Tag: tree health

This past weekend, we attended the Highland Games in Enumclaw. There, amid the kilts, sporrans, and bagpipes, Martin felt right at home.

A proud member of the clan MacAulay, Martin's chosen field of work truly exemplifies his clan's motto: Dulce Periculum which means "Danger is Sweet." Climbing and removing trees--sometimes over 100' tall!--certainly is dangerous. The fact that Martin likes doing it, well, he finds it sweet!

Martin's two sons, Josiah and Michael, work alonside their father in the tree business. College grad Josiah is now working on trees full-time, and he climbs trees right along with his father. Martin's brother, Ben, owns his own tree service company in Eugene, Oregon, called Highland Tree Service through which he works on residential trees when he is not falling lumber out in the woods. Dulce Periculum!

(We do want to point out that we follow safety regulations during all our tree work. So while it is dangerous work, the Blooma Tree Experts do it safely!)

One of our blog readers asked us, "I have a crepe myrtle tree that has limbs that are dead, can my tree be saved?"

Without examing the tree in question, there are some signs you can look for in your own trees and steps you can take.

First of all, dead limbs should be removed, and removed properly. Look at our blog post on how to prune to see how (or check out the website www.TreesAreGood.com).

Second, look for signs of your tree's overall health. 

1. Look at the base of the tree and the ground around it. Are there signs of upheaval? Has the ground been disturbed lately or soil added on? Is there grass that is fighting for the same nutrients? Keep the soil undisturbed around established trees, being sure to keep the root flare intact. The only acceptable addition is mulch, and that must be kept 2 - 3 inches away from the root flare.
2. Look at the trunk. Is there splitting? Are there signs of damage (such as something hitting it)? Is there a lot of sap running down? These are more serious signs of damage that could cause the death of a tree. If a tree can't heal itself, it will die. In that case, it's best to remove the tree and plant a new one.
3. Look at the canopy. Is there a lot of deadwood? Are there signs of a fungus or insect infestation? Are the leaves healthy or are they showing signs of stress? Depending on what you see, you could either treat the problem (such as an insect infestation) or acknowledge that your tree is in its death spiral.

Finally, when in doubt, consult a professional. In that case, you want to call in an ISA certified arborist because he or she has the training and knowledge to properly assess your tree (don't fall for the "I'm a tree surgeon" line or "I'm an arborist" sales line--those mean nothing). Someone with a degree in horticulture might also be able to offer professional advice, although it's surprising how little some horticulturists know about trees specifically. They are often experts in shrubs, flowers, and ground cover, but unschooled in trees.

We hope this information helps!

"I have a stand of Douglas Firs in my backyard," our client said. "I'm afraid some limbs, or even whole trees, will fall on our house this winter. Can you help?"

The Seattle area is blessed with beautiful, tall trees, isn't it? Stands of Douglas Firs, Cypresses, Redwoods, Spruces, and Cedars dot our landscape, reminding us why this is the Evergreen State. But what do you do when that lovely stand of trees is perched above your home and property? Here's some of what we do (this list is not exhaustive):

1. Assess the trees' health.
   The first step is to look at each tree and see just how healthy—or unhealthy—it is. Some of the questions we ask ourselves are:
   Are there signs of decay, such as loose bark, insect frass, or a sap stream flowing down the bark?
2. Assess the state of the limbs.
   Is there a lot of deadwood? Limbs die naturally but don't always fall right away. Often they hang on for quite awhile, just waiting for a strong wind to blow them to the ground.
   
   Are there broken limbs hanging onto other limbs? Broken branches can get caught by other branches, hanging there until they decide to come crashing down.
3. Assess the degree and direction of lean.
   What is the lean of the tree? Does it lean toward or away from structures? If it does fail, what will it hit?
4. Assess the ground around the tree.
   Has the ground been disturbed in the recent past? Construction and landscaping can cause destruction of a tree's root system and/or add material on top of the ground. This is dangerous because most of a tree's nutrients come from arteries near the surface of the ground. The surface roots also anchor the tree. Disturb them, and the tree might fall.

Once the trees have been properly assessed, we can help the homeowner make the best decision to create a safe environment. This might involve pruning, windsailing, or removing a tree. It makes sense to be proactive and address the issue BEFORE our next storm.

If you live in the Seattle area, call Martin Macauley, ISA Certified Arborist, for a free assessment: (206) 714-9835.

Rolling through downtown Seattle are two Metro buses replete with brand new 15-foot ads for Blooma Tree Experts LLC. "We wanted to try something new, something different," said Martin Macauley, the owner of Blooma. "We aimed for an ad that was clean and simple, and hopefully memorable."

The two new ads feature an actual Heritage Tree of Seattle with Martin partially hidden in the branches, hand-pruning to maintain the tree's beauty. "I wanted a real tree that we've actually worked on," said Martin, "rather than some random picture from the internet. That picture shows that the homeowner trusted us to prune his precious Heritage Tree, and that's really special to me."

The rest of the ad includes a soft green background with Blooma's motto: We Make Your Trees Living Works of Art. "Having ISA Certified Arborists in charge of each job is one of the ways we set ourselves apart from the other tree companies around," said Martin.

"Passing the ISA certification test is very difficult, very demanding," Martin continued. "Then we have to maintain it with 30 education units every three years, and that's tough to do. The ISA Certification means we are well-trained in the very latest research about tree health, tree removals, and safety. When we prune a tree, we follow all ISA guidelines, ensuring a healthy, aesthetically pleasing tree."

The tree experts at Blooma are excited about this new move for the growing company. Even Martin's grandson is keeping an eye out for the new buses, asking, "Is Grandpa going to let other people ride his bus?"

Notice how the limbs abruptly end in a blunt cut: improper pruning.

While out and about making bids on tree service jobs, Martin and I often see evidence of poor pruning practices. These trees not only look bad, but the indiscriminate hacking done to them leaves them vulnerable to rot, fungi, and insects (see previous blog on "How to Prune a Tree Part I).

The only way to fix these limbs and preserve the health of the trees, is to remove the remaining stub entirely. To do this properly, you can see our instructions in blog "How to Prune a Tree Part I," or go to www.treesaregood.org, the educational website of the International Society of Arboriculture. There you will find all sorts of helpful tips and information for maintaining and improving your trees' health and safety.