Tree Species Spotlight: Southern Magnolia

08/12/2024

It’s impossible to drive through Atlanta, or any major city in the south, without noticing a Southern Magnolia. It is the state tree for Mississippi and its scientific name is Magnolia grandiflora. Its leaves are large (8”-10”), leathery, dark green, and glossy on top and burnt orange, and felty feeling underneath. It’s an evergreen, meaning

Why hire a professional tree care company?

08/12/2024

While many homeowners own a chainsaw and are capable of cutting small trees, branches, and firewood not every homeowner has the appropriate equipment, experience, or training needed to do every tree related task. Trees can cause a lot of property damage and attempting to climb or remove a tree can lead to serious personal injury

Chainsaw Safety for Homeowners

08/12/2024

Lawn mowers, weed eaters, and leaf blowers are common land care equipment for most property owners. However, any “do-it-yourselfer” also has a chainsaw. Firewood, small trees, shrubs, and the occasional fallen limb don’t always warrant the need for a tree care professional.  For anyone planning to use a chainsaw on their property there are a

Hurricanes, Trees, and Atlanta

10/07/2019

When the end of summer rolls around, we begin hearing the reports of threatening hurricanes.  While all storms bring the possibility of unpredictable tree failure, nearby hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico heap elevated loading forces on Atlanta’s trees. Hurricanes bring strong winds It is a bit uncommon for a hurricane-force storm

Do I Need a Tree Removal Permit?

05/20/2019

The fact you are asking this question is a great first step. The Atlanta area is home to a number of tree ordinances, and most of them regulate tree removal on private property, in one way or another.  This article will concentrate on the City of Atlanta’s regulations.  If you live outside of the city

Ask the Right Questions When Pruning Trees

01/21/2019

“An expert knows all the answers…if you ask the right questions.” –Levi Strauss Anyone seeking to improve the condition of their trees and property must adopt a questioning attitude.  By asking questions, one can arrive a solution that is good for both tree and owner. But like all living things, trees have unique needs as

There’s a Mushroom Growing on My Oak…Now What?

01/02/2019

There’s a Mushroom Growing on My Oak…Now What?   Noticing a mushroom on a cherished oak, or any large tree, can be a disconcerting event.  Often a mushroom or mushroom-like growth appears suddenly, and takes you by surprise.  While many mushrooms can indicate a problem, others may not be associated with the tree at all. 

Types of Tree Pruning, and Why You Should Care

12/30/2017

The goals of tree pruning are as diverse as there are types of trees.  Pruning can be a highly subjective activity, because most people already have a preconception as to how their tree should look.  There is nothing wrong with that!  Ultimately a tree owner’s taste in the tree’s aesthetics is what is most important.

Trees as Fences

12/30/2017

From the hedgerows of Normandy France, to the Bamboo thickets of Southeast Asia, humans have used trees as fences ever since we learned to cultivate the land.  Nowhere have tree-lined boundaries been so important as in Atlanta, where the dense, but private, residential neighborhoods meet a desire for lush green landscapes. Here are some of

Fruit Trees in Atlanta

12/25/2017

Growing and caring for fruit trees does not have to be complicated. Homeowners in Atlanta are often timid to plant them, because either the homeowner had bad luck in the past or they believe fruit trees require some secret knowledge to be successful. Both reasons are far from the truth. But it it’s necessary to