Removing a tree in your yard may not always be the solution to a problem you are having . A lot of times people want their tree or tree's removed and have no real idea why they want it removed. Sometimes its because it Drops leaves. or maybe it hangs over their roof and they are afraid of it falling on the roof , or their tired of cleaning the roof and gutters. They could also want it removed because its Messy. and some are tired of raking leaves out of their pristine yard. Or maybe the neighbor next door told them that they need to have it removed. I have ran into that one a few times also. There is a variety of reasons why people want their trees removed , some legit and some down right hilarious. We will dwell into the legitimate reasons and the not so legitimate reasons later on in this report. I remember one couple who had a very nice oak in front of their home the neighbor next door always would tell them they needed to remove it since some of the limbs were crossing over into their yard. After removing the tree and grinding the stump down I could tell they were sorry they did it . to late now .
      There are very legitimate reasons for removing tree's , could be that it is starting to crack the driveway, or it was planted to close to the home , or that it was planted in the wrong spot and is a nuisance and is dripping sap on the cars, dead tree's need to be removed because of the possible hazard of them coming down. A tree with a codominant stem is a tree with bad structure and can also be a hazard. sometimes its just a case of to many tree's in one spot and they are crowding each other out . There are also invasive tree's that should be removed so that they do not take over your yard . At Beechnut tree Service we will look at your tree's and tell you the right way to prune the tree or tell you that it is a good idea  to remove the tree and why. We are Certified Arborists and can identify bad conditions in tree's that the normal person can not see. Tree removals are dangerous and expensive they have hidden dangers that an arborist has to take into account. A lot of times they are over roofs and buildings and other obstacles that increase the risk. When removing a tree it is always a good idea to have the stump ground down . This will eliminate the chance of the tree growing back and keep the area free from hazards of people falling over them or tripping on them. At Beechnut tree service we offer free stump grinding with every removal .
     It is easy to want a tree removed in your yard with all the mess and maintenance that goes along with it, but at the same time we have to remember that some one planted that tree or something happened to make it grow in your yard. Once you remove it , it is going to change the appearance of your hole yard . Sometimes not for the better. I was talking to one of my customers the other day and I told them that if you notice on the News , when they report on sinkholes around our area. They will always show them from helicopters that are flying overhead and you never see a home with trees that is suffering from sinkhole damage? And she said yes that's true I have never seen a sinkhole problem with a home that has trees on it. Think about it , You never see a tree bent over or at least being swallowed by any sinkhole!
      Another thing to think about is the cost of the removal itself , There is a lot of debris to be hauled off and this can cost the tree company plenty to dump that much debris often times I have paid hundreds of dollars just to dispose of all the debris from only one tree. Then you have permits that need to be gotten for just about every type of tree and those can run into the hundreds of dollars just for the permits alone. You may also have to replant another tree or tree's to replace the one being removed . I know in my county , Pasco county they want you to replace the one being removed . plus the cost of the permit . Then you are going to have landscape needs and don't think that your electric won't go up after losing all your precious shade, because it will , might even double. So if you think you can get that 100yr old oak tree removed for a few hundred bucks that's hanging over your roof think again , because the price to remove a tree is substantially greater then if you were to just prune it up. In many instances it could easily run into the thousands of dollars .
      Tree Permits: Tree permits are required in almost every county and city that I know. It varies in price and requirements. Beechnut Tree Service services 3 counties , Pasco, Pinellas and Hernando and in those 3 counties are a number of cities with their own rules and regulations for removing tree's then you have home owners associations that have there own rules so you just can't go cutting down any tree you want any more. I know that after I apply for a permit in pasco county they will come out after 90 days to see if the owner has planted a new tree or tree's to replace the removed tree. One city which I will not name wants tree's replanted as the same size of the one removed , That of course is ridiculous .
     In Pasco County where I live there are some tree's that are exempt from permitting, that is maybe they are an invasive specie like say Brazilian Peppers, Camphor trees, Cherry laurel, and palm trees don't need any permits . So it is a good idea to contact your local permitting office to see if the tree you want removed Qualifies or just to get the process going . I know that when I go to the county building they always ask what type and how large is the tree that is being removed . 
      In closing I would like to state that I know many tree services out there, and I must tell you that Beechnut Tree service Is probably the only tree service that I know that will give you options as to removing a tree in your yard. Not only will we give options but a majority of tree's that people think are hazardous and need to be removed would be fine with proper pruning done. And I have talked to people that have told me " This tree service or that tree service  told me the tree needs to be removed " when all they are doing is selling you the most expensive and the most dramatic procedure that you can do to a tree. I cannot tell you how many times I have come to give a removal estimate and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the tree , but some tree company drove by and told them that the tree was a Hazard. There are times when a tree needs to be removed . At least at Beechnut tree service we will give you options . That's what I would expect from a Tree Service anyway! Thank you for reading and appreciate any feedback.
       

     Tree Cutting , Tree Pruning, Tree Trimming , these are techniques for trimming trees. 3 different terms but all the same meaning. It is the procedure that is done mostly to trees. Beechnut Tree service does tree pruning according to ANSI standards which require the tree be pruned in a particular way as to benefit an protect the tree. ANSI standard were introduced into the tree cutting rules for trimming trees properly. These standards are very well known in the tree  industry.
     Improper pruning can cause damage which will continue through out the life of the tree. Tree cutting is often done to remove dead branches, improve structure, enhance vigor, and improve safety. What looks like a small branch 40ft up in the air can kill someone and is a lot bigger when it is on the ground. So removing all dead wood in a tree is a good pruning technique. By trimming the tree's structure that is removing hazardous or crossing branches helps the tree mature and also helps the tree by removing branches that will be problem branches down the road. By trimming tree's it helps them grow tall and strong by removing dead or diseased limbs , trimming for obstacles such as driveway's , homes, electrical wires, other buildings and just to help the tree exist in todays urban forest.
     Since each cut has the potential to change the growth of a tree, no branch should be removed without a reason. Each cut should be made carefully, at the correct location, leaving a smooth surface with no jagged edges or torn bark. and should be made just beyond the branch collar. A lot of clients of Beechnut Tree Service ask about the limbs going over there homes and are worried about them breaking. Well it depends on the type of tree that you have? If you have a Sweet gum tree or a Red Maple I would say that its a good idea to get those limbs cut back or at least reduced as these tree's are soft wood and tend to break limbs in high winds that I have seen anyway, but if you have oak trees in your yard especially live oaks then you are probably alright with limbs over your roof unless there is a structural problem with the tree. which is why it is always a good idea to hire a Certified Arborist that can point out those potential hazardous spots.
        Now I would like to tell you about a person I met who decided to prune his palm tree up in what we like to call hurricane cutting in the tree business, he did this every four months religiously . It was a Washingtonia palm and they grow very large and have spiked frons. It was located in between two homes with a green space in between of about 10ft. The tree grew so rapidly from the constant trimming that it grew about 10ft/yr and was about 50ft tall last time I checked. In this case it would have been better to not prune this tree or just remove it all together. So its good to get a professional to give you some advice, and when searching online and you type in Tree Service near me! , make sure they are a Certified arborist and have the credentials to prove it. There are a lot of phonies out there.  
      The trimming of a tree can either make or break a tree. I happen to notice tree's when I am out and about and am amazed at the amount of trimming done by unlicensed and unqualified individuals. Its almost like they are getting paid for the amount of foliage they can make hit the ground . They are literally stripping the trees inner branches and leaving just a little foliage on the ends . I'm sure you have seen this also , its called lion tailing in the business and it is a very bad practice to do to a tree . By stripping the inside clean of lateral branches your causing more harm then good , I'm not going to go into the science of a tree , just know that it is a bad pruning practice and should not be done. Any Certified Arborist can tell you and show you the correct pruning techniques used in the tree industry.
        There is another bad pruning or trimming method of trimming palm tree's and it is called Hurricane pruning , a very bad pruning technique for palms , if you have palms and need to find out the correct pruning method then you should call Beechnut tree service and we can show you how to trim your palm correctly. Earlier in this report I explained that You should have a purpose for every cut. And also remember that every cut that is made on a tree is a wound that has to heal , so the more wounds the more energy its going to take to heal all of those wounds. Tree trimming is an art and should be taken serious. My old boss used to say " Don't be like Zip Zap tree service and think you are getting paid by the pound" Meaning you don't have to remove an abundant amount of foliage to accomplish a proper pruning job.
        Another misconception going around is that you have to trim or prune the branches that are going over your fence into your neighbors yard . That is not your responsibility . The branches that hang over your fence going over to your neighbors property is their responsibility so don't let them tell you that you have to trim over their property, even the tree is yours its up to them to trim it and they need to trim it correctly too , not just hack it off.
     In Closing I would just like to remind you that before you hire a tree person to trim your tree's please make sure that they are a professional tree company and that they are preferably a Certified Arborist or at least have a certified arborist at the job site while the job is being done. I have seen some real bad tree trimming done and once it is done there is no putting it back on its that way for good. So be careful who you hire and remember that you can always trim more later. Visit www.beechnutree.com for more good advise .

       A lot of the problems that people have with tree's is that they are often planted in the wrong spot. And often People don't realize that the little cute tree that they bought from home depot, is someday going to grow up and become a large mammoth of a tree. For this reason it is important to take time and think about what this tree is going to become and will it affect anything that I should be aware of.  
        There is a very nice neighborhood not to far from me , It was constructed in the late 1990's  the person or land scape architect that installed the tree's planted Live Oaks abundantly through each and every yard , Now the tree's are cracking sidewalks, Driveways, all because they did not take into account the size that these tree's would become.
        Another Problem that I see quite often is Planting tree's to close to underground utilities or planting tree's underneath Power lines . I get asked a lot if the tree roots will go underneath your home ? Well if your home is concrete and you have a footer then they will not harm your home , Unless  the tree is so close that the base of the tree comes in contact with the home itself then I would consider removing it . I have seen tall palms planted directly underneath power lines resulting in burnt frons and just a mess when they get to close. Tree's need room to grow and they need to be far away from structures also.
          There is a city that I drive through occasionally they just planted Long leaf pines in there median. Right now the trees are small and cause no problem , but as these pines grow and start dropping green pine cones that can cause serious damage to cars not to mention that when these pines start dripping sap. its not going to be pretty. The same city planted Washingtonia palms lining the walkways of there ball fields with these palms that when a frond turns brown and comes loose and falls off the tree it is lined with very sharp teeth that could kill someone or badly wound them. 
           With such a variety of site and plant considerations, it is necessary to set priorities in selecting a tree. The highest priorities are those that will affect the survival of the tree, such as light and moisture needs. Sometimes a compromise must be made between the functional goals and the site limitations. For example, if a screen is desired, an ever-green species might be selected , because it would provide year-around screening . However, if shade is a limiting factor , a deciduous species may have to be selected since there are few evergreens the grow well in the shade.
          I went to a home a few weeks ago where the homeowners had trimmed just about everything off of this tree on their side and were not satisfied with that and wanted me to grind into this tree's base so that they could put up a new fence and were claiming that the tree was doing damage to their foundation of their home . I informed them that I could not grind the base of this tree which by the way was their neighbors tree because of the structural concerns and the tree's health and that it was highly unlikely that the tree's roots were actually doing damage to their foundation. Well that wasn't what they wanted to hear so they promptly told me that I could leave. I'm sorry but the first concern that I have will always be the tree's health , then the liability involved in grinding roots and base of a tree and having it topple over in a storm.
          There are many factors that must be considered when selecting a tree for a for a given site. These include growth rate, size at maturity , form, hardiness, insect and disease resistance and maintenance requirements.
          To often we forget to consider the root system of a tree. Some trees have a strong tendency to form surface roots that can damage pavement and cause problems for lawn mowers, other trees, with far reaching root systems, can invade, break and plug sewer lines.  
              Trees are one of the most important landscape features . They beautify and enrich our lives throughout the year with their variety of forms, flowers, fruits, seasonal leaf colors and bark interest. They provide oxygen, cooling shade and filter out some pollutants from the air. They deflect noise and wind, block unwanted views, and protect the soil from erosion. Too often, however, we take trees for granted; not stopping to think that the benefit from trees in the landscape do not just happen. In fact, if a tree is not properly matched to the landscape site , the tree can become more of a liability than an asset. Selection  of the right tree for a particular site is one of the most important decisions to ensure long term benefits, beauty, and satisfaction. Beechnut Tree Service will always give you the best advice on tree planting and tree selection free at no charge.