Services
Pruning
Hiring an arborist
Timing of pruning
Pruning is the removal of living or dead plant tissue, especially branches. It can improve the health of trees, enhance safety and beauty, and provide for routine property maintenance.
Trees are pruned to:
- Remove dead, broken, or diseased limbs
- Correct construction or storm damage
- Reduce the hazards of falling or dead limbs
- Meet aesthetic considerations
- Thin tree cover to benefit other plants
- Provide clearance for roofs, buildings, driveways, sidewalks, and streets
Equipment used on-site is sanitized, and wounds on Oaks are painted with pruning sealer.
Timing of pruning
Hiring an arborist
Timing of pruning
Professionals may disagree on the appropriate times of year for pruning trees in Central TX. Some individuals and organizations advocate pruning only in certain months. You should know that professional arborists can safely prune trees on a year-round basis with consideration of all factors at the location.
Examples of maintenance pruning:
- Prune deadwood 1” in diameter and larger
- Provide 4’-6’ clearance for buildings and roofs
- Provide 8' clearance over parking areas
- Provide 14’ clearance over driving surfaces for moving vans, firetrucks, and garbage trucks
Words of Warning (and despite what you observe): Never, ever cut the top out of a tree. This is a disfiguring and unhealthy practice, and it is never beneficial to a tree. Also, avoid stripping out the interior limbs. This damages the tree and produces an unnatural look and poor growth form.
Hiring an arborist
Hiring an arborist
Hiring an arborist
Certification by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) is your assurance that an arborist has basic knowledge of proper tree care as well as safety training. In Texas, a license is not required for performing tree work. Inquire how long the company has been in business and if a Certified Arborist is on staff. Ask if the person or company is insured.
Proper insurance protects you against property damage and liability. Determine who will do the actual work. Have they been properly trained and equipped? Obtain a written estimate for the work to be done.
Consultations
Fertilization & soil amendment
Hiring an arborist
Certified Arborist Jon Ogden walks the property with you to discuss the health, vigor, and needs of existing trees, as well as plans for the landscape. Observed disease and decline issues are noted. Consultations are particularly helpful prior to new construction and when remodeling to prevent significant root system damage and loss of valuable trees.
Consultations typically last for one hour. You come away with extensive information about your tree cover, ideas for improving growing conditions on the site, and long-term recommendations.
Fertilization & soil amendment
Fertilization & soil amendment
Fertilization & soil amendment
Deep-root fertilization. The thin topsoils found in most of Central TX are a major limiting factor in the health and development of our trees. Many native species have adapted to these conditions; however, all types of trees can benefit from improved soil conditions. Ogden's Tree Service can help you develop a good working plan for your site.
Fertilization is the addition of products to the soil to address specific nutritional needs for normal plant processes. Organic fertilizers, including compost and mulch, act powerfully and naturally to fertilize a tree and improve the soil.Caution: Many lawn fertilizers contain herbicides to control weeds. These Weed-N-Feed products should never be used anywhere near a tree’s root system. They can seriously damage or kill a tree. Additionally, recent studies have shown that such products pollute area waterways via run-off.
Soil amendment is the process of modifying soil conditions, including the physical qualities, total organic content, and soil fertility. Recommendations can include aeration to relieve compaction, addition of bulk organic materials, and addition of sands, gravels, and minerals.
Tree Removals
Fertilization & soil amendment
Fertilization & soil amendment
Sometimes it becomes necessary to remove trees in landscapes and public places. Common reasons for removals include: dead or dying trees; badly damaged or hazardous ones; those impeding construction; or to cull exotic/invasive species. Debris generated from removals can be recycled into mulch, utilized on-site under trees or in flower beds, or hauled away. Larger pieces of wood can be cut into firewood and stacked. Stumps are cut as flush to the ground as possible. To remove stumps, Jon will refer to you to a stump-grinding contractor.