Mildew

If you find that some of your tree’s leaves are covered with a white powder, no worries, this one is an easy fix! Be careful to catch this one early on though as it can turn into an infection that cannot be remedied. Call the Cleveland tree trimming professionals at VanCuren to take a look at your tree’s leaves so that we can get to work to stop the spreading. At the infection stage, the white powder will turn into grey fuzz that covers everything from the leaves, stems, and buds.

The presence of powdery mildew is usually unavoidable, but there are ways to keep it from becoming an infection. The following are tips to prevent fungal infection:

• Trim your trees to increase air circulation
• Try to plant your trees in areas of full sun so that the leave can stay dry
• Space out your trees to prevent cross-infection

Peeling bark[

Trees go through a natural shedding process and so you may notice some loose pieces of bark. There could also be signs of peeling park due to severe weather either in summer or winter. However, to help you identify if this is a result of a disease or infestation, look for bare wood marked with lightly colored wavy lines or fuzzy fungus. A healthy tree will have new bark growth showing underneath a peeling spot.

Leaks

Trees do not heal like humans do, they seal their wounds. When a human is injured, the healing process also starts from the inside-out, whereas a tree calluses over the wound location to cover up the opening. If bacteria enters into an opening before the tree can seal, there is a possibility for wetwood, or slime flux. Sap will seep out of crevices or weak spots on the tree, but thankfully most of the time this is fixable. As for boring beetle infestations, however, there is no returning from the damage.

Take a good look at your trees to make sure that you do not find any of these diseases or infestations that are hurting your tree. Contact VanCuren Tree Services for any help you may require for the health of your trees. We offer services in tree removal, tree trimming, and much more in Cleveland, OH.

Taking care of your Cleveland Heights trees means trimming dead branches or overgrowth away on a regular basis. If you are trimming smaller trees on your own, you also have to make sure to use the correct tools for the job. When it is done correctly, your trees should continue on their healthy growth patterns in between the professional trimming appointments that should be made on an annual basis. Remember that more complicated jobs are best left to a certified arborist. Your safety is our main concern at VanCuren.

Before trimming the trees around your property keep these safety measures in mind:

• Branches hanging near power lines are not approved for DIY trimming methods
• Pruning tools are not meant for cutting thick branches. Thick branches need heavy-duty professional equipment.
• Keep your feet on the ground at all times. Do not attempt to trim higher than you can reach with an extended pole pruner. Call an arborist to take care of these jobs.

What are the types of tools you will need in order to get the job done?

If you are looking to trim on your own there are a variety of tools you can use. This can become very confusing and it makes sense, trimming a tree is an involved process. Below are three must-have tools for your easy trimming projects.

Pruning Shears – Use pruning shears, or hand pruners on bushes or very thin tree branches. They are best used for simple and clean cuts for twigs under one inch in diameter, but there are different types of pruning shears too. When trimming live twigs bypass pruning shears, which look like a pair of scissors, work best. Alternatively, dead twigs can be cut with a straight, knife-shaped edge called anvil pruning shears.

Loppers – Loppers work best for medium-sized branches. They are especially recommended for fruiting or flowering trees. This tool can cut through branches that are two inches in diameter. Similar to pruning shears, use bypass loppers for live branches and anvil loppers for dead branches.

Pole Pruner – Use this tool to reach the hard to get dead wood in a tree, but beware not use while on a ladder. Also, remember to watch overhead for the falling debris while using a pole pruner.

If you encounter branches that are not suited for the tools you have, it is time to call a professional Cleveland Heights tree trimming company to finish the job with the utmost care and safety. Call VanCuren to set up a time to meet.

You have successfully trimmed the small trees on your Cleveland property to promote tree growth when spring arrives. Pruning your trees comes with a lot of benefits. As you know, it cleans up the appearance of your landscape while also reducing the potential for tree damage to your home. Once you have pruned your trees though, should you use pruning sealer on the tree’s open cuts to finish the job?

First, what is pruning sealer?

Pruning sealer, or pruning paint, has been known as an agent that helps a tree heal from trimming cuts and may reduce loss of tree sap. We need to remember that trees have survived for years without our interference and that they have natural defensive mechanisms to help the healing process. As for reducing sap drips, sealers actually have little effect on this occurrence.

Furthermore, a lot of sealers contain asphalt or are petroleum-based. Both of these ingredients are not healthy for your trees or your own health. Instead, they can easily delay your trimmed trees’ healing process or damage wound openings which prevents the tree from properly healing.

Should I use pruning sealer to cover raw spots from tree trimming in Cleveland?

No. Do not use sealers on your trees or bushes after you trim them. In addition to the above reasons, sealers can trap moisture and therefore will suffocate the cut. This can lead to unnatural decay and growth of fungi.

For us humans, it seems like common sense to cover a fresh wound. But for trees, it is not possible for a tree to “bleed out” from loss of sap. In fact, freshly trimmed trees are more resilient in this way since drainage of sap helps irrigation processes. Trees naturally undergo protective mechanisms that produce new wood growth at the wound site to keep out disease, fungi, and infestations.

The best way to make sure that your newly trimmed trees are able to properly heal is to use proper trimming techniques and Cleveland professional tree trimming equipment. This is why it is best to use a professional tree trimming company for these projects. We know how to take care of the trees around your home. With proper technique, expertise, and equipment our team at VanCuren is able to make sure your trees are healthy long-term.