Out on a Limb Tree Service
(866) 987-2288 24 Hour Proudly serving clients since 1992
ISA Certified Arborist on Staff
MD/DE Master Logger #37666
Licensed and Insured
Hazards and Care
Hazards can be recognized and eliminated through careful examination of any tree. Part of this careful examination is the ability to view the entire organism and not solely the portion that is above ground and visible. This sort of evaluation takes experience and time.
There is a disease in this area of the country that is gaining momentum, it is called Hypoxylon Canker. This disease is very common, and has been called "a silent killer". (Below are many excellent informational links!) The #1 cause for this disease is Drought stress, unfortunately we are (locally) in an extended drought this is our 8th year! This disease attacks the sapwood and causes it to quickly dry out and then rot, this area of the wood is the area that gives the tree elasticity, (ability to bend and spring back) without this ability to spring back a tree becomes, a large threat, especially around people! Do not underestimate this disease! It is responsible for many insurance claims and extensive damages.
There is a disease in this area of the country that is gaining momentum, it is called Hypoxylon Canker. This disease is very common, and has been called "a silent killer". (Below are many excellent informational links!) The #1 cause for this disease is Drought stress, unfortunately we are (locally) in an extended drought this is our 8th year! This disease attacks the sapwood and causes it to quickly dry out and then rot, this area of the wood is the area that gives the tree elasticity, (ability to bend and spring back) without this ability to spring back a tree becomes, a large threat, especially around people! Do not underestimate this disease! It is responsible for many insurance claims and extensive damages.
Some hazards are easily recognized by the laymen, they include but are not limited to:
- A tree that has been topped or improperly trimmed, if the tree looks ugly and disfigured, it is likely a hazard,,
- Dead trees or parts of the tree,
- Broken Branches, hanging or otherwise capable of dislodging,
- Loose bark- bark should be firmly attached to all parts of the tree (sign of disease),
- Large Cavities in the trunk or branches, cracks, splits, or broken portions of branches
- Leaning or swaying trees may be an early indication of future uprooting,
- Any defect that occurs between the ground and a height of 8 feet on the main trunk may be a hazard and should be evaluated, if a defect is above this point, careful examination should be considered if it could weaken the trees structure,
- Insects activity should be carefully examined and a determination of extent of invasion should be considered,
A: Call Adam and his staff at (866) 987-2288. They will be happy to assist.
Q: How often should I hire someone to look at my tree?
A: At the very least it is a good idea to get regular check ups done to prevent problems from occurring, a wonderful way to schedule this is to plan on it once a year around the time you get your yearly check up with your doctor.
Q: When is the overall best time to prune my trees?
A: During the dormant season is the very best overall time to prune any tree, however, it depends on the type of flowering habit on some trees, as pruning at the wrong time of year can affect next years flowering.
Q: What is pruning?
A: Pruning is the proper technique used to promote healthy growth patterns, prevent damage from poorly structured branches, and to clean the crown of the tree to remove dead, damaged, dying, decaying, and or deformed branches. Proper pruning is required to limit and or prevent disease and insects from establishing a foot-hold within your tree.
Q: What is topping?
A: Topping is the indiscriminate lowering of a tree to a predetermined height, without regard to the trees overall health. Topping is one of the most damaging urban "tree care" practices that continues to occur.
Q: I had my tree topped years ago, but now the tree looks like there are problems in it, what should I do?
A: Have our ISA Certified Arborist view your tree. Through careful inspection, many times, major damage can be adverted. Topped trees have many problems historically:
- After topping a trees energy reserves normally get depleted,
- Topping causes stress in the entire organism,
- The regrowth that occurs are called "water-sprouts" or "suckers", these branches grow from a latent bud and are prone to breakage, they are very weakly attached to the "mother" branch or trunk, (studies show that water sprouts are 49% weaker than a normally formed branch)
- Because topping injures the tree in many places, the tree must work very hard to reduce the spread of infection, often the tree can not totally compartmentalize the bacterial infection, and rot occurs adjacent to each wound, even after the tree has healed (locally), the rot organisms continue to thrive in these areas, eventual failure is imminent.
- Disease often enters a tree through the multiple wounds created during the initial wounding by improper pruning. Because disease can be dormant in a previously healthy tree, the stress of topping can cause the disease to progress and lead to premature death of the tree.
- Because topping disfigures trees, liability rises, if your tree or part of it fails and injures or damages another persons property legal action may be taken against you and the service that preformed this damage to the tree, there are cases all over the country that have been judged as negligence due to this poor choice of service.
Q: My tree was storm damaged, what is the rule of thumb for the amount of damage that a tree can survive from?
A: The rule of thumb is a tree can survive with up to 60% of the original structure left, or 40% broken, however, any tree that looses this amount most likely will suffer greatly by the resulting stress caused by this injury. Contact our arborist at (866) 987-2288 as it may be able to be saved. It could very likely take many years of growth and careful pruning to promote a newly formed crown to develop healthy branch structure, because of this we recommend careful consideration and planning be implemented to save this tree, in many cases, the expense may be ill advised as these years of treatment could be used to establish a replacement tree.
Q: When you prune a tree what is the percentage that is considered the maximum that can be taken at one time and do dead limbs count toward that percentage?
A: Each tree must be carefully considered, the amount of healthy foliage, the site history, and the overall health must be taken into account, but the rule of thumb is approximately 20%-25% of green leafy matter can be removed in any given season. Leaves are considered a temporary organ for a tree, but leaves are the only way a tree produces food for itself, because these temporary organs are considered "food factories" we tend to suggest the least amount of pruning to promote the best overall result. Dead limbs do not count towards the percentage of allowable pruning in any given season, but may give indication to other serious problems.
Q: What if I get my tree pruned to the maximum amount that can safely be taken or 25% and then there is storm damage to my tree?
A: It would be prudent to consider the overall amount of percentage that was taken out in any given year (if the tree broke in half after the initial 25% pruning then the tree would only be 35% +/- of the original size in the end) most likely the tree would not survive.
If the questions above haven't totally answered your questions, please feel free to contact us at (866)987-2288 to discuss your tree care project.
Below are some of the valuable links I have found in the past, I trust these will be as valuable to you as they have been to me. Enjoy!
EXCELLENT INFORMATION- HYPOXYLON CANKER LINKS-
- http://www.tulsamastergardeners.org/plant_pathology/webs/hypoxylon.html
- http://www.forestry.state.ar.us/manage/hypoxylon.pdf
- http://www.forestpests.org/southern/hypoxyloncanker.html
- http://easttexasgardening.tamu.edu/Homegardens/hypoxylon.html
- http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/main/popup.aspx?id=1262
- http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/subthumb.cfm?sub=564&Start=1&display=60&sort=2
- http://www.edmondsun.com/features/local_story_113232343.html
- http://www.arhomeandgarden.org/News/Arkansas_gardener/steve_vann/hypoxylon_canker_trees.pdf
Tree Service in Washington D.c.
Previous awards were received for 2008
