Tree Maintenance

We have a couple times of year where the wind in Kennewick gets a little out of control. When and if the time comes where you need to take proactive action to prevent damage to your property, we would love to help. We look forward to helping you prevent any damage possible.

Blow-over The tree is physically pushed over by strong persistent winds. Past tree abuse, poor
maintenance, pest problems (like fusiform cankers on pine or root rot in hardwoods) predispose the tree to storm damage by weakening the wood architecture.

Stem and/or Branch Failure Trees with old and no longer visible injury sites, large trees with multiple trunks or branches that are poorly-attached or have narrow branch angles are structurally weaker than normal solid wood. These damaged or defective areas can quickly fail under a strong persistent wind and/or saturated soil.

Crown Twist Trees are never perfectly symmetrical in every direction. Many trees, through past abuse or poor maintenance have lopsided crowns. The more wind on one side of the crown than on another produces a twist on major branches and the main stem. During a storm, the twisting effect can magnify weaknesses around old injuries and the stem will split or the branches collapse.

Moving Forward
We look forward to helping you with all of your tree removal, tree trimming needs, and preventative maintenance needs. When and if you have any questions about your trees, shrubs, or any other greenery on your property, we can help. We strive to be your only and best option for tree pruners in Kennewick.

We have a couple times of year where the wind in the Tri-Cities gets a little out of control. When and if the time comes where you need to take proactive action to prevent damage to your property, we would love to help. We look forward to helping you prevent any damage possible.

Historic, specimen and even yard trees are valuable, especially when landscapes are designed around them. While these trees provide economic and ecological value to our landscapes, they can also become major financial and social losses during storms.

Most storm events bring wind and precipitation; factors that affect how trees stand up and fall down. Trees are biologically engineered to adjust to wind. Under normal weather conditions, trees sway in the wind and that movement causes the trunk wood to strengthen over time. During the life of a tree, it develops a trait known as “wind firmness”. Most open-grown trees develop good wind firmness in all directions over the years. Trees grown in confined areas may not be as wind firm and storm resilient.

There are several types of storm damage that occurs to trees: blow-over, stem or branch failure, crown twist, and root failure. Each type is the result of a complex and interactive mix of past maintenance practices, tree structure and climate.

Moving Forward
We look forward to helping you with all of your tree removal, tree trimming needs, and preventative maintenance needs. When and if you have any questions about your trees, shrubs, or any other greenery on your property, we can help. We strive to be your only and best option for tree pruners in the Tri-Cities.

Top Tree LLC can help you manage any tree hazards you have on your property. We are some of the best arborists in the Tri-Cities and can either give you advice on how to manage your trees or perform any preventative maintenance you need.

Mulching
Mulch retains soil moisture and moderates soil temperature extremes. A two to four inch layer set out to the tree’s drip line is ideal. More than a four inch mulch depth can cause problems with oxygen and moisture levels. Avoid piles that look like “volcanos”. Keep mulch a few inches away from the trunk to avoid pest and disease problems. Mulch provides a kept appearance, while preventing damage from lawn care equipment. When a trunk is damaged, it slows growth and can lead to infestation and wood decay as well as tree decline and death.

Fertilization
Fertilizer and lime could be applied based on soil test results. Fertilization is not a cure-all for aging trees, but may be used to complement other tree maintenance activities. Younger trees benefit more from fertilization than older trees. In early spring, broadcast a slow-release fertilizer evenly over mulched and unmulched surfaces in the root zone area. Fertilizer should always be applied to moist soil to improve uptake and to reduce the chance of root injury. Improper fertilizer type, rate, and application can injure plants.

Tree Establishment
The length of time for establishment of a tree depends on the original tree size and the growing conditions after planting. All trees experience transplant shock regardless of tree size when planted. During the period of transplant shock, both root and shoot growth are reduced. Vigorous growth does not return until the roots are established. A one inch caliper tree, with proper care, should develop an established root system by the end of the first year. A four inch caliper tree is larger and requires a minimum of five years to develop an established root system.

We look forward to helping you with all of your tree removal and tree trimming needs. When and if you have any questions about your trees, shrubs, or any other greenery on your property, we can help. We strive to be your only and best option for tree trimmers in the Tri-Cities.