Seasonal Tree Care Tips

SUMMER 2008
June 1^st is the beginning of hurricane season. How safely will your trees weather any upcoming storms?

Research shows that well maintained and healthy trees fare much better in high winds and heavy rain than trees that are sickly, damaged, or have not been pruned and maintained.

Want to do a quick check of the trees in your yard? Some things to look out for:

· Do your trees have heavy canopies? Thinning out heavy canopies will help trees tolerate heavy winds typical of hurricanes and tropical storms.

· Do you see dead branches on your trees? Removing dead and dangerous branches will reduce the likelihood that a dangerous piece of debris will fall on or around your home

· Do you have trees that were damaged in past storms or are just unhealthy due to disease or infestation? Protect your home and family by removing dangerous and unhealthy trees. It’s always a good idea to replace a tree that had to be removed with a healthy tree so your home, property and the environment will continue to enjoy the benefits of trees.

Rember Johnny Timbers Will Always Give You Free risk Assessments and Estimates

Don’t leave the health of your trees and safety of your home up to chance. Let our ISA Certified Arborists help you determine the health of your trees, the risk of potential damage from storms, as well as provide you with recommendations for tree care and future storm damage prevention. Our certified arborists can evaluate your trees for the critical variables other than wind speed (such as wood density and flexibility, crown density, tree age and trunk diameter) which are directly related to how likely a tree is to survive a storm.

At Johnny Timbers Tree Service we know from experience that an ounce of prevention can go a long way. We have seen many trees and limbs that have fallen on houses throughout our experience with storm clean-up. While strong enough winds and rain can take down the heartiest of trees, many of these fallen trees and resulting damage could have been prevented with simple pruning and maintenance.

Check out our testimonial page to read what satisfied customers have said about their experiences working with us. And remember that online you can easily request a free estimate at your convenience as well as always learn more about tree care, our company and experienced crew, our community involvement, and request any insurance documents you may need to take care of your trees.

SPRING 2008

Pruning and the health of your trees:

Spring is around the corner and now is the best time to prune your trees. Pruning is essential to keeping your trees healthy and beautiful. Arborists, specialists in the care of trees, prune trees to prevent future problems by removing dead or dying branches injured by disease, severe insect infestation, damage created by storms or animals which promotes tree and plant health.

The best time to prune is in the late winter, just before the spring growth starts. This is because the fresh wounds created from pruning are only exposed for a short time before the new growth begins the wound sealing process. Also it’s easier to make pruning decisions without leaves obscuring your trees branch structure. It is important to avoid pruning any tree while it is in the budding or early growing stage.

Why Prune Your Trees?

Pruning improves your trees appearance allowing you to control your tree’s size, letting you keep your evergreens well-proportioned and removing unwanted branches, waterspouts, and that take away from a plants appearance.

Protect people and property by removing dead branches, completely removing hazardous trees, and pruning weak or dangerous branches overhanging your home, parking areas and side walks. For security reasons, it’s always a good idea to prune shrubs or tree branches that obscure the entry to your home.

Always avoid topping trees! Removing large branches leaves stubs that can cause several health problems. It also destroys the plant’s natural shape and promotes suckering and development of weak branch structure. When hiring a tree service keep in mind that certified arborists never top trees and never use spikes or spurs to climb a tree that is NOT being removed. Make sure to check your tree service professional’s liability and worker’s comp insurance and training credentials.

Planting New Trees? What You Should Know…

Make sure to complete all tree-planting activities in the spring to avoid inflicting heat and water related stresses on newly planted trees.

Make sure to apply 3 to 4 inches of mulch in an 18-inch radius around trees when the weather begins to warm up. Mulch helps to keep soil temperatures even and slow down evaporation.

Inspect your trees for problems like disease, insect infestations and broken limbs. Contact an ISA Certified Arborist to address any of these problems.

When it comes to watering your trees make sure to water newly planted trees regularly during the first year. Older trees should be watered slowly running a hose along the tree’s dripline until the soil is saturated to a depth of 8 to 10 inches.

Why Hire an Arborist

An arborist is a specialist in the care of individual trees. At Johnny Timbers Tree Service we have two ISA Certified Arborists on staff. John Hull and Paul Sisk are knowledgeable about the needs of trees and are trained and equipped to provide proper tree care. Hiring an arborist is a decision that should not be taken lightly because proper tree care is an investment that can lead to substantial returns. Well-cared-for trees are attractive and can add considerable value to your property. On the other hand, poorly maintained trees can be a significant liability. Pruning or removing trees, especially large trees, can be dangerous work. Tree work should be done only by those trained and equipped to work safely in trees.

Johnny Timbers now installs hardscapes, patios and walkways. Refer a friend and we’ll give you $50.00 toward any tree work. Visit our Request a Free Estimate Page for more details.

Wishing you a great spring!

Sincerely,

The Johnny Timbers Team

Johnny Timbers Tree Service, INC * P.O. Box 6384 * Williamsburg * VA * 23188