One of our clients in Raleigh recently asked us to trim some dead and dying limbs from a pine tree located next to his fence and back patio. We decided to create a short video of our climber performing this task, in order to give you an idea of what is involved with a trimming project. As you will see, trimming is by no means an easy task. The climber must have proper training, a great deal of physical ability, and safety awareness. Before you watch this video, let me point out a few important highlights:

• For a trimming project, it is important not to use spikes when ascending the tree. Spiking a live tree leaves small wounds along the trunk. These open wounds could lead to health problems in the future.
• Pruning cuts must be made at the branch collar. If pruning cuts are made too close to the trunk (this is called a “flush cut”) the tree is not able to properly heal over the cut. Flush cuts leave a tree more susceptible to future rot, infections, and pest infestations.
• It is often necessary to lower limbs down using a rope. This is called rigging. This prevents the branches from causing damage to property below.

Enjoy this video and be sure to let us know if you have a trimming or pruning project in mind. We would love to send one of our ISA Certified Arborists out to meet with you in order to discuss your needs and offer solutions. As always, these estimates are free.

Have you ever wanted to see how we grind and remove stumps? Well the wait is over! The video below includes some footage of both our portable stump grinder and our tow-behind stump grinder in action at several different job sites in Raleigh. You will see this in the video, but the portable grinder is perfect for removing stumps in hard-to-reach areas, gated lots, and anywhere that minimizing impact is a priority. Because it is smaller than many other grinders, the portable stump grinder causes minimal damage and is able to fit through anything 36 inches or wider. The tow-behind grinder is much more powerful, but must be towed behind a truck. It is much heavier and does cause more impact. We try to minimize use of the tow-behind grinder, simply because it is so large. But for very big stumps that are easily accessible, the tow-behind grinder is the way to go, due to its superior power.

Anyways, enough chit-chat. Enjoy the video and let us know what you think!