Heads Up: Proper Tree Removal in Chapel Hill

Unknown to many homeowners, removing a tree from their yard requires proper handling. Tree removal in Chapel Hill can be a bit complicated depending on the property concentration in a particular area. There are several important practices to ensure that trees are properly taken down. These are to ensure the safety of properties around or right under the tree and the people living nearby.

First thing to do is to perform an inspection on the area where the tree removal will be done. Check if there’s an ample space below in case that tree branches fall down while cutting. Tree limbs and branches should be cut down to small sizes, enough for the personnel to handle. And lastly, people working on the tree removal must wear proper working clothes and safety gears, and use quality equipment to avoid accidents.

Since many of us are inexperienced in this procedure, it is recommended to hire the services of tree removal companies in your state to perform the job for you. There is an established market of tree removal in Chapel Hill so finding one is never that tedious.

Safety is the topmost priority in every tree removal procedure. Even professional tree removers don’t take risks in cutting trees unprotected. It is important to follow safety precautions in every project. This includes wearing protective gear, especially for the head, leather gloves as protection from sharp splinters, and a pair of heavy duty boots with ankle support and that won’t slip to provide good hold white cutting the trees.

Ensuring the area to be clutter-free is vital to avoid serious accidents that may cause injuries or damage properties. If several establishments are present nearby, exert more effort in carefully cutting the tree down. Branches should be cautiously put down and dropping the tree should be done with guidance.

Also take note of power lines getting in the way. A single mistake of a branch falling down, cutting power lines can cause a blackout around the vicinity. With this, tree removal services must coordinate with the local energy company for this concern. They may help you in keeping power lines out of the way.

A quick research online will lead you to the best service provider of tree removal in Chapel Hill. Check out the rates for their services, quality of equipment, and testimonials from customers to have an idea on how they perform. This will also help you prepare for the upcoming expenses.

Premiere Tree Services of Chapel Hill

1289 N. Fordham Blvd. Ste. 334

Chapel Hill, NC 27514

 

Phone: (919) 914-0499

Customer Service: info@chapelhilltreeservices.com

Brown Seaweed Production Posits New Biofuel Source

Brown Seaweed Production Posits New Biofuel Source

How would you like to be a seaweed picker? I bet you never knew that job position even existed! Well it does off the coast of Chile, and for good reason. Chilean aquafarms are harvesting abundant supplies of naturally-growing brown seaweed as a way to produce a new source of biofuel.

Brown Seaweed Biofuel Discovery

The recent development of an engineered microbe produced by Berkeley-based scientists of Bio Architecture Lab, Inc. (BAL) does some amazing things to brown seaweed. The enzyme's main contribution to science is its ability to consume the sugars of brown seaweed and convert it into biofuel. In the race to find more sustainable fuel sources to power our planet, biofuel is the new hope for the future. This major advance in the fuel industry can change the course of progression for the US.

Much like the E. coli bacteria from which the microbes were derived, scientists have outfitted enzymes to attack the primary sugars of brown seaweed. These primary sugars, called alginate, then metabolize into ethanol. Scientists hope that this microscopic enzyme will become a biofuel alternative to oil and coal, which are the predominate sources of fossil fuels.

Local Production Efforts

According to recent studies, only three percent of our oceans can produce enough seaweed to keep up with our fossil fuel demand. Coastal Chile is the destination of four aquafarms, but the frigid waters of Northern Pacific ports like Seattle and Portland are teeming with brown seaweed as well. Oceanic plants are desirable as a source of renewable energy because they don’t compete with any other crops used for food, such as corn and sugar cane.  

Over the next three years energy experts hope to increase the microbe technology in an attempt at commercialization. Research shows that with enhanced production seaweed can produce twice the level of ethanol from sugar cane and five times the amount of ethanol from corn. What’s even better news is that land clearing for mass production of corn and cane sugar would decrease if brown seaweed proved easier to harvest in a more contained location.

Harvesting Brown Seaweed

Because of the thousands of acres it takes to produce enough corn and sugar cane to produce enough biofuel for our country’s demand, brown seaweed harvesting takes the cake. Seaweed requires no watering or fertilization. It doesn’t compete with food crops or require crop rotation, nor does it require chemical enhancements. The naturally-occurring nutrients are supplies by the ocean’s ecosystem, which appeals to eco-conscious consumers.  

Beyond its use as a biofuel alternative, the modified E. coli enzyme could be used to produce isobutanol as well.

Photo courtesy AFP.

Boston’s Winter Moth May Cause Untold Devastation

Boston’s Winter Moth May Cause Untold Devastation

Boston has witnessed the destructive behavior of winter moths every spring in eastern Massachusetts with absolutely no idea how to stop it. Winter moth caterpillars devour holes through newly blossomed foliage of shrubs, apple trees, maples, oaks and blueberry bushes. Because they have no natural predators in New England their population growth continues to increase year after year. It’s been a burden on the local forests and has even affected commercial and residential areas as well.

Local entomologists estimated trillions of winter moth larvae consumed more than 100,000 acres of trees in Massachusetts in 2005, with the trail of destruction augmenting about 4 or 5 miles each year. Thousands of trees were left bare from Boston to Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and New Hampshire. Tree services in the Boston area were forced to shorn dozens of branches and remove decaying shrubs. Though tree spraying has become a viable option, entomologists suggest a more organic solution. 

Cyzenis Albicans to the Rescue

Native to Europe, the moth has species-specific predators, called the Cyzenis Albican, that control the population, but none of them exist in the Boston. Without a balanced ecosystem the moths could ravage the area until the resource is depleted. This isn’t good news for the beloved trees of Massachusetts metropolis, the outlying cities Boston or for the native insects and animals that thrive on these trees. But since 2005 these greedy flies have been released into the vicinity to combat the spread of these destructive moths.

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and the US Department of Agriculture has ordered the containment of the winter moth in six areas of eastern Massachusetts including Falmouth, Yarmouth, Seekonk, Hingham, Wellesley, and Wenham. With a controlled release of moths entering the affected areas, the flies are a welcome inhabitant. They are considered safe for the survival of the natural ecosystem because they target the winter moth and no other species.

How exactly does this tiny fly eat a winter moth? It’s all in the eggs.

The Cyzenis albicans, a parasitic fly, lays its eggs near the food source of caterpillars. When the caterpillar consumes the larvae the eggs continues to grow and hatch in its stomach. Essentially the fly devours the caterpillar from the inside out, both feeding simultaneously. It’s considered a win-win for the fly. That’s one tenacious bug!

Restorative Tree Care

For those trees that have fallen victim to the wide-spreading winter moth, it may be too late to salvage the loss of foliage. With literally millions of moths burrowing into a single tree, tree removal may be essential to the safety of people and structures nearby. However, some trees are luckier than others and may only require tree trimming. Professional restorative care such as tree trimming, tree spraying, or tree removal can mitigate the destruction of these mischievous moths.

If you need professional tree services in the Boston area, contact Premiere Tree Services.  The certified tree experts offer residential and commercial tree care at affordable prices.

Premiere TreeServices of Boston

71 Commercial St. Ste. 98
Boston, MA, 02109
Phone: (617) 517-3719      
boston@premieretreeservices.com

Photo Courtesy: Markuso

Tree spraying in Kansas City, KS: A Few Basic Tips

There’s more to tree spraying than just aiming a hose. Tree spraying involves different techniques depending on the type of tree and the type of pest in question. This is not to mention the amount of caution you need to exercise in handling those potentially harmful chemicals. Before you make any attempt at spraying your trees, you must consult an expert on tree spraying in Kansas City, KS.

And you will definitely need the following basic tools and materials: hose, hydraulic sprayer, spray bottle of fungicide or insecticide and water. A professional in tree spraying will give you the following pieces of advice and steps to follow:

Water Spraying

Select the method of spraying. If you use water, you can use sprinklers, a hose, drip irrigation or a spray hose to water your trees.

Then proceed to spraying the ground around the tree if it is newly planted or if it is about two years old. You will need to saturate the area several times each month. Once weekly or every two weeks is fine, depending on the type of oil and the tree species. When the water begins to pool, you stop spraying.

If the tree is more than two years old, check its leaf canopy. You will have to spray under the canopy’s outer edge and around the tree. Avoid spraying right directly on the trunk because the tree’s roots are not centrally located anymore. Stop spraying once the water begins to pool or if the ground is already wet enough for the water to seep into the ground at two feet deep 

 

Insecticides

Identify the type of insects that is infesting your tree before you buy the chemicals. This is important because certain types of bugs and insects can be only killed by certain kinds of insecticides. There are even insects that can be killed without the use of insecticides.

Once you’ve identified the pests, research about their life cycle. Don’t spray too soon or too late because the insecticides may not have an effect. There are only certain times that some insects become vulnerable to insecticides.

Contact your expert in tree spraying in Kansas City, KS for a hydraulic sprayer if you don’t have one, especially if your trees are too tall to be reached using a hose. It is important for your sprayer to reach the topmost part of the trees to achieve full results.

 

Premiere Tree Services of Kansas City, KS
10940 Parallel PKWY Suite K-131
Kansas City,KS 66109
(913) 730-7700
kansascityks@premieretreeservices.com

Tree Removal | Tree Trimming

Garlic Tree Spray Keeps Critters Away in California

A few years ago my friend was recounting her recent visit to California when she mentioned something peculiar. She said when she was riding down the highway just outside of Escondido she was taken by surprise at the “Dr. Seuss-like” trees sticking out of the tawny grass of the countryside. A native of the East Coast, she hadn’t ever seen these types of crooked trees before. But that wasn’t the most unusual discovery.

To get a better view, she opened the window and breathed in the fresh air of the landscape. Suddenly, an unmistakable aroma invaded her nose that she wasn’t prepared to experience. The smell of fragrant garlic wafted through the air, which to her was the scent of heaven.

“Wait” I said, “Garlic? Are you sure?”

But really it was a rhetorical question because she could pick up the smell of garlic from the faintest of fumes. After all, she eats garlic on just about anything. So it wasn’t a question of “what”, but more a question of “why”.

Nature's Tree Spray Alternative

Chances are she drove by a field of garlic growing in the wilds of California, but the more likely scenario isn’t so straight forward. What she may have smelled was Garlic Barrier. A natural pesticide, Garlic Barrier contains 99.3% of pure garlic extract. It’s used by organic farmers to protect their crops from insects and nearby wildlife. Because of its natural properties, the non-invasive liquid concentrate is preferred by farmers as way to repel hungry critters without giving them a dose of lethal chemicals.

The downside is that crops give off the distinctive aroma of pungent garlic. But that beats the downside of losing crops to deer, rabbits, and those pesky blood-sucking mosquitoes. Speaking of blood-sucking, I’m sure you could keep away vampires as well.

As an alternative to chemical tree spraying chemicals, Garlic Barrier can be used on any type of crop from tomato plants to cotton, alfalfa and fruit trees.

Tree Spraying: Keeping Your Fruit Trees Healthy

The importance of spraying your fruit trees should not be underestimated. Spraying, along with other tree services such as pruning and trimming, protects trees against pests and diseases, thus keeping them healthy and strong and maximizing their fruit-bearing capabilities. Tree spraying in Dayton can be done with the help of a professional tree service company, or you can do it on your own. Either way, you need to know some basic information on how to spray your trees the right way.

First thing to know are the tools to be used in tree spraying. The use of proper tools and equipment makes the job easier to do and faster. Choose a sprayer that is of excellent quality. You can visit any store that sells farming tools and inquire more about tree spraying equipment. You will not go through all the hassle if you decide to hire experts in tree spraying in Dayton.

Choosing The Type Of Spray
You can choose from any of the several spray products available in the market today. Of these products, the most commonly used are the organic type, usually made from mineral oil, which is good for suffocating pests. Sulphur and copper also work pretty well against fungus. But avoid using sulphur products on apricot trees. Also wait for thirty days from the time you used oil spray before using sulphur spray products.

How To Spray Fruit Trees
Tree spraying should be done during a calm weather. The spray will be blown away by wind, wasting your investment. In a calm day, you can get a thorough covering of your trees, from the tip of the branches to the trunk’s base. In spraying, cover the area under the tree. Also spray the root area. If you are spraying near a pond, make sure there will be no spray particles that drift into the water. Sprays are mostly poisonous to fish. And to protect yourself, wear glasses and gloves. Chemicals, even if you are using organic ones, may cause some amount of harm.

Choosing the time of the year to do your tree spraying is important. Expert tree spraying companies know when the best time is to do tree spraying. Check the climate in your locality. The best time to do tree spraying in Dayton must depend on what particular part of the year that pests attack trees.

Generally, though, winter is a good time to do an oil spray because the trees are leafless and dormant, an anti-fungus spray before the opening of flower buds and another spraying after the petals of flowers have dropped.

The History of Charleston's Palmetto Tree

Since the Revolutionary War the palmetto tree has been synonymous with South Carolina and a symbol of victory against the British. After Col. William Moultrie’s heroic defense of the palmetto-log fort on Sullivan’s island in 1776, the palmetto tree became an indelible emblem of triumph. In 1775 the original state flag depicted a crescent moon against a dark blue background, but was redesigned a year later to include the palm. The flag was adopted with its amendment in 1861. To this day, South Carolinians harbor a profound gratitude towards the tree that helped them fortify the coast and ward off a British invasion.  

Palmetto logs were used to construct the fort at Sullivan’s Island because they grew in abundance along the coast. Little did the troops – on either side – know how defensible the resilient trunks would be against British ammunition. The hearty stalks absorbed cannonball fire and sustained only minimal damage, leaving the fort intact. The British eventually retreated in 1782 and South Carolina laid claim to the city of Charleston.

Official State Tree

In 1939 the palmetto, also known as a sabal palm or cabbage palm, became the official state tree of South Carolina. Undoubtedly recalling the rich history of the state, the palm represents the fierce independence of the people who settled there.

Palmetto Tree Facts

Palmettos grow tall and lean, reaching heights of 40 to 50 feet. And though the tree can grow straight or curved, the fibrous trunk is surprisingly sturdy. The root system is equally strapping, making it easy to adapt to salty or dry soil conditions. A native to Spain, the palmetto could even thrive in desert landscapes such as Phoenix or Reno.  

Indicative of the coastal lands in and around Charleston, the palmetto also grows in parts of Georgia, Florida and North Carolina. Among the species of plants native to the southern United States, the palmetto is nearly hurricane proof, often the only tree standing after heavy rains and sea swells have snapped live oaks and pines. For that, it has become a favorite among coastal residents, often lining streets and shading homes.

Citizens of Charleston turn to professional tree services to trim the tall branches, which are susceptible to roaches and other sub-tropical insects. Palmetto trees are not only an important landscape feature throughout the city, the leaves are often used for salads and pickling.