Tree Services: Sapling Planting

Planting a sapling is one of the many tree services your local arborist offers. Just like with real estate, it’s location, location, location. Plant saplings at least 20 feet from any other trees and make sure they’re not near utilities (you can call your municipality to check for utility line locations). Depending on the tree’s root spread and how big it will grow, you might need more than 20 feet. Also keep in mind that you don’t want to have to call Roto-Rooter a few years down the road, so try to keep the sapling as far from underground plumbing as possible. The average sapling doesn’t need a very big hole to take to the soil. Aim for six inches wide and the same depth as the root ball. The very top of the root ball should be above ground — and stay there. T

Why You Should Fertilize Your Trees

Trees need fertilizer, just like you need food and water. Fertilization equates to nutrients, and trees are living beings. If the natural soil where your trees or shrubs are planted is lacking these nutrients, your trees may fail to thrive — or even die. Malnutrition in trees prevents them from growing to their full height and makes them more vulnerable to insects and diseases. Trees need two major types of nutrients: macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients include nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, phosphorous and calcium. Nitrogen is especially important because it’s needed for growth and it is easily depleted from soil. Micronutrients include iron, copper, molybdenum, zinc, manganese, chlorine and boron. You usually can tell if your trees have iron def

Fruit Trees for Winter Planting

Are you already dreaming about fruit trees, cherry blossoms and a veritable smorgasbord in your yard? Some fruit trees aren’t just OK with being planted in the winter — they actually prefer it! There’s no need to wait until the spring thaw to give your green thumb a workout. Plan early and you’ll have a bountiful harvest before anyone else. Plant these options bare-root and it won’t be long before you’ll have a real yard-to-table dining experience. Peaches adore cold weather planting, but they don’t care for too much dampness. Plant them next to a south-facing wall if you can, for extra warmth. Homeowners with an abundance of rails, fences and gazebos have grapes as an option. The American strains are toughest against mildew, easier to grow and generally sturdier tha

Tips for Holiday Lighting

’Tis the season for holiday lighting, and if you want to tap your inner Griswold, that means decking the outdoors as well as the halls. Exterior holiday lighting looks stunning, but it’s not quite as much fun to DIY. That’s why so many homeowners rely on holiday lighting experts who can stand the snow and cold (and have arborist training, too). If you want to try to tackle this job yourself, your first step is to ensure the lights and other decorations you choose are made for the outdoors. Inspecting light strands is (still) a holiday tradition, especially the outdoor variety. A frayed cord or any otherwise faulty material can be a serious fire hazard. You’ll also need to plot how to hide cords the best you can. You can use garlands or match the cords to trees, patios

What Makes Tree Removal Dangerous?

How difficult can tree removal be, especially if the tree is far from any homes or structures? It’s much more treacherous than you think, which is why only a professional tree removal specialist should handle this task! For starters, homes and structures are just one part of the equation — don’t forget about power lines. There’s a good chance that the tree you’re removing is near a power line (otherwise, you probably wouldn’t be bothering to remove it at all). You should always assume wires are live. If any part of the process, from you to the tree or the tools, touches the power line, you could take out power in your entire neighborhood — and that’s the best-case scenario. Electrocution is a very real risk that tree removal workers face every day. Some home