Is My Tree Decaying?

Do you have a tree on your property that has seen better days? There’s a good chance that it could be decaying. What’s more, it could potentially put you and your family, your home, and your entire property in danger in the future. It can be tough to tell whether or not a tree is decaying since trees tend to decay from the inside out. Nevertheless, there are certain signs to look for that indicate potential problems. Here is how you’ll know a tree is decaying.

The appearance of a tree’s bark has changed dramatically.

One of the first things you’ll notice when a tree starts to decay is changes to its bark. The bark that used to look so healthy will suddenly have cracks and holes in it. This is a pretty clear-cut indication of decay in most cases. It’s a good idea for homeowners to inspect the bark on their trees every now and then to see what kind of condition it’s in.

A tree has a lot of dead branches on it.

Are you finding tons of dead branches scattered throughout your yard every week or two? It’s not uncommon to find one or two dead branches every now and then, but if you’re seeing them fall in your yard consistently, it’s a bad sign. The branches on trees that are decaying will often dry out and break before crashing down to earth during storms and on windy days. Look out for them in your yard.

The leaves on a tree look discolored.

During the spring, summer, and most of the fall, the leaves that grow on a tree should look healthy. If you notice discoloration on them or if they have spots on them, it could show that you have a decaying tree on your hands. It’s good to call on an expert for help to see if you need to be worried about the way your leaves look.

If you’re concerned that a tree in your yard might be decaying, Big Foot Tree Service can come out and take a look at it for you. We can also provide tree trimming and tree removal services if we find that a tree is, in fact, dying on you. Call us at 973-885-8000 today to obtain a free estimate on our services.

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

5. Time Of Year

Trees that are still living and do not pose an immediate risk should preferably be removed during their dormant season. This mainly applies to deciduous trees that have a seasonal cycle. The dormant season normally occurs at the end of winter just before new leaf shoots arrive in the spring.

The reason that this is the best time of year is because the tree carries less foliage and is therefore much easier to cut down, cut up and remove. In addition, it is far less messy to remove the tree at this time. The ground has also just begun to thaw at the start of spring making it soft enough to remove the roots while ensuring that it is hard enough for any surrounding trees and plants to remain stable and in place.

The ground factor means that this is also a good time to remove evergreen trees or trees that do not lose their leaves in the fall and sprout new ones in the spring.

6. The Cost

Tree fellers, an arborist and other type of tree removal expert will charge more to remove trees during the busy season which is between winter and spring. Opting to have the trees removed a little earlier, out of this peak season, can save you some of the expense of having the tree expertly removed. Earlier in the winter months is ideal if you are looking for a more cost-effective professional tree removal service.

Always keep in mind that tree removal is a hazardous process and the task is best left Portland Tree Service experts.

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

Spring is the most beautiful season here in the Mid-South. Everywhere you look, the grass is getting greener, the landscapes are looking brighter, and baby buds are peeking out from every tree limb. While those limbs look beautiful swaying in the wind, this is actually a great time of year to talk about pruning them! While many trees grow perfectly well without pruning, adding this to your routine landscape maintenance will allow your trees to reach their full potential and increase their chances of living a long life. Aside from March showers and April flowers, spring can be one of the best times of the year to tackle any pruning you need to do.

Here at Red’s Tree Service, we have an expert team to provide tree trimming and selective pruning across Memphis and the Mid-South. To help you understand why pruning is important and when it should be done to make the most of it, we’ve put together some information for below. Keep reading to learn more!

Why pruning is important for your trees

Pruning focuses on removing dead, dying, and diseased branches, as well as branches that rub together and any branch stubs. Opening up the canopy lets more light and air filter throughout the entire tree, which allows for increased foliage and decreases the risk of disease. By pruning and trimming trees in specific ways, fruiting and flowering is encouraged. A professional can also shape plants into specific forms and help to control plant size.

While the appearance and health of a tree is often cited as the main reason for pruning, safety concerns should be considered as well. Regularly trimming the trees in your yard creates a safer environment for your family and friends. Dead branches, diseased trees, and weak limbs can all be a danger to people and property, but well-pruned trees are stronger and healthier. Branches that are too close to safety lights, electrical lines, or blocking traffic views should be pruned frequently.

Living in or around Memphis means that springtime coincides with our severe weather season. Top-heavy trees with too much foliage can break and fall over in strong storms, while falling branches can damage your house, plants, or car. This is one reason why thinning out branches and dead limb at this time of year can be beneficial.

Although you can technically prune your own trees, it’s often a pretty large job. We would encourage you to leave more established trees especially to qualified arborists and tree care professional like our team at Red’s. We have the knowledge, experience, appropriate equipment, and training to remove large branches safely and efficiently.

The best time of year to prune trees

There’s never really a bad time to remove dead, damaged, or diseased branches. However, most trees will benefit most from pruning in mid- to late winter. That’s because pruning during dormancy encourages new growth as soon as the weather begins to warm up. The lack of leaves around this time also allows you to easily identify branches and limbs requiring removal.

While pruning trees in the summer isn’t a popular option, it can sometimes be beneficial if performed with caution. You should never prune in the fall, however. Pruning trees in the fall can introduce disease, and when you have a warm autumn like we often get, new growth can be seriously damaged when the temperatures drop again.

Pruning in the spring

In general, pruning your trees in the spring can limit their bloom potential for the year. It can also leave cuts that leave trees more vulnerable to insect infestation or disease. That said, some tree pruning can safely be done in the spring! The rule of thumb is to not remove more than 10% of any tree’s branches. When it comes to spring pruning, your goal should be one of two things: pruning for safety OR minimal pruning for aesthetics.

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule! If you’ve just planted a new tree, any broken, defective, or damaged limbs should be removed. Maple, walnut, and birch trees can also safely be pruned in late spring to early summer. This timing also reduces sap bleeding, which can be messy. There are also several flowering trees that should be pruned once they’re done blooming in the spring season:

• Apricot trees
• Chokecherry trees
• Crabapple trees
• Dogwood trees
• Flowering cherry trees
• Flowering plum trees
• Juneberry trees
• Lilac trees
• Magnolia trees

Remember that in general, pruning trees in the spring can leave them more vulnerable to infestation and diseases. These trees in particular should never be pruned in the spring, summer, or early fall.

• Oak trees to reduce the chance of oak wilt (if oak wilt is in your area)
• Elm trees to reduce the chance of Dutch elm disease
• Sycamore trees to reduce the chance of anthracnose
• Honeylocust trees to reduce the chance of stem cankers

Let Red’s Tree Service give your trees extra life this spring

There are many ways to improve both the health and the shape of your trees. Pruning methods like crown thinning, crown raising, crown reduction, and crown cleaning can improve the light and air circulation a tree is getting, helping it to look better and grow stronger. We are experienced in providing tree trimming and selective pruning services to maintain the safety and integrity of your trees throughout the year!

Certain species of trees will require more precise timing and different approaches for proper pruning, and having an experienced arborist like ours on hand helps keep both you and your trees safe. By using a licensed tree service professional like Red’s, you’re ensuring that a correct pruning and trimming job will be done. This will create and maintain strong tree structures that will look beautiful for years to come. If you have trees you’d like us to inspect or are overdue for a pruning, get in touch with us today for a FREE estimate!

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

If you could make a significant contribution to the slowing of climate change and global warming, would you do it? With every tree you plant, you increase breathable air, reduce atmospheric CO2, and help the local ecosystem.

Planting a tree is the beginning of a journey with nature. The better the conditions are when planting a tree, the healthier it will be and faster it will grow.

72tree.com gathered the following hardiness zone, location, soil, watering, pruning, and care information to serve as a guide when planting a tree.

Tree Planting – Hardiness Zone

Tree species across the world have adapted to thrive in their respective environment. In the United States, the USDA has determined 11 hardiness zones by their average annual extreme low temperatures.

Before choosing a species to plant, you must first determine which hardiness zone the planting location is in. The following is the USDA’s Hardiness Zone Map.

For an interactive version of the map, visit planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/phzmweb/interactivemap.aspx

As an example, the state of Georgia spans through hardiness zones 6b through 8b, making it suitable for maples, oaks, and poplars among others. For these and other shade trees suitable to plant in Alpharetta or Roswell Ga, visit 72tree.com/5-popular-alpharetta-ga-shade-trees/

Once you have determined the hardiness zone of the planting location, it’s time to consider the planting location and select a tree species.

Tree Planting – Location

While trees are impacted largely by climate, conditions within their immediate environment are equally as important. Take the following factors into consideration when choosing which species and where to plant:

Shade Tolerance – Each tree species may react differently to the amount of sunlight it is subjected to daily. Here are the shade tolerance categories:

• Shade Tolerant
• Intermediate Shade Tolerant
• Shade Intolerant

It is important to note that shade intolerant trees like poplars, eucalyptus, aspen, and pecan trees may self-prune (drop entire branches) if subject to partial or full shade environments.

Wind Resistance – High winds and severe weather will test a tree’s foothold and its elasticity. Planting trees around the following wind-blocking features may help them survive the strongest of winds:

• Fences
• Shrubs
• Raised Garden Beds
• Hills
• Sheds
• Buildings

A tree’s resistance to severe weather is also determined by its overall health and seasonal pruning practices. Crown thinning is the perfect example of a pruning technique that allows wind to blow more freely through the crown, significantly reducing the potential for severe damage.

Understory Trees – These trees grow from 20 to 25ft tall and are shade tolerant. These trees are well suited for “plaza” settings or environments in which they are surrounded by buildings and a mostly shaded setting. In a forest, these are the trees that grow between the forest floor and the bottom of the overstory canopy.

Overstory Trees – These trees grow from 40ft and beyond. Overstory trees are shade intolerant and require wide open space to reach their maximum height potential. In a forest, these are the trees that make up the uppermost part of the canopy.

Root Growth – In nearly all tree species, some roots grow deep into the ground to stabilize the tree, and the vast majority of roots spread out around the tree within the top 2 to 3ft of soil in search of water and nutrients.

It is essential that your planting location be far enough away from sidewalks, pathways, driveways, and building foundations to avoid buckling and structural damage.

For more information on how tree roots affect surrounding structures, read 72tree.com/tree-roots-buckling-concrete-driveway/

Tree Planting – Soil

Since soil contains the organic matter and water a tree needs, it is obvious that the growth and health of your new tree depend heavily on the soil it is planted in. The following guidelines will help you prepare the soil for planting:

Soil Type – There are four basic types of soil:

• Sand – Sandy soil has difficulty retaining water and roots are often unable to establish themselves firmly.
• Silt – Silt is a granular quartz or feldspar material sized between sand and clay.
• Clay – Clay soil is the denser of the soil types, has poor drainage, and compacts very easily.
• Loam – Loam is a combination of the other three soil types and is widely considered to be the best soil for planting.

The majority of tree species flourish in well-drained silt or loam soil, while few are adapted to sand or clay soils.

Soil pH Level – Neutral soils have a pH level of 6.5 to 7.5, acidic soils have a pH level below 6.5, and basic soils have a pH level higher than 7.5.

Depending on the species of your tree, it may grow better in acidic soil like pine trees, while most hardwoods do better in slightly acidic to neutral soil.

The pH level of the soil can be lowered by mixing in sulfur, and most fertilizers, while lime or organic mulch, can be added to raise the pH level.

When planting a tree, the soil within a 4 to 5ft radius around the trunk should have its pH adjusted to meet the needs of the tree species, and the soil mixed to a loam consistency to offer the best root development environment.

Tree Planting – Watering

For the first few years of growth, newly planted trees (in well-drained soil) require a deep watering every two weeks or so. Deep watering is when you allow a slow but steady stream of water to penetrate 10in or more into the soil.

The benefit of deep watering is that roots will grow deeper into the soil, discouraging surface roots. Surface roots are easily damaged, allowing for either infection or infestation which weaken the tree’s health and could lead to its early death.

During rainy seasons, deep waterings should be spread further apart, every 3 to 4 weeks, and during dry seasons or times of drought, weekly deep waterings may be necessary.

Tree Care After Planting

After a full year of growth, it’s time to start applying routine tree care practices. In late fall, you can prune your tree to encourage spring growth, maintain its shape, or remove diseased or damaged limbs. Learn the various tree pruning techniques and their purpose so you avoid making an irreparable mistake.

Fertilizing should only occur between the beginning of spring and the beginning of summer. Fertilizing in mid or late summer will encourage new growth which will not have sufficient time to harden and will likely die in the winter months.

Set up an annual inspection with an ISA certified arborist. An arborist can give you valuable insight as to the influence your landscape has on your tree and vice-versa. He or she can also help in the early detection of disease, infestations, and other potential threats to your tree.

Tree Planting for a Better World

You can help slow the effects of climate change and global warming by planting a tree. With a world population of nearly 8 billion people, research shows that the 3 trillion trees currently occupying the planet with us just won’t be enough for human life to flourish in the coming centuries.

In this article, you discovered the USDA’s Hardiness Zone Map, tree planting guidelines for location selection, soil composition, watering frequencies, pruning, and care.

By neglecting the world’s diminishing tree population, we as a people are potentially condemning future generations to an inhospitable planet in which little – if any – life will be able to survive. When you plant and care for a tree, you are truly helping to save the planet and the future of mankind.

Sources:
http://www.americaslongleaf.org/media/2516/soil-ph-tree-suitability-in-the-south-_sref_.pdf
https://extension.psu.edu/forest-landowners-guide-to-tree-planting-success
https://csfs.colostate.edu/colorado-trees/selecting-planting-and-caring-for-trees/planting-tips/
https://forestry.usu.edu/trees-cities-towns/urban-forestry/landscape-trees-climate
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/forestry/publications/pdf_files/ctspsoilstrees.pdf

This article was first published on: http://www.72tree.com/tree-planting-guide/

Don’t let your dying tree fall on your house. All trees grow, age, and will eventually die, knowing the signs of a troubled tree and how to respond will keep your property and loved ones safe.

Illness and disease can slowly eat away at the health of your trees, and when this happens, knowing what to do becomes critical. In some cases, the signs are so subtle that trouble is overlooked, and the tree subsequently falls on your car or house.

toddsmariettatreeservices.com explains how to identify a tree emergency, the signs of a troubled tree, and what to do when your tree starts dying.

Dying Tree Emergency

There are tree emergencies that are obvious and require immediate attention. The following situations will generally end up requiring an emergency tree removal:

Leaning Tree – When a tree can no longer secure itself to the land it is growing in or has broken away from the roots holding it down, it may lean before falling. This is a tree emergency and may require its immediate removal by a professional tree service.

Mushrooms Growing on the Tree – One of the most alarming signs that a tree is dying is the growth of mushrooms on the trunk.

Mushrooms require decaying organic material to flourish. If they are growing on your tree, it means that the inside of the tree is decaying and is an immediate hazard to its surroundings.

As with the situation of a leaning tree, this is an emergency requiring immediate professional action.

Insect Infestation – Boring insects can wreak havoc on the inside of a tree. If severe enough, an infestation can kill stressed or healthy trees, and continue to spread from tree to tree.

If you have detected the presence of boring insects, it is imperative that a professional tree service is called to evaluate the extent of the infestation, the amount of damage your tree has sustained, and a plan to halt the spread of the infestation to neighboring trees.

To learn more about the signs and symptoms of a troubled tree, read toddsmariettatreeservices.com/troubled-tree-signs-symptoms/

My Tree is Dying – I Think

As trees grow, they go through many phases which may appear as if they are dying. That’s not always the case. Take the following into consideration:

Deciduous Trees – At the beginning of fall, you may notice your tree’s green leaves turning shades of red, orange, and yellow. Within a couple of weeks, all of the leaves fall to the ground leaving the trunk, branches, and twigs bare.

In this scenario, your tree is likely doing what it needs to do in preparation for dormancy. Dormancy may cause your tree to appear dead, but in reality, this process is its protection against freezing temperatures and severe winter weather.

If however your tree loses its foliage before the fall season, or shows no sign of life into late spring, have the tree evaluated by a professional to determine a course of action.

Falling Branches – Without warning, an entire branch comes crashing to the ground. While this may be an alarming event, there are tree species such as the eucalyptus, Carolina poplar, American elm, aspen, or pecan tree that will drop a branch unannounced.

These trees are considered self-pruning. They are shade intolerant, and when the leaves of a branch don’t get enough sunlight to provide sufficient photosynthesis, the tree may simply dispatch the entire branch. Read northernwoodlands.org/articles/article/woods-whys-self-pruning-branches for more on self-pruning branches.

Before using the branch for firewood or disposing of it, inspect it for signs of infection or infestation. When a tree species that is not self-pruning drops a branch, it is an indication that something serious may be occurring within the tree.

In the absence of disease or infestation, professional crown thinning and seasonal pruning will help your tree avoid self-pruning.

Discover the right time for cutting, pruning, and emergency tree removal at toddsmariettatreeservices.com/right-time-cutting-pruning-emergency-tree-removal/

How to Handle a Dying Tree

While trees add value to their surroundings, benefit the environment, and are naturally beautiful, they can become a deadly liability as they age, become ill, and eventually die. Knowing how to identify and handle the signs of a dead or dying may save your property and the well-being of your loved ones.

In this article, you discovered what a tree emergency looks like, the signs of a troubled tree, and what to do if your tree is dying or dead.

Once you have detected a tree problem, you must take action to treat or remove that tree before it falls and causes catastrophic property damage or physical injury.

Sources:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/40595781?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1100&title=Is%20My%20Tree%20Dying?
https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/how-do-you-decide-when-remove-tree

https://plus.google.com/+Toddsmariettatreeservices

The post My Tree is Dying – What Do I Do? appeared first on http://www.toddsmariettatreeservices.com.

What’s the season after winter and before summer when vegetation begins to appear? If you said spring, you’re right! Spring started on March 20th and runs through Friday, June 21st. This season is the ideal time to call a tree care professional to deal with trees on your New Jersey property. Big Foot Tree Service’s number is 973-885-8000. Big Foot Tree Service covers many cities in New Jersey, including Butler, Caldwell, Fairfield, Franklin Lakes, Kinnelon, Montville, Oakland, Pompton Lakes, Pompton Plains and Wanaque. Big Foot’s team are trained professionals who have the knowledge needed to properly care for and handle tree issues.

Spring Temperatures Are Great For Tree Work

Why call Big Foot Tree Service this spring for tree work to be done on your property? Well, spring is one of the easier seasons for tree work to get done because the temperatures aren’t extremely cold or hot and the storms aren’t as severe as other seasons. Spring is a nice, mild time of year for both trees and workers who have to be outside working on them. Spring is prime time for tree maintenance services. Want to see how they fared after winter? Have a tree expert come diagnose disease(s), as well as catch mold and/or pest infestation before summer comes along… and have the soil condition under the tree checked, too.

Trimming is Easier

Perhaps limbs and branches on certain trees have become weak over the winter. Spring is a good time to have your tree trimmed. Rather than have weak limbs or branches fall down on their own, which could hurt people and/or property, a professional tree trimming takes care of any potentially dangerous parts of the tree before they do harm on their own thanks to one harsh wind or rain storm. Spring is also a good time for trees to be pruned– think of this as your tree’s once-a-year haircut! Dead, broken and/or diseased parts of the tree can be removed, and before the tree is in full bloom, branches can be pruned so the overall tree is less “full” and “big,” with more “room to grow” and “room to breathe” within its structure. A good pruning helps restore beauty and shape to a tree, strengthening the integrity of its limbs and branches.

Response Time is Quicker

Finally, if you think you want a tree removed, why not have it done this spring before the busy months of summer are upon us and you’ve got other things on your mind? Please call Big Foot Tree Service to discuss your tree needs and concerns at 973-885-8000.

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

Is the lack of information impacting your ability to care for and fight disease on the otherwise resilient hickory tree?

Hickory trees are among the most durable trees native to the United States. Any of the hickory tree species should be considered for your mid-sized or large landscape for their beauty and ease of care.

toddsmariettatreeservices.com gathered hickory tree facts, diseases, care tips, and answers some frequently asked questions.

Hickory Tree Facts

Hickory trees are a member of the Carya genus. There are about twenty species of hickory that comprise the genus, of which, 12 species are native to the United States.

Trees in the Carya genus are blooming and bearing tree species. Hickory trees are tough and durable, among the most long-lived, and are a frequent favorite in Southern landscaping.

Tree Name	Hickory
Scientific Name/Species	Carya tomentosa (most abundant of the hickories)
Family	Juglandaceae (walnut family)
Genus	Carya
Nickname/Other Tree(s)	Bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis), pignut or black hickory (Carya glabra), sand hickory (Carya palida), red hickory (Carya ovalis), and mockernut hickory (Carya tomentosa) are all species within the Carya genus
State Tree	Texas (pecan – Carya illinoinensis)

Lifespan	Can live up to 500 years or more when planted in optimal conditions
Type	Deciduous
Hardiness Zone(s)	from 4 to 8
Soil Requirements	Tolerates most soil types but in all cases, prefers well-drained soil with full sun exposure
Planting Spacing	20ft between trees
Watering Requirements	Regular (to keep the soil moist) when young or planted. Minimal (during dry spells) thereafter

Height	60 to 100ft
DBH	1 to 2ft at maturity
Crown Span	40ft or more at maturity (the shape may vary depending on the species)
Root Spread	Hickory trees are known for their deep, expansive, and robust root systems which help them from being uprooted during the strongest of winds and storms
Fruit Production	Hickories require a 10-15 year period of growth before they will bear fruit
Uses in Landscaping	Hickories make a magnificent specimen, screen, or large shade tree, and are well suited for more spacious landscapes
Winter/Fall Colors	Golden yellow before leaf-drop in the fall

Hickory Tree Diseases

Hickory trees are extremely tough and resilient to disease when they are healthy, and the following are some of the diseases to watch for:

Hickory Anthracnose/Leaf Spot – The symptoms include large reddish spots on leaf tops and brown spots underneath. When an infection is severe, early defoliation may occur.

Many of the fungi that cause this disease will survive the winter on fallen infected leaves. When these leaves fall, they should be carefully disposed of.

For more info on the anthracnose disease, visit toddsmariettatreeservices.com/how-to-identify-treat-prevent-anthracnose/

Verticillium Wilt – Symptoms of this infection include entire branches or a whole section of a tree dying off. The foliage on affected parts of the tree will wilt and turn brown.

Help your tree remain healthy by pruning out infected branches, watering during dry weather, and seasonal fertilization.

Powdery Mildew – This disease causes a white “powdery” growth on the leaves. When this disease occurs early in the growing season, it can be treated using the following:

• In one gallon of water, mix one tablespoon of baking soda with a one-half teaspoon of liquid soap (non-detergent).
• Spray liberally on affected foliage.

If this infection occurs late in the season, control will not be required. Make sure that fallen leaves are collected and disposed of.

Witches Broom – This disease will typically follow a leaf spot disease. Symptoms include yellow spots on leaf surfaces with white spots on the underneath side.

Defoliation may occur from severe infections, and when the disease successfully enters the stem, a witches broom will form.

Leaves on the witches broom stems will be small, yellowish, and fall prematurely. When witches brooms form, prune them away, and call a tree service to evaluate the overall health of the tree.

Cankers – Cankers occur when a tree’s bark is wounded, and an opportunistic fungus finds its way into the wound. As the fungus grows and multiplies, it stops the tree from compartmentalizing the wound and can eventually spread throughout the tree.

Cankers that appear on twigs and branches should be pruned out, cutting all the way back to the trunk when the infection is severe. Cankers that form on the trunk of a tree should be inspected by a tree service to determine the best course of action.

To prevent cankers from forming, keep your trees healthy by watering them when the weather is dry, seasonally fertilizing them, and pruning them during their dormancy.

To be best prepared for preventing potential danger, read signs and symptoms of a troubled tree.

Hickory Tree Care

Caring for trees of the hickory species is easy and includes:

• Watering when the weather is dry.
• Pruning during the dormant season.
• Annual fertilizing.
• Treating fungi when affected.
• Scheduling an annual inspection.

For more valuable information on tree watering and soil needs, visit toddsmariettatreeservices.com/tree-watering-rich-soil-healthy-trees/

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Do all hickory trees produce nuts?
Answer: Yes. Hickory trees comprise the genus Carya (Ancient Greek for “nut”).

Question: Are hickory nuts edible for humans?
Answer: Yes. However, the flavor will vary from species to species.

Question: Are Hickory trees related to pecan trees?
Answer: Yes. In fact, the two are so closely related, they grow within the same hardiness zone and require the same care.

Question: How long do hickory trees live?
Answer: Hickory trees are known to live beyond 500 years.

Question: What is hickory wood good for?
Answer: Being one of the strongest and hardest woods native to the United States, hickory is frequently used where shock-resistance and strength are required, such as wood flooring.

Hickory is also popular for smoking cured meats and cooking barbecue.

The Hickory Tree is a Perfect Landscape Specimen

Hickory trees from the Carya genus are easy to care for, and many of the species are native to the United States. These easy trees are among landscapers favorites for their resilience and ease of care.

In this article, you discovered hickory tree facts, diseases, care tips, and uncovered answers to frequently asked questions.

If the hickory tree isn’t a part of your landscape, you are missing out on a slow growing, beautifully shaped shade or screen tree. They are easy to plant and require minimal care efforts.

Sources:
http://hort.ufl.edu/database/documents/pdf/tree_fact_sheets/carovaa.pdf
http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/Survival/Pages/hickory.html
http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2013/10/25/the-hickory-tough-and-durable-landscape-trees/
https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/pecan-planting-fertilization/

https://plus.google.com/+Toddsmariettatreeservices

The post Hickory Tree Facts, Diseases, and Care appeared first on http://www.toddsmariettatreeservices.com.

Without trees, we all die. Besides providing oxygen for us to breathe, trees make life on earth sustainable. Discover what is happening to the world’s trees and why we urgently need to stop senseless deforestation.

Trees affect everything from the air we breathe to the rain that falls from the sky. Without a robust population of trees, we die and so does our planet.

72tree.com gathered tree information, statistics, problems, and actions we can all take to preserve our trees and our habitable planet.

What Will Happen if We Cut Down All the Trees?

Right now, just over 3 trillion trees are growing on our planet. Every year, over 15 billion of those trees are felled or lost to natural disasters. At this rate, earth’s last tree will fall in roughly 200 years.

As earth’s tree population nears zero, the following will occur:

Oxygen and CO2 – Trees remove CO2 from the atmosphere and convert it to oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. Without them converting CO2 to oxygen, CO2 levels would begin to rise while oxygen levels would steadily fall.

Trees are responsible for 35% of the oxygen we breathe. The other 65% are produced by algae and phytoplankton in the oceans.

Flooding and Erosion – Without tree roots to absorb water and stabilize the soil, even the smallest of storms will result in significant flooding, topsoil erosion, and landslides.

Air and Soil Pollutants – Trees work nonstop to filter ammonia, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide from the air and soil.

Without trees, these pollutants would find their way into what crops are left and into the feed of what animals are left, not to mention the air we breathe.

Evapotranspiration – Without trees, the process of evapotranspiration would stop. This is the process of moistening the air which produces more clouds. Evapotranspiration is responsible for maintaining the delicate balance between fertile land and dry desolate desert.

Fewer clouds mean less rain. With less rainfall, fertile land would dry up, fresh water sources would run out or stagnate, and agriculture will begin to fail on a global scale.

Acid Rain – Without trees to remove pollutants, what little rainfall remains would be mostly acidic. All remaining plant life would be crippled.

Global Warming – As the earth’s temperatures rise, the polar ice-caps would melt at an accelerated rate, causing ocean levels to rise and inundate coastal lands and freshwater sources.

As witnessed primarily in the south pole, the ice caps are already receding at an alarming pace, and if this melting isn’t slowed or stopped, it could threaten the survival of all wildlife within that ecosystem.

As the ice melts and causes desalinization in the oceans, weather patterns are subject to erratic change. Off-season snow storms, tsunamis, typhoons, hurricanes, and even blistering summers can all be driven by our raising global thermostat.

Labored Breathing – With CO2 levels on the rise and oxygen levels depleted, people with respiratory and blood problems would be the first to die along with animals unable to cope with the atmospheric changes.

Extinction – Small animals which once depended on trees for food and shelter would be the first to perish. Within a short period, the natural food chain would begin to lose its structure, leaving carnivorous scavengers to likely last the longest.

As temperatures continue to rise, the oxygen levels in the atmosphere decrease, and food sources become even more scarce, the food chain – in its entirety – would eventually break down, leaving every living creature on the planet on a collision coarse with extinction. Including mankind.

The timeline and events portrayed above are a representation of the first fifty to one hundred years without trees.

What Can We Do to Stop Deforestation?

You alone can make a tremendous impact on the future of our planet’s tree population. The following are ways that you can help stop deforestation:

Plant a Tree – Every tree you plant slows down the effects of deforestation. However, planting a tree isn’t enough. It is just as important to keep that tree healthy and resistant to disease and insect infestation.

Adding to the complexity of this situation is the process of natural deforestation. This is when beetles and other boring insects successfully attack large numbers of trees in either urban settings or forests. As these trees die, they dry out and become fuel for wildfires.

Besides annual inspections of your trees, whenever you detect the presence of an infestation or disease, call an arborist to assess the situation and offer a course of action.

you can discover more about tree health problems and solutions by visiting 72tree.com/9-common-tree-health-problems-solutions/

Go Paperless – Whenever possible, receive and pay bills online. With the technological advances we have at our fingertips, we are able to reduce the use of nearly all paper products drastically.

Recycle – For decades, companies and households of all sizes have been recycling. You can push this concept forward by only purchasing recycled paper products and by recycling yourself.

Look for Forest Stewardship Council Certification – This is known as FSC certification and can be found on wood, paper, and food products. Products with this certification are produced in sustainable ways and can be classified as follows:

• FSC 100% includes products that come from FSC-certified forests.
• FSC Recycled means the wood or paper within a product is sourced from reclaimed material.
• FSC Mixed means at least 70 percent of the wood in a product comes from FSC-certified or recycled material, and that 30 percent is made of controlled wood.

Eat Vegetarian – By eating vegetarian or vegan meals as often as possible, you are reducing the demand for livestock, thereby reducing the need for deforestation to graze the animals.

Teach Others about Sustainability – The most impactful thing you can do to save our trees and forests is to teach others how to live sustainably.

According to recent research, nearly half of the world’s trees have been lost over the past 12,000 years to agriculture and population growth, and at the rate trees are currently being cut down, they will be gone in 200 years unless we take action to prevent it.

What Can We Do to Save Trees

As mentioned above, planting a tree helps turn back the effects of deforestation, while saving trees is a bit different. To save a tree, you don’t necessarily need to travel to the forest and stand in the way of a bulldozer.

You can save trees every day by caring for the ones that surround you:

• Plant trees in their hardiness zone.
• Plant trees in locations where they can grow freely.
• Adjust soil conditions to match your trees’ needs.
• Prune your trees as it grows.
• Water your trees during dry weather.
• Learn to identify signs of disease and infestation.
• Schedule annual inspections by an arborist.
• When a tree becomes a hazard, have it removed.

That last bullet point may have confused you. There are times when tree diseases or infestations can pose a grave threat to the surrounding ecosystem. In such cases, removing the tree may be the only practical option to protect other trees.

Cutting Down Trees Affects Us and Our Environment

All living creatures including mankind need trees to breathe, eat, and live. Life on earth, at all levels, depends on the abundant existence of a healthy tree population.

In this article, you discovered important tree population information, statistics, problems, and actions we can take to care for our trees and keep our planet habitable.

Ignoring that there is a problem only allows the problem to flourish. If we are to preserve our planet, each of us must take action in some way to keep our trees healthy and rely less on the material possessions that encourage deforestation.

Sources:
https://blogs.worldbank.org/opendata/five-forest-figures-international-day-forests
https://www.epa.gov
https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/forests/solutions-to-deforestation/
https://www.ucsusa.org/global-warming/solutions/stop-deforestation
https://ic.fsc.org/en/what-is-fsc-certification
https://www.nature.com/articles/nature14967

This article was first published on: http://www.72tree.com/can-we-live-without-trees-how-to-save-them/

If you were to make a list of things that could damage the trees on your property, what would be some of the chief culprits? If you’re like most people, you’d say wind, rain, critters and disease. But would you say ice?

Typically, people forget about ice when it comes to damaging trees because ice storms don’t happen that often– but when they do, you can bet some trees suffer in your neighborhood.

If and when cold rain falls and freezes as ice it will then stick to bark and branches even more easily than snow. Since ice is heavy, it can break small branches off a tree because they can’t bear the weight. When ice and wind mix, it’s even worse!

Damage to Trees Caused By Ice

Ice can cause broken limbs which will eventually need to be removed. A really cold, bad ice storm could end up killing a tree, though thankfully this is rare…

What can you do to help protect your trees from ice storm damage?

• For smaller trees, you can wrap them in carpet or cloth. You can also utilize tree cabling and bracing which will help reduce stress on your trees. Generally, you’d want a professional from a company like Big Foot Tree Service to install flexible steel cables so they’re set up in a proper way.

• Depending on where you live, consider that certain species of trees can handle ice storms better than others. Therefore, don’t buy/plant delicate ones.

• If you want to help ensure your trees grow up with a sound structure that can “weather” storms well, then it’s a good idea to prune them when they’re young. “Structural pruning” will help correct problems before they get out of hand. Meanwhile, having a professional “check on” a tree, no matter what its age, will help identify if it has any weaknesses, diseases, or stress points that need attention. The more healthy and strong a tree, the better chance it has to handle an ice storm and not have major damage.

In New Jersey, you should call Big Foot Tree Service for all your tree needs– the number is 973-885-8000 for a fast response. If ice has messed with trees on your property, call Big Foot for help to remedy problems.

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

A tree protection plan isn’t just beneficial to the trees that are being protected. It’s also a way to beautify our surroundings while providing quantifiable benefits to the environment. What’s more, a tree protection plan is in many locales an absolute requirement, especially in situations involving ongoing construction and other potentially disruptive events.

A tree protection plan for Portland, Oregon, is critical to sustaining our beloved and much-ballyhooed urban tree canopy. That’s one of the reasons why the city of Portland keeps a close watch on tree welfare during construction. The city argues — rightfully so — that protecting trees during construction “helps save both trees and property from potential damage.”

At Urban Forest Pro (UFP), we’re proud to be one of Portland’s Local Tree Care Providers. That means UFP is licensed, has completed a Local Tree Care Providers Workshop, and has no tree code violations within the past year.

Contact Urban Forest Pro today to speak with a certified arborist about how best to generate a tree protection plan that works for you and your property.

Tree Protection Plan

What goes into a workable and effective tree protection plan for Portland, Oregon, property owners? It depends on a number of factors, including:

• What season it is
• If construction is happening nearby
• If power lines hang nearby
• If the tree is close to a structure
• If the tree overhangs a roof

Tree protection plans, developed by a certified arborist, should address these factors and then put forth a solution that best meets the needs of the property owner and the property itself.

For example, a proper plan will protect the tree during construction by preventing any part of the tree from coming into contact with equipment or construction materials. This will minimize disturbances to the while also ensuring that the tree’s soil and roots remain intact.

The city of Portland divides tree protection plans into two broad categories:

1. Prescriptive Path: This involves the establishment of a root protection zone designed to keep construction activity away from that zone. In Portland, city code requires a root protection zone to encompass “a 1-foot radius from the center of the trunk per inch of tree diameter.” Thus, a 24-inch diameter tree requires a 24-inch radius root protection zone.
2. Performance Path: This method of protecting trees from the adverse effects of construction and other disruptions is a modification of the Prescriptive Path. Generally speaking, there are alternative measures that can be employed if and when it’s considered impractical to establish a root protection zone. But there are a few standards that still apply. For example, in the city of Portland, an arborist could prepare an alternative root protection method after examining the site and the tree. In lieu of a root protection zone, measures must be in place to provide “an adequate level of protection, based on the findings from the site visit.” Furthermore, the tree must still be designated as protected with the installment of fencing and signage.

Urban Forest Pro: Certified Arborists

Urban Forest Pro is a full-service tree-care company. Every member of UFP’s tree-service crews — from salespeople to the arborists in the trees — has been certified by the International Society of Arboriculture. So when we put together a tree protection plan, you can be sure that it’s backed by data, experience, and expertise.

Developing a tree protection plan can involve a lot of tree-care services, all of which are provided by the tree specialists at Urban Forest Pro. They include:

• Tree pruning
• Tree removal
• Tree cabling
• Tree relocation
• Tree replanting
• Tree assessment

As the Audubon Society of Portland cautions, “It is critical to know your local government’s regulations protecting (or not protecting) urban trees and programs promoting tree planting.”

The best way to stay on top of these regulations is to partner with the certified arborists at Urban Forest Pro.

Contact UFP today to get started on a partnership that gets the job done while still protecting our beautiful urban forest canopy.

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