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Last weekend we had the opportunity to help some friends make some decisions about the trees on their property in Kent where they are building their "forever home." The fir tree as indicated by the arrow was removed as it's dead and will be a hazard to the house once it's built. The two other firs just to the right will stay and have a better chance at remaining healthy. If you're building on property give us a call today to schedule a walk through - trees are much easier and less expensive to remove before your house is built!

Did you know trees can be considered noxious weeds? The City of Seattle is revising some of its tree rules regarding tree protection, and one item on the docket is to exclude any tree on the King County Noxious Weed List from being classified as an exceptional tree. One of the most wanted noxious weeds on the list, tansy ragwort (pictured here) is in full bloom right now and very easy to identify and control. In addition to our arborist credentials, we are licensed Washington State Department of Agriculture Pesticide applicators and can help you identify and control noxious weeds on your property. 

Hazelnut trees thrive here in Washington, and the nuts (also called filberts) are just on the verge of being ripe. In our neighborhood there are many "volunteer" hazelnuts, most likely planted unintentionally by squirrels. These nuts were an important food source for local tribes, who made cakes and nut milk from them. They also used the branches for basketry and arrowshafts. 

This week we examined three fir trees that sustained root damage due to excavation for a drainage ditch. The photo shows a major 4" critical root that has been badly severed. While underground utilities are necessary to maintain our health and safety, it is always wise to put up tree protection fencing or have an arborist on site during excavation projects near trees. If cutting roots is necessary for the project, an arborist can ensure the cuts are made properly to give the tree the best chance at retaining vigor in the future. 

This tree has extensive damage from sapsuckers, indicating a possible larva infestation. However, you would never know it if you were looking at these trees from the street! It's a good idea to take walk around the trees on your property to see if there are any visible signs of degeneration.

Plan on planting a tree this year? The International Society of Arboriculture has some great tips on how to avoid complications and costs from planting trees in undesirable locations.  https://www.treesaregood.org/portals/0/docs/treecare/Avoiding_Conflicts.pdf

Here's an old fruit tree we came across while in the field the other day. This is a good example of what improper pruning, or lack of pruning can lead to. The limbs of the tree became over-balanced and it split, likely due to heavy snow load during the winter.

This week we had the opportunity to examine nine Douglas fir trees to assess their health. Unfortunately, the trees have a gray brown sap rot, which is most likely secondary to wood boring insects in the area. Bark beetle and wood borers usually do not attack trees in good health, which means the trees were most likely in decline before they developed the gray brown sap rot. Removal of the trees and debris has been recommended.