Get to know Georgia’s beautiful array of trees and how you can take care of your own! Each month, we feature some of the most popular trees in the state. For February, we are showcasing the Flowering Dogwood. Learn all about Flowering Dogwood trees below!
Ever have that feeling like a chore will own you for the rest of time? Like you’ve put it off for so long that the monkey on your back is probably permanently attached? No, we’re not talking about going to the dentist. (Although, definitely go to the dentist.) We’re talking about your yard. If it’s out of control and you don’t know what to do, here are four steps to take immediately.
Before you do anything else, you need to create a little visual space in your yard by decluttering the landscape. Until you do that, it’s hard to even to see what you’re dealing with. Steps include:
Once you take these simple steps, you might be amazed how much more clearly you can think.
Again, this relatively simple (if not easy) step will do wonders for your visual serenity. Get the mower running and trim the grass. Don’t trim it all the way down to nothing, though, because that can damage it. Instead, make several passes over a few-week span, going shorter each time. This gives the grass time to regroup and adjust.
Getting weeds out of the picture is the next step. At first, the mere appearance of bare soil will be delightful. Next, you’ll realize … hey! I can plant things there!
Now that you’ve cleaned up the property pretty well, it’s time to take care of your branching beauties. Trees with dead, withered, or rotting boughs can pose a serious danger to people and possessions – as well as the tree itself. Even if you don’t have dangerous deadwood, pruning is still critical. Chances are good, if you haven’t deal with the yard for a while, your trees will need a full inspection.
That’s where Premier Tree Solutions comes in. We will give your yard a thorough once over, recommending the right moves for all trees and shrubs. We can also offer help with clearing away brush and debris, removing and grinding stumps, and more. If you’re ready to take back ownership of your garden, call today or contact us here.
Blossoming cherries, Prunus serrulata, stun in gardens throughout the temperate zone every springtime. Bursting into a stunning show of pale to dark pink blooms, the trees – also known as Japanese Cherries or Oriental Cherries – are a beloved of parks, government buildings, and private residences across the world.
So naturally, we’re in love with them too. I mean, we are all about the trees. Here are three of our favorite facts to celebrate the floral explosion this spring.
The first “real” cherry blossom tree – with those huge pink blooms that stun as winter makes its exit – actually didn’t get here until 1912 (after a diseased first attempt in 1910), explains the National Cherry Blossom Festival. The 3,000 trees in that batch, planted in DC, symbolized the friendship between the United States and Japan.
That’s not to say there aren’t native versions, because there are, including the black cherry, rum cherry, and chokecherry. However, while these trees are superficially related to the vibrant blossoming versions we know today, they wouldn’t be recognized as such if you weren’t looking for them.
Although its flowers look incredibly delicate, the blossoming cherry is actually a pretty hardy plant. Not only do its buds break while the cold weather still rules the land, but it can grow in a variety of settings. It tolerates partial shade, though flowers better in full sun, and can handle medium moisture, so you don’t have to worry about drainage like you do with some other trees.
In the Atlanta area, temperatures are almost never cold enough to harm a cherry tree, though occasionally it may flower before a frost and the blossoms will suffer.
It’s impossible to predict too far in advance when the trees will bud and bloom. That’s why the National Park Service offers a Bloom Watch for its DC trees, so if you’re planning to visit the capitol’s cherry landmark, you can try to target your trip better. If the blooms will occur in your own backyard, well then, all you need to do is look forward to a nice surprise!
Love blossoming cherry trees as much as we do? Then you’re sure to want to keep them healthy. Don’t wait to clear out that dead branch or clean up those suckers popping up at the bases of your trees. With the right TLC, you can keep them blooming for decades.
Get in touch with family-owned and -operated Premier Tree Solutions and set up an appointment for tree care and maintenance throughout your yard, and enjoy a beautiful, blossom-scented springtime! If you’d like to learn more about us and how we can help you, please get in touch and contact us here.
Get to know Georgia’s beautiful array of trees and how you can take care of your own! Each month, we feature some of the most popular trees in the state. For February, we are showcasing the Dahoon Tree. Learn all about Dahoon Trees below!
We think of trees as lovely additions to a yard’s verdant green space, and usually, they are. Sometimes, however, they become decidedly unlovely, or downright dangerous. Even if they don’t go marching off to war like Tolkien’s Ents, they can still cause serious damage if you fail to keep them in line.
Tactic Numero Uno? Pruning. Here are six signs you need to pull out those shears and get trimmin’ today.
Deadwood – parts of the tree that are gray or brown, and have stopped growing altogether – can fall out of the tree at any moment. This is extremely dangerous for people and property, so it’s critical you prune it out right away.
Cracks, splits, breaks, and other wounds are also signs that the tree may be compromised, making it more likely to drop branches. Again, prune immediately.
Sometimes roving branches just grow in the wrong direction and get in the way. This might be simply annoying, or it can be hazardous, especially if branches are growing into telephone wires, near fuse boxes, etc.
All trees have a natural shape, and pruning helps them maintain it best. This isn’t always intuitive, but online pruning guides can help you get a visual image of the proper methods of pruning trees, or you can ask an expert.
A leader is the trees vertical, topmost branch that runs up along the line of the trunk. Each tree should only have one. If it has more, you must remove the other(s), or else the tree will compete with itself. This makes it less healthy and less beautiful.
Sometimes a tree just gets too big for its spot. Many times people plant trees based on what they look like as saplings or juveniles and don’t take into account what will happen when they reach full growth. In that case, you may need to move the tree or remove it all together.
Of course, it’s often not possible to move a tree yourself – or even to trim them safely. If you need help, call Premier Tree Solutions, your amiable Atlanta arbor assistant. We offer tree trimming, pruning and removal, as well as storm cleanup, branch clearing, stump grinding, and more. If you’d like to learn more about us and how we can help you, please get in touch and contact us here.
You may have 99 problems … but proper tree planting technique shouldn’t be one of them. In this article, let’s walk through the five critical skills for planting a tree. Follow these tips and before you know it, your sapling will become the gorgeous tree it deserves to be. Here’s the scoop.
Most trees come with bare roots or wrapped in burlap, but either way, their roots are typically trimmed into a little ball. This can lend the false impression that trees only need a small planting hole. Untrue. Their roots need to be able to spread, and digging a wide hole full of loose dirt will give them the room they need.
If the tree has dirt around its roots, remove the dirt from the trunk until you can see where the roots begin. This is called the “trunk flare,” and should be just visible over the dirt once it’s planted. Dig the hole accordingly.
Nothing burns like going to all the work of planting a tree, only to check afterward and see it’s crooked. Have someone help you sight the tree and ensure it’s straight before filling in the hole.
Ideally, you shouldn’t have to stake your tree, because overreliance on a staking system can make your tree’s trunk and roots weaker. In some conditions, however, it’s necessary – think windy locations or where vandalism is a concern.
Never forget to mulch your new tree. A thick layer of organic debris (such as leaf litter or wood chips) will discourage competition from weeds, retain moisture, and keep the ground warm in winter and cool in summer. Apply the mulch in a layer 2-4 inches thick, and leave a ring several inches wide around the base of the tree to avoid trunk rot, pests, and so forth.
If you’re not quite sure you want to take on the project yourself, please feel free to get in touch with us here at Premier Tree Solutions. We’re always happy to offer tree-related advice or to tackle a project with you. In addition to tree care, we also provide storm cleanup, debris removal, and stump grinding. Get ready for a brand-spankin’-new tree … or yard and contact us here.
Get to know Georgia’s beautiful array of trees and how you can take care of your own! Each month, we feature some of the most popular trees in the state. For January, we are showcasing the American Holly. Learn all about American Holly trees below!
The White Christmas has passed (whether or not it was white), but that doesn’t mean all light and beauty is gone from the world. When you plant the right trees, you’ll enjoy color and life even in the depths of winter. Here are five of our favorite choices.
Of course, we would be amiss if we didn’t first introduce you to our pun-tastic friend, the yew. This conifer is a bright green all winter long, giving your bare yard some winter cheer. Plus, it will sprout anew even when cut back to bare wood, which most evergreens will not. Just make sure you keep livestock away from it, as browsing could kill them – and warn children against eating the toxic seeds.
Famous for blooming sporadically between fall and spring, and often re-blooming all winter long, camellias are one of the most beautiful cold-season options. With more than 200 species and around 3,000 hybrids, you have no lack of color options: pink, white, red, purple, salmon, variegated, and more.
In the same family as cherries and apples, the winter-flowering apricot is a lovely sight to behold against a drab seasonal background. With delicate blossoms of pink, white or rose, this tree will draw you to the window again and again.
Especially beloved at the holidays, Holly is a lovely plant all through the cold season. Its berries may be red or white, and its sharp and waxy leaves shine a deep green. If you prefer the dappled effect, opt for the Variegated English Holly, with white-edged leaves.
Famed for their bright red and yellow stems, dogwoods are often at their best when bare. Their spring flowers are also showy, but nothing beats a warm and glowing hue when the winter wind is nipping at your cheeks.
Those aren’t your only options, of course, so for more ideas on winter trees and shrubs, see the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s many lovely suggestions.
Want to learn more about the best trees for your yard, and get help planting some eye-catching new statements for the year to come? Get in touch with Premier Tree Solutions, your Atlanta experts on all things arboreal. In addition to planting, we’d love to help you with trimming, thinning, cleanup and removal, a one-stop-shop for a beautiful yard. All you have to do is give a shout at 404-252-6448 or contact us here.
It’s that time of year again.
The lights come down. The clove-studded oranges have to go (although if you made clove-studded oranges, you deserve to take a picture and frame it). The Christmas tree is on its last legs, and goodbye is imminent.
But you want to do the goodbye right, disposing of your tree in the smart, environmentally friendly way. Here are a few of the best options.
If you live in a neighborhood or suburb that picks up trees for yard debris, go ahead and throw it out on the curb. However, beware that if you only have garbage pickup, the tree will head to landfill, where it will rot instead of decomposing, not helping the environment.
Trees make great mulch, which protects your plants, shrubs, and other trees all through winter. If you have a wood chipper, cut the tree up and pass it through. You can also do garlands and wreaths.
If you don’t have a chipper, just saw the trees individual branches off and lay them on the ground to protect the roots of other plants. You can then chop the tree up for firewood (though beware, most sappy trees will snap and pop, so use a fireplace screen).
You know who doesn’t mind a dead evergreen tree? Birds who are busy preparing nests for springtime and babies. Put your tree outside, upright, and wait for feathery cuties to move on in.
Want to take the cuteness to the next level? Rodale recommends you hang ornaments made of suet and seed from its branches.
Sometimes the easiest thing to do is just set the tree in an out-of-the-way location and wait for someone else to deal with it – preferably your trusty maintenance crew.
And hey, while you’re at it, why not clean up the yard a bit? Premier Tree Solutions is the friendly, local business to call. We serve the Atlanta area with a huge number of tree- and yard-related services, including tree and stump removal, branch trimming, storm (and Christmas tree) cleanup and more. All you have to do is give a shout at 404-252-6448 or contact us here.
The halls are decked, the presents are being wrapped, the turkey has been ordered. Everything feels merry and bright … except that your tree is dying, and it’s only mid-December. Uh oh.
Okay, don’t worry. That’s just a hypothetical situation. So far, anyway. If you want to prevent needles dropping off and O Tannenbaum going brown before you even open your presents, here’s your quick guide.
Trees aren’t kept in water when they’re in tree lots, but like any other plant, they need water to stay green and beautiful. Trouble is, they can’t absorb it well with a crusted-over bottom, so you need to cut it off. Usually, some evening out is required anyway, so use a regular saw to remove the bottom inch or so before you bring your tree inside.
Sure, nothing looks quainter than a tree by a roaring hearth, but there’s no faster way to dry it out than with constant heat. Put it in a corner by itself, away from heating vents, radiators, and gas or wood fireplaces.
At all times, the water level should be above the base of the trunk. In other words, the bottom of the trunk, where you made the cut, should always be immersed. The best way to do this is to familiarize yourself with how deep your finger should go into the water, then refill with a watering can when it’s not deep enough.
When you’re done with your tree, you can dispose of it by placing it curbside and waiting for your garbage service to pick it up. Of course, disposing of your Christmas tree becomes even easier if you already have a brush pile that needs taking care of. In that case, just toss ye olde Xmas tree on top and call in the brush clearing pros: Premier Tree Solutions.
We’re a growing tree removal business based in Atlanta and we’d love to help you shape up your yard for the new year. In addition to brush clearing, we also offer tree trimming and pruning, storm cleanup and first aid for trees damaged by weather, debris removal, stump grinding, and more. So enjoy the holiday season now, and get ready for an awesome year ahead by calling us soon! Give us a call at 404-252-6448 or contact us here.
Direct: 404.252.6448 • Emergencies: 404.569.8897 • [email protected]
8525 Serenbe Rd, Chattahoochee Hills, GA 30268
