Integrity In The Work Place – 2011

I feel these past two years, in spite of a difficult economy; we’ve had the opportunity to learn what is really important.

We’ve learned to cut back on unnecessary expenses and get the most for our dollar. But learning to be frugal, doesn’t mean skimping on quality. Getting the most for our dollar means spending that dollar wisely, not just getting the best deal, but hiring a company that has integrity.

We at Green Leaf have always stood for quality workmanship and integrity in the work place. We appreciate your business and the opportunity to continue to be that company you can count on.

Wishing you a wonderful 2011!
Ted Huffman

May Tree Talk: “Our Tree Just Split In Half!”

We all have particular trees we love. A client of ours had a large Chinese Elm tree in her front yard that her family adored. They knew it was time for it to be trimmed, due to the substantial weight of the branches. The heavy branches had come from all the new growth that the rain season produced. However, due to their budget they decided to hold off on their annual trimming.

A few months later, additional rain came and the tree got so heavy it suddenly split right down the middle. Thankfully, no one was hurt. Unfortunately, it then became an emergency. Our crew came out right away to save what was left of the tree. We ended up cutting a 3rd of the tree away from the split section.

Looking back our client regretted not taking care of their favorite tree sooner. The emergency job ended up being the same price as if she had simply done the annual trimming and the entire tree would have still been standing today.

Moral of the story is… if your tree looks heavy, don’t wait. Have us come out and take a look at it, complimentary. We’ll catch those potential accidents before they become emergencies.

Chinese Elm After Emergency Incident

Thanks to our client Emily Bosworth for letting us share her story.

How We Celebrate Arbor Day

Happy Arbor Day 2010!

As a member of the P.T.C.A., Professional Tree Care Association of San Diego, I am helping organize a day of volunteer labor in celebration of Arbor Day. Friday, April 23rd, eight local tree service businesses are gathering together to offer our services in tree trimming and cleaning up Boy Scouts of America San Diego Campground.

We are excited to get our hands dirty and take care of favorite natural resource…TREES! We are also happy to help clean up this campground and make a safer place for all the scouts to enjoy.

How Old Is Your Tree?

Living in this era of fast-food, drive-thru Starbuck’s, emails, iPhones, texting, instant communication, instant gratification; we can all get easily accustomed to life in the fast lane. But have you ever pondered how long it took for the trees in your neighborhood to grow? The tree in your front yard? Perhaps you grew up in another city, and while you were first learning to ride a bike, that tree was a young sapling. Maybe you were graduating from college or getting engaged, and that tree was putting out a canopy of leaves to shade the local neighborhood for the summer.

At Green Leaf we had a customer call us and request the removal of a beautiful Monterey Pine in the Pt. Loma area. After giving them a price and scheduling the work, we had second thoughts and wanted to meet with our client to discuss alternatives to tree removal. It had been growing there for close to 40 years. We decided that the advantages to keeping a mature Pine far outweighed the disadvantages (possibility of minor root damage) which was the reason that prompted the removal in the first place.

Their Pine tree had been growing for more than 14,000 days. To remove it, would have taken only 1 day. Sometimes we need to slow down, come out of the fast lane and consider the true value of what surrounds us. Then we can choose, not based on what is the easiest or fastest, but what is the best choice for our shared environment.

Our client is now enjoying their beautiful Monterey Pine tree and with proper annual maintenance, we’ll help keep it that way.

Advantages of Maintaining Your Tree: Besides the aesthetics of a mature tree, the benefits of of the oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange doesn’t begin until the tree reaches 10 years old. The advantage of its cooling properties can range from 10-15 degrees, and effect areas within several miles depending on air-flow. There are many things to consider, when thinking about the trees in our landscape.

Disadvantages: When we remove a tree we not only take away its ability to produce oxygen but we remove it’s ability to receive the carbon dioxide that surrounds us. The forest is a living form of carbon and forms half of every tree. As it lives it absorbs unhealthy toxins such as: carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide. When it is cut down we loose that vital exchange process.

Online Sources:

Nicola Baird, “Breathtaking”

ISA & Trees Are Good

How To Prepare Your Trees For A Storm

Remove trees with large cracks, splits or severe root damage.

Remove tree branches with rot in them.

Remove rubbing & broken branches.

Prune properly (do not flush cut to stem, but do not leave big stubs that will rot either).

Advise power company of trees with branches interfering with high voltage power lines.

 

 

What Increases a Tree’s Chances of Blowing Over?

Trees that have had root pruning due to construction, such as: driveways or sidewalks close to trees.

Trees that haven’t been pruned in the last 3 years that are thick and dense.

Areas with loose, gravelly soil

Source Site

Let Your Trees Breathe

Overwatering Symptoms:

• One symptom of too much water is the yellowing of leaves when it is not expected. It will generally start on the lower part of the tree on the inside of the crown and then move outward.
  
• Other symptoms include leaves turning a lighter shade of green and then yellow, wilting of young shoots, and brittle green leaves.
  
• Check your soil, it should be moist, but not soggy or squishy for any length of time.
  
• Watering once per week is usually adequate, but never water if the soil is already wet.

Ted Huffman//Arborist
www.GreenLeafTreeCare.com

Source: www.sayegrow.com

Fire Prevention: Weed Abatement & Brush Clearing

Creating “Defensible Space”
Defensible Space is the landscape between your house and the potential fuel source (dense native or naturalized vegetation) that is your responsibility as a homeowner to maintain to reduce fire risk. Typically areas located near open hillsides, fields and canyons are most vulnerable.

San Diego has TWO BRUSH MANAGEMENT ZONES with different requirements:

Brush Management Zone 1: Typically 35 feet from the structure on the level portion of your property next to your house.

Brush Management Zone 2: Is the remaining 65 feet that extends beyond Zone 1 and is usually comprised of native and/or naturalized vegetation.

Each city has their own regulations on proper fire clearance, so please check with your city.  Here’s a link to the City of San Diego’s info on Brush Management and Weed Abatement. If you’re not sure or have specific questions on your location please give us a call: 619.575.1332.

Please have a safe and wonderful autumn season!

Ted Huffman, Certified Arborist
Green Leaf Tree Care, Inc.
(Post sourced from The City Of SD Brush Management Regulations)

Training Your Trees To Be Drought Resistant

A common mistake in tree care is watering daily, which creates shallow root systems that cannot withstand during drought times. The best thing you can do is to train your trees to develop an extensive root system. This can be accomplished by watering very deeply, and then withholding water until just before they wilt, and then watering deeply again, as a routine.

Here’s a link to step by step instructions on “How To Deep Water Plants/Trees”.

Thirsty?

Green Leaf’s Favorite Water Wise Sites

100 Ways To Conserve Water
Be Water Wise
20 Gallon Challenge
Water Education for Kids

Water Trend Tip: Drip irrigation systems are more than 90% efficient; by comparison, sprinkler systems are only 50 to 70% efficient. Source: Colorado State University Extension — Horticulture