage. Make sure you understand how they will clean up during and after the job.
6. How long will the project take?This is why getting an estimate is handy. One company might say three days while another company says three hours.
7. Does the company appear professional?What does their company truck look like, is it well taken care of? Is the truck clean and in good shape? If they don’t take care of their equipment, do you think they will take care of your tree and property? Do they have a website? Design and content can give you a sense of their professionalism, as can the appearance of the vehicles they use on jobs. That can give you an idea of how they run their business.
8. Do they use spikes to climb trees while pruning?Unless you’re removing the trees, demand they not use spikes, which causes unhealthy wounds.
9. Do they advertise “topping” (removing live sections from the top of the tree)?This is another poor practice, particularly for large, healthy hardwood trees and would indicate that you should continue your search.
10. Will the crew be using hardhats and other personal protective equipment while on your property?The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that personal protective equipment be used for any tree care operation. A reputable tree care service will require their workers to be protected.

It’s important to protect yourself and your property by hiring a tree care professional for dangerous jobs. It’s equally important to protect yourself and your “tree investment” by asking these top ten important questions. For more information, including resources to help you find a tree care service, visit www.bjstreeservices.com