How Pruning and Tree Trimming Reduce Storm Damage

Have you looked at your trees lately, assessing the risk of storm damage and decay? A quick inspection of the trees on your property will likely reveal the need to call an arborist or tree trimming service, professionals that have the skills and tools to protect your home from storm damage.

How does pruning help to reduce the risk of storm damage? Properly pruned trees present several conditions that increase airflow and reduce pressure, resulting in a greater ability to stand tall in severe wind, rain and stormy weather.

Dealing with Crown

The crown of a tree resists wind, creating drag at the pressure center. Trimming at the crown reduces drag and allows your tree to withstand higher wind speeds without bending or breaking.

There are three ways to deal with a tree’s crown:

•        Raise it.

•     Reduce it.

•        Thin it.

Crown raising involves trimming the lowest branches down to the trunk, effectively raising the crown and allowing more wind to pass through freely. It can be a risky method, and removing branches from this section can significantly reduce the development of the trunk.

Crown reduction involves pruning the tips of branches to create a denser crown. Most experts agree that crown reduction is the best way to prevent bending, since it sets the pressure center lower to the ground. Be wise - incorrectly handled trimming to reduce the crown could result in trunk and branch decay.

Crown thinning involves pruning selective branches within the crown to reduce drag. This method is similar to crown reduction, but a portion of the canopy must be removed to effectively thin the crown. Beware of excessive thinning, as this can affect photosynthesis and cause stress for your tree.

When planning to reduce the risk of storm damage, focus on avoiding any bending movement. Consider the age and species of your tree, as well as the location. Talk to a tree trimming specialist about the ideal method of attack to reduce drag and avoid bending. Well-planned pruning and trimming will help your trees to stand strong and tall throughout any storm.

How Smart Controllers Help Homeowners Maintain Healthy Trees

It’s essential to water your trees on a regular basis, but manual sprinklers and some automatic irrigation systems waste water. Homeowners can use smart controllers to effectively and efficiently water trees of any age, maintaining a healthy, attractive landscape all year round.

Basics of Smart Controller Operation

Smart controllers collect data and use that information to operate sprinkler heads at peak efficiency. An adequate amount of water is distributed at the optimum times when smart controllers are included in your tree irrigation system.

The data required for programming can be drawn from various sources, including regional historical data (often derived from an on-device archive and retrieved via zip code), current weather patterns and forecasts and existing moisture levels.

Smart controllers must be provided with static information during the installation phase. This includes data about the type of soil, type of tree and lighting conditions, as well as any existing slope or grade in the surrounding landscape. All of this information is combined with the specific data mentioned above to create a customized irrigation program.

You need to calibrate your smart controllers on a regular basis, often seasonally, to ensure efficiency. But these products help to ensure your trees are watered well when needed.

Where to Install Smart Controllers

You’ll want to place your smart controllers around the tree canopy, where rainfall naturally directs water. This location provides accurate moisture data and ensures that your tree receives the optimum amount of water.

This location may need to be adjusted as your tree matures. Think about the future and place controllers around the projected canopy, while manually applying water closer to small trees as they grow.

Smart controllers allow your trees to thrive with less maintenance and worry. Using accurate data to program a customized watering schedule, these irrigation devices reduce wasted water and help your trees to grow healthy and strong.

How To Irrigate Trees Properly For Optimum Growth

Record-breaking heat and extremely dry conditions have spread across the United States this summer straining lawns, gardens and trees. Learning how to irrigate trees properly helps property owners to protect their landscaping and establish deeper tree roots. Help your trees last through the heat of summer with these efficient irrigation tips.

Where to Apply Water

Turf thrives on frequent watering from rain or sprinkler systems. Trees, on the other hand, prefer long bouts of water applied to the soil at less frequent intervals.

Drip Irrigation Basics

For small trees (less than 4-inches in diameter) and shrubs drip irrigation systems work well. With a perforated hose installed close to the tree root system, this tree irrigation system distributes moisture slowly through an emitter. Set at the proper frequency, drip irrigation helps trees roots to develop and makes your tree more drought resistant.

Drip irrigation requires less water than manual or automatic sprinkler systems, avoiding typical issues like evaporation and water run.

Bubbler Basics

Drip irrigation cannot serve the needs of larger trees, although bubbler irrigation systems provide adequate water for even the largest specimens. Install basins around trees with a diameter larger than 4 inches, along with bubbler emitters that distribute water into the basins. Moisture soaks into the surrounding soil naturally and properly sized bubblers replenish the basins at set intervals.

Both bubblers and drip irrigation systems distribute water slowly and evenly to trees and shrubs. The right amount of water at the ideal frequency helps roots to develop and establish deeply in the soil.

Soil conditions indicate when trees need water. Two methods can be used to check soil conditions – dig out soil from 4 to 8 inches down to use the hand method; if that soil is sticky when clenched in your fist, irrigation is not needed. The prod method uses a soil moisture prod or long screwdriver to penetrate soil. Irrigation is unnecessary when the prod penetrates 18-inches or more. Anything less indicates that watering is required.

Learn how to irrigate trees properly using drip irrigation and bubblers and maintain optimum health and growth, even in dry weather.

How Pros Handle Hazardous Tree Removal and Clean Up Your NH Home

Seasonal storms rage across the mid-western and eastern United States, leaving a trail of damage and power outages in their wake. Homeowners need to clean up their New Hampshire homes and call the pros for hazardous tree removal. For appearance and to maintain safety, downed tree removal is vital and valuable.

Dangerous Conditions

Storms produce a wide range of dangerous conditions, depending on the severity and location of the storm. Downed trees present serious risks in cities and suburbs, extending well beyond power outages and blocked roads.

Leaving a downed tree on your property is risky, especially with children, pets and wildlife around. Even when trees have fallen clear of buildings and roads, broken limbs, heavy loads and extreme tension create safety hazards for anyone and anything in the vicinity. Even small broken bits of the tree can pose a threat if another storm hits, hurling this loose wood at nearby vehicles and windows.

What Hazardous Tree Removal Experts Do

The average person with a chainsaw cannot safely and completely remove a sizeable downed tree. These potential dangers must be handled with care, each branch assessed for tension and stability before being cut and processed through an industrial wood chipper.

Professional tree removers know how to assess the situation and plan a safe course of action to remove the tree before another storm hits. These experts work until your property is clear, clean and safe again.

Ask a reputable company to assess the condition of other trees on your property and recommend measures to prevent downed trees in the future.Many also offer disposal services, although you may find a use for the recycled wood chips on your property.

Dry, parched weather and severe summer storms result in downed trees across New Hampshire. When your home is hit, call the pros for hazardous tree removal services to keep your family safe and sound. Reduce the risk of injury and clear up the debris fast with the help of tree removal experts.

Why You Need to Plant Native Trees in New Hampshire

Planting trees helps to create a more natural, healthy and beautiful outdoor living space, as well as adding shade and attracting the local wildlife. But does it really matter what type of trees you plant in New Hampshire? Native trees provide a host of benefits that non-native trees cannot, including long life, low maintenance and less expense.

• Long Life : - Native trees have developed resistance to pests and disease, two of the main reasons why trees die prematurely. Native species thrive in the local climate, live through droughts and stand strong in the face of local storms. All of these traits allow native trees to live longer than their non-native cousins, often lasting for generations.
• Low Maintenance : - Native trees thrive in New Hampshire, requiring less fuss and maintenance than other trees and shrubs. Their natural resistance to common problems and diseases helps you to avoid treatments, excessive trimming and tree replacement. Some native trees actually protect the other plants nearby, attracting helpful wildlife or driving harmful insects and pests away.
•  Less Expense : - Although it depends on the tree’s age and species, many native trees cost less than non-natives. Look for American beech, white ash or balsam fir. You’ll find the price tags much lower than non-native varieties of the same tree.

Non-natives must be imported or grown with care in your local greenhouse, while natives tend to thrive in the wild. Non-natives can also become invasive, requiring a lot of time and/or money to remove and dispose. Save money on the initial investment and cut back on your tree trimming services costs by planting natives at your New Hampshire property.

It simply makes sense to plant native trees in your NH yard. These trees will outlive non-natives with very little fuss and fewer maintenance expenses. Fill your yard with native trees and enjoy all that the local NW woodlands have to offer right in your own backyard.