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30
Dec
You’ve been warned that a storm is coming. Standing outside your home, looking over your place, you realize that you’ve got to do something about those beautifully large trees. If you just let them be, you could lose them. They may even damage something on your property or something else nearby. You’ve got some serious work to do. What this means is that you’ve got to make some time to prepare your yard for the coming storm in order to prevent possible damage. Hopefully, you won’t need more than 2 hours. You’ve just got to ensure that you don’t have to worry should things get bad. And be sure to do this only after you’ve properly and completely secured in and around your home, after you’ve stocked up on the supplies you’ll need. It’s only after all that that your attention should be given over to securing for your yard. Alright. You’re securing your landscape for a storm with sustained winds of at least 40 miles an hour. Over a short time, really terrible damage could be done to your trees. The nature of a storm with an eye is for the target to endure a pummeling by winds from one direction for the first half, as the storm approaches to meet you. Now, as you’re enduring the second half when the storm is moving away, the winds have shifted 180 degrees so that they are now coming from the opposite direction. That’s a lot of stress on trees and their root systems. First this way, then that way-for many hours, if not days. I’ve seen 10 foot trees, and taller, snap back and forth to the ground, back and forth without stopping. Very freaky and more than a little scary. Trees at highest risk of damage by winds this strong usually have a large spreading crown that is at least 15 feet off the ground. A tree, or a branch, could be leaning just a bit too much one way and sure poses a hazard of becoming snapped or broken loose. A tree could have injured or damaged branches or trunks, a weakened structure somewhere that just needs a little push to finally fall to the ground. Profuse growth of mushrooms or other fungi at the base of trees or in the ground around them are specific indicators of vegetative decomposition. Keep a sharp eye. Could be that the root system is failing. This could mean that the entire tree could easily topple. You’ll need to make a judgment whether each tree is strong enough to take it, or if it’s likely unable to make it. Decide if you’re willing to risk it coming loose and becoming a flying projectile. And flying projectiles you must avoid. You’ve got to take down any branch, or tree, that you know is weak enough, or may be weak enough, to break off, be ripped or torn off, or even uprooted entirely. Take a measure of every tree in your yard to within 200 feet from the house. Medium to large trees with a full spreading crown need to be thinned down. This means that you lesson the amount of vegetation up there. Remove all the branches that make up the perimeter of the crown, along with shorter, heavy ones that you think may break or become airborne. You could even reduce the crown from the top by a few feet. If the crown is really thick and full of leaves, you’ll want to trim off branches everywhere. If you’re really worried, remove a good 50% of all foliage. I like to reduce it to only 30% of the whole. This would depend upon each tree and how healthy and strong it is. Really large diameter trunks or branches can be taken down with a chain saw or an axe. And I really, really wish that you know exactly what you’re doing and that you’re doing it safely. If you’ve got to climb, you’d better know how to climb. Otherwise, honestly, don’t do it. A ladder is highly, highly recommended. Smaller trees, even large hedges, can also be trimmed, if you feel it necessary. Other tools that you can readily use are hedge shears or pole saws. Now don’t get sidetracked and start pruning just to make your place look good. A storm is coming! Focus!You’ve got to consider power lines now. Look at the location of any power lines that pass over or beside your property. Are their branches or trunks that, if they snap and fall, are able to touch or even brush against any power lines? Never forget that a snapped power line or a downed power pole could result in a loss of power, electricity. This will then result in loss of power to water wells and water pump stations. And now you have no water. Believe me, you don’t want to go there. Trim it down. You should also consider branches or trunks near the house, near other buildings in your yard, near cars, boats or other large contraptions. If the storm is strong enough, don’t take chances. They’ll grow back with time. You know it. What you don’t want is to be sorry that you couldn’t just cut that branch. You wouldn’t just trim that tree. If you had, your car wouldn’t need a new windshield. Your bedroom wouldn’t have that large branch in it. Really give each tree the consideration your home deserves. Don’t take chances. Be safe.
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4
Dec
If a tree falls in my yard and no one is around to hear it, can I just leave it there? Unfortunately unless you live in the forest, a fallen tree in the yard can be a mess. First survey the tree and area for any power lines that could have been brought down. Do NOT enter an area where there are any power lines touching the tree or on the ground. Call the utility company and your local emergency center immediately and report the situation. When you have determined the area is safe from electrical hazards, unless you are removing the tree yourself, call a tree removal service. Using a chain saw and cutting up and removing a large tree is not a job for a novice. Fallen trees can be very dangerous and as cuts are made the weight can shift and branches can break and fall and the tree can roll. Cutting up and removing the trunk and branches of a fallen tree can be the easiest part of the clean up. After you clean up the debris, you still have a stump. What’s the best way to remove a tree stump from your yard? This depends on the type of the tree, size of the stump, and how patient you are. There are several methods for removing tree stumps involving recruiting from Mother Nature to using brute force. Brute ForceThis method is the epitome of the definition of “brute force. ” First you dig around the stump chopping your way through any roots you encounter. When you are deep enough to get a chain securely around or underneath the stump you connect the other end to a winch mounted to another tree or vehicle. An electric power winch is a wise choice. Be extremely careful by making sure everyone is out of the area and that the winch operator is well shielded. If the winch cable or chain breaks, or if the chain slips off the stump, a deadly catapulted steel whip can result. Any property in range could also be severely damaged including the vehicle. There are plenty of macho types that might be laughing when they read this however if all these instructions make you a bit weak in the knees, there are plenty of other docile methods for removing stumps. Injection MethodIf you have a little patience you can help the stump break down. 1. Get the stump cut down as low as possible to the ground. 2. Drill holes at least a half an inch in diameter as far down as the length of the bit as possible in the stump. One hole about every three inches is good. 3. Fill the holes with water. Put a fertilizer in which has a high nitrogen content. You could even use cow manure. There are commercial fertilizers available. Use a high nitrogen NPK fertilizer. 4. Wet the area around the stump and the stump itself with water and cover with plastic. 5. Wet the stump periodically and insert more fertilizer every few weeks. More IdeasThere are folks who suggest rock salt will work as well as fertilizer however rock salt might kill all plants in the immediate area. Also you could try to burn the stump depending on where it is. This can cause a mess and a charcoal stump that will then not rot as quickly. There are products for stump removal that often contain kerosene and involve burning the stump. If the stump is accessible to equipment you could rent a stump grinder or call a professional stump grinder in your area.
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26
Oct
This beautifully landscaped courtyard. These beautiful large trees. And in less than two days, a storm charging at all. How can you save? Time to make some "serious preparation for the storm. This means that you must make some time to prepare the site for the storm to avoid damage. With a little help, this should not last more than 2 hours. You just have to make sure we do not have to worry if things go wrong. And do not forget to do so only after due and fully guaranteed and around your home, after providing the hardware you need. And "only after all that attention should be paid to get your garden. Alright. Rest assured your landscape for a storm with sustained winds of at least 40 miles per hour. For a short period of time, really terrible damage it could do for your trees. The nature of a storm with an eye for the target to resist Pummeling the wind direction for the first half, while the storm is near you. Now, as you bear the second half, when the storm moves away, the winds have changed 180 degrees so that now they come in the opposite direction. It'sa lot of stress on trees and their root systems. Firstly, this way, then, that wayfor several hours or even days. I have seen trees 10 feet or more, Snap-and-fro in the earth, back and forth without stopping. Freaky much and more than a little afraid. " Trees with a high risk of damage due to winds which generally have a broad crown spread of at least 15 feet above the ground. A tree or branch could be supported a little "too unilateral and poses a risk of being broken or detached. A tree may have corrupted or damaged branches or trunks, a weakened structure somewhere that just needs a little boost last fall on the ground. Abundant growth of mushrooms or other fungi at the base of trees or the ground around them are specific indicators of plant decomposition. Keep an eye. Could be that the root system is failing. This could mean that the entire structure could easily fall. You must judge whether each tree is strong enough to take, or is likely to be able to do so. Must decide whether or not it could become a projectile in flight. And ball flight should be avoided. You must take down any branch or tree that you know is quite low, or it may be weak, break, be cut or torn, or even totally eradicated. Take measurements of all trees in the yard within 200 meters of the house. Medium and large trees, with full dissemination of the Crown must be diluted down. This means that you lesson the amount of vegetation there. Remove branches that form the perimeter of the crown, short and heavy that you think may rupture or air. It could also reduce the crown of the first meters of the few. If the crown is very dense and full of leaves, you may want to cut the branches everywhere. If you're really worried, remove 50% of all the good leaves. I want to reduce it to only 30% of the total. It depends on each tree and how healthy and strong he is. Really large diameter trunks or branches can be taken down with a chain saw or ax. With treatment for their own safety, please do not support these devices unless you know how. If you're climbing, it is best to know how to climb. Otherwise, honestly, no. A scale is very highly recommended. Small trees, hedges, too large, it can also be cut if necessary. Other tools that can be easily used hedge clippers or pole saws. Do not drift now and begin reducing the beauty. A storm is coming! Focus! We must now take into account the power lines. View the location of all electrical lines that pass over or near your property. Are branches or trunks that if the fire and fall, are able to touch or even touching the power lines? Never forget a line tripping or a lamp overturned could cause loss of power, of electricity. This would result in the loss of power to water wells and pumping stations. And now you have no water. Believe me, you do not want to go. Trim down. You should also consider the branches or trunks near the house, close to other buildings in your garden, around the car, boat or other gadgets off. If the storm is strong enough not to take risks. They will grow back in time. You know. What I do not want is to regret that we could not just cut the branch. It would not only seal the shaft. If you, your car would not need a new windshield. It would not be able to see inside the lounge of the aisle. Each tree really give the respect it deserves your home. Do not take risks. Be safe.
