Lookin Good Tree Trimming and Removal
Kenner, Metairie, Jefferson Parish, River Ridge, St. Charles Parish, Harahan, St. Rose and New Orleans, Louisiana tree removal, stump removal, and tree trimming services. We service residential, commercial, and business-to-business customers.
This was a huge Water Oak that lived well past it’s life span. It had a hollow trunk with raccoons living inside. Unfortunately, the raccoons had to move out and find a new home. Scroll to see the process and the finished result!
Arborist do not like to cut down healthy, beautiful trees and will usually recommend trimming instead of removal if possible, but sometimes trees get planted in an inappropriate location for the size the tree will get at full maturity, like this young southern magnolia tree.
Unfortunately, this young beauty had to be removed because it was planted against the front of the house, leaving no room for the tree to grow and mature without causing damage to the home. It’s recommended to check the mature height and canopy width of any tree before planting to ensure a proper amount of green space for the size of the tree when it’s fully grown.
This fuzzy white stuff is killing my hibiscus: How do I stop it?
Pink hibiscus mealybugs are covered with a white, fuzzy material that looks like mold or fungus. (Dan Gill)
Question: I have a hibiscus growing in a pot that has bloomed very well this summer. Recently, the plant has stopped blooming and is showing yellow leaves. When I look at the plant closely, I see a fuzzy white mold or fungus growing on the tips of the branches. What is this and what should I do to help my hibiscus?
Answer: This is not actually a fungal problem – these are insects called pink hibiscus mealybugs. The insects are covered with a white, fuzzy/powdery material. They cluster on the new growth and buds of hibiscus plants and are very obvious when they are present. They feed by sucking out the sap of the bush. While feeding they inject toxic compounds that can seriously damage or even kill a plant.
Pink hibiscus mealybugs can be controlled organically with several applications of a light horticultural oil, such as Year Round Spray Oil, All Seasons Oil or Organocide. Or you could use one of the pyrethroids (permethrin, bifenthrin, cyfluthrin or others). Imidacloprid, applied as a drench, can also be used to control pink hibiscus mealybugs, either alone or in conjunction with the insecticides already mentioned. Do not use Malathion on hibiscuses, as they are sensitive to this insecticide.
Above is one of my Hibiscus trees that I am trying to save. These mealybugs are trying to take them out!
Filling of hollow trees, a process called “cavity filling,” was practiced by arborists for many years. Today we know that the materials normally used to fill a tree cavity are very abrasive. Natural tree movements, such as swaying and twisting, rub the inside surface of the tree cavity against the filling, further weakening the tree’s defensive walls and allowing decay to expand. In addition, we know that these materials do not allow the tree to bend and therefore renders the tree more susceptible to storm damage. Also, because of these tree movements the cavity-filling materials do not bond with wood. Gaps are often the result and these gaps frequently trap water. This dark and moist environment allows decay fungi to proliferate.
Bob Rouse, Staff Arborist at the National Arborist Association, confirmed this when he said, “The cement holds moisture, creating a favorable environment in the filled cavity for the decay organisms!”
How should trees with cavities be treated? Recent research shows that it is better to leave the cavity open – remember no type of drainage, sterilization, fill material, wound paint, or scraping treatment stops decay – and simply take the necessary measures required to improve the overall health of the tree. A healthy tree has the strength to compartmentalize and wall-off decay.
In addition, this practice just causes havoc on the equipment when the tree and stump have to be removed. Chain saws and stump grinders cannot cut concrete and bricks.
In summary tree experts recommend:
We at lookin’ good treeman services are concerned with this practice and present the information above for the benefit of your trees.
A tree cavity is similar to a tooth cavity. Without proper treatment, the situation can only get worse. Unfortunately, cutting down on sweets and brushing more frequently will not help to prevent a tree cavity. In simple terms, a tree cavity is a neglected bark injury that can be the result of many factors. The most common are improper pruning, mechanical injury and storm damage.
Tree topping was considered for years to be the easiest and cheapest way to make mature trees safer and reduce their size. Topping is an ancient practice – some cultures topped trees to create a harvestable crop of tree branches. Whether it’s because of tradition or just ignorance, millions of trees have been hacked with little or no consideration to their health and structural integrity. People who top trees have yet to recognize that following established industry standards of professionalism while pruning trees, can improve their health, growth and appearance.
What happens when trees are topped?
Trees maintain a delicate crown-to-root ratio. Topping removes the crown, upsetting this ratio and limiting the tree’s ability to sustain its own roots. This makes them more susceptible to insects and disease, and particularly decay. Limbs weakened by decay cannot handle the weight of rapid re-growth. In a few years, if the tree survives, it may become a bigger safety hazard than it was prior to topping.
What is the alternative?
Professional arborists have the ability to make the tree look more attractive, safer, and even smaller, with appropriate corrective pruning. The principles of proper pruning are to restrict growth in one area and encourage it in others, as well as to remove damaged or dead limbs. Pruning encourages growth, improves flower and fruit production, improves plant health, repairs damage and helps add aesthetic appeal to a tree.
Pruning at the right time
“Timing of pruning is very important to the health of your tree,” says Robert Rouse, Care Industry Association. On the other hand, many trees can be pruned year-round. Certain operations, such as deadwood removal, have no detrimental effect on the health of the tree no matter when they are carried out. This is so because the wood is already dead and has been walled-off from the rest of the tree by the plant’s defense mechanisms,” he says.
If you are unsure whether you should prune your tree or if your tree has been topped, consult a professional arborist who can offer advice or perform proper pruning.
(Article excerpt from TreeCareTips.org)