Tag Archives: hudson valley tree care

Best Trees for Fall Foliage

The best way to personalize your home in Westchester county is by planting a garden, trees and shrubs.  Add a splash of color to your landscape with trees that will produce vivid foliage during fall; here is the first part of our list of the best trees for fall foliage!  Stay tuned for our complete list next week.

The Japanese Maple

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The Japanese Maple is a beautiful tree come autumn, due to the vibrancy of its leaves!  This is a great ornamental tree to add to your pre-existing garden or walkway area.

The Sassafras Tree

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The Sassafras tree is interesting, if only for its strange leaf shape, which is softly rounded.  A medium-to-fast growing tree, the sassafras can be trained to grow as a single-trunk tree or a dense and bushy thicket.

The Black Tupelo

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Scientifically known as the nyssa sylvatica, the black tupelo is a trademark autumn tree for its renowned fall color.  In addition to its beauty, the black tupelo is an important late-spring food source for bees!

What to Do After Severe Storm Damage

What to Do After Severe Storm Damage

Information cited from treesaregood.com; view the entire article here.

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Our 24-Hour Emergency Tree Service is here for you this winter!

New York’s winter storms can be severe; prepare for winter storm damage in Westchester County with help from Westchester Tree Life!

Winter storm damage in Westchester County can leave a lasting impact on your home and property.  From strong winds to heavy snow and ice, winter storm damage can uproot trees, split branches and more.  What should you do once storm damage strikes?  Follow these 4 easy-to-remember steps:

  1.  Visually Assess the Damage – Are the major limbs still remaining and the trunk unbroken?  Are at least 50 percent of the tree’s branches intact?  If you have answered yes to either of these, there is a good chance for recovery.
  2. Take Safety Precautions – Realize the serious potential dangers of storm damage.  For example, take the possibility of storm damaged trees touching live electrical wires, which can result in electrocution.  Broken or dangling limbs may result in overhead death, trees and limbs under tension may react unexpectedly when cut.  All of these scenarios and more are vital when reviewing storm damage.
  3. Resist the Urge to Do It Yourself – Are large limbs broken or dangling?  Immediately call Westchester Tree Life at (914) 238-0069!  Our team is ISA Certified to deal with dangerous situations!
  4. Hire an ISA Certified Arborist – Westchester Tree Life is just a phone call away at (914) 238-0069!

To request a consultation online, click here.

Drought Stress and Watering

During a drought, your trees need special attention.  The trees in your yard are probably used to a regular water source.

Tip:  If your trees are looking distressed and unhealthy, call Westchester Tree Life for a personalized Plant Health Care Plan!  

To prevent stress, you’ll need to make sure your trees still receive enough water to stay in good health.  While a healthy tree should be able to survive a drought, the stress from lack of water can lead to secondary problems such as disease and susceptibility to pests.

caring for trees during drought 2If you’re affected by drought, it’s important to monitor the soil in yard for moisture.  Check the soil around your trees regularly; if the soil is dry and crumbly at a depth of 6 to 8 inches, you should water.  Water slowly to give the soil time to absorb the water.  If you are under water use restrictions, try to gradually reduce the water you supply to trees rather than suddenly stopping the water supply.

To water your trees without waste, use a soaker hose.  Place the hose in a spiral pattern around the tree, beginning a few feet from the trunk.  Check the soil often to see when it is saturated at a depth of 6 to 8 inches before turning off the water.  Rather than water trees on a schedule, use the moisture content of the soil as your guide an only water as needed.

soaker hose for treeIf you need to conserve water and can’t water your trees as often during a drought, slowly reduce the watering time over a period of weeks.  This will allow your trees to adjust to less water.  If possible, try to give your trees an inch of water when the surrounding soil becomes dry at that 6 to 8 inch depth.

From spring through fall, trees should be watered three times a month.  You don’t need to water your trees as often as you water your tomatoes!  To further conserve water, consider using wastewater to water your trees.  Cooking water, the water dispensed while you wait for the shower to warm up, water from your rain gutters, and water from the kiddie pool can be used to keep the soil around your trees well hydrated.

Signs of drought stress include wilting, curling, and yellowing of the leaves.  if you are concerned about the health of your trees during a drought or would like specific advice about responding to a drought, give us a call and we’ll be happy to advise you!

caring for trees during drought