Tree Care And Tree Selection

Tree Care starts with choosing the right trees for your section. Take care to choose trees that will fit the location when fully grown. Consider things like how tall the tree will grow and how wide it will spread – these may seem obvious but you would be surprised how many people choose a tree that looks pretty when it is small but they make no allowance for how big the tree is going to grow.

Other factors to consider when choosing trees for your location are how messy is the tree? Some trees drop a lot more leaves and twigs than other trees. Is all this debris going to end up in your gutters?

Shade is good when it is over a picnic area on your patio. But do you want the whole side of your house in the shade where moss will be encouraged to grow, and you will lose all your morning or afternoon sunshine (especially in the winter months)?

Always consider where your services run across your section.  Overhead power lines will need to be kept clear of branches, underground services like water and sewer lines make great food sources for hungry trees. Some varieties of trees are very adept at finding a way into underground services and choking them.

These two Silver Birches had grown very large and shaded the morning sun from the house. Once dismantled and removed the vegetation behind them would have more a chance to flourish and the owner could plant more appropriate plants close to the house.

Tree Care And Tree Shaping

As an arborist company we are often called to shape trees that have just been let grow since they were planted until they have become a problem.  Often, by the time we get called in to shape a tree it is too late, and we are in the position where we have to advise removing the tree.

The best tree care advice is to choose the right tree for your location and then decide how you want the tree to look when fully grown. Then as the tree matures you should continually prune and train the tree toward achieving that look. Correctly pruning a tree throughout its growth stages will give you a healthy canopy at the height and density that you desire. Leaving it too late to start pruning the tree will often leave a sparse and unattractive canopy. Trying to reduce a tree once it has been allowed to grow excessively large will in many varieties kill the tree, or will cause the tree to go into shock. Other varieties of tree will suddenly sprout wild and unruly growth that will not retain the natural canopy structure.

The owner of this cherry tree requested a 50% reduction and shaping as the tree was completely shading the clothes line.

Tree Care And Tree Removal

Sometimes trees are planted for a specific season and the intention is always to remove them. This may be to provide wind protection or shade quickly in new subdivisions. Even in these situations it is imperative that you always plan ahead. Plant more permanent trees first in the location you will want them and work around this with the faster growing trees. Always remove trees that are not permanent choices before they affect the shape and health of the trees you really want.

Living with trees every day we sometimes do not realise just how big they are getting. Always remove trees before they become so big that it is a major project to have them dismantled into the available space. Do not place fragile plants, heirloom plants, sentimental plants, or out buildings under trees that you intend to take out one day (if you do, be aware that the cost of removal and risk of damage is significantly higher).

Another part of tree care is keeping a regular check on the health of your tree. If you have a particularly large tree it is wise to have it checked regularly for rot and splits in the limbs. Not only it safer to bring down damaged limbs in a controlled environment rather than leaving it for the weather, it also means that the pruning can be carried in such a way as to preserve the shape of the tree and the integrity of the remaining limbs and trunk. A large branch tearing out of a tree can leave an unsightly wound down the length of the trunk that allow rot to kill the tree in a short space of time.

This large Gleditsia was a beautiful tree, but due to a lack of consistent tree care it had been allowed to completely dominate the house and was also causing issues for the neighbours. Because it was so large it would have been very difficult to reduce to a manageable size while retaining its magnificent structure. The hard decision was made to remove the tree.

Once the large Gleditsia tree removal had taken place, the house and surrounding section was bathed in day light. The Nelson site is now ready to begin with step one of tree care.