Poorly cared for trees and shrubs can make your property look unkept. Learning how to trim trees or shrubs is not difficult. What can be a challenge is knowing when to trim or prune them and how much thinning to do to keep them healthy. If you cannot care properly for your trees, this can sometimes cause hazards for your family and your neighbors. Overhanging branches can cause problems during storms and these are so high up that it is not likely that you have the skills and equipment to trim them properly.
When you need to hire a tree care company, you have to make sure of several things. You want to get your money’s worth for their services and end up with trees and shrubs that look beautiful and healthy. The following questions will help you find the best company to handle your tree care.
Ask them if they have current insurance. Once they can show you they are insured ask about their professional credentials. They should be able to show you that they are members of the International Society of Arboriculture or ISA. If you need them to trim branches around power lines they also need to be Approved Line-Clearance Arborists.
What references can they provide you with? You want to see recent references from happy customers in your area.
Can they give you written estimates without any surprise fees? The estimate that they provide you with should be the price you end up paying unless there are special tasks that they cannot determine will need to be done until the work starts. Be sure everything is put in writing. Ask two or three companies for estimates if you are looking to get on a maintenance plan so that you can go with the company that offers you the best price.
What type of equipment will they use for the work you need them to do? If they need to access a tree across the lawn, be sure they are aware of sprinkler heads and garden beds ahead of time.
Finally, ask them what they do to clean up after the work is complete. If branches are being pruned, they should be able to remove them and dispose of them properly. The same goes for any tree stumps left after a job is complete. They should grind the stump and then remove the debris from your yard leaving it in great condition.
It is possible to do your own tree trimming but unless you are a professional, you should let jobs involving heights to the professional arborists. After a storm, you may need a large tree branch to be removed in an emergency. Let this job remain in the hands of your local tree service because they have the training and experience to take care of safely cutting the branch down and removing it properly.
Contact a few tree services in your area now. Compare their services using the questions above to find the right one for you.