Yard work tasks are some of the most common Do-It-Yourself household tasks for people to take on themselves. Mowing, weeding, planting flowers, growing vegetables, raking leaves in the fall — these are all relatively simple and safe routine home maintenance tasks. It’s easy to extend this thought to tree care, and people often do … but is that a good idea? What can go wrong? Which tasks can you take on as an amateur, and which tree care tasks should you really call in a pro for?
The 5 Big Risks of DIY Tree Care
Caring for your trees isn’t exactly like mowing your lawn or weeding your flower beds. Tree branches are big, heavy, and often located at elevations that require a ladder (at minimum) to reach properly. Trees also have relatively long lifespans, which means you want to take their growth and care seriously, in order to protect them and give them the best chance at a long, healthy life. Here are some of the risks of DIY tree care that you might not have thought of:
1. Injury
If you have to climb up a ladder to trim your tree, you’re already at greater risk of injury. You could fall, the ladder could slip. If you’re holding a chainsaw, an electric trimmer, or any other heavy equipment, your chance of hurting yourself goes way up. You need to balance yourself and your tools on the ladder, and maintain your balance while moving around with this relatively awkward equipment. We’ve got practice doing this, and the safety equipment to back us up — you probably don’t.
2. Property Damage
Pretty much everything we said about injuring yourself is just as true for damage to your property. No, your fence doesn’t have to climb up a ladder to trim your tree, but falling branches could damage your fence, your car, something in your neighbor’s yard, or your landscaping — not to mention any pets or family members that may be walking by while you’re working.
3. Unskilled Tree Trimming
Try not to take it personally, but we think we probably have better tree trimming skills than you do. Trimming or pruning a tree incorrectly can put it out of balance, weakening branches or leaving wounds that allow pests or disease to infiltrate your tree. We have the skills and experience to trim your tree in the ideal way — preserving its balance, leaving the strongest branches in place, and trimming in such a way as to minimize potential issues from pests or disease.
4. Incomplete Stump Removal
If your tree is dead, and needs to be removed (or has already been removed) the stump is still there to deal with. Ignoring the remaining stump, or attempting (but failing) to remove it completely can allow a host of problems to develop, from continued root growth to pest infestations to the spread of disease. When it comes to stump removal, even though DIY *is* possible, it’s better to leave it to a professional.
5. Missing Signs of Infestation or Disease
Your annual tree pruning is an ideal time to evaluate the health of your trees and look for any potential problems in terms of disease or insect infestation. Catching such an issue early can make the difference between successfully thwarting these pests, or having to wage a losing battle against them. As experienced experts, we know what to look out for, and we’re much more likely to catch a problem early.
Which Tasks Are Safe to Handle?
With proper information, homeowners can safely take care of several routine tree care tasks. Watering trees during dry periods is something you can do yourself, as well as mulching (when needed). In both cases, it’s actually pretty easy to do these things incorrectly, so you’ll want to read up about how to water and mulch your trees properly, but once you know the right strategies and the pitfalls to avoid, you can take care of this on your own. (If you have a tree service come in for an annual tree pruning, you can talk with your arborist about proper watering and mulching techniques at this time, too.)
So, Is Tree Maintenance Appropriate for DIY?
Some tree maintenance CAN be done by the homeowner, if they are prepared, patient, and well informed. You should know your own limits (watch yourself on ladders, especially with electrical or gas-powered tools, or with long or heavy loppers) and you should always have someone else around, in case you get hurt or get into trouble. But yes, you CAN. The truth is, though, in most cases, tree work really is better left to the experts. There’s less risk of harm to you and your property, as well as less risk to the health and long-term well-being of your trees. We’ve got the experience, and we know what we’re doing. A tree that is trimmed by a professional is going to be balanced and strong, and we aren’t going to miss early signs of disease or infestation. We strongly recommend a yearly visit by an experienced, professional tree service — and you can take care of minor trimming, pruning, and watering in between.
Here at Tree Images, we’ve been helping Cincinnati homeowners take care of their trees for years, and we are happy to do the same for you. Call us to find out how we can help you care for your trees with less risk to you and your trees, and a greater reward in terms of peace of mind.
