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March Fruit Tree Care

Getting antsy to start fruit tree care for warmer months? For many in Utah, buds start to swell this time of year, particularly if you have plum, cherry or apple trees.

Pruning fruit trees and sowing seeds are two vital March activities. Immediately after noticing swollen buds, start pruning (or hire an expert to do it for you). Plum trees need special pruning to reveal an open center, but apple and cherry trees prefer a modified leader, where the center is closed off and the tree is upright.

fruit tree care

Diseased, broken and dead branches should be removed, as well as crossed branches and any twig-like branches not conducive to growth. Soon, trees will be lush with leaves, and it will be tough to tell the quality branches from those desperately in need of pruning.

Spring Cleaning

Pruning lets you get up close and personal with your trees, so take the opportunity to harvest a few healthy limbs with flower buds. You’ll especially want these gems from plum and crab apple trees. Prune two-foot limbs, making sure the flower buds are bigger than the leaf buds. These samples can be used to force blooming. Ideally, set them in water overnight in a large sink or bathtub.

If possible, let them soak until the flowers open. Sometimes this can take up to a week, so choose a sink, bathtub or bucket that isn’t regularly used. Once they blossom indoors, set them around high-traffic areas in the home for an incredible aromatic experience. In some parts of Utah, there might still be snow on the ground, but your home will smell of spring.

Hints of Summer

Pussy willows are common in many parts of Utah, and you’ll see them start to swell in March. If you love these bushy beauties, scavenge for them in wetland areas. Two-foot cuts, similar to your pruned trees, are ideal, but don’t take too many from one area. Put pussy willows in a bucket or sink of water in a cool room, and you’ll soon have some incredible centerpieces.

The big March project is tackling transplants. Hardy crops like broccoli and cabbage can be set outdoors in March, as can slow-growing flowers like petunias. However, wait another month to sow veggies like tomatoes and peppers. Your seed packets will tell you whether sowing indoors or outdoors is best.

Once the final snow melts, you can start mulching for better garden beds. Take this time to also tune up your lawnmowers and make sure your gardening shed is stocked. If you prefer to let professionals keep your yard looking pristine, set up maintenance checks and appointments.

Ensuring your trees survived the winter weather and aren’t damaged is important for a safe yard. Call Reliable Tree Care for more spring tips.

Tree Removal 101

Tree removal is a big, often dangerous, undertaking that only an expert arborist should manage.

tree removal Utah

It is also usually costlier than trimming, especially if you include stump removal. In many cases, homeowners choose to leave stumps (especially large ones). Stumps can double as stools and provide a rustic charm to a natural landscape. However, sometimes homeowners need to remove stumps for safety, or they choose to for aesthetic reasons.

It’s a good idea to get an estimate for tree removal ahead of time — cost per tree can vary widely, due to size and location. A reputable arborist will be happy to provide a complimentary estimate.

On tree removal day, the tree is “fallen” and limbs are chipped or loaded into the truck. If you have fencing, sections may need to be temporarily taken down for safety reasons. But don’t worry, fences are quickly re-constructed, and all limbs, logs and chips are removed from the property.

Tree Removal: Something to “Grapple” With

Big logs and debris are also removed with a “grapple truck” used to pull and pick up trunk pieces. Landscape tractors are often used to transport the larger pieces into the grapple truck. It’s normal to have the yard area disturbed where the tree was removed, but it will usually return to its original contour quickly.

Stumps are usually up to 6 inches above grade/ground level, which is the industry standard. However, homeowners who want to keep the stump can specify how low they would like it cut. Some homeowners are lucky and have a stump near a fire pit or other seating area. If you’re having it removed, an additional crew will arrive soon after the tree removal team.

Don’t Get Stumped

Stumps are ground up within three days of tree removal, sometimes even the same day (depending on scheduling or the time required for tree removal). Underground utilities must first be located and marked to ensure stump removal doesn’t impact water, sewer or gas lines. Arborists use a portable grinder or tow-behind grinder to turn the stump into small chips. It’s common to have a hole up to a foot deep after stump removal, but it can be filled with mulch or soil.

Quickly filling the stump hole with quality soil and/or mulch increases your yard’s ability to grow grass, plants or perhaps even a new tree or shrub in its place. Depending on region and weather, March is prime time for many spring planting activities.

Unsure whether tree and/or stump removal is right for your yard? An expert arborist can weigh the pros and cons of your trees during a free assessment. Trees that are dead, disease-ridden, weak or threaten the safety of your home should usually be removed. However, the pros and cons of keeping or removing a stump has many factors (including whether there are young children who might hurt themselves with stumps).

Call Reliable Tree Care today and get help with tree removal, stump removal and more tree care.

Put Quaking Aspens in Your Tree Services Plan

Tree services include working with an arborist to choose the best native plants and trees that will thrive in your yard.

For many Utahns, planting a quaking aspen is a matter of pride. As Utah’s official state tree, the quaking aspen, also known as the populus tremuloides, looks like the European aspen, but don’t confuse the two.

quaking aspens

Native to cool regions in North America, this deciduous tree is one of the many aspen varieties. You might also see tree services pros calling them trembling aspens, Quakies, white poplars, mountain/golden aspens, popples, and simple American aspens.

Quakies have trunks reaching up to 82 feet and feature a smooth, fair bark, often marked with black scars.

Tree Services: Planting and Caring

Utahns love Quakies for their shiny green foliage that turns yellow, gold and sometimes red in the fall.

Naturally, Quakies create big groves, thanks to root propagation systems, which helped them become the most common tree in the U.S. You’ll find them from Mexico to Canada, showcasing their flexible petioles (the place where leaf blade meets stem), which gives them their common names.

Quakies grow fast and have moderately sized trunks ranging from 8 inches to nearly 3 feet in diameter. The biggest Quakie on record was almost 120 feet tall and nearly 5 feet in trunk diameter. Solid black knots are a marker of the species, and in Utah, it’s common to see vertical scars where elk have left their mark.

Are Quakies for You?

Whenever you plant a tree, it’s important to choose a native species that will do well in your soil and environment.

quaking-aspen-leavesUtah’s state tree is widely found throughout the country, but prefers colder autumns and winters like those in Utah. Fast-growing and relatively tall, Quakies provide great shade and fantastic privacy. They’re perfect for homeowners who aren’t patient when it comes to tree growth.

All aspens are dioecious, which means they have different male and female clones. The flowers of aspens are more like fluff, making it easy for the wind to spread the seeds in early summer when mature trees are ready.

Quakies are easy to care for, although like all saplings, they need a little extra TLC until they’re big and sturdy enough to fend for themselves. Part of tree services for Quakie saplings may include fertilization, pest and disease control, and regular pruning, depending on your soil, location and the temperature swings.

Unfortunately, a dieback of aspens began in the 1990s, speeding up in the early aughts. Complete groves have died in some instances, though no sign of excessive disease or pests has been found. Wild aspens might be dying due to too much grazing and wildfire suppression.

Planting a Quakie helps show off your Utah pride while also aiding in a resurgence of these gorgeous trees. Call Reliable Tree Care for all your tree services, including planting your very own Quakie.

Arborists Warn Against Tree Carving

Arborists know it’s tempting to carve your and your beloved’s name into a tree, but they warn that it can be damaging.

arborists

The practice isn’t new; in fact, archaeologists guess that carving images into trees has been going on around the world for several centuries. However, most living trees aren’t that old, so historians need to rely on research to estimate the details when it comes to tree carvings. History shows us that carvings in trees were historically indicative of the loneliness of sheep herders.

Ranging from dates and names to explicit images and heart-wrenching passages like “Es trieste a vivir solo” (It’s sad to live alone), which was featured in Steamboat Magazine, these “arborglyphs” were especially popular with Basque immigrants who came to the U.S. to herd sheep in the 19th century. Most famously, they carved poetry into the bark.

An Arborist’s Perspective

What’s the big deal if you etch a heart into a tree?

Arborists can explain that although trees don’t feel pain like we do, carvings can still cause a lot of damage. They create wounds that let in pathogens and weaken the tree’s defenses.
Carvings aren’t like proper pruning, which is done at just the right spot and angle to control the growth and health of a tree.

Nonprofessional cuts, especially on the trunk (where carvings are popular), heal much slower than a proper pruning. While the tree heals, pests and diseases can more easily enter.
“Girdling” is the process of deeply gouging all the way around a tree with the intention of killing it, and it is still done in some regions.

When “LOVE” is a Four-Letter Word

Trunks utilize phloem and xylem — their food and water — in a system right below the bark and on the trunk. When these cells are sliced, the distribution of water, sugar and other nutrients is disrupted.

Sometimes, a tree can even starve to death if a deep or big enough cut is made in just the right area. You can’t tell immediately if this has happened, and some trees die very slowly.
Just like humans, it’s crucial that trees are wound-free and get all their nutrients. Carving isn’t the only means of bark damage, though. Dinging a tree with a car or lawnmower, or accidentally nicking one when you’re pruning the grass or plants nearby can all cause devastating effects.

A Better Option

Try gifting a tree instead this Valentine’s Day. Work with a local arborist to choose a tree that’s native and will thrive in the space where you’re considering planting. Don’t have a yard? Consider trees that can thrive indoors, such as lemon and avocado trees (even though they aren’t native to Utah).

Call Reliable Tree Care and learn more about tree care and gifting options.

Arborists Know Romance

Everybody knows flowers have their own language, but only an arborist knows the secret romance symbols of trees.

Look to the landscape artists of the 18th century who were smitten with nature in what John Ruskin, an art critic, called “modern-day cloud worship.” Meanings were given to trees and other plants, as in the case of the well-known Victorian “flower language.”

arborist-romance

Rev. William Gilpin, who was also an artist, said, “It is no exaggerated praise to call a tree the grandest, and most beautiful of all products of the earth.”

Trees can represent themes of life, death and the afterlife. “Blasted trees” were popularly depicted in the 18th and 19th centuries, often struck by lightning or otherwise wearied. It sounds ominous, but the real message is that of survival. The Romantics used it as a symbol of the natural cycle.

Lone trees were also popular features, with artist Caspar David Friedrich especially favoring this image. A sign of endurance, the lone tree is also the lone shepherd. While man might live and die in a relatively short cycle, the tree continues on. Friedrich also loved using pastoral landscapes and the addition of churches as backdrops, signifying that the tree was a more universal and spiritual faith than organized religion.

The Arborists’ Muse

Paintings of trees reaching upward was a staple for artist Joseph Anton Koch. In his 1830 landscape piece, the trees are grasping for a rainbow, which symbolizes heaven. You’ll find such an image in much of his work, signifying a connection between earth and heaven and the meeting point of the two.

Trees that intertwine were beloved by many artists, including Thomas Gainsborough. A symbol of harmony, especially between two people or two families, many families requested portraits using interlocking trees as backdrops.

Gnarled and far-rooted trees were also common in the Romantic period. Bark looks almost alive, such as in Samuel Palmer’s A Dialogue with Nature from 1828. An endurance symbol, it also signified strength.

Any arborist can tell you that trees are incredibly powerful and lasting. The Immortal Tree in the California redwoods is almost 1,000 years old, and has survived numerous lightning strikes, a massive flood and attempts to turn it into lumber. Once reaching 298 feet, it’s been trimmed (these days by an expert arborist) to a modest 258 feet.

Looking for something a little more permanent to gift your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day? Skip the flowers that will wilt in a few days, and instead offer a sapling to plant. Talk to your arborist and get help choosing a native tree that will thrive in the recipient’s geographic area, and consider a flowering and/or fruiting tree for an added touch of romance.

Call Reliable Tree Care today and discuss your options for a fruit tree for V-Day.

Tree Trimming in Winter

Tree trimming when trees and shrubs are dormant is a common practice, and winter is a great time to do it. Once dormancy arrives, usually in November or December in Utah, you’re safe.

tree trimming Utah

Tree trimming during this period leads to an energetic display of new growth come spring, which is what most homeowners desire.

But ideally, wait until the coldest of winter weather has passed. Some trees in Utah, like birches and maples, tend to bleed when sap starts to flow, and tree trimming during the chilliest of days can freeze the sap. Sap, frozen or not, isn’t a hazard, but many homeowners prefer to let the sap run its course.

Avoid trimming trees in autumn also, when decay fungi are on a rampage. These cause tree wounds to heal slower.

Tree Trimming Dead Wood

If you have dead wood or branches that are dangerously close to a living space, you can prune and trim these anytime. However, most homeowners rely on an expert arborist in these instances.

If you can tell a branch is dangerous, you don’t want to take a risk. Having an arborist inspect trees in the autumn or winter, right before they face heavy snow on branches or strong winds, keeps you and your family safe.

Light trimming can also be done year-round, especially with smaller trees and shrubs that you want shaped and contained. Avoid cutting any branches more than one-quarter-inch thick until the worst of winter has passed.

If you have a tree that tends to bleed sap profusely, you might want to take advantage of the cold January days and let the temperature slow down the bleed a bit. Sap control is a personal decision, and no right or wrong choice really exists.

Get Better Flowers

Tree trimming to get more gorgeous flowers? Trim spring-blooming trees and shrubs right after their flowers fade. In winter, it’s often best to wait through the spring and start tackling that post-flowering trimming after.

Trees and bushes that flower in summer are ideal for winter and early spring trimming. If you can’t recall when a tree or shrub flowered last year, ask your local arborist what the schedule is for your particular plant.

Reserve summer pruning for slowing down tree growth, dwarfing tree development, and for general cleanup. Summer tree trimming is best right after the season’s growth is finished.

When you minimize leaf surface, you minimize the food that’s processed and directed to the roots. Malformed limbs are often easiest to see in either summer or winter, so start keeping an eye out for corrective tree-trimming candidates now.

Get more tips on tree trimming in the winter and year-round by calling Reliable Tree Care.

Fruit Trees for Utah

Some fruit trees fare better in Utah than others, and choosing native trees and plants is your best move toward a successful garden.

fruit trees in Utah

You don’t see banana plants and orange trees in Utah because it gets too cold in the winter here, and tropical bushes and trees simply can’t handle it. However, you can find a number of fruit-bearing trees, shrubs and plants well-suited for Utah’s diverse climate. Some are even native!

Chokecherry trees are native to Utah, and if you haven’t cooked with this berry before, you’re missing out. Popular in Native American cuisine, chokecherries are a deep red or blackish purple, and one of the most popular uses is a sweet jam.

You can use them any way you might use plums or other berries, from liqueurs to pie fillings.

Netleaf hackberry trees are also Utah natives, and like chokecherries are vastly underutilized.

Hackberries often stay on the tree all winter, thanks to their high sugar/low water content. You can eat both the seed and flesh directly off the stems, turn it into a jelly, or mash the berries with nuts, seeds, and other fruits for a quick and delicious no-bake cookie.

Fruit Tree Options

Fruit trees that aren’t native to Utah but fare well here include a variety of apples, apricots and plums. Apples require another nearby apple tree for pollination, so check out your neighborhood for a pollinating contender.

If you don’t have one, you’ll need to plant two complementary apple trees to ensure proper pollination. Choosing two different types of apple trees, perhaps one sweet and one tart, will give you options when they bear fruit (which happens on immature apple trees).

Plum trees come in hundreds of varieties, and it’s best to figure out what kind of size, color and sweetness you want before picking out the trees.

Plum trees are prone to producing a lot of fruit, some of which you’ll have to battle the local wildlife for. Plums can also be a bit messy when they fall, so plant trees away from driveways, and only plant as many as you can keep pace with.

Feeling Peachy

Peach trees can grow well in Utah, but not as naturally as the previously mentioned fruits. You can also branch out and plant nut trees, including Carpathian walnuts and hazelnuts. European hazelnuts are the largest and most popular, but sample as many as you can to figure out your favorite variant.

Nut trees prefer a fellow species for cross-pollination, and planting two (or having another is nearby) will increase production.

All fruit and nut trees need pruning after they’re planted, which an arborist can handle for you. Like all living things, proper care and maintenance will produce healthier trees. For more information on fruit tree care and picking the best tree for you, contact Reliable Tree Care.

Holiday Lighting and “New Year Trees”

Holiday lighting doesn’t end with Christmas trees. A popular tradition in many cultures is the New Year Tree, and no, this isn’t the habit of leaving up Christmas trees until after Jan. 1!

holiday lighting

You’ll find New Year Trees in Vietnam, the former Soviet Union and Turkey, but it’s a trend that’s catching on across the globe.

In Turkey and Russia, New Year Trees are often the same trees used at Christmas. However, traditionally a lot of these trees go up before Christmas, and some families get two trees. It’s up to you whether to wait and get a fresh tree after the Christmas rush, since no hard and fast rules exist.

Holiday Lighting that Doesn’t Go Out

New Year Trees have a fascinating history, which was detailed in a 1930s edition of Bezbozhnik magazine, compliments of the League of Militant Atheists in the then-Soviet Union. It shows an image of a Christian priest not allowed to remove a tree before Christmas Day. For centuries, putting up an “Ёлка” (pronounced “yolka”) was a tradition, which was brought to the Soviet Union via Peter the Great in the 17th century. Peter was an avid traveler, especially in Europe, and decided in 1699 that the New Year was officially Jan. 1 instead of Feb. 1.

Bezbozhnik holiday tree

Image courtesy of Global Research

Peter also stated that “fir tree, pine and juniper branches and trees shall be used to decorate houses.” His wishes were followed for a while, but in 1916, Imperial Russia declared that the yolka tradition stemmed from Germany, which was their enemy at the time.

One year later, all Christmas-related celebrations were banned in an anti-religious movement. The League of Militant Atheists urged children to boycott Christmas, including the tree, and in protest the yolka was fully embraced as an alternative.

The Tradition Spreads

In 1935, Pavel Postyshev published an article in Pravda magazine encouraging holiday trees to be put in homes and schools. He claimed decorating was a favorite activity of children, and having gorgeous trees illuminating the streets from windows was a holiday must. When the USSR dissolved and religious freedom abounded, the New Year Tree became wildly popular.

In Turkey, most of the population is Muslim and does not celebrate Christmas, so the New Year Tree makes an excellent option. Gifts are often exchanged at this time instead of Christmas presents. In Vietnam, the New Year Tree or “cây nêu” marks the beginning of spring. However, a bamboo pole is the tree in this celebration. Kumquat trees are common in southern Vietnam, and in Cantonese cultures, the New Year Tree is dubbed the “Nin Fa.”

Ready to extend your holiday lighting beyond December? Call Reliable Tree Care for help with your holiday lighting needs and New Year Tree!

Holiday Lighting: Indoor vs. Outdoor

How can you tell whether holiday lighting is meant for outdoor or indoor use?

Some holiday lighting is for both indoor and outdoor use, and if your lights clearly state that, you’re in the clear. Look at the safety tags, governed by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), which analyzes all electrical items made in America. Every electrical product that’s been tested and deemed safe from fire and shock gets a UL listing.

holiday lighting

No UL listing? Your lights are either not made in the U.S., are too old to have a UL listing, or are not deemed UL safe. These three options are all dangerous and easily avoidable.

You might find cheap holiday lighting online, but if the lights are used or not made in the U.S., it’s impossible to know how safe they are. Whether you rent or buy holiday lighting, it’s worth the nominal upgrade fee to get UL-certified lights that will help safeguard your home, property and family.

Holiday Lighting Checks

Indoor holiday lights will feature either a green tag or a silver one with green text. Outdoor holiday lights will have either a red tag or a silver tag with red text. The UL changed tag colors a few years ago, but as long as holiday lights have a UL tag, regardless of when that tag was added, and the lights are still in good condition with no fraying or other damage, you can trust that they are safe.

Old, classic outdoor holiday lights generally look bigger and more durable, but these are no longer good indicators of whether lights are rated safe for use outdoors. It’s impossible to tell the difference without checking the UL tag color. Get in the habit of always checking tags just like you check for holiday light string damage.

Multi-Use Light Rules

You can still find some lights that are either just for outdoor or just for indoor use. When that’s the case, don’t take the risk of treating them like multi-use lights. Indoor-only lights aren’t equipped to deal with the moisture, temperature swings and stress of the outdoors — especially Utah winters. Snow, condensation, rain and more might lead to ruined holiday lights, electrical shorts or even a fire.

Likewise, outdoor-only lights might be too heavy and bulky for your tree.

As you shop for new holiday lights and upgrade from previous years, keep an eye out for UL tags, and whenever possible, opt for multi-use lights. You’ll be safer and have more options when your lights work both indoors and outdoors.

You can also save by renting. This way you get to choose different types of lights every year, plus you can depend on an arborist and holiday lighting expert to string the lights for you.
If you’re running late on decorating this year, give Reliable Tree Care a call, and get those holiday lights up, pronto!

Arborists Prevent Trees from Falling

Your arborist can help keep your property safe and secure during harsh winter months.

fallen trees

Trees can fall at any time, heavy snow and strong winds and rain can easily cause them to fall. Extreme weather, such as a hurricane, can certainly cause an otherwise healthy tree to fall, but in most cases, red flags are evident only to an arborist.

In many cases, unhealthy root systems are the problem. Roots that move and slip when branches are trying to stand up to heavy winds can cause even huge trees to fall. Poor roots are often the cause of poor planting, and a crowded infrastructure and hidden root damage can exacerbate it.

Healthy roots are the key to a healthy tree, but unfortunately, since roots are hidden, it can be tough for the average homeowner to gauge root health.

Arborists Recommend Starting with the Soil

If you’re planting saplings, know that roots require three years to get established. Roots are where nutrients are stored, and during the early years, a widespread root base is the tree’s top concern. Soil shouldn’t be compacted, and new trees need a hole about 4 feet in diameter to spread out. Plant root balls 1½ inches above the soil level, and grade the soil down and away from the tree to prevent water pools.

Poor root ball planting can lead to roots growing from the top (which means unsupported future roots).

Choosing the right place to plant a sapling is also important, and a decision arborists can help you with. Big trees (around 45 feet tall) need to be planted at least 15 feet from buildings, 30 feet from other big trees, and 8 feet from concrete to grow uninterrupted.

Trees require root and canopy space. If it comes down to your foundation, sidewalk, or other structure and a healthy root system, the tree always wins (and will happily move your structure in the process).

Tree Services to Prevent Falls

Overwatering leads to oversaturation, which can kill roots. Trees also need regular pruning, especially in their first decade, but too much pruning can cause decay and weakening. Avoid topping trees, which gets rid of chlorophyll-minded leaves, causing branch weakness. Topped trees mean heavy growth, and this sometimes causes falls. Trunk and bark damage can also cause surprisingly intense weakening.

Tree maintenance, particularly for younger trees, can be a delicate process. Many homeowners prefer to have an arborist take charge to ensure happy, hazard-free trees. Signs of damage that can lead to weak root systems are often obvious only to an arborist and other tree professionals who have the experience and tools to take care of the problem. Schedule your winter tree check now and call a local arborist at Reliable Tree Care.