Tree Maintenance

We are Kennewick’s premier tree maintenance, tree removal, and tree trimming experts. We look forward to earning your business with every season that passes. We can’t wait to hear from you.

Frost Cracks
Frost cracks, often called radial shakes, show up as shallow to deep up and down cracks in the trunk of trees. They mostly appear in winter at temps below 15°F. Frost cracks often occur on the south or southwest sides of trees because this part of the tree experiences the greatest temperature changes between day and night. A sudden drop in temperature causes the outer layer of wood to shrink quicker than the inner layer, which causes a long up and down crack at weak points in the trunk. Once a frost crack occurs on a tree, it is likely to appear annually.

Sunscald
An stretched out canker found on the trunk of thin-skinned trees and is often referred to as “sunscald”. Sunscald often shows up on the south or southwest side of trees following a sudden exposure to direct sun. In winter, the temperatures on the sun-side of the trunk may exceed air temperatures by as much as 20°F. This is thought to trigger deacclimation of trunk tissue. The bark slowly darkens, turns reddish brown, and becomes rough. After a time, the callus tissue eventually cracks and falls away. Sometimes only the outermost cambium layer is damaged and a sunken area appears on the trunk. Affected trees often have sparse foliage, stem dieback, and stunted growth.

Seasonal Burn On Evergreens
A browning leaf tip on evergreens in late winter and early spring is a form of winter injury. Browning occurs from the needle tips towards the rest of the needle. Symptoms of winter burn are present on many narrow-leafed evergreens, such as hemlock, juniper, pine, and yew, and broad-leaved evergreens, such as boxwood and rhododendron. Winter burn is usually attributed to desiccation or loss of water through leaf transpiration. Winter sun and winds dry needles. Water in the stems and roots is frozen and unavailable to replenish the loss. A rapid drop in temperature after a warm sunny day can also cause further injury to the plant. Applying an antitranspirant, also called anti-desiccant, helps reduce transpiration and minimizes damage to the foliage. At least two applications per season, one in December and another in February are usually necessary to provide protection all winter.

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

We are the Tri-Cities premier tree maintenance, tree removal, and tree trimming experts. We look forward to earning your business with every season that passes. We can’t wait to hear from you.

The severity of winter damage is caused by a number of reasons, including the species involved, the location and conditions under which the tree is grown, and the exact timing of weather extremes during the dormant period. Contrary to popular belief, tree damage is not generally caused by an unusually cold winter. Low temperature injury is more often associated with extreme temperature fluctuation than with prolonged cold weather.

Temperature Extremes
Acclimation to temps far below freezing results from exposure to slowly dipping temperatures and other factors. Trees that are dormant but not fully acclimated can be stressed or injured by a sudden, hard freeze. Rapid or extensive drops in temperature following mild autumn weather cause injury to woody trees. Extended periods of mild winter weather can de-acclimate trees, again making them vulnerable to injury from rapid temperature dips.

Low Temps
Some species or cultivars of trees and shrubs are injured if temperatures fall below a minimum tolerance level. Plants most likely to suffer winter injury are those that are marginally hardy for the area or those already weakened by previous stress. Species such as rhododendron, holly, and some magnolias may survive several mild winters in the Chicago region before a more typical winter causes injury. Flower buds are often the most susceptible. If plants with marginal hardiness are used, they should be planted in protected sites, such as courtyards or sheltered areas. In general, low temperatures are much less damaging than rapid and extensive variations in temperature.

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

Are you worried about the heat taking its toll on your trees, lawn, and shrubs? Let us help you take all the necessary steps to ensure a healthy yard.

Whatever size tree you select, all but the smallest ornamental trees will cast some shade. Carefully consider just how much shade will be created and where the shade will fall through the day and through the seasons. The changing position of the sun throughout the year will cause the shade to fall dramatically different in each season. You may want certain windows shaded from the hot summer sun, but will precious winter sunshine also be lost? Generally when trying to block summer heat, aim to shade from the later afternoon sun. The summer sun is generally quite high overhead, so midday the shade will primarily fall “down“ around the tree rather than shading your house. Positioned slightly toward the west, the hottest late day sun will be blocked. The later day sun is also beginning to fall in the sky, casting a much longer shadow as it falls. The winter sun is positioned much lower in the southern sky (for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere), so if your tree is not directly in front of the windows, you should still receive midday sun. And don’t forget, when the tree grows up, it will shade planting areas also! A nearby shrub that requires full sun will do fine for a while, but eventually may not thrive in the shade of your tree.

And finally, what feeling do you want to create with your trees? Trees can create a lot of character for your property. Do you want bright foliage or dark green? Dense shade and privacy or light and airy open foliage? Fine fluttering leaves? Spring blooms? Autumn berries or seeds? Rich autumn color? Interesting bark? Each tree you plant can provide new interest to your home, from small accent trees to towering shade trees.

Kennewick can have some pretty high temperatures during the summer. Let Top Tree LLC show you how to keep your trees healthy during the hot summer months.