What Can a Tree Service Professional Tell You About Witch Hazel?

Did you know that Connecticut is the world capital of witch hazel? Popular skincare products are made from a shrub native to New England. The first commercial astringent products were made by T.N. Dickinson in the nineteenth century. He was inspired to create this versatile product — which can clean and protect the body — by watching how Native Americans would treat skin irritations and wounds with success.

Witch hazel also does something that most Connecticut homeowners don’t hope to have: clusters of rich yellow to orange-red flowers in the bleak winter months. This plant will bloom in late fall or early spring, depending on the species.

Tree Service Advice: Plant Witch Hazel

You don’t have to set up your own distillery to convert this plant to the clear liquid that can be used to clean skin. Your arborist will tell you it makes for a great addition to your yard because it is a native plant in Connecticut.

Native plants have adapted to this area and don’t need any special care to survive and thrive here. Once established (and your favorite tree service professional can help here), native plants are almost self-sufficient, without need for additional watering or fertilizer. They also support native animals and beneficial insects such as birds and bees.

Tree Service Advice: Enjoy Witch Hazel

A witch hazel plant can grow 10 to 20 feet tall and grows well in sun or part shade. You can use this plant to screen your home for privacy as you enjoy its beauty. A little pruning can give you the exact look you want and here is where a professional arborist can quickly shape your witch hazel and keep it healthy and strong.

Witch hazel also needs little fertilizer and can thrive in a Connecticut yard, which makes this plant very attractive for many homeowners. If you’re thinking of enhancing your home with something attractive but low maintenance, then witch hazel might be just the ticket.

Of course, it’s quite the conversation starter for proud Connecticut residents!

Advice from Your Arborist: Plant Native Trees

Understanding what your plants need means having a yard that is both beautiful and easy to maintain.  We talked about how No Mow May results in a few extra hours for yourself and food for pollinators who will enrich our plants.  In this blog, we’ll talk about native trees.

You may be aware of the terms native and invasive when it comes to plants.  We all complain about weeds and how they can take over a garden but that’s not really the point here.  A weed is just any plant growing where we don’t want it to grow.  Even a blooming rosebush in the middle of a lawn is a weed because it doesn’t belong there.

An invasive plant is one that is brought into an area from somewhere else.  We find something pretty in a shop and bring it home.  The problem is, a lot of these plants don’t play nice with others and will take over in an aggressive way.  Bittersweet is pretty but can choke a tree as this vine climbs up a trunk and grows.  That kind of damage, and the associated tree service, is hard to reverse but can be avoided.

Learn the Benefits of Using Native Trees (Hint: Less Tree Service)

Native trees are those already at home in Connecticut.  They are comfortable with the weather patterns and have developed their own resistance to heat and cold, wind and water.  That makes them less fussy.

They don’t need special fertilizers and will generally save on water.  You don’t have to spend time and money making sure they have enough to drink because they like the amount of water that they expect to get in the Nutmeg state.  They also have figured out how to defend themselves from local bugs so you can skip the pesticides, which can be good for pets as well as your wallet.

Native trees are also good at controlling erosion below the soil and preserving biodiversity above it.  The birds and bees that we fed in May count on native trees to survive and we definitely benefit as we restore their habitats by offering shelter and food for wildlife and support pollinators.  (No bees = no pollination = no food.)

You may need to hire a professional tree service to prune a native tree but that work will be minimal compared to work you may need for a specimen that is struggling to survive in Connecticut’s climate.

Get Your Native Tree Advice from a Tree Service Professional

There are several native trees you can choose from: Red Maple, Black Birch, Eastern Hemlock, Sugar Maple, Northern Red Oak, Beech, Eastern White Pine, and Black Cherry.

Each can offer different ornamental value; a Sugar Maple in the autumn can present the most amazing shades of red and orange as the days grow shorter and the crisp air calls for a warm sweater.  As a setting sun provides a backlit atmosphere, you can be grateful for planting one near your home.

But, what to choose?  This is where an arborist comes in.  If you are lucky enough to be in the market for a new tree, pick the brain of your favorite tree service professional.  You can find the perfect tree for your needs: shade, privacy screening, decoration, even protection from the elements such as wind.  Someone experienced in tree service can teach you when each type of tree blooms so you’re always enjoying a beautiful show and feeding our winged friends, too!

Consultations are free and the advice from a tree service professional is priceless!

No Mow May

No Mow May: Help Your Bees and Trees

Are you looking forward to spring and watching the world turn green again?  With the longer days and warmer weather, we’ll be seeing buds go from almost imperceptible dots to leaves and flowers in no time.  That also means our drab lawns will be filling out with lush blades of grass.  We’ll be bringing the lawnmower for service in preparation of months of cutting.

Stop!  Your Favorite Arborist Has Important News

April showers really do bring May flowers.  Stop and take a moment to notice what is growing in between those blades of grass.  Can you see clover?  Before you reach for the weed killer, stop to remember what’s printed on that bottle of honey you bought.  Clover is a wonderful source of nectar for our little pollinating friends.

If you’ve ever craved that first cup of coffee and breakfast after a good night’s sleep, imagine how hungry bees are after months of cold winter months, during which they group together to keep warm while conserving energy.  They wake from this long slumber party looking for food.

We can make their lives easier by making food more accessible.  Waiting to cut our lawns will provide vital nutrients to these small but critical partners on whom we rely for our food supply.

Pollination: the Birds and the Bees… and Trees

If your parents taught you about the birds and the bees, then you know that flowers depend on our flying friends to reproduce.  According to the United States Department of Agriculture, pollinators like bees and butterflies help pollinate approximately 75 percent of the world's flowering plants and 35 percent of the world's fruits, vegetables, and other foods.  A planet that needs to feed 8 billion people relies on a strong food supply; bees do something very amazing when they visit plants and flowers.

Bees like trees, too, and help pollinate our favorite trees like maples.  As you sweeten your tea with honey and pour maple syrup over your pancakes, spare a thought for how you can feed the little bees.

Relax: Leave the Mower Alone and Talk to your Favorite Tree Service Professional

If you love relaxing in your backyard, then think about the gift you give yourself by delaying that first mow for a few weeks.  What would you do with a few extra hours?

Some people dislike the idea of a lawn that looks anything other than perfectly manicured.  You can still work on your lawn, just avoid the mower.  There are some tasks you can do to tidy up your space, such as picking up sticks and branches that fell during winter.  This is also a good time to take stock and make a plan for maintaining your lawn and all of the plants that grow in it.  That includes trees and shrubs.  A slow walk with a professional can bring you a wealth of information at no charge, possibly saving you as you keep your trees strong and healthy.

The state has provided a good primer and list of plants that help our pollinators.  With good reading materials and free consultations, you can easily enjoy a healthier, more relaxed spring and still be proud of your lawn!

Christmas Trees: Legend and Reality

Arborists work hard to keep trees healthy.  We don’t like to cut a tree unless the specimen is dying or will not grow strong because of competing trees but we do recognize sustainable Christmas tree farms where anyone can purchase a beautiful tree for the holidays.  So, we want to offer tips on how to keep that tree looking good as long as possible and what you might want to do with it after the holidays end.

Taking Care of Your Christmas Tree

Water the tree.  We know the holidays are busy and a new chore is easy to forget.  There are two good reasons for remembering this task: the tree will look better and your home will be safer.  LED lights are considerably cooler than the bulbs of the past but a dry tree is kindling.  Be safe and enjoy this time of the year.

Turn off your Christmas tree lights when you’re not around to enjoy them.  You’ll save energy and help the tree retain moisture.

Keep an eye on pets.  Your furry family members might want to chew the boughs and might become ill.  Slobber won’t necessarily hurt the tree but a good tug can topple the whole thing.  If you’re at work or out visiting friends, the tree might rest on the floor, with no water for hours.

Appreciate the Very Old History of Christmas Trees

For many of us, the annual practice of putting up a Christmas tree can be a very important piece of our family and personal histories.  We hang ornaments that remind us of holidays past.  We marvel at how the kids have grown compared to the height of the tree.  We remember the smell that we enjoy and that pine needles require lots and lots of vacuuming.

As a larger community, the tradition we share is very old, dating back to 723 AD.  Legend has it that Saint Boniface came upon a pagan celebration as he was spreading the word of God in Germany.  People had decorated an oak tree and were preparing to sacrifice a baby.  Boniface felled the oak with one blow of an ax, stopping the proceedings and getting everyone’s attention.

In the shadow of that oak stood a small fir tree.  Boniface declared the little tree to be a symbol of God, comparing the evergreen color to everlasting life and noting that the needles pointed to Heaven.  Finally, he declared the triangular needles to represent the Holy Trinity.

Know the More Recent History of Christmas Trees

Records indicate that there was a Christmas tree in the Cathedral of Strasbourg in 1539 and, thanks to recent television dramas, we’re more likely to know how Prince Albert brought the tradition of a tree to Queen Victoria and their family at Buckingham Palace.

Stars atop a tree symbolize the star that led the three wisemen to Bethlehem.  Angels on the highest bough also refer to the birth of Jesus and the angels present at the manger.  Despite the association of Christmas trees with Jesus Christ, the first tree didn’t appear in the Vatican until 1982 and it wasn’t until 2004 that Pope John Paul called the Christmas tree a symbol of Christ.

What to Do with a Christmas Tree After Christmas

Getting a tree is romanticized with images of snowy car trips and cocoa.  Disposing of a tree often leaves people at a loss.  Call your local town officials if you’re really stuck.  Towns often help collect trees and some organizations, such as local fire departments, will hold a public bonfire with fellowship and hot chocolate.

If you have a good-sized yard, you can set up a tree to help offer food and shelter to little critters.  Small animals can hide from predators and you can make new ornaments for the tree, including popcorn strands or pinecones slathered with peanut butter.  Make sure you remove all non-organic decorations before you put the tree outside.  Tinsel is no good for wildlife.

Regardless of whether you put up a tree or not, we wish you a Healthy and Happy New Year!

What Does a Difficult Take Down Look Like?

We thought we’d share some photos from a recent take down so you could see what the process looks like.

Just click on the photos below to step through the process. Notice the many safety precautions we take, including how we tie off the trunk so that it can be gently lowered to the ground. This 120 foot pine weighed several tons. To allow it to fall free would have been irresponsible and dangerous. By using the right equipment to take down this tree, we were able to ensure the safety of the people on the ground and the homeowner’s property, not to mention the lawn. Several hundred pounds of wood falling onto grass does nothing positive for lawncare!

In this case, the tree had been infested with carpenter ants and, although it looked healthy, was dying. As it was only a few yards from the house, there was the real possibility that it could fall and severely damage the home, possibly harming those inside.

Enjoy the photos and call us to learn more if you are worried about removing a tree that is close to your home.

When a Difficult Take Down Is the Right Thing to Do For a Tree

It’s never easy for an arborist to cut a tree that appears to be healthy.  Our goal is to offer these amazing specimens everything they need to grow and thrive.

However, sometimes it’s just not possible to save a tree and, while it may seem unkind to cut that life short but cutting the tree down, it can be the wise thing to do.

Unhealthy Trees

A tree can appear to be healthy, with unblemished bark and lots of foliage or, in the case of a pine, deep green needles and lots of pinecones.  Like animals in the wild, a tree will hide illness as a form of protection.  In an earlier blog, we noted that a woodpecker had singled out what otherwise appeared to be a healthy pine tree.  The top of the 120-foot tree was thick with dark green needles and the bark was unblemished but for the holes that the woodpecker had made.

An initial diagnosis was that the woodpecker had gone after the tree for no good reason.  The homeowner was upset and began to think of ways to scare the bird off, such as plastic owls that might make the woodpecker believe there was a predator nearby.

The holes that the bird had made were four or more inches deep, mortally wounding the tree.  Given that this tall pine tree was only about 45 feet from the corner of the house, the homeowner was scared about when and how the tree would decide to fall when it finally succumbed to the bird damage.

A Challenging Take Down

Unless you’re cutting a sapling, you should always assume that cutting down a tree is going to be dangerous and difficult.  To address the situation, you need the right tools, experience, and a bit of intestinal fortitude.

We have a bucket truck and that was a great help as we limbed the tall pine tree to prepare it for the takedown.  Preparation is key as is coordination.  When an arborist is cutting so high off the ground, it’s vital that the people on the ground are not in the way of falling material.  They perform a critical job as they keep an eye on the bucket truck and the wind and other site factors, such as traffic if we’re working near the road.  Those trucks are sturdy but a good gust of wind or a speeding vehicle can turn a simple wobble into a deadly situation if you’re caught unawares with a chainsaw.

Rope is a simple tool but don’t underestimate it or assume we tie off the tree and hold on tight.  A pine tree can weigh as much as two or three tons and that’s not something you want to mess with, especially as you add momentum.

Silence Is All

People are surprised when there is no thud.  A good takedown will capture the falling portion of the tree close to the cut and allow us to gently lower it to the ground with ropes and pulleys.  There isn’t much drama there.  That’s the point.  Drama is not safe and we wouldn’t want to hurt people or damage property.

The only noises that should be heard are the machinery we use, including the chainsaw and the chipper.

A Good Outcome

At the end of the day, we want the tree down safely and either chipped or, if too large, hauled from the site.  We’ll be tired but that’s okay because it feels good to know we’ve done a good job.

We also find that nature can be a valuable ally.  The woodpecker had identified this particular tree as unwell long before any outward sign would have indicated.  When exposed, we saw the base of the tree was infested with carpenter ants, who had made significant progress in attacking the integrity of the trunk.  The tree would likely have broken from the bottom and, as it was already leaning toward the house, would have hit the house, causing severe damage if not personal injury.

The tree was a good one and the homeowner will miss it but is glad to avoid the weeks or months of home repair, insurance claims, and loss of whatever possessions that might have been crushed inside the home — assuming no one was hurt during the fall.

We’re sad to have removed the tree but happy to have given it a safe end to a long life, leaving a space for a new tree to be planted and loved.  We’ll be happy to help you, too, if you suspect anything is wrong with your trees, working our hardest to save what we can but to respectfully remove what we can’t save.

The Woodpecker: Tree Service Professional

Woody Woodpecker is Just a Cartoon

The fame of one two-dimensional woodpecker has resulted in something of a phenomenon: people will use the word pileated in conversation.

The word refers to the red crest of the bird, from the Latin pileatus, which means capped.  Pileated woodpeckers are strikingly beautiful and hard to miss.  If you don’t see that bright red, you will definitely hear the rat-a-tat of that beak drilling into a tree trunk.  A longer lower beak reduces the strain that might otherwise be put on the bird’s head.  And, a hyoid bone wraps around the woodpecker’s skull to like a seatbelt to further protect the brain.  That’s why a woodpecker can strike a tree about 20 times per second yet no one has ever seen one of these guys at the pharmacy buying aspirin.

Real woodpeckers are much more amazing, and useful, than the televised version.

What Do Woodpeckers Do?

A woodpecker is doing what the name says, drilling into wood to find its food in the form of insects and tree sap.  The work it does to survive results in useful information for homeowners.  In essence, the woodpecker is a tree service professional, providing help just like your favorite arborist.

The birds don’t necessarily kill a tree.  A healthy specimen won’t be nearly as bothered by the jackhammering as you will be.  (That sound does get on the nerves after a while.)  And while the birds will remove some bark to access a meal, a healthy tree can easily survive.

However, a woodpecker’s preference for your trees might indicate a very real problem.  Trees can appear to be in good shape, producing foliage after winter’s harsh temperatures and winds.  Bark can appear unblemished and hide a sickly or even rotting trunk.  A woodpecker might be the first sign you have that insects are deep inside, eating the weakened tree from the inside.  The next sign you receive might be that tree unable to withstand a storm, falling on your lawn or, worse, house, garage, or car.

What Should You Do When You See a Woodpecker?

Take a photo.  They’re very pretty birds and really awesome to watch for a few moments (before the sound becomes annoying).

You can also take a little inspiration from a woodpecker.  They can see value in something like a dead tree and find life within it.  Trees are wonderfully generous, giving so much throughout their long lives and for decades after that.

Then call your favorite arborist, the human version.  There are ways to tell if a tree has been singled out because of illness and if that tree can be saved but that comes with experience.  An arborist with years of tree service experience can usually tell if a tree is going to be strong and healthy for years to come — or not.  Without that know-how, the only sure way to learn the health of a tree is to cut it down and look inside.  Then, you’ll know how old it was and if you should have done that.  But, it’d be too late for a good tree.

Enjoy the birds and thank them for their service to our trees.  Call Gerry and Brian for more information.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Did you know there is a word for carving words and symbols into a tree?  Arborglyph is derived from arbor meaning tree and glyphein referring to carve.  Lots of couples have carved their initials in a tree, warmly encased in a heart, to signify their love.  Since this blog is hitting on Valentine’s Day, we thought we’d take a quick look at this and other romantic notions about trees.

Carving initials into a tree probably won’t hurt it because you’re not likely to dig deep enough into the bark to do real damage.  However, it’s not exactly a good thing for the tree and you want to take care of that tree since it’s yours.  (Don’t even think about it otherwise.  Carving is illegal in national forests and your neighbor isn’t going to like it much either.)

Create a Lasting Symbol of Love: Plant a Tree

If you’re going to impress the one you love, you want something that’ll last.  A lightly carved bark will grow over in time, much as a scratch on your skin heals.  Since the faint remnant of a scar doesn’t exactly say “romance,” then consider actually planting a tree.  Wisteria trees represent romance. Redwood trees symbolize forever.  Elm stands for inner strength and love.  Willows symbolize inner wisdom, dreams, harmony, and freedom.

A tree is also referenced in a deceptively shocking speech that can be made at a wedding while toasting the happy couple.  “We drink to your coffins.  May they be built from a one-hundred-year-old oak tree... that I shall plant tomorrow.”  That one works well if you pull an acorn from a pocket and those gathered have a sense of humor.

Call your favorite arborist and ask for ideas.  Sure, a box of long-stemmed roses is nice but a healthy tree is something that can grow with your relationship and be a special part of your history together.  Spring wedding anniversaries can be remembered with a tree that flowers in the same month as the wedding date.  Wedding vows can be renewed under the limbs of a tree planted at the same time as the wedding.  A daughter or daughter-in-law’s wedding bouquet can include flowers and leaves from that tree, carrying on a family’s symbol of love.

Enjoy your Valentine’s Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day from your favorite guys in the tree service, Brian and Gerry.

Trees and Our Mild Winter (so far)

Let’s take a moment to celebrate the mild winter weather we’ve had so far.  After the damaging storms of the summer and fall 2020, it’s nice to hear the quiet that comes from a lack of high winds and gusts.

As you might guess, those of us in the tree service business have been busy with cleanup after these storm events.  It’s heartbreaking to see beautiful, old trees broken or literally uprooted by Mother Nature and the recent cold weather only makes some trees, like spruce, more vulnerable because the deciduous trees nearby have lost their leaves.  These evergreens are facing the brunt of winter winds at a time when they can be brittle due to extreme cold.

When the worst happens, weight is an important factor when removing material.  The weight of a tree depends on the type and height of a tree, among other factors.  In the warmer months, a tree weighs more because of leaves.  If you want to satisfy your inner geek, this is a good resource for calculating the weight of your trees.  The quick answer is that trees are usually measured in tons and not pounds, unless you’re talking about a very young specimen.

Arborists want to save a tree if at all possible while making sure that people and property are safe.  Sometimes a tree will split so that its own limbs or the limbs of neighboring trees hold dead wood aloft.  To safely remove several tons of material from a precarious position in the air takes experience, equipment, patience, and more experience.  Never walk under a hanging limb because that could go at any time.  Dial your favorite arborist as soon as possible.

Material that has made it to the ground—usually with a sickening thud—is more stable, of course, but anyone who’s been through the experience knows that trees spread on the ground are met with the phrase, “It looks so much bigger now.”  It takes time and effort to cut trees and prep them as firewood and chip less desirable wood.  Here, the right equipment can save backs and therefore lives.

When trees hit homes and cars, the result is miserable but a little less so when you have your ducks in a row before the storm hits.  Check that you’ve bought the right homeowner’s insurance and found a trusted arborist, someone who is skilled in tree service and carries the proper tree work insurance.  Knowing who to call, like us at Tree-Scape and Fitch, will make dealing with tree damage easier.

And here’s hoping Mother Nature will continue to be kind to us in terms of good weather.

Do Trees Talk to Each Other? Yes.

The recent warm weather is being replaced by something more autumnal but we still have the chance to enjoy a few walks in the woods before winter sets in. There’s plenty of good news with this kind of activity: exercise, fresh air, and companionship that is perfect for the restrictions on our social experiences in 2020.

As it turns out, trees are very social and will talk to each other. Now, maybe you won’t be able to understand their language but check out this informative video from National Geographic to learn how they are part of an intricate communications network that you can appreciate the next time you go outside.

Take a moment to step away from the craziness around us and appreciate a good conversation that you can’t hear but maybe can feel. We’re sure you’ll feel better after some quality time with them.

Trees and Storms

Storm damage from Tropical Storm Isaias was barely off the ground in Fairfield and Litchfield Counties before residents in Woodbury and Southbury were hit with high winds and more damage on August 27.  If you’re worried about the rest of hurricane season, then you’re in good company.  We’d much rather have gentle breezes than gusts and believe rain should not move horizontally.

But, for those moments when Mother Nature is less than ladylike, we’ve prepared a few tips that we hope will help our tree owners.

Maintain Your Friendships

Wait.  What?!  Nothing about filling the tub with water, checking batteries in the radio and flashlights?  Did we forget buying milk and bread?  Seriously, there are enough blogs out there telling you these things.  If you need a refresher, check out the FEMA guidelines here.

Our first tip is about human contact because that’s really important.  Do you know your neighbors well enough to ask for their help?  Depending on the electrical grid in your area and the availability of generators, a neighbor may have power when you don’t.  Or, the reverse may be true.  Checking in with them and family members and friends is also a good way to keep spirits up in an emergency situation.

Prepare Well Ahead of Storms

Just as utility companies do tree work in good weather, you, too, should be maintaining your trees.  Are there branches close to your house or driveway?  Are your trees healthy or do they need care?  A free consultation with a professional arborist will answer your questions and give you great peace of mind when the tracking models start appearing on your television.

Keep Your Cool

Know your tree service professionals are trying their best to get everyone back to normal as we leave our homes and families to take care of yours.  You’re welcome to watch us work from inside your homes but please don’t approach the work area.  We can work faster and safer if we can control who is in the work area.

There will be an end to the mess, just hang in there.  An emergency visit from an arborist will be to move a tree from the driveway and then we’ll leave quickly to help another person.  It’s critical to keep pathways clear in case an ambulance or fire truck needs access.  Once everyone has basic access to the outside world, we’ll return to your home chip wood, blow sawdust, and tidy the area.

Call us at 203-515-3051 before the next storm.  We’d love to help you.

How Tall Can A Tree Be?

Have you done the tourist thing and tipped your neck way back to look up at the skyscrapers in New York? Have you looked up the trunk of a tree? They’re pretty impressive, too, but it seems they can only grow so high.

Trees are like us: we’re both systems. Blood in our bodies moves nutrients to our cells and removes waste. Sap does this in trees. Phloem sap contains sugars that the tree produces in its leaves as its converts sunlight during photosynthesis. This flows down the tree. Xylem sap contains nutrients that the tree needs to grow, again like our bodies (both of us need calcium but for different reasons). Xylem sap moves up a tree to make sure it has what it needs to live and grow.

Gravity only works in one direction. So, Xylem sap has to rely on forces to make it journey, including the fact that leaves take in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. As they breathe, they give off water (transpiration), which creates enough negative pressure to pull xylem sap up the trunk. A little something called capillary action helps the vertical journey as does root pressure, or the pressure created at the tree’s base where phloem sap and xylem sap meet and exchange water through something called osmosis.

We’ve found a cool video that describes the process here.

Still, gravity is a law and laws must be obeyed. So, trees can only reach certain heights because this really cool system can only bring water and nutrients so far. The name for this is the hydraulic limitation hypothesis. Kind of amazing when you stop to look at some of the trees in Connecticut, which were around well before a lot of landmarks we take for granted like I-84, the beautiful Saville Dam, or even the whaling concerns showcased in Mystic, which used tall trees to build ships strong enough to weather the long ocean voyages.

Naturalists Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor measured what they believe is the tallest tree in Redwood National and State Parks in Northern California, claiming it stands at 380 feet. (They climbed it to take the measurement. People who love trees often love climbing, too.) The General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park is recorded as the world’s largest by volume and 275 feet in height.

OK, the Empire State Building does dwarf that, standing 1,454 feet at the tip. But, as far as living things goes, a tree is pretty cool and you don’t have to be a professional arborist providing tree services to think that.

What is Pruning?

Pruning isn’t just about making a landscape look manicured. Of course, a well pruned tree or bush can look better after receiving proper attention from a professional arborist but there are reasons to prune that go well beyond trying to impress the neighbors or just tame an unruly mess.

Health

How plants send energy from roots to leaves is something most of us learned in grade school. However, like with most systems, the devil is in the details. It’s important to know where to cut so that the plant as a whole is not deprived of nutrients. Most people have heard that it’s wise to snip leaders in a tomato plant to feed the fruit but a large percentage of those people are not quite sure what they should be removing and cutting the wrong thing can damage a plant.

Arborist is a protected term like nurse or doctor. A licensed arborist has studied and tested to prove knowledge and is therefore able to improve the health of plants because of that skillset and experience. It’s not easy to grow fruit trees in Connecticut but, with the right care, you can pull a pear from your own tree and feel the juice sliding down your chin on a sunny afternoon.

Safety

Unhealthy plants are not only ugly but can be dangerous. Thinning the canopy of a tree can allow air to pass through the branches. While trees can withstand a lot of push from wind, it isn’t always the wisest move to depend solely on that strength. Microbursts and hurricanes can produce gusts that will easily topple a tree. It’s better to give the tree a little relief by making sure there is enough space between branches and leaves that the pressure is dissipated.

Pruning also helps to keep air moving between landscape plants living close to the house and the structure itself, reducing mold and discouraging insects and small animals from damaging the home. Even something as seemingly annoying as a small branch scraping against a window or siding can, over time, become a problem that is easily avoided—as is the irritation.

Esthetics

It’s true that a well pruned bush or does look better. Depending on the conditions on your property, trees and bushes may not grow in a pleasing manner because they’re fighting for light and water. If you’ve ever envied a beautifully landscaped lawn, realize the amount of work that went into getting it to look that way.

Arborists are about more than cutting down trees; tree service includes making sure our specimens are strong, healthy, and beautiful for many years.

Call 203-515-3051 for not just a free estimate but answers to questions so your plants can look and be their best!

Welcome to Spring 2020!

You’ve seen a lot of messages lately, telling you how businesses are reinforcing good habits like keeping surfaces germ-free or ramping up new practices, like marking lines so people stay more than six feet apart while waiting for service.

Have you ever tried to wipe down a tree with a disinfectant cloth?

Seriously, arborists have always made safety a priority.  Tree work is in any list of top 10 most dangerous professions.  Social distancing is just something we’re adding to the many ways we keep ourselves, our clients, and their property safe.  We’re also adding our families to this list; we don’t want to spread the coronavirus to them.

Six Feet Apart

As tree climbers, we move vertically as well as horizontally. We can easily keep at least six feet of space between our team members as we work. That means, you can call us to prune your trees, remove unhealthy specimens, or chip some of the bigger limbs that have fallen as a result of winter winds. Recently, we’ve used cell phones during our free consults, walking around the yard to evaluate trees while the homeowner remains safe inside the house. Our clients trust us to work when they’re not at home but it’s been a bit of a boon to have them on site and available to share their input on the work or just admire what we do. (One client was so in awe of our ability to climb well past the second-floor window of her home office that she missed a virtual meeting!)

Keeping Plants Safe Too

Some people worry that the ground becomes too soft during spring thaws to allow for heavy equipment on site. Not so. We use thick plywood to distribute loads and ensure that your lawn will not have any marks on it when we leave. Arborists love all plants, not just trees, and we want to protect your landscaping. Limbs don’t just fall randomly when we cut. We can place material where it needs to go and chip anything to either haul it away or rake it to your specifications.

The sight of us working to clean up your yard this spring might be just the sign of hope you need now. No one can say for sure how long our new reality will last as we try to avoid the coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19. But we are doing the right thing and you should be prepared to welcome friends and family to your home for a really good time together, hopefully sooner than later.

Stay safe everyone.

What Does Tree Service Mean to Homeowners?

Tree service is often confused with landscaping services but landscapers cannot do what arborists do (and vice versa) because there are different skill sets and equipment required of each. It’s important to know when you should call a tree service professional for help.

Emergency Care

There have been some pretty memorable storms in the first two decades of this new century, including hurricanes and the tornadoes mixed into the microburst of May 2018. The latter storm caused some very impressive tree damage in upper Fairfield County, much of which can still be seen two years later. In fact, we just helped a family remove approximately 50 tons of pine from their yard. They’d managed to cut it up but noticed something that isn’t apparent until you experience it: trees will decompose but that process takes a long, long time.

Removing dead wood is important for more than aesthetic reasons. Termites will help break down the material but they don’t distinguish between a dead tree laying at the edge of your property and the wood inside your walls. Tree service in this case means preventing damage from critters as well as beautifying your property because professional tree service providers have the equipment and training to safely remove large limbs and trunks, whether they’re laying across your driveway right after your storm or an eyesore many months later.

Long Term Care

If you want your yard to look and feel like a relaxing, carefree park, you will need to put some work into it. Mother Nature is always changing. Trees grow older and drop branches. Some trees reach the end of their lives and die. Other trees compete with each other for light and water, growing in ways that may not be attractive or, worse, safe.

For one client in Litchfield County, tree service in this case meant actively keeping up with what trees need to be healthy and happy. We worked to remove select trees to ensure the future of the remaining specimens. Trimming and chipping limbs not only made the yard look better, there were fewer dense leaves that could act as sail to catch a high wind and break the trunk. A good landscaper will take care of your lawn but look up and you’ll see where you need a professional tree service provider to work tens or even hundreds of feet above the ground. An arborist will also carry the correct (and frankly more expensive) insurance for that kind of dangerous work, which can be very reassuring for a homeowner worried about liability and workers compensation should someone be hurt on their property. Finally, on those days when a tree does have to come down, you can access services like stump grinding to allow for some fresh grass or a new tree that will grow in the decades to come.

So, whether you need a professional tree service to access equipment that can move serious amounts of unwanted wood off your property without damaging your lawn, well, septic, or other features or you’re thinking about proactive about tree care, call 203-515-3051 for a free consultation. We can tell you if a tree has been compromised by a storm as we did in New Haven County, where one of the hurricanes left the tree standing until months later, when it fell on a car. Thankfully, no one was injured but we’d rather spend time walking around with you and leave knowing all was safe even though there was no job to be had. We love trees and are happy to share what we know.

Low Temps and High Flames: Tips on Firewood

We’ve been asked to provide some tips and tricks for burning wood.  So here goes!

There are three kinds of firewood: green, dried, and seasoned.  Green wood is freshly cut wood and contains the most moisture.  A freshly cut log is heavy and you should not attempt to lift one unless you know what you’re doing or like to visit the chiropractor.

Dried wood is anything that was cut several months ago.  This wood is much easier to lift because the moisture has left the wood but we would recommend you wait a bit longer before you throw this material on your fire.  Seasoned wood has rested for multiple seasons, possibly a spring, summer, fall, and two winters.  Because this has the least amount of moisture, you will get the best heat from seasoned wood.

How do you know if your delivery has dried or seasoned wood in it?  Wood changes color as it loses moisture over time, getting darker and darker.  That color can go from a light tan to a dark, almost black color.  If you’ve been burning fires for several years, you’ll develop a level of experience that will help you realize if you have received good value for your money.  If you’re as green as the wood you don’t want to burn, find a trusted arborist who will give you what you expect and need.

We have a few other tips for you.

• Be sure to regularly check and clean your chimney to reduce the risk of a flue fire.

• Pallets and branches will help keep your firewood off the ground and allow air to circulate, which will add to the efficiency of your firewood.

• Grab yourself a pair of thick gloves to wear as you tend your fire.  Welding gloves should allow you to pick up a hot log if you do your research and buy a correctly rated pair.

• Make sure your smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and carbon monoxide detectors are in good working order and never leave a fire unattended.

If you’re worried that mid-winter is too late to order firewood, fear not.  Tree-Scape and Fitch is busy taking care of trees all year round so we’re always ready to deliver pieces ready for your fireplace or wood stove.  Heck, we’ll even swing by with a load in the dog days of summer so you can enjoy s’mores and the glow of a fire as it matches the reddish hue of a late setting sun.

Happy Holidays!

This holiday season, we are grateful for many things.  A big thanks to loyal customers who invite us back year after year to take care of trees that we’re proud to keep healthy.  Of course, we’re grateful to our crew members who put safety first and—as a very close second—hard work.  We couldn’t do this job without you.  And a shout out to Mother Nature.  She can be incredibly dangerous, such as when we’re cleaning up after a severe storm, or amazingly generous.  When we get up high in a tree to do a precise pruning or take down job, we can see just how beautiful Connecticut really is.

Once the leftovers are gone, we’ll be back outside, taking care of trees.  Cold weather is a great time to do some tricky tree work.  When the ground freezes, we can maneuver heavy equipment into areas that might otherwise be damaged by the weight of the machines or the weight of tree limbs and trunks as we move them from your yard.  The lack of foliage also means that we’re able to clear material quicker.  Many customers have been surprised at the results when we work with the advantages of late fall and winter.

If you’re thinking of waiting until spring to care for your trees, give us a call now.  We can assess what you have and where you want to go at no charge.  Off-season discounts are available to help get that work done.  Of course, tree care is a priority and there are certain times when it’s better to prune for the health of the plant.  As trained arborists, we can help you decide the best course of action.

Then again, even the best laid plans can go wrong.  A winter storm may take down a big limb or even severely damage a tree.  If you’re stuck with a problem, again, give us a call and we’ll help you get back to a safe, clear yard.

We look forward to 2020 and a year of healthy trees and happy customers.  Thanks to everyone for trusting us with one of your most expensive and precious possessions—your property.  We know that trust has to be earned and we’re glad to know we’re doing the right things to keep your confidence in our work.

Wishing everyone a safe, happy, and prosperous 2020!

Connecticut's Arborist Law

Were you aware that there is a law, enacted in 1922, to ensure that trees and homeowners get the best care from those who would sell tree services? Or, that there are about 1,000 licensed arborists in Connecticut?

Thanks to the Town Times for printing an article that highlights this important law and the tree planting ceremony that will honor the passage of this legislation. If you don’t have a subscription, click here to open a PDF copy of the article.