Maintain Your Trees
Tree Pruning
Do you want to know why some of the trees in your neighborhood look so vibrant and beautiful? Have you ever found yourself wishing that the trees in your property can achieve that magnificent look?
Trees are among the most magnificent living objects found in nature. They can make any landscape look serene and brimming with life. But as beautiful and majestic as they are, they require a bit of care to maintain their appearance. One of the maintenance processes that a tree requires is pruning.
Pruning Benefits
Sandborn Tree Service Inc. is a complete tree care provider. Our estimators will provide a free estimate and provide you with the facts you need to make an informed decision. Your satisfaction and the health of your trees are of the utmost importance to us. Don’t do it yourself, hire a professional!
How Do I Know I Need Sandborn Tree Services?
Tree Pruning
- Are there large dead brances, thinning or off color foliage in the tree?
- Have any branches fallen from the tree?
- Are there overgrown branches or bushes crossing over your neighbor’s property line?
- Do you notice extra thick foliage, watersprouts, excessively long or heavy limbs?
- Are there an abundance of small dead twigs in the tree?
- Does the tree have cavities or rotten wood along the tree trunk or in major branches?
- Are there mushrooms at the base of the tree?
- Has the trunk started to lean?
- Is the soil uplifted on the opposite side?
- Have the roots been broken or injured by sidewalk repair or trenching?
- Has the landscape been changed recently by construction or lawn installation?
- Have trees in adjacent wooded areas been removed?
Any of the above are good clues about your trees needing some attention.
Sandborn Tree Service adheres to following the ANSI A300 National Standard for pruning
With the American National Standard for pruning, ANSI A300, specifications can be written in a virtual infinite number of combinations. The following information is designed to help you understand exactly what will be accomplished in a pruning operation.
- Branch Size: A minimum or maximum diameter size of branches to be removed should be specified in all pruning operations. This establishes how much pruning is to be done.
Pruning objectives should be established prior to beginning any pruning operation. A 300 provides to basic objectives.
- Hazard Reduction Pruning: Hazard reduction pruning (HRP) is recommended when the primary objective is to reduce the danger to a specific target caused by visibly defined hazards in a tree. For example HRP may be the primary objective if a tree has many dead limbs over a park bench.
- Maintenance Pruning: Maintenance pruning (MP) is recommended when the primary objective is to maintain or improve tree health and structure, and includes hazard reduction pruning. An example here might be to perform a MP operation in a front yard tree.
Hazard reduction pruning and maintenance pruning should consist of one or more of the pruning types noted below.
- Crown Cleaning: Crown cleaning shall consist of the selective removal of one or more of the following items: dead, dying, or diseased branches, weak branches, and watersprouts.
- Crown Thinning: Crown thinning shall consist of the selective removal of branches to increase light penetration, air movement, and reduce weight.
- Crown Raising: Crown raising shall consist of the of the removal of the lower branches of a tree to provide clearance.
- Crown Reduction, or Crown Shaping: Crown Reduction decreases the height and/or spread of a tree. Consideration should be given to the ability of a species to sustain this type of pruning.
- Vista Pruning: Vista Pruning is selective thinning of framework limbs or specific areas of the crown to allow a view of an object from a predetermined point.
- Crown Restoration: Crown Restoration pruning should improve the structure, form and appearance of trees which have been severely headed, vandalized, or storm damaged.
Changing a Tree's Orientation
Tree Removal
Tree removal is the process of changing a tree’s orientation (typically standing or vertical) to horizontal (or separated from its stump). What happens to its various parts after that needs to be specifically detailed. The options are seemingly limitless.
Learn More About
Tree Removal
For instance, a typical scenario might be written something like: Monterey Pine, large, in the back yard: Take down as close to 30” tall stump at flat and level as practical. Chip brush ≤12” diameter, dump chips in a large area on the west side of the pumphouse. Use the gate on the south side of the house for access. Cover sensitive landscape with plywood tents. Cover the KoI pond with tarps. Maintain minimum approach distances from high voltage lines on the back side of the tree. Cut wood >12” diameter into 16” rounds and stack on the east side of the garage. Leave premises clean. $_. Or, haul wood to Aunt Suzie’s and dump it on the driveway. Chips go to Uncle Bob’s in the lower pasture. You get the picture. The devil’s in the details. We want to make sure we get all of your expectations properly recorded so that they are done to your overwhelming delight and satisfaction. Professional Stump Removal Typically Sandborn Tree Service, Inc. removes stumps one of two ways either by grinding or excavation:
- Monterey Pine, large in back yard :Take down as close to ground as practical. Remove brush and wood. Leave premises clean. Price $____.
- Monterey Pine, large, in back yard :Take down as close to 30” tall stump at flat and level as practical. Chip brush ≤12” diameter, dump chips in large area on west side of pumphouse. Use gate on south side of house for access. Cover sensitive landscape with plywood tents. Cover KoI pond with tarps. Maintain minimum approach distances from high voltage lines on back side of tree. Cut wood >12” diameter into 16” rounds and stack on east side of garage. Leave premises clean. $___.
Or, haul wood to Aunt Suzie’s and dump on driveway. Chips go to Uncle Bob’s in lower pasture.
You get the picture. The devil’s in the details. We want to make sure we get all of your expectations properly recorded so that they are done to your overwhelming delight and satisfaction.
Stump Removal
Typically Sandborn Tree Service, Inc. removes stumps one of two ways either by grinding or excavation:
Stump Grinding
Stump grinding is a process by which a stump (the part of the tree where the trunk and roots merge) is mechanically pulverized to a specified depth and area. We need to specify depth in order to accommodate the needs of the client and not do more or less work than necessary. We need to specify the area to be ground as that typically involves root grinding. Roots can be quite extensive and if they are to be ground, the limits of depth and area need to be specifically defined in order to avoid confusion, disagreement or disappointment on the job.
Excavation
Excavation involves use of an excavator, backhoe, other mechanical device or hand labor to dig a stump out of the ground. The unearthed stump usually needs to be ground on site to facilitate its disposal as stumps are typically expensive to dispose of. Stump grindings (ground up stump matter usually referred to as stump mulch) makes an excellent mulch (to recycle nutrients on site) for trees and shrubs. It is usually kept onsite, spread over the area where the tree was or it is moved to a more appropriate area. Because it is mixed with soil, recycling facilities are not equipped to handle it, so if it is not wanted on site, disposal can be expensive.
Let me know if you would like me to modify or refine anything further!
Comprehensive Root Care
Deep Fertilization
Tree fertilization isn’t just a matter of dumping a whole lot of bagged fertilizer around your tree. Instead, it’s important to know exactly what each tree needs (and doesn’t need!) and apply that in a way that’s best for the tree.
To get nutrients to the tree most effectively, we use specialized tools to inject liquid fertilizer and soil amendments into the soil around your trees. You’ll often hear this referred to as deep root fertilization.
Deep root fertilization puts nutrients right where the tree needs them – in the root zone. This allows tree roots to more quickly absorb what they need without runoff into nearby water and wasted fertilizer.
Deep Root Fertilization uses a special wand to inject a blend of tree fertilizer about 4-6 inches below the surface of the soil. As most feeder roots lie within the in first 12 inches of soil, the tree fertilizer is optimally placed. We use a custom-made special blend consisting of essential nutrients, trace metals, organic matter, and root growth enhancers is injected directly into a tree’s root system. Professional fertilization helps plants and trees survive compaction and drought stress. Your plants will bloom better and thrive.
Why Should I Be Fertilizing Trees & Shrubs?
The Benefits
- Your trees benefit in many ways when we apply our proprietary formula tree fertilizer:
- Rejuvenates and improves soil structure
- Stimulates tree roots and stem growth
- Continuous feeding of the tree roots throughout the season with slow release nitrogen
- Encourages symbiotic activity
- Corrects deficiencies (including decline and Chlorosis – yellowing of leaves)
- Breaks-up compacted soil around the tree roots caused by foot traffic
Why Should I Be Fertilizing Trees & Shrubs?
Now is the perfect time for fertilizing trees! The ideal time to start fertilizing trees is when root growth starts. The tree fertilizer can be applied in the spring when trees are waking up from dormancy and need that extra dose of nutrients or in the fall before dormancy so it is readily available in the spring when most trees ‘awake’. For sure, if your tree looks like it is in decline, not pushing out new growth, then call us immediately for treatment.
Act Now, Deep Root Fertilization Can Save A Tree!
Don’t wait until you see signs of stress to schedule your trees for this necessary application. Even trees that appear happy and healthy may be struggling to find the nutrients they need. Trees that do exhibit signs of stress have likely been in a difficult situation for a long time. Give your sick tree what it needs by signing up for Deep Tree Root Fertilizing. You will reap the benefits of healthy, vigorous trees.
Managing The Urban Forest
Fuel Reduction
The recent fires across California have many landowners in Sonoma County concerned about what they can do to prepare for a wildfire. The first step is easy. Call Sandborn Tree Service. Since 1975 we’ve been Sonoma County’s first call to deal with all manner of tree care. Of course, we’re your first call to help manage the trees across your whole property for fire preparedness. We have the tools and experience to thin and prune the trees near your driveway, around your house, along your lane, and even deep into the back corners of your lot.
Fire resiliency works best when neighbors work together. We are happy to work with your neighborhood to develop and implement a plan for roadside clearance, a Shaded Fuel Break or to negotiate access for appropriate scale equipment to do this necessary work within the Suburban Wildland Interface.
What is fuel reduction and how do we implement it in the suburban wildland interface? Fuels reduction is a process that seeks to modify the structure and density of vegetation and surface fuels in our forests and woodlands to reduce the intensity of wildfires. This often is done by pruning away lower limbs, removing small or crowded trees and shrubs and appropriately disposing of the generated material. Goats, cattle, burn piles and even broadcast burns can be integrated into reducing fuel loads or maintaining lower fuel loads.
A shaded fuel break is just what it sounds like. It is a contiguous area of forest or woodland that has been pruned and thinned to remove ladder fuels and the tree canopies are spaced to lower the risk of canopy fire while maintaining as much shade as possible. Shade prevents the rapid regeneration of seedlings and weeds and helps maintain humidity.
Managing the Urban Forest
Fuel Reduction
The Suburban Wildland Interface (SWI), is the description of the poorly defined boundary between forest and homes. There are approximately 1300 communities within California that fall into this category. We are continually learning how to manage the relationship between wild spaces and suburban neighborhoods. Recent large fires have shown us that we need to manage the forests close to our homes to reduce fire intensity.
Many of Sonoma Counties communities area in the SWI- it’s a new term, but Sandborn Tree Service has been actively addressing these neighborhoods for the last 50 years.
24/7 Emergency Services
Storm Damage
At Sandborn Tree Service, Inc. we provide 24/7 emergency tree services for your tree care needs when you need them most. Please give us a call today to get started and we’ll be there to service you 24/7 a week!
Residential, Commercial & Municipal
Crane Work
At Sandborn Tree Services, Inc. we are professional certified arborists for the tree care needs of our residential, commercial, and municipal customers in Sonoma County. Please give us a call today to get started!
Certified Tree Arborists
Serving California
What we do Why you want to hire a certified arborist in California who cares about trees enough to have put effort into learning about them; how they grow, what they need for optimum health, which practices to avoid to prevent harm, and what cultural practices enhance their health. A certified tree arborist is likely to have a working knowledge of insect pests and diseases common to his local area in California and should be able to refer clients to a reputable source for treating pests and diseases. Should be familiar with ANSI A300 standards for tree care procedures (and which procedures to recommend) and Z133 OSHA safety standards for tree care (and how to perform safety). Should have a general knowledge (or at least access to knowledge) of local tree ordinances. Should be able to report explaining the relative health (vitality and structural integrity) of the individual trees on a property in California with recommendations for their future care and immediate needs. Should have access to resources allowing the research of difficult problems. Be able to identify the majority of commonly found trees and shrubs in the local area. Should have a fair and equitable method of charging for certified arborist services in California and be able to articulate that clearly to prospective clientele.
