Spring Cleanup and Tree Care

There may not have been a lot of snow to clean up this winter but Mother Nature did blow hard enough to leave a lot of branches on the ground. If you own property with trees, you know you have a lot of cosmetic work ahead of you but are you ignoring a less visible chore?

Look for Signs of Tree Distress

How healthy are your trees? Take a moment to enjoy the first hints of warmer weather and slowly walk around your yard. Notice the bark on each tree and the earth over the root systems. Woodpeckers are very hard workers and if you’re seeing a lot of chips around the base of a tree, then they might be tearing apart the wood to get at bugs taking advantage of a sick or dying tree. Given the very real problem of Emerald Ash Borer in our area, you might see how the birds are trying to snack on these beetles.

Maybe you don’t have an ash tree. Then, check for other signs that can impact other species. Wings or carcasses of termites might indicate a serious issue with the health of a tree. Do the fallen branches around you look like they were dead before they fell and just too weak to stand up to the pressure of ice, snow, and wind? Or, did otherwise healthy branches snap and fall?

Help Your Trees

Don’t assume that an unhealthy tree is a doomed tree. You have more options than simply cutting and you should consider factors such as expense, loss of attractive features including shade, and possible advantages such as maintaining your property’s value by saving a beautiful, mature tree.

A professional arborist is trained to evaluate the health of a tree. Just as a doctor sees many cases and becomes adept at identifying problems and applying proven solutions, a good arborist can tell you how to protect your investment. The winter of 2019 had more than one storm where temps hovered at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Maybe a tree limb didn’t break with the ice and heavy, wet snow that resulted but that same limb is sagging and might need the assistance of a cable to remain in good condition.

Enjoy Your Yard

These big, gorgeous plants filter our air and clean our planet as well as provide us with amazing summer days to remember. Imagine a glass of your favorite beverage and a tasty snack. The light dances on your patio or deck as the sun filters through leaves rustling in a warm breeze.

When you take care of your trees, they take care of you so make the time talk with an arborist to ensure that your trees remain healthy and provide you with pleasure for decades to come.