Month: June 2022

If the trees around your property appear shaggy, or if there’s a few precariously hanging branches, it may be time to give them a touch-up. There are many safety and aesthetic advantages to giving the trees around your property a proper trim and pruning. You may be tempted to grab a ladder and some shears and try to finish the job yourself. However, there are a few complications to consider before you start tree trimming yourself. Keeping your trees in pristine condition not only helps protect your home and property from hanging or falling tree limbs, but also boosts the curb appeal of your home. At Red’s Tree Service, we want to help you keep your home safe and beautiful. Here’s everything you need to know about tree trimming and pruning.

What’s the Difference Between Trimming and Pruning?

Tree trimming helps trees, shrubs, and hedges grow in a healthy way. Commercial clients often trim trees to make their property more attractive to potential clients. A cleaner appearance helps draw in more visitors. At Red’s Tree Service, our team prefers to focus on removing green shoots, which helps encourage healthier growth overall. On top of environmental growth, trimming also improves the appearance of the tree or shrub itself.

Pruning is not just for tree maintenance. The term is often associated with the removal of unnecessary branches and sometimes even roots. These branches and roots may be dead and need to be cut away for the health of the tree. In some cases, branches grow in the wrong direction. They may push towards electrical utility wires or structures, which can prove to be a safety hazard. Pruning helps keep unwanted growth in check so you can have better control over your greenery.

Why You Should Trim Your Tree

Whether your home is surrounded by a smattering of trees or you have just a few small hedges that need a makeover, you may be wondering about the benefits of regular tree trimming. Pruning or trimming a tree allows you to reduce the possibility that dead or decayed material in the branches could be shifted to healthier trees. Another reason many people trim the trees on their property is to allow more sunlight to filter through to the ground. This helps to reduce the possibility of mold and mildew by drying up the ground. In turn, this allows the plants underneath the tree to receive the nutrients that they need to grow successfully.

Your safety and the security of your property, as well as that of your neighbors, is a major reason why people schedule a quick trim for their trees. If you notice that a tree has a decayed or dying limb, there is always a possibility that the limb could fall during a storm and cause damage to your home or your neighbor’s property. A quick trim can be a bit costly, but it will be worth avoiding a limb falling into your neighbor’s home or ruining your expensive roof. 

Lastly, aesthetics are another reason why tree trimming is a worthwhile project. If you’ve recently upgraded your home’s exterior, such as adding new siding or decor for your yard, you may find that cutting back some extra tree growth will add to your home’s curb appeal and really showcase your new upgrades. 

Tips for Trimming and Pruning

There are many different methods and strategies for trimming and pruning, and it’s important to know the best approach. A poor pruning job can damage your tree for the rest of its lifetime, so it is important that you consult a professional who understands your trees and how to properly care for them. To help you out, our team has a list of tips for keeping your trees looking pristine after their trim:

• Don’t remove foliage too frequently. Allow time for the tree to naturally grow before making too many gratuitous cuts. Cutting too much can damage the tree’s health.
• Don’t tackle a pruning job yourself that requires you to go within ten feet of a power line
• Always sharpen your tools before use. Dull cutting implements can needlessly damage trees
• Maintain a solid tree structure by reducing co-dominant leaders, or branches that grow near the top of the tree that both grow upwards
• Prevent storm hazards such as low limbs that extend over a walkway or garage
• Before making a cut, look for the branch collar, which grows from the stem tissue at the bottom base of the branch. Look for the branch ridge, which is on the upper surface and is parallel to the branch angle at the stem.
• Always cut outside the branch bark ridge and angle your cut down and away from the stem. Be careful not to injure the branch collar.

If you follow these tips, you can better maintain the health of your tree and the aesthetic of your property. This important maintenance project allows you to boost the curb appeal and frame your home with lovely greenery.

Get the best at Red’s Tree Service

With Red’s Tree Service’s all-inclusive commercial tree service, your yard will be completely transformed. Whether you are interested in beautifying your yard, cleaning up after a storm, or requiring emergency tree service, our commercial tree service covers everything you need. 

With over forty years of experience, our family-owned and operated tree service delivers you the best results. We have the tools, experience, and equipment to take care of your trees and leave your yard safe, healthy, and beautiful for years to come. Contact Red’s Tree Service in Memphis, Collierville, and the Mid-South area for your free estimate today!

This post first appeared on https://redstreeservice.com

Prevent nosy neighbors from watching your every move and create privacy for your yard. Knowing how to grow a bamboo screen will help preserve your privacy while contributing to the ecosystem.

toddsmariettatreeservices.com gathered the following pros, cons, and growing information about bamboo for privacy screens.

What is Bamboo?

Bamboo species are a part of the grass family and are typically fast-growing evergreen flowering perennials, with some species growing an astounding 12 to 35 inches per day. The woody ringed stems (culms) are often hollow between the rings (nodes) and tend to grow in branching clusters from a thick underground stem (rhizome). When bamboo is harvested and properly processed, it can be used to make things like flooring, paper, fabrics, chopsticks, and more.

Note: In traditional Chinese culture, bamboo symbolizes longevity and beauty because of its durability, strength, flexibility, and resilience. It survives in the harshest conditions of the most challenging environments, standing tall and staying green year-round. When storms come, bamboo gracefully bends with the wind.

Planting Bamboo Privacy Screens

Bamboo is a stunning plant species for visual privacy screens or evergreen hedges because it has a small initial footprint, it grows incredibly tall, it grows fast, produces oxygen, and sequesters carbon. Consider the following for planting:

Planting Bamboo with a Root Ball (Root Mass) – First, dig a hole twice the size of the root ball and mix composted manure into the base of the hole before putting the bamboo in place. The root mass should sit level with the ground. Finally, mix the topsoil with more compost and fill the hole.

Pros of Bamboo Privacy Screens

Besides serving as a stunning conversation topic, a live bamboo privacy screen offers the following benefits:

• Bamboo is incredibly fast-growing and will quickly fill in any gaps between culms
• Bamboo grows fast (really fast); one species holds the world record for the fastest-growing plant
• While species-dependent, bamboo can reach 100 feet at maturity
• Bamboo has a greater tensile strength (28,000 per square inch) than steel (23,000 per square inch) and withstands compression better than concrete
• Bamboo is evergreen and will provide screening year-round

There are approximately 1,000 bamboo species. The more popular varieties for hedges or privacy screens include:

Arundinaria funghomii (Runner) – Thin, straight canes of running bamboo grow close together with lots of leaves
Bambusa multiplex (Clumper) – 10 to 20-foot upright poles
Bashania fargesii (Runner) – Long, sturdy culms have earned this species the name of “Wind break bamboo,” and its leaves are long and thick
Fargesia dracocephala (Clumper) – This bamboo has thick culms growing to about 10 feet, with a dense and “weeping” canopy that makes an excellent privacy hedge
Phyllostachys bissetii (Runner) – This variety can reach up to 40 feet tall with 2-inch culms
Phyllostachys bambusoides (Runner) – Smooth, beautiful culms can reach 50 to 70 feet tall, with up to a 5-inch culm diameter
Pseudosasa Japonica (Runner) – Ideal for shorter screens and hedges with culms growing 15 to 20-feet tall

Bamboo species are among the fastest-growing plants on the planet. Some varieties can reach full maturity in just 90 days, while most other varieties only take a couple of years. One bamboo species can grow an astounding 35 inches per day (that’s 1.5 inches per hour).

Cons of Bamboo Privacy Screens

While there are many positive aspects of using bamboo as a privacy hedge or screen, there are some significant disadvantages. Consider the following:

• Pruning or cutting bamboo stems (culms) will stop their growth
• Bamboo does not tolerate drought (regular watering can only be interrupted on rainy days)
• Bamboo species prefer secluded or protected locations
• Running bamboo species can aggressively cross property lines and invade yard space
• Once bamboo is established, it can be extremely challenging to entirely remove

Running bamboo does precisely what the name portrays; it runs. Running bamboo species must be controlled with rhizome barriers to prevent them from spreading beyond their intended location.

Non-invasive, clumping bamboo has short roots, generally forming discreet clumps requiring only a 3’ to 10’ circle of space to expand. Clumping bamboo root structures are dense and can apply significant pressure on foundations, walls, and fences.

Planting Bamboo

In this article, you discovered species and growing information and some of the pros and cons of planting bamboo as a privacy hedge or privacy screen.

Planting bamboo as a privacy screen can give your yard a lush and fully developed screening in a fraction of the time typical landscape trees would take.

When planting bamboo, you risk a “running” species crossing your property line and growing out of control, requiring costly professional removal.

Sources:
extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1357&title=Growing%20Bamboo%20in%20Georgia
extension.tennessee.edu/publications/documents/W220.pdf
heritagegarden.uic.edu/bamboo
depts.ttu.edu/plantresources/Pages/Landscape_Information_Sheets/Woody_Info/Bambusa_spp.php
guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/fastest-growing-plant

Avoid planting trees that produce awful aromas. Knowing which trees smell bad will help you cultivate a beautiful landscape without the horrific wafting odors of urine or excrement.

72tree.com gathered the following information about five tree species that emit a repugnant smell through their bark, foliage, or fruit.

1. Bradford Pear (Pyrus calleryana)

Bradford Pear is a variety of pear trees native to Korea and China called Pyrus calleryana. This species was introduced into western horticulture in 1908 and has been causing a stink ever since.

Pyrus calleryana is one of the first tree species to flower in the spring and typically one of the last trees to have colorful foliage in the fall. The tree’s white blossoms are about a half-inch in diameter and fill its canopy. Bradford pear fruit is small, round, and hard until softening after the first frost.

When Bradford pear trees are in bloom, they will unleash a canopy of beautiful white blooms but will also emit a stench that’s often likened to rotting fish.

Bradford pear trees are hardy to zones 5 through 9, and at maturity, this tree species can reach heights of 40 feet and a spread of 20 to 30 feet.

2. Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana)

Closely related to the Bradford pear, the Callery pear is a small to medium-sized tree with a compact, symmetrical, or columnar shape that spreads to become oval with maturity. Many cultivars exist with slightly different characteristics, but all of them contribute to the species’ invasiveness.

If you see this tree in bloom, you may want to keep your distance (or take an out-of-town vacation). The aroma produced by these pretty Callery pear flowers have been compared to the smell of human male semen and vomit.

Callery pear trees are hardy to zones 4 through 8, and at maturity, this tree species can reach heights of 40 feet and a spread of 20 to 30 feet.

3. White Spruce (Picea glauca)

This species of spruce is native to North America, and its timber is principally used in general construction. Its uses also include timber for cabin construction, musical instruments, paddles, furniture, cabinets, pallets, boxes, and food containers. Picea glauca is also commonly used as a Christmas tree.

The tree’s needles are a stunning bluish-green color but give off a horrid aroma when the needles are crushed. Other names the tree goes by include cat spruce and skunk spruce due to the foul odor.

White spruce trees are hardy to zones 2 through 6 and, at maturity, will often reach 60 feet in height and 10 to 20 feet in diameter.

4. Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)

Known as one of the most distinct and beautiful of all deciduous trees, the ginkgo certainly stands out. With its unique, fan-shaped leaves that turn a stunning yellow in the fall, it is a tree that can tolerate many unfavorable urban conditions, including heat, air pollution, and salt. This tree also takes root easily.

For all of its majestic traits, there is one that stands out – its hideous odor. When the females of the species drop their leaves and fleshy fruit, when crushed by vehicles or pedestrians release a distinct stench that has been likened to rotten butter, vomit, dirty gym socks, or dog excrement.

Ginkgo trees are hardy to zones 4 through 9 and, at maturity, will often reach 25 to 50 feet in height and 25 to 35 feet in diameter.

5. Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)

This towering tree species is often identified by its smooth and brownish-green bark when it is young, eventually becoming light brown to gray in its maturity, resembling cantaloupe skin. This tree’s scientific name, Ailanthus (sky-tree), and its common name, tree-of-heaven, both refer to its ability to quickly grow towards the sky.

Even with such a celestial name, you cannot get by its terrible smell. The leaves of male trees smell like rancid peanut butter or well-worn and musty gym socks.

Tree of Heaven is hardy to zones 4 through 8 and, at maturity, will often reach 60 to 70 feet in height and 80 feet in spread.

Stinky Trees

In this article, you discovered several tree species that most people deeply regret ever having planted on their property due to the horrible odors that they emit.

Knowing which tree species smell bad will help you avoid embarrassing moments when trying to explain the foul stench in the air.

Planting trees that smell bad will leave you with an unenjoyable landscape riddled with off-putting aromas.

Sources:
naturewalk.yale.edu/trees/rosaceae/pyrus-calleryana/callery-pear-tree-33
extension.umd.edu/resource/bradford-pear
realchristmastrees.org/education/tree-varieties/white-spruce/
landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/ginkgo-biloba
extension.psu.edu/tree-of-heaven

This article was first published on: http://www.72tree.com/5-trees-that-smell-bad/

Now that the weather is warming up, people are paying more attention to their yards and what’s in them. Many are considering the addition of some bushes or trees to their property for aesthetic reasons.

Planting Trees Near Your House

Have you ever noticed a tree that was planted too close to a house? Its branches are constantly hitting the roof, especially in the wind, making noises and scattering messy dirt and leaves around the roof and sides of the house. And eventually the leaves end up clogging the roof’s gutters, which can lead to a mess not only on the ground, but in a person’s basement when water sneaks inside.

If you look at a tree, notice how big it is, and then consider its root system looks about the same size underground. Now do you want a huge tree’s roots interfering with your home’s pipes, cables and other buried items? Oh no, you don’t.

Ever notice lots of cracks in a buckled sidewalk leading up to a house? That’s probably because tree or bush roots messed it up.

And as for bugs: they love shrubs and trees, and when you have them within a foot or two of your house, the bugs are going to use them as bridges to get both on and in your walls. Yuck. Do you want termites? Heck no.

Give Your Tree Some Space

When you’re choosing on where to plant your tree, give it some space from your house. You’ll avoid the hassle of damages or problems down the road to your property or home if the tree is too close to it. If a storm comes roaring through, you won’t have to worry too much about your tree or the branches falling on power lines or even your house.

If insects and pests infest your tree for some reason, you can solve the problem without having to worry about disease spreading or an infestation moving into your house.

Big Foot Tree Service can remove any bushes, shrubs or trees that you think are too close to your house, and even grind away and get rid of stumps. Better yet, if you’re thinking of planting or moving trees on your property, give us a call at 973-885-8000 so we can help you determine the best location for them so as not to disturb your house, driveway and sidewalks.

The post How Close Should I Plant a Tree Near my House? appeared first on Big Foot Tree Service.

This post first appeared on https://www.bigfoottreeservice.com