Some Fall Tree Trimming Advice for Kansas City’s Ice Storm Season
Overgrown, weak branches overhanging your roof? Or perhaps you are concerned as to what an early ice storm might wreak on the trees in your yard. Whatever the case, it is a good time to put some protection in place for your property before the winter weather comes to the Kansas City metro.
We at Everhart Tree Service have been tending to the trees of homeowners in Missouri and Kansas since 1994. Should you have any questions on fall trimming or would like assistance in preparing for the season, pick up the phone and ring us at (816) 640-4449.
There is no better time of year to be trimming in Kansas City than the fall. Our winters can mean heavy snow, sleet and ice, so a measure of preparation will spare you trouble down the road. The fact is, ice storms pose the greatest threat to trees here. Accumulated ice puts enough weight on a branch to break it, split a trunk or even topple a tree onto a car, power line or home.
The following are a few tips to see your trees through the ice storm season.
The Case for Fall Trimming
As temperatures drop the trees will slow and go dormant. Doing your trimming in this period is less taxing on them and allows any cuts to heal before the worst of it. It is also how you deal with troublesome branches before they are a hazard.
A fall trim does a number of things for your trees:
- Takes out dead or feeble limbs that would not stand up to ice
- Cuts back on the surface area for ice to form
- Better balances the tree and its structure
- You can be sure a limb will not come down on your home
- Paves the way for spring growth of a healthier nature
Things to Check for Ahead of an Ice Storm
One need not be an expert to see the warning signs. Make a tour of the yard and have a look at the trees in proximity to the house, the driveway and power lines.
You should be on the lookout for:
- Branches that are dead or hanging on without their leaves
- Any limb encroaching on the garage or roof
- Splits or cracks in the trunk or a major branch
- Where a branch makes contact with the house or another
- A tree with more of a lean than of yore
- V-shaped joints in the branches that are weak and may give way
If such is the case, get the matter of those branches sorted before the first freeze.
Put Strength Before Aesthetics
It is not all about making the yard look tidy. You want your trees to be able to bear the load of snow and ice, so concentrate on the structure. By thinning out where the branches are thick you let wind and ice go through rather than build up.
Then again, do not be too aggressive with the pruning; take away too much in one go and you leave the tree stressed and vulnerable for winter. Most homeowners would have a pro do it for that reason. There is a difference in how a tree gets through the season depending on where and how much is cut.
Make a Move Now, Not When the Storm is Here
Too often we see people only think of tree work once a branch has made its way to their roof. And after an ice storm has passed over the area our crews are inundated with emergency calls. It is much safer and simpler to attend to problem branches in advance.
Of course, if a storm takes you by surprise Everhart Tree Service is on hand around the clock with our emergency services. We will be there to help whether you are in the middle of the night with a downed limb or otherwise.
When to Leave it to the Pros
You can put in some small work yourself but for large limbs or anything high off the ground with a chainsaw and ladder, call in a trained crew. A misjudged cut is bad for the tree and your property and the potential for injury is there.
Our service extends to all of the metro from Kansas City MO to Smithville, Liberty, Independence, Blue Springs, Lee’s Summit, Raymore and Harrisonville, as well as Shawnee, Overland Park, Lenexa and Olathe in the Kansas side of town. We are an A+ rated and accredited firm with the Better Business Bureau.
Do not let your trees be caught unprepared by a Kansas City ice storm. Get in touch with Everhart Tree Service at (816) 640-4449 for a free estimate and to book your fall trimming before the winter sets in.