El Nino

We are forecasted to have an El Nino winter. Meaning a lot of rain and wind over a short period of time . Trees do best with moderation. Too hot, and trees can overdrink and lose limbs from water weight. Too wet, and trees can float before the ground is able to process the water which means roots are unable to anchor trees. El Nino will drop trees, that's a certainty.  Most of those trees will fall harmlessly away from homes. Some won't. The next few weeks are the time to prepare trees for excessive rains. Remember, we've been in a drought, so a lot of water quickly poured on dry, baked soil is likely to be initially slow to absorb.  We can't prevent all trees from falling due to excessive rainfall and wind but many can be saved. Here's four simple things homeowners can do to improve a tree's survivability:

Thinning an overgrown canopy to prevent a sail effect during high winds.

Weight reduction to prevent limb loss due to water weight and wind force.

Mulching and fertilization (as needed) to encourage proper root growth on very young trees.

Removal of dead and dying trees. Dead or nearly dead trees are bowling pins to an El Nino storm.

Earlier this year we experienced a forecasted storm. Many homeowners tried to engage a tree company at the last minute without much success. Now is the time. Don't pay emergency rates for something that could have been prevented during fair weather.  Once a tree becomes imbalanced, that's it. A trim or weight reduction could save you thousands of dollars. That's not an exaggeration. Just prior to storms, most reputable tree companies will be either preparing commercial properties or doing last minute work for previously scheduled residential clients. At Bud's we staff an emergency crew or two depending on the forecast. But even then we prioritize for life threatening, home endangering work. In other words, we get the tree on the ground and move on, often finishing up after the storm. When sending a climber into an unstable tree during high wind, rain, and darkness, we pay them more. Likewise the ground crew. It's an overtime that can kill or maim even the safest workers. Obviously, the customer pays for that. I would much prefer to make less money and have our clients spend less money to the welfare of all involved.  If you're not sure what your tree needs, call us.  Our estimators often tell people good news--the tree doesn't require work. When preventative or correction action is needed, we can save you money through advanced scheduling among other things. Since our estimator visits are free, you have nothing to lose. Please give some thought to El Nino while the skies are still blue and let's have a safe winter. 

1 800 CUT-TREE  or (916) 373-3980