Monitoring your trees for hazards and breakage

Some tree species (boxelder, Chinese elm, cottonwood, poplars, silver maples, and willows) have brittle wood, which is easily broken in storms. These rapid-growing trees are prone to damage. Homeowners should be aware of these characteristics and avoid planting such species close to buildings, utilities, pedestrian areas, etc. where damage could occur. Preventive practices, such as…

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Should I ‘top’ my trees?

Topping or severely cutting back of a tree’s crown is a poor arboricultural practice and should not be used for healthy tree maintenance. The common reason given for topping is to limit the growth of a tree, but this does not occur. In reality, the fast-growing watersprouts will actually outgrow a similar-sized tree that has…

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Tree Pruning tips and guides

Pruning trees, especially when younger, helps promote healthy trees with good branch architecture. Good pruning: * promotes good branch structure * can correct poor branch structure * reduces potential hazards * improves overall health by removing dead, diseased, and dying branches * gives the arborist a chance to examine the tree more closely than possible…

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Adding mulch to your trees

Trees love mulch, if applied correctly. Homeowners and professional arborists depend on mulch in landscapes for several reasons. Functionally, mulches discourage weeds from growing, conserve moisture during drought periods, and allow better use of water by controlling runoff and increasing water-holding capacity of light, sandy soils. Mulch rings also decrease competition from lawn grass. Lawn…