Fall has arrived. Many native Pacific Northwestern deciduous trees shed their leaves during this season. Typically, homeowners want to rake up and bag the leaves. However, we recommend leaving leaves alone. This is a strategic method of tree care that requires zero maintenance.

Why Leaving Leaves Alone in Lake Stevens Makes Sense

Do leaves in a forest get raked? No, the leaves remain until the natural biodegradation process takes place. This is advantageous for plant life and the environment as a whole.

Leaves contain carbon. When the leaves linger on the soil and decompose, the soil takes in the carbon, which helps with the soil’s nitrogen balance. Leaves are also a rich source of humic acid, which keeps the soil moist, minimizing compaction.

Leaves also make a good form of mulch that insulates the soil. This is especially relevant now that summer is over and the temperature begins to dip.

Furthermore, removing leaves creates environmental waste. Disposing leaves require a lot of plastic trash bags and transportation. Continue Reading →

The tree on your property adds tremendous curb appeal. However, the roots underneath are capable of immense destruction. Is the sidewalk beyond your home splitting or bulging? Sidewalk tree damage can be a serious problem in the Marysville region.

The Ramifications of Sidewalk Tree Damage in Marysville

Tree roots can smash through pavement and concrete just like they can rupture plumbing pipes. This can be a serious issue if the damage happens just outside your home perimeter and on the public sidewalk. You may get a formal letter from the city mandating that you cover the fee for sidewalk repair.

If you just repair the sidewalk, the tree roots will continue to expand and cause the same damage again in a few years. For a long-term fix, you have to remove the tree. We know the tree is a wonderful cosmetic element. However, is the curb appeal worth the financial cost of sidewalk repair every several years?

Just cutting down the tree isn’t a sufficient solution. This won’t always stop the roots from growing. Our tree service includes uprooting the whole stump, roots included. Continue Reading →

The Pacific Northwest has quite a significant deer population. If you live closer to the rural regions, expect to spot a buck or doe every once in a while. Seeing one is a pleasant experience. Unfortunately, if they scamper into your residence, they can cause major damage to your trees. We’ll discuss how you can protect trees from deer.

Why Protect Trees from Deer in Everett?

Male deer rub their horns on the tree bark. They do this to get rid of the velvet on their antler surface. Bucks may also do this as a way of claiming their territory, especially when it’s mating season. This can seriously erode the bark and damage low-hanging branches. Trees with damaged bark are susceptible to illness and exposure from the weather and pests. When we remove dead trees, we typically find the surface stripped of much of its bark. Continue Reading →

Most residents treat the terms tree trimming and pruning as one and the same. Tree service workers, though, treat them as separate albeit similar terms. The difference lies in the reason for shortening and removing branches. 

What Is Tree Pruning?

Tree pruning entails removing dead, dying, or diseased branches. Arborists do this to promote healthy growth and to prevent dead branches from collapsing under their own weight and causing massive property damage or bodily injury.

This isn’t to be confused with tree removal,  which includes the organized removal of oversized branches. Professionals recommend pruning and removal of decayed branches as they’re at risk of a sudden collapse. Our emergency tree service often removes branches that broke off because they were not pruned when needed. Continue Reading →

Do you have an existing tree resting on a slope? Are you contemplating about adding a tree, but the property rests on a hill? Is it feasible to plant a tree on a slope? Learn of the complications and the viability of maintaining trees on a slope.

The Challenges

Slopes naturally pose some issues for trees. One problem is that a slope creates a microclimate where the root has difficulty absorbing water. Essentially, water trickles off the slope before the root and soil are able to absorb the moisture.

Furthermore, trees already taxed from being on a slope have a harder time competing for nutrients with other foliage nearby. This includes plants, shrubbery, and groundcovers, all of which have shallower roots and more quickly consume the nutrients than deeper-rooted trees. Continue Reading →

Thick bark is a sign of good tree health. Should you be concerned, though, when you see bark falling off of tree? Is the tree ill? Is it shedding its “skin” much like reptiles do? We’ll discuss the reasons behind trees shedding their bark.

Why Does a Tree Lose Its Bark?

Some tree species, such as pine, maple, ash, and oak, grow from the inside out. As new bark is produced, it pushes the old bark out.

As long as you see fresh bark in place of the fallen ones, then the tree is healthy. However, a tree may be in dire health if it’s accompanied by these symptoms:

Continue Reading →

You may see white tree fuzz manifest on your tree. Some people think it’s snow, but it isn’t. The Lake Stevens area doesn’t even see a whole lot of snowfall. The fuzz is common in fir and evergreen trees and appears on the branches and pine needles. Find out what the fuzz is and if it’s cause for alarm.

Why the Tree Has a White Fuzz

Many people think the cotton-like fuzz is a type of fungus. It’s not a fungus. To the surprise of many, it’s actually an insect known as the hemlock woolly adelgid. Sadly, this isn’t one of those beneficial pollinators or bugs that eat the destructive pests. This bug is problematic, and you need to inform emergency tree service. Continue Reading →

Fun fact: trees hibernate

Trees go into hibernation the way bears do. This is known as tree dormancy. With winter here, the tree on your property is likely in dormancy right now. We’ll explain this annual process and some tree maintenance you can do to assist in the tree’s health while it’s “asleep.”

How Tree Dormancy Works

Some animals survive in the winter by being more physically active and consuming more food. Others, such as bears, skunks, and snakes, go into a season-long hibernation to conserve energy and slow their metabolism. Trees hibernate for the same reason. This explains why some trees (mainly deciduous species) shed their leaves—leaves need energy to remain green and vibrant. Continue Reading →

Do you know if a tree on your property is dead or on the verge of death? If you verified the tree is beyond salvaging, then you need to start the dead tree removal process ASAP. We’ll explain why a fast removal is required and why a dead tree is a safety risk.

Why Dead Tree Removal in Marysville Is Necessary

An adult mature oak tree weighs around 4,400 pounds. If it were to fall over, it could do significant damage to property and even cause bodily injury. It should be noted that most homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover damage from toppled trees. Such a scenario is considered negligence on the homeowner’s end for failing to remove the tree.

It’s a fact that dead trees are more susceptible to collapsing. This is because the roots stop transporting nutrients to the trunk, vastly weakening the wood. Dead trees may give way during a storm or even collapse from being unable to support its own weight.

Continue Reading →

As a tree removal company, we’re confident that we know a thing or two about Christmas tree care. Since it’s December, we felt it appropriate to share with you some ideas on keeping the tree healthy. This ensures a robust tree that maintains its vitality all December long.

Christmas Tree Care Tips from the Experts

Fir Trees Require a LOT of Water

The tree stand’s basin should be filled with freshwater that’s replenished every 24 hours. The basin should contain one quart of water for every inch of tree diameter. You can improve the tree’s water absorption by drilling a few half-inch holes on the side of the trunk below the water level.

Some tree maintenance services suggest placing some sugar in the water. This will act as a form of artificial sap for the tree to feed on. From our experience, adding sugar doesn’t make a significant difference, though it doesn’t hurt either. Feel free to try it, though plain water works just fine. Continue Reading →