Palms Need Care and Maintenance Too

Contrary to popular belief palms need care and maintenance just like any other tree. Home and property owners in Southern California to take active steps to keep their palms healthy and attractive, after all palm trees are part of the California lifestyle. Pests like the Red Palm Weevil and the Royal Palm Bug threaten palms and palms also need special fertilizer and other kinds of care. The sad thing is that many homeowners do not perform simple maintenance such as fertilizing and applying insecticide.

That means they end up cutting down a palm which could potentially increase the value and appeal of their property. Worse they have the expense of tree removal and the problem of planting a new palm. This kind of expense can be easy averted with proper tree care. Quite a few property owners could avoid having to cut down a palm or replace it with a new tree - if they had just hired a professional tree service to maintain their palms. Simply having a professional arborist take a look at your palms or palm once a year could make all the difference. An arborist is a professional tree expert that can examine your palms and see if there is any problem. If you own a rental home or commercial property, a tree service can be tax deductible because it is a business expense. Spending some money on professional care to preserve the health of your palms and the appearance of your property makes a lot of sense.

The truth of course is that there is no tree that does need care. All trees need regular care to maintain their health. Without professional pruning and trimming and spraying trees not only become unattractive they can die. A good tree service can maintain all of your trees including willows, evergreens and eucalyptus as well as palms and preserve the unique appearance of your property. Spending a little money now to keep palms and other trees healthy and looking good makes sense.

World’s Worst Palm Tree Pest Now in California

An insect described as the world’s “worst palm tree pest” has apparently been detected in Laguna Beach in Orange County, California. The Pest is the Red Palm Weevil and California state officials believe it is a threat to most ornamental palm trees. So far it has not been reported out of Laguna Beach but it could spread.

Officials are worried about the Red Palm Weevil because it can fly for up to a half mile. The pest then lays eggs in the bark of the palm, larvae hatch from eggs and eat the tree and kill it. People should be able to detect the beetle by looking for holes with brown ooze coming out of them on barks. Dead weevils and their larvae will be visible if there is a heavy infestation.

It is not just people in California who should worry about the Red Palm Weevil. It has also been reported on some islands in the Caribbean so it could soon spread to Texas, Arizona and Florida. Palms are very vulnerable to this kind of pest because they are not native to most parts of the US even though they have widely planted in many areas.

Since palms often add to the value of properties owners should definitely be on the look out for this and other palm killing pests. Persons who think they see this pest should contact their state’s department of agriculture.

The presence of this kind of pest shows why professional tree services are so important. Without proper tree care such bugs can easily get out of control and destroy all the palms on property. Most people will not be able to spot infestations or deal with them until it is too late.

Trained tree experts or arborists can do this and take the steps necessary to protect trees. They can also safely and professionally remove infested trees to contain the problem.

So it is definitely a good idea for persons with palms on their properties to have them checked by a professional tree service on a regular basis. Nobody can be too careful these days with all the different pests around.

Some Tree Pruning Tips

Pruning is one chore that owners of properties with trees cannot avoid but it can be done safely and intelligently. Exercising a little common sense can make the job go faster and reduce the risks from it.

The first and most important tip is to not climb trees for this task if you can avoid it. Only climb up and do it if you have had a lot of experience. Do not try climbing up to prune or trim if you haven’t done it before. It is also a good idea not to do this from a ladder.

Instead of risking life and limb to prune a few branches, buy a device called a pole trimmer or pole pruner. This is basically a chainsaw on the end of a pole. They come in both telescoping and single length models. You can use it to prune limbs while standing on the ground it is a lot safer and easier. You should be able to find these devices at any hardware or home improvement store.

Another tip is to not have young children and pets around while you are pruning. They can be hurt by falling branches and debris and they can distract which leads to accidents. Try to prune while kids are away or at school. Keep the pets in the house or on a leash while you are doing the job.

Make sure nobody is standing under you or under the tree while you are pruning. That way they will not be hurt by falling limbs or debris.

Also make sure that they do not distract while you are working because this can lead to accidents.

Try to stand on a flat and secure surface when pruning. Try to avoid pruning from the roof, ladders or out of windows. This can make it hard to see where branches are falling. It can also make it more likely for you to loose your balance and fall.

If you have to use a ladder make sure it is firmly in place and won’t fall over before you go up. Come down the moment you notice that the ladder is wobbly or insecure. Be especially careful with ladders on soft ground or lawns because this can be more insecure.