Many professional arborists will tell you that the best time to take down a tree is during the fall. If you have a tree whose roots interfere with your sewage pipe or that’s too close to the house or that’s dead, dying, or dangerously leaning, fall is the time to call the tree surgeon. Here are some reasons why.
The Weather Is Perfect
Fall is not as cold as winter nor as hot as summer, both of which can make an arborist’s job that much harder. Extreme temperatures can make chainsaws and other equipment seize up. Workers can suffer from heat stress in summer and frostnip in winter. The snow and ice of winter can also complicate tree removal or make it impossible. Another advantage of fall removal is that the ground is still warm enough to ease stump grinding.
Many Trees Go Into Dormancy
Fall is when a lot of trees go into dormancy to prepare for spring. But why should you care whether or not a tree is dormant if you’re going to cut it down? Interestingly, the stress of a tree that’s being cut down can actually affect the environment around it. Trees sequester carbon and support the health of the soil, among other things. Taking a tree down when it’s dormant causes less disruption to these natural systems.
Cleanup Is Easier
Aside from making stump grinding easier, removing a tree in the fall is less messy because deciduous trees have already dropped their leaves. The ground also tends to be drier in the fall. This lowers the risk of the arborist slipping and slogging through mud as they remove debris. The fallen leaves themselves can serve as a protective mulch over the disturbed soil.
Pests and Diseases Don’t Spread as Easily
The cooler temperatures mean that pests and diseases that attack trees don’t spread as easily. Indeed, some pests and diseases go dormant when the tree does. Because of this, taking down a sick tree before its sickness spreads spares the healthy trees around it.
It’s Easier to Check the Other Trees
Because a lot of trees have dropped their leaves in the fall, the arborist can assess other trees in the area. They may let you know, unfortunately, that some may need to be removed as well. On the other hand, the arborist might recommend that other trees just need a bit of pruning.
Have a Tree You Need Removed? Give Us a Call
Removing a tree from your property is sad, but it sometimes needs to be done. If you need tree removal, don’t wait to give our professional arborists of Maguire Tree Care, Inc. of the San Francisco Bay Area a call.
