Tree Maintenance

Taking care of your ash trees and shrubs is just a part of having trees and shrubs on your property. You will have to be mindful of various kinds of insects, fungus, weather damage, and of course, just the normal wear and tear a tree will go through.

The Ash tree is a distant cousin of the olive tree. More than 65 species of the ash tree family can be found in North America. Here in the Tri-Cities they are a little fewer and farther between, but they’re still here. Ashes vary, depending on the type, from small, rather slender specimens to very large deciduous trees. All Ash trees have opposite compound leaves and very stout twigs. Like maple trees, ash trees have winged seeds called samaras. The wood of the ash is sought after for its suppleness and flexibility and is still used to make sports equipment, for tool handles and in the manufacture of furniture.. Depending on soil and climate, ashes also make attractive and versatile landscape trees.

The most important factor for a healthy ash tree is taking care of the soil. The type of soil determines not only how much nutrients and water the plant has access to, but also how efficiently the tree can use those nutrients. This can determine whether your ash can successfully withstand the stresses of growing in an urban environment or fight off infections such as Ash Yellows. As a homeowner, the best thing to give to your ash tree’s soil and to the long-term viability of your tree is the addition of beneficial mycorrhizal fungi.

When You Need Help
We want to be your “go to” resource for taking care of your trees. Whether it’s giving the best tree maintenance advice possible to take care of them or if you need the best company in Tri-Cities for tree removal, we are here for you. We look forward to speaking with you soon.

It’s just about March which means Spring is almost here. In the Tri-Cities, Springtime is the “windy season”. If you have tall trees on or around your property, you will want to be mindful of how to properly thin your trees to keep them safe in blustery conditions. Let’s continue with our series on “all things pruning”.

Reducing the Crown
Reducing crown size places stress on a tree because many cuts are required. Although reduction cuts are preferred when reducing crown size, heading cuts are sometimes necessary. Reduction can lead to dead bark on top of retained branches from sudden sun exposure; this is very damaging to trees. For these reasons, it is best not to reduce the entire crown if at all possible, especially on mature trees. However, reduction is a useful pruning method which has many applications, especially when applied to selected portions of the crown for specific objectives. For example, it is a useful means of retaining very old trees. Trees have endured crown reduction since arriving on the planet having been reduced in size as they break in storms.

The objective is to make reduction cuts so lateral branch tips remain intact on the outer edge of the new, smaller crown. Ideally, pruning cuts should be hidden and the crown periphery should look a bit jagged. Resist the temptation to create a smooth crown outline by pruning retained lateral branches because these are destined to become the main branches on the new, smaller crown. Heading, shearing, tipping, lopping, or rounding-over are considered substandard techniques for reducing the size of a shade tree because they compromise the tree’s structure. If more than twenty-five or thirty percent of the foliage will be removed on anything but a young tree, consider dividing the job into two sessions, one growing season apart, to minimize starch energy removal and stress-induced sprouting.

We’re Here To Help!
Top Tree LLC is your best choice for any tree removal needs in Benton City. All of our technicians are highly trained and properly certified. We are happy to answer any questions you have now or in the future.

Lower branches often have to be removed to clear them from traffic, to prune them away from a building or walk, make signs visible that were installed too far off the ground, or open up a desirable view. Shortening or thinning limbs in large trees is preferred over removal because of the negative health impacts of large limb removal. Crown raising does minimal damage to a tree as long as removed limbs are not too large, only a few branches are removed at one time, and many branches are not removed from the same spot. The best way to accomplish this is by structurally pruning over time to keep low branches small.

Removing too many low branches shifts future growth to the top of the tree. Wind is stronger there, and with no low branches, crown movement at the top of the tree can not be counter-acted, or damped, by the removed lower branches. Too much raising also causes dysfunctional wood leading to cracks and possibly decay inside the trunk. Removing too many lower branches can result in sunburn on the lower trunk and causes sprouting on the trunk and remaining limbs.

The crown ratio should be at least 60 percent, which means there should be living branches along the upper 60 percent of the trunk to distribute stress and develop trunk taper for stability and strength. Some branches should be left on the lower one-half of the trunk. Similarly, half the leaves on smaller limbs should originate from secondary branches on the lower two-thirds of these limbs where practical. Lions-tailing is not synonymous with crown raising and is considered inappropriate pruning. Removing up to 50 percent of the leaves and belonging to branches from the lower crown on conifers has little impact on subsequent growth and movement in wind. In contrast, thinning the top half of the crown would have a greater effect.

We’re Here To Help!
Top Tree LLC is your best choice for any tree removal needs in Benton City. All of our technicians are highly trained and properly certified. We are happy to answer any questions you have now or in the future.