By Gordon Lee
Trees are part of the classic American ideal: a home with a white picket fence and a big tree out front for kids to climb and people to sit under sounds pretty nice. However, as lovely as trees are to have on your property, they can also get out of control or become a problem aesthetically and structurally. That’s where a qualified Springfield, MO tree service can help!
Tree maintenance is vital for extending the life of your trees, as well as protecting your home and making the exterior more visually appealing. Tall trees can also provide valuable shade in the summertime. How can you beautify and protect your home with tree services?
For additional resources, please be sure to visit our website at springfieldtreetrimmingandremoval.com.
1. Tree Trimming
One of the most well-known types of tree services is tree trimming, which is often confused with tree pruning. Tree trimming is less for convenience and aesthetics, and more for the health of the tree. It’s like getting the ends of your hair trimmed to keep them healthy.
Trimming a tree benefits it in a number of ways. For one thing, trimming the top of the tree allows sunlight to come down into the canopy. Certain types of trimming can also make up for root deterioration by reducing the weight on the top of the tree.
2. Tree Pruning
What’s the difference between trimming and pruning? Many homeowners conflate the two. While tree trimming is intended to keep the tree healthy and promote new growth, the purpose of pruning is to remove unwanted branches or parts of the tree. It’s often done to keep branches away from a home or building. Trees also may be pruned away from power lines, or have particularly large branches trimmed off to prevent them falling during storm season.
3. Tree Inspection and Evaluation
Trees are living beings, and much like humans, they can age poorly or get sick. It’s important to know if your trees are diseased or rotting, as internal problems can cause them to weaken. If they get too weak, there’s a higher chance that a strong wind could knock them over- potentially onto your house or your neighbor’s. How can you tell if your trees are sick- and if they are, can they be “cured?”
A few signs that may point to a sick or dying tree include cracked bark, brittle branches, and a lack of leaves where there should be plenty. You may notice that half of the tree has perfectly healthy leaves and the other half looks like it has lost all its leaves for winter. This indicates that nutrients are not getting to the bare half of the tree. A rotting tree may grow mushrooms or fungi on the trunk in addition to developing holes and cracks in the bark.
If you suspect that your tree may be rotting or diseased, it is important to call a local tree service in Springfield, MO. An arborist, or tree expert, can evaluate the tree and determine what’s going on with it and whether part of the tree can be saved. Unfortunately, once part of a tree has died, there’s no way to cure it or bring it back- however, the healthy part of the tree may be salvageable if the dead part is removed.
4. Tree Removal
All good things must come to an end, and sometimes that means taking down a tree. Common reasons for tree removal include:
- Problems with the root system. Trees that sit close to residential homes are often removed because the root system starts intruding on the home. A tree’s roots are large and sturdy, so if they start pushing on the foundation of a house, the house will not win the fight.
- Disease or rot. As we talked about earlier, trees can develop diseases or end up rotting from the inside. Both of these things break down a tree and weaken it until it can no longer support itself and it falls over. Removing the tree before this happens can prevent damage to structures, cars, and more.
- Insect damage. Insects often infect trees that are already sick or dying, so insect cases often end up with the tree being removed due to more damage. Invasive species such as beetles can weaken the tree to the point that removal becomes necessary.
Never try to remove a tree on your own, whether it’s large or small. When it comes to dealing with trees, it’s always best to leave the job to a professional tree service in Springfield, MO.
5. Tree Relocation
Did you know that you can move a tree? It takes effort and an experienced crew, but it’s referred to as transplanting and it can be done. The roots of the tree sometimes need to be pruned a few months before the big move, so keep in mind that this is something that you might want to plan ahead for.
Young trees are relatively easy to move because their size is manageable. Mature trees take a bit more planning, but as a general rule of thumb, a tree can be transplanted before its diameter reaches 2 inches. Transplantations are usually done to move a tree to another spot in the same yard, however, it may be possible to move a tree to a local park or similar spot if you have permission to do so.
6. Emergency Tree Services
Trees are often left damaged or even knocked down after a severe weather event, such as a tornado or other strong winds. They may even be struck by lightning! Storm damage can knock a tree over, but it can also leave it significantly weakened and ready to fall at any moment. If a tree has been heavily damaged and needs to be taken down, don’t wait to have it looked at!
Emergency tree services in Springfield MO can range from minor trimming to full removal, depending on the nature of the emergency. An emergency tree service provider in your area may be able to get to you within the first few hours after a severe weather event if you give them a call right when you notice the damage.
