How To Check The Health Of Your Trees

Healthy mature trees can add value to your property. They help cool your home in the summer, break the cold winds to lower your heating bills in the winter and provide food and shelter for wildlife. But falling trees or branches from unhealthy trees can cost thousands of dollars in property damage and cause tragic injuries to anyone in the wrong place and the wrong time.

Inspect Your Trees

• It’s a good idea to inspect your trees personally after every season change, and especially after a big storm or heavy rain.  Look your trees up and down and take notice of changes in foliage, branches, roots and bark.
• Is the tree leaning? Is the leaning more severely than it was a week or month ago? Is there
• cracked or heavy soil on the opposite side of the lean?
• Can you see any large dead branches?
• Is the tree’s leaf cover thin?  Are there areas of brown leaves, or are some sections dropping their leaves much earlier than the rest?
• Are there areas where there are no leaves at all?
• Mushrooms, conks and carpenter ants at the base of the tree. These are signs of decay and rot and must be addresses as soon as possible.

If the answer is “yes” to any of these questions you should call a Certified Arborist for an evaluation. Coffman Tree Service (732-970-0901) provides professional care for the trees, landscape and green spaces of your home, business and community.

When To Prune Trees

Pruning depends to a large extent on why you are pruning. Generally speaking pruning and the removal of dead wood can be done anytime.

Winter pruning during dormancy is the most common practice. It results in a vigorous burst of new growth in the spring and should be used if that is the desires effect. Some species, such as maple, walnuts and birches may “bleed” when the sap begins to flow. This is not harmful and will cease when the tree leafs out.

Summer and Fall pruning is desirable to direct the growth by slowing the branches you don’t want; or too slow “dwarf” the development of a tree or branch. The reason for the slowing effect is that you reduce the total leaf surface, thereby reducing the amount of food manufactured and sent to the roots. Another reason to prune in the Summer and Fall is for corrective purpose. Defective limbs can be seen more easily, or limbs that hang down too far under the weight of the leaves can be removed.

For all your pruning needs call Coffman Tree Service (732-970-0901). We employ an award winning team of professionals all with extensive industry knowledge and know –how to make the proper cuts to protect and preserve your trees, landscape and green spaces of your home, business and community.

When To Mulch And The Importance Of Mulching

A tree and plants best friend is mulch. It is very important to mulch your trees and plants annually. When to mulch depends to a large extent on weather conditions. Early spring through the summer months is the most common practice and desirable since most weeds are still in dormancy.  Mulch is a valuable for your trees and plants health and care because it provides valuable nutrients as the mulch breaks down. Mulch encourages worms, which aerate the soil and provide fertilizer in the form of worm castings.

• Mulch insulates the soil helping to provide a buffer from heat and cold temperatures.
• Mulch retains water helping to keep the roots moist.
• Mulch keeps weeds out to help prevent root competition.
• Mulch prevents soil compaction.
• Mulch reduces lawn mower damage.

For your mulching needs call Coffman Tree Service (732-970-0901). We are a full service mulch provider providing professional care for the trees, landscape and green space of your home, business and community. 

Winter Storm Coming

All signs are pointing to a somewhat major snowstorm for Central New Jersey and the Jersey Shore this Friday. Our crews will be out to assist customers with their trimming and emergency needs to meet the needs of this upcoming storm. If you need emergency services certainly let us know.

Once the storm passes, if you find that some of your trees were dangerously close to the house or other out buildings we can let you know what preventative maintenance we might recommend. Simply contact us and we'll provide an estimate.