Tree Maintenance

Spring Time Tree Maintenance Step by Step: Part 2

Grown and mature trees can seem self-sufficient, but our arborists at Top Tree LLC agree: Healthy trees will not happen on their own. Trees are “low-maintenance” and NOT “no-maintenance”. Tending to seasonal chores helps keep trees healthy and protects your landscape investment. Get your trees off to a growing start by following six simple steps for spring tree care. Here is step 2 of 6:

Mulch helps soil retain moisture and suppresses weeds around your tree. It’s most crucial when caring young trees. Mulch will also help trees that have been in the ground up to 10 years, but it’s OK to mulch older trees as well.

You should shoot for a 3-inch-thick layer of mulch around your trees but not against the trunk. When mulch is piled against the trunk of trees it holds moisture and heat, which helps give diseases such as canker an easy point of way in.

There are some simple ways to make your own mulch. The best way to start is by using organic materials. Another material to make mulch are wood chips. It’s an easy and efficient way to get woodchips from any pruning your have done before and then run the remaining branches through a mulcher.

If you have multiple trees to remove or just don’t have the time to do it, we are here for you. We can handle all of your tree removal needs in the Tri-Cities (Kennewick, Richland, Pasco) and even West Richland. We look forward to being your preferred tree removal service provider.

Spring Time Tree Maintenance Step by Step: Part 2 Read More »

Spring Time Tree Maintenance Step by Step: Part 1

Established trees may seem self-sufficient, but our arborists at Top Tree LLC agree: Healthy trees do not just happen on their own. Trees are low-maintenance, not no-maintenance. Tending to seasonal chores helps keep trees healthy and protects your landscape investment. Get your trees off to a growing start by following six simple steps for spring tree care. Here is step 1 of 6:

Clean up your tree! Start the new growing season with a quick cleaning of your trees. By this time you have removed any remaining decorative holiday lights. Don’t allow lights to stay wrapped around tree trunks or branches. If you forget about them, you risk restricting growth.

When temperatures rise, get rid of any wraps you placed around trunks during the winter.
Rake up any debris that collected under your trees during winter, such as small branches, leaves, or fallen fruits. This is especially important with trees susceptible to fungal diseases, which can grow over winter on debris. Examples include pines infected with diplodia tip blight or crab apples affected by apple scab.

Keeping your trees clean can save you a lot of headache down the road. If you need help cleaning your trees, we can surely help. Sometimes doing just a little quick trimming of your branches can be the best way to minimize your worries.

If you have multiple trees to remove or just don’t have the time to do it, we are here for you. We can handle all of your tree removal needs in the Tri-Cities (Kennewick, Richland, Pasco) and even West Richland. We look forward to being your preferred tree removal service provider.

Spring Time Tree Maintenance Step by Step: Part 1 Read More »

Pruning Your Trees: Part Three

Thank you for continuing with our article on how to prune your tree. Here in the Tri-Cities, we have a lot of need for pruning trees and tree maintenance. Let’s continue:

When researching how much to prune a tree, as little as possible is often the best rule of thumb. Pruning place stress on a tree and increase its vulnerability to disease. Never should you prune more than 25% of the crown and ensure that living branches compose at least 66% of the height of the tree.

By pruning too much, you can fatally damage your tree. In some cases, storm damage, height reduction to avoid crowding utility lines or even raising the crown to meet municipal bylaws, your choices are made for you. But even in these instances, prune as little as you can get away with.

If you’ve decided to do the pruning yourself, here is some advice on knowledge and tools. Advice regarding tools is pretty simple. Buy the best tools you can afford and keep them in good condition. Lately, a number of new and innovative tools have come on the market that are extremely useful to a homeowner.

  • Rope Saws – A new and safe way to cut high tree limbs – pull the ropes to prune while standing on the ground.
  • Pole Pruner & Lopper – A versatile pole pruner that can be attached to any standard-thread extension pole. Includes 14-inch pruning saw blade and 1-inch lopper.
  • Folding Pruner – A versatile, folding pruning saw that can be attached to any universal extension pole for long reach. Lightweight and robust.
  • Portable Buck Saws – Extremely lightweight and collapsible. Perfect for the homeowner, gardener and camper.

After each tree you prune, remember to disinfect your pruning tools in a solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water followed by cleaning with soapy water and then drying. Tree diseases are easily spread by infected tools. Finally, if you’re not skilled in the use of tools like chain saws or if the pruning job is more than you’re capable of managing, hire an expert. Safety first.

Remember, if you are unsure about any pruning or tree maintenance, we are your best resource for tree pruning in the Tri-Cities. It doesn’t matter if you’re in Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, or West Richland, we can answer any questions you have.

Pruning Your Trees: Part Three Read More »

Scroll to Top

Free Estimate

24/7 Emergency Service Available: 509.512-2521