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Winter Damage to Trees

Winter weather can bring snow, ice, wind, and rain at any time to Indiana and the Midwest. When winter weather strikes, we often sit at home glued to our televisions with anticipation of what this storm will bring and how it will affect the various communities of the Indianapolis area. Besides school closings, grocery shortages, or road closures, winter weather may also cause winter damage to trees.  Even though trees, plants, and grass are dormant in the winter, they are still potentially vulnerable to weather damage. Trees are particularly susceptible to injury in the cold months, though the effects are often not obvious until spring.

Causes of Winter Damage to Trees

The low temperatures, frost, ice, and dry air of the winter months can take a toll on some trees.  Trees and plants that are exposed to the stresses of harsh winter weather may be damaged or weakened, and some may even struggle to survive.  Common winter weather events, including fluctuating temperatures, rapid temperature drops, and low soil moisture, that are known to cause winter tree damage are detailed below.

Low or Fluctuating Temperatures

When temperatures drop below a plant’s natural tolerance, trees and plants can sustain damage.  Trees or plants that are on the edge of their hardiness zone may not be able to withstand those record-cold days. Temperature fluctuations can also cause problems, such as frost cracks, which result from a sharp drop in temperature.  Frost cracks are vertical cracks that form in the bark of a tree.  They occur more often on the sun-facing side of the tree due to the greater variance between daytime and nighttime temperatures. Sunscald is a similar injury which causes an area of damaged bark resulting from warming of that area by the sun.  Often frost cracks and sunscald only cause superficial damage.  In these cases the tree or plant will recover, though the injury itself may be permanent. If you are unsure about specific damage, Ping’s is always available to help you assess the health of your trees.

Warm Weather Followed by Frost

Did you know that trees can get frostbite?  Frost forms when humidity in the air combines with near- or below-freezing temperatures. This can be problematic if a tree or plant is actively growing or producing. Frostbite shows up on trees or plants as brown or black flowers, buds, leaves, or fruit. New leaves and shoots will often twist, curl, or wilt in frost conditions.  The most common time for a tree or plant to be frostbitten is late winter or early spring.  When warmer weather causes plants to emerge from dormancy, they are vulnerable to damage from frost.  Rarely, this may also happen in an unseasonably warm winter.

The Weight of Ice Build-Up

During the winter months, trees are dormant and brittle. If a winter storm brings ice, it may cause winter damage to trees. When this happens, don’t try and remove the ice from your trees. Doing so may cause more damage to the tree. Pruning in the fall (or even in the winter) helps reduce the risk of injury due to a storm. After an ice storm, there are a few things you can look at to see if a tree service professional is needed:

• Was the tree healthy prior to the storm?
• Has any portion of the crown been lost?
• Are there any broken limbs or branches?
• Are there any cracks in the wood?
• Is the tree leaning?

If any of these conditions exist, the certified arborists from Ping’s Tree Service can evaluate your trees and help assess the damage from ice on a tree.

Winter Dryness in Evergreens

For the same reason our lips and skin feel dry and chapped in the winter, trees and plants can struggle to find moisture as well. Lower moisture content in the air and soil create a very dry winter environment. Evergreens are particularly vulnerable to damage from winter dryness.  This condition, called winterburn, creates browning of evergreen needles.  In severe cases, the plant may not recover.  Application of an anti-desiccant to evergreen trees through the winter can protect against winterburn.

When you work with Ping’s Tree Service, you’ll find that we take specific, proven steps to keep your trees healthy year-round. A Ping’s certified specialist will recommend plants that are naturally hardy to our communities and help you manage any trees or shrubs that are particularly susceptible. Some steps you can take to prevent winter damage to trees include:

• Planting trees and shrubs in well-drained soil conditions
• Using mulch and checking soil moisture in advance of freezing conditions
• Using wind breaks to prevent damaging or drying conditions
• Utilizing a customized Ping’s Tree Service plan to provide the right nutrient content, protection, and water to your landscaping.

Whether in the numbing cold or the blistering heat, Ping’s understands the science of tree care and knows what your trees need.  Call Ping’s Tree Service today at 317-298-8482 to see what we can do to keep your trees healthy and growing.

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

Winter Safety Tips

Every year we know it’s coming.  Yet the first cold blast of winter is still a shock.  Did we really think that the beautiful days of autumn would not succumb to the icy days of winter?  We can’t expect that in central Indiana!  As we enter the cold and snowy season, we are also entering a season that brings with it some increased risks.  It is important to be aware of the potential danger that accompanies winter weather so that you can take steps to minimize your risk.

Risks to Your Health

The cold weather that inevitably arrives this time of year does more than just make us uncomfortable.  It actually takes a toll on our bodies.  When it is cold, it requires more energy just to maintain normal bodily functions.  This is a stress on the body, though in healthy individuals it is a minimal one.  Health is additionally strained by the assault on the immune system caused by increased infectious diseases.  For these reasons, winter sees a spike in illnesses as well as heart attacks.  To stay well during the winter months, get plenty of rest, stay away from sick individuals, and don’t exert yourself beyond your limits.

Risks at Home

Winter weather can be hazardous to your house as well as your body.  One of the most damaging elements of winter can be the freezing temperatures.  Severe cold can freeze water in your pipes or water that is blocked in your gutters or on your roof.  The expansion that occurs in the freezing process can cause pipes to burst or ice dams to form, resulting in household floods.  To avoid these damaging events, ensure pipes (especially those on an outside wall) stay adequately warm and remove any obstructions to water flow patterns on your exterior.

Another common danger during severe winter weather is fallen or uprooted trees.  Brisk winds can easily bring down branches or even trees.  Just a little bit of heavy ice or snow can also do a lot of damage and do it quickly.  Since weak or dead trees or branches are more susceptible to wind, snow, and ice, they should be taken care of before they fall on your valuable property, such as home or car.  Ping’s can trim these dangerous branches for you or take down dead trees.  They are also ready to clean up any tree emergencies that you experience.

Risks on the Road

Accumulating snow and icy temperatures affect more than just your home.  They also have a significant effect on the roads.  When winter storms blow in quickly, they can cause the roads to become very dangerous in a short span of time.  The best defense against these risks is to stay off the roads when possible.  But that is not always feasible.  When you have to travel in inclement weather, you should be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination.  It is also important to have an emergency kit in your car.  The kit should include your phone and a charger, a blanket, hat and gloves, a flashlight, flares, a first-aid kit, and snacks.  While you might not always be able to predict when severe weather will hit, you can be prepared when it does.

Risks to Your Business

Finally, if you are a business owner, you have not only yourself, your family, and your home to protect, but also your business.  You must consider your employees and your commercial property.  Some of the same risks for homes also exist for commercial property.  Be on the look-out for vulnerable trees and branches as well as potential flooding disasters.  It is also important to avoid the potential liability of slick parking lots and sidewalks.  Failing to deal with snow and ice can result in serious accidents and injuries to customers or employees.  Ping’s is now offering reliable snow removal services. When the snow falls, Ping’s will take care of it for you so you don’t have to worry.

There’s no doubt about it – winter can be a dangerous time in central Indiana.  But if you are prepared and sensible, you can keep yourself safe.  Ping’s is happy to serve you at this time of the year and lessen your risks when we can.  Call us at 317-298-8482 for more information about our services or to make an appointment.

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

Tree Damage Caused by Animals

Have you noticed the squirrels lately?  They are busy at this time of year.  Even with their nuts all stored away for the winter, they are still madly scurrying up and down the trees and dashing around on the ground. Many animals, like squirrels, live, play, and work among the trees.  They often depend on trees for food and shelter.  Some animals, however, take a little too much from trees and can even inflict damage.  Any animal has the potential to damage trees, especially those trees that are young, weak, or diseased.  After all, a tree isn’t really able to defend itself.  Following are some examples of common animal damage to trees.

The Growing Impact of Deer

Deer typically live in more rural areas, but the sprawl of the suburbs has resulted in an increasing incidence of deer in more populated neighborhoods.  These large animals have the potential to damage trees in two main ways.  First of all, deer can damage trees by rubbing their antlers against the trees.  This can be especially harmful to smaller trees, which may not survive extensive damage to a tree’s bark.  In addition, deer may also feed on leaves or leafless branches when food is scarce.  Since deer have quite an appetite, continued deer munching can weaken a tree.

Big Damage by Small Animals

Rodents (like mice, moles, and voles) and rabbits are much smaller than deer, but they can do big damage too.  These animals do their damage at the base of the tree trunk or even below the soil.  They will chew the roots and bark of the tree, usually no higher than 2 feet up the trunk.  Since these animals are small and the injuries they inflict are near the ground (or even below ground), you may not notice their work until the harm is done.  When the tree sustains too much damage to the outer bark and interior tissue, the tree will gradually weaken and die.  Squirrels can also do some damage to trees by snipping twigs or chewing or stripping bark.  This type of damage leads to limb failure because the weakened branches can no longer support the excessive weight of the foliage.  It also makes trees more susceptible to wind damage.

The Danger of Boring Birds

A final group of animals that can have an adverse effect on trees is birds such as sapsuckers and woodpeckers.  Both of these birds bore multiple holes in trees as they search for food from inside the tree.  Sapsuckers, as the name implies, are seeking sap while woodpeckers are typically looking for insects.  Woodpeckers are usually not much of a threat to the health of a tree.  The insects they seek are often found in wood that is already dead.  On the other hand, sap is found in healthy tree tissue and is needed for continuing tree health.  For this reason, sapsuckers can often do substantial harm to trees.

Animals can quickly weaken a healthy tree.  Keep your eyes open for both the animal and the damage they may be causing.  Ping’s Tree Service can help you treat damaged trees and restore them to good health.  Give us a call at 317-298-8482 to address the problem swiftly and completely.

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

Our business continues to grow and expand.   We are now offering snow removal service – just in time for another Indiana winter.  If you manage one or more commercial properties, you know that commercial snow removal is a must. Most property owners or managers are responsible for making sure parking lots, walkways, and other areas around buildings (such as office buildings, healthcare settings, restaurants, retirement homes, malls, apartments, condos, and schools) are completely free of snow and ice during the weeks and months of a long Indianapolis winter.

Reliable Snow Removal

If you’ve decided to hire a company to clear snow from your property, then consider Ping’s.  We will reliably and carefully handle all your snow removal needs. Before the snow even falls, we will get to work.  We preview each property we service to determine what sort of manpower and equipment will be needed. That way, we will know how to work with your specific property and meet your specific needs.

The Right Equipment and Personnel

We have the right equipment including plows, snow blowers, and shovels to clear your sidewalks and parking lots. We can even haul mounds of snow to other locations if necessary. Beyond equipment, we have abundant supplies of ice melt to keep parking lots and sidewalks safer. Our snow removal staff is on-call 24 hours a day. We will monitor snowfall through the day, night, and early morning to ensure that your property is clear and safe.

Ping’s has a commercial snow removal department available for businesses in Indianapolis, Plainfield, Avon, Brownsburg, Zionsville, Carmel, Westfield, Fishers, and Noblesville. If you’re prepared, you’ll be much less likely to lose business during snowstorms and other winter events. We will work with you to save you money in the long run. With the proper equipment and expertise, we are the right commercial snow removal company to get the job done. We are appropriately licensed and properly insured and bonded.

By hiring a commercial snow removal company, you can save yourself a lot of headache and trouble when winter storms hit. Call Ping’s now at 317-298-8482 to ensure your business’ parking lots, drives, and sidewalks are taken care of when the inevitable snowy weather arrives.  And when the snow melts and spring returns to central Indiana, we will be ready to supply all your landscaping needs.  But more about that later!

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

We are proud Americans.  We are proud to be citizens of the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.  But we would not be free, if not for the brave.  That’s why we honor our American veterans.  For our Ping’s family, it is especially important to celebrate this day.  Not only because our owner, Phil Ping, is a veteran, but also because of our veteran employees and their families.  We want to show them on this day, and every day, how very much we appreciate and respect their sacrifices for our freedom.  To truly understand the importance of Veterans Day, we’d like to take a look at where it all began.

The Origin of Veterans Day

Veterans Day was not always called Veterans Day.  From its first observation in 1919 until 1954, Veterans Day was known as Armistice Day.  Its original purpose was to commemorate the events that had occurred one year earlier in 1918.  On November 11^th, 1918, at 11:00 am, an armistice between the Allied forces and Germany went into effect.  Although World War I did not officially end until The Treaty of Versailles was signed in June of 1919, this armistice was effectively the end of the fighting.

The Significance of the Day

The end of World War I was a momentous event in the life of Americans, and we can still feel its impact today.  Many young men had fought in World War I, and many had given their lives to protect our freedom.  As the first war that featured the devastation of modern warfare, World War I was a shock to the world.  Thus, it was called The Great War or The War to End All Wars.  These terms demonstrate the major impact that this war had on the people of our country.  The end of this horrific fighting was remembered through the observance of Armistice Day.

Continuing Remembrance of Veterans

There was a strong hope at the end of The Great War that it would be The War to End All Wars, but we know now that it was not to be.  World War II proved to be even more destructive.   The United States would be involved in still more wars after that.  In 1954, Armistice Day was re-named Veterans Day in order to honor soldiers who had served in all wars.  And now in 2016, we observe Veterans Day.   Many individuals and businesses use this day as an opportunity to show appreciation to those veterans who are still living for all they gave to protect our freedom.

All of us at Ping’s Tree Service are thankful for our veterans.  One way we express our appreciation is by making a concerted effort to hire veterans whenever possible.  We encourage you to celebrate Veterans Day by saying thank you to those who have served in the armed forces.  As a veteran-owned business ourselves, we hope that on this day you will enjoy your freedom while remembering those who fought for it.  THANK YOU TO ALL OUR VETERANS!

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

If you’re like most Indianapolis area homeowners or commercial property owners, you value the trees that form the foundation of your landscaping.  You may appreciate the benefits of trees while still being unsure about how you can best protect them and keep them strong and growing for many years.  One easy practice that you can regularly perform is to prune your trees and shrubs.  Some of the benefits of pruning are the following:

Pruning (if done properly) Fights Insects and Infections.

Regular pruning is good for the health of a tree.  It is especially important to prune away infected branches.  Infections can travel to healthy parts of the tree and may eventually endanger the life of the tree.  Dead branches should also be pruned as they are susceptible to insects and infections.  Getting rid of them through pruning and sterilizing the cuts of infections will help to keep the infestations and infections from spreading to the rest of the tree.

Pruned Trees Are Healthier.

In addition to fighting infections, pruning also keeps trees generally healthier.  Cutting away the dead allows the tree to more efficiently nourish the remaining branches.  Furthermore, when trees become dense, thinning the branches helps to decrease the weight of branches and increase the amount of light and air that get through to the tree.

Pruning Keeps Trees Looking Beautiful.

You want your trees to be healthy, but you also want them to be beautiful.  Pruning helps with this as well.  Obviously, cutting out dead branches makes the whole tree look better.  When pruning and trimming are done, the tree can also be shaped.  Uneven growth patterns can be smoothed out, making the tree more pleasing to the eye.

Pruned Trees Are Safer.

A final reason that trees should be pruned is safety.  You may not think about trees as a danger, but in truth they can be.  When weak, dead, or dying branches are left on the tree, there is always a heightened risk that they will be broken off unexpectedly.  It may be during an ice storm, on a windy day, or just in normal conditions.  The loss of these branches can have dramatic consequences from damage to a car, home, building, or even personal injury.

Pruning, thinning, and trimming trees will keep trees healthy, pest-free, beautiful, and safe.  If it seems like a bigger job than what you are willing to tackle, Ping’s can help.  We have the expertise and equipment to take care of your trees with ease.  Call us at 317-298-8482 today to schedule an appointment.

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

Whether it is a tree or a business, when something is healthy, it will grow!  Ping’s Tree Service has been serving Indianapolis and the surrounding communities for over 40 years.  We work hard to provide you with the best possible tree care services by investing in top-of-the-line equipment, setting high standards for our workmanship, and treating our customers right.  So it’s no surprise that our business is growing.  Today we are happy to report that our business is expanding and opening a satellite location.

Our additional office will be located in Fishers at State Road 37 and 131^st Street.  For the rest of 2016 and the early part of 2017, we will be preparing to open our satellite location for business.  Right now, that location is scheduled to open in February of 2017.  We are excited about this opportunity to better serve our customers and about the possibilities this expansion will open for us.

Our original location on the northwest side of Indianapolis will continue to operate as usual and will remain the main office of our company.  With the growth and changes we are making, we anticipate this expansion will enable us to be even more responsive to customers closer to the Fishers area, especially in emergency situations.  We have quite a few customers in the communities of Fishers, Carmel, Geist, McCordsville, Cicero, and Noblesville.  We look forward to being right in the heart of this area, close by when you need us!

The anticipation of opening our new office in February is building, and we are eager to get things rolled out.  We will let you know more about our official opening as our plans unfold.  In the meantime, we will continue to meet all your tree care, trimming, pruning, fertilizing, and tree removal needs.  We’ll keep your trees healthy and growing…just like us!

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

Trees and shrubs can add appeal to your landscaping.  In the long term, trees can also provide shade to your home or your yard.  Fruit trees can even provide food grown right there in your yard. There are many good reasons for planting trees and shrubs.  So you may be wondering if there is a good time to plant.  The answer is a resounding yes.  There are both good and bad times to plant trees and shrubs.

Not in the Summer or Winter

Let’s start with the negative.  If you live in central Indiana, you never want to plant trees or shrubs in either of the more extreme seasons.  Summer and winter are not good planting times due to the harsh weather.  The summer in particular is a stressful time for all vegetation.  The heat and lack of adequate water require plants to tap into their valuable stored resources. Since planting is also a stressful event for a tree or shrub, it should not be done at a time of year that is typically taxing.  Planting in the winter is not only not advisable, it may also be nearly impossible.  Once the ground freezes, it will obviously be hard to dig a hole for planting.

Spring is Okay

Once the snow melts and the rising temperatures allow for the ground to thaw, you can start planting your trees and shrubs.  Typically, spring provides a mild climate for planting here in central Indiana.  Temperatures are usually moderate, without either the severe cold of winter or the severe heat of summer.  Rainfall is generally adequate during the spring season as well.  If you choose to plant in the spring, it is a good idea to do it well before the heat of summer sets in.  This gives the tree or shrub enough time to become adequately established in the new location before experiencing the stresses of summer.

Fall is Best

While spring is not a bad time for planting, it is not the best.  Fall is actually the best time to plant trees and shrubs in central Indiana.  The moderate climate of fall ensures that planted vegetation will not be assaulted by the stressors of heat and dryness.  Temperatures are falling at that time of year and rainfall levels are usually adequate.  This is similar to the conditions experienced in the spring.  An added benefit is the coming winter.  Trees and shrubs will usually go dormant in the cold winter months.  In the spring, trees wake up again to another moderate season.  Thus, the tree or shrub planted in the fall has two active seasons in which it can become well-established before the more demanding season of summer.

For those of you who are considering a planting, now is a perfect time to do it.  Planting now gives you the best chance of having a healthy tree now and in the years to come.  If you have a tree that looks unhealthy or that has been damaged, Ping’s is always available to help.  From our arborists to our tree removal experts, our experienced staff can solve your tree problems.  Call us at 317-298-8482 or schedule online at your convenience.

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

Fertilizing Trees and Shrubs

We all try to eat healthy.  Get plenty of vegetables, enough dairy, and the right amount of protein.  But what about your trees?  What kind of nutrition do they need?  Obviously, trees do not “eat;” instead, they receive nutrients from the soil.  Since the quality of the soil can vary based on location and treatment, trees often benefit from regular fertilizing.

The Advantage of Fertilizing

Trees that are planted in suburban neighborhoods are often in particular need of fertilizing.  Home builders frequently remove rich top soil at the time of building.  Further compounding the problem is our habitual practice of carefully removing all fallen leaves each autumn.  In a natural setting, fallen leaves are allowed to decompose and add nutrients back into the soil.  Since we typically do not allow this to happen in residential areas, you may want to consider fertilizing.  When you fertilize your trees and shrubs, you give them the materials they need to grow and live.  Thus, a fertilized tree will typically grow faster, look healthier, and be able to better defend against insects and diseases.

The Type of Fertilizer

The type of fertilizer you need depends on the condition of your soil.  You can perform a soil test to determine any soil deficiencies.  A complete fertilizer will contain nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and a soil test will show how much of each nutrient is needed.  The strength of each nutrient in the fertilizer is shown through a numeric designation for each nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, in that order.  For example, 10-10-10 would be a balanced fertilizer containing 10% of each of the nutrients.  Fertilizer can be purchased in either dry or liquid forms.

The Time for Fertilizing

The best schedule for fertilizing is to make applications in both the spring and the fall.  These are times when trees are not under the stress of extreme temperature and are ready to absorb the nutrients you are putting down.  For your fall application, early September to mid-October is ideal.  Tree roots can absorb nutrients as long as the soil temperature is above 40°F.

If you are unsure of what your trees needs or would just rather not mess with fertilizing yourself, the arborists at Ping’s can take care of it for you.  We can assess your soil condition, determine what your trees need, and fertilize your trees.  Give us a call today (317-298-8482) or schedule online to get your fertilizer treatment done while the weather is still good.

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

The Backyard Bucket: The Right Tool for Backyard Tree Problems

This Backyard Bucket fits through a 45-inch opening.

Have you ever had a problem that seemed unsolvable?  Big or small, these kinds of problems take our attention and sometimes require a lot of extra work.  But having just the right tool can make all the difference in the world.  Opening a can without a can opener can be difficult and messy.  With one, it’s a cinch.

Since Ping’s specializes in taking care of trees, we have a few tree-related tools at our disposal.  These valuable tools often make things easier on us and you.  One tool that really allows us to minimize the efforts of homeowners to get ready for us is the backyard bucket.  This cleverly designed piece of equipment combines the capability of some of our larger trucks with the ability to access tight spaces.  We have two backyard buckets. One can fit through a 45-inch opening; the other through an opening just 36 inches!

Just imagine that you have a beautiful oak tree in your backyard.  It’s always been a part of your landscape since you bought the house; in fact, it’s probably been there for a hundred years or more.  Then one night a line of thunderstorms blows through your area (as they are prone to do in central Indiana).  Suddenly a bolt of lightning rips through the dark sky and strikes your stately oak.  In the morning, you sadly survey the results of the storm and see that the tree sustained a direct hit and is now split down its center.  You consult with an arborist and learn that your tree is beyond repair.  It will slowly die and as it dies it will become more vulnerable to further damage.  To avoid damage to your home and the homes of your neighbors, it is best to take it down.

Besides the fact that you hate to lose your tree, you now have another problem.  A section of that new wooden fence that you put in last year will have to come down so that the necessary equipment can be brought to the tree.  However, with the backyard bucket this becomes unnecessary.  Although it is a tight fit, the backyard bucket can squeeze through a space of a mere 36 inches.  Yet it still has the capacity to handle big jobs.  It is also a valuable tool to use in a crowded space where the room needed for traditional tree equipment is not available.

For hard-to-reach trees that need tree care or tree removal in Marion County or the surrounding counties, check with us.  We will take a look and give you a free estimate.  Chances are we will have just the right tools to minimize your inconvenience and solve your tree problem!

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