4 Questions to Ask before You Prune or Cut Your Yard’s Trees

tree pruning

Many homeowners are tempted to go down the DIY route when it comes to yard work. When you look at unsightly overgrown trees, you’d think that pruning them is as easy as cutting or chopping. While this is true when it comes to small branches and short shrubs, however, know that working with large trunks is time-consuming and risky. Even if you’re an expert climber and own a set of power tools, you can easily hurt yourself and get hit by a falling branch. In some cases, these accidents can even be fatal.

There’s a reason why professional tree service companies like us offer their services. This is because it takes great skill and knowledge to safely remove branches and saw down a full-grown tree. Before you pick up that chainsaw and ladder, ask yourself these four essential questions:

1. Am I fully insured?

When working with trees in your yard, expect accidents to happen. Whether it’s a falling limb or broken tools, these unfortunate incidents may cause injury to residents and harm your property. Often, the damage may even extend to your neighbour’s yard. Before you attempt to DIY any tree work, review the scope of your insurance to avoid paying expensive repair fees.

When you hire a professional arborist, you can rest assured that you are covered in case of an accident. They’re also trained to evaluate the scope of the job to create minimal disturbance.

2. Do I have the time?

Pruning and taking down a tree doesn’t often happen in one go. Oftentimes, these are time-consuming tasks, especially if you’re working alone and don’t have the right tools. Factor in your fatigue, possible injuries, broken equipment and performing this task within an afternoon won’t be enough. Professional tree services typically send out a team of skilled workers to efficiently remove a tree as quickly as possible.

tree pruning and land clearing
Tree pruning and land clearing we completed at Copacabana on the Central Coast in December 2019.

3. Do I know how to cut down a tree?

Keep in mind that there is a significant difference between working with shrubs and plants and pruning large, fully grown trees. This is because it takes years of experience to know how to do the job properly. Remember that once you’re up in a tall branch, you can’t simply climb down to evaluate your work.

Part of a professional arborist’s training is to know how to identify different trees to determine the appropriate approach. They also know the right climbing techniques and have high-quality equipment, such as ropes, chainsaws, cranes, and other safety gear.

4. Do I have the tools?

When cutting large tree canopies and branches, you need to always have the right power tools. You’ll need a pruning saw, a powerful chainsaw, sharp shears, and other power tools. Aside from sawing, you need to consider how to get up to the high parts of a tree. Because ladders may easily slip and cause serious injuries, professional tree care services typically use cranes to lift themselves up. Once there, they have high-quality ropes, harnesses, carabineers, and other protective gear to keep them safe as they perform the job.

If you can answer yes to all these questions, then you may be able to safely proceed with your major yard project. If you fail to check any one of these items, then, it’s best to leave the tree pruning to the experts. In doing so, you’ll receive faster results while avoiding injuries and extra costs. 

If you are looking for tree removal services in Gosford, NSW, get in touch with us today to see how we can help.

5 Benefits of Removing Tree Stumps from Your Yard – What to Know

stump grinding services Central Coast, NSW

While tree stumps don’t make a huge difference in terms of appearance, leaving them in your yard can present a few dangers you might not be aware of. For example, a tree stump can easily cause anyone to trip and injure themselves. This, along with a handful of other reasons indicates that when cutting down a tree, you should look to grind down the stump as well from a qualified local stump grinding business.

With that said, here are five benefits of removing tree stumps:

1. It Fends Off Diseases and Pests

Tree stumps are prone to contracting diseases. While this won’t further harm the tree stump itself (since it is already dying or dead), it can be a massive problem for any nearby trees. There is a possibility that, if the disease is left to fester within the stump, it can spread to the healthy trees.

Pests are also a massive problem concerning tree stumps. The stumps act as a home for insects or whatever else decides to reside inside it. This gives the insects a chance to grow and multiply, which can prove a headache for homeowners such as yourself.

2. It Improves Aesthetics

If you’re trying to achieve a neat-looking yard, leaving a tree stump unaddressed will not do you any favours. Not only will removing the stump enhance the look of not only your yard but also your overall property. After all, it will give you more space to move around. Both appearance and space are vital in helping boost your property’s value, which is especially crucial if you’re looking to sell the home in the future.

stump grinding at Narara
Stump grinding we completed for Narara Mini Steam Trains in July 2019.

3. It Reduces Inconvenience

When you’re working on your lawn, a tree stump can be an unnecessary headache you have to deal with. For example, if you’re moving stuff around the yard, you might have to take extra precautions to not trip over the stump. Another example would be that you would have to be careful handling equipment such as a lawnmower near the stump to avoid damaging the lawnmower.

By removing the stump, you can work without worry about getting hurt or damaging any equipment.

4. It Avoids Accidents

As mentioned in the introduction, a tree stump can be a hazard, especially to older folks as well as younger ones. Of course, not only your family but anyone else’s who is in your yard is at risk of hurting themselves when near the stump. If anyone gets injured because of it, you may be held liable for the accident depending on the circumstances.

Avoid having to waste money on accidents that could rack up to tens of thousands of dollars and get the stump removed.

5. It Prevents Sprouting

Sometimes, a tree stump won’t die. Instead, it shows signs of growth once again, meaning that you will end up with the same tree that you wanted to remove in the first place. It is vital that once the tree is removed that the stump is also ground down right away. This ensures that no sprouting will occur, saving you any costs in the future.

In other words, by getting rid of the stump properly in the first place, you avoid wasting money having to remove the tree again.

In conclusion, put a bit of effort and money to get your tree stump professionally removed. That way, you’re saving a lot more money than you would have spent on re-removing the tree or for any accident and injury that occurs because of it. Not only will it also help enhance your home’s aesthetic and increase the space available in your yard, but it will boost your property’s value too.

If you are looking for tree stump grinding services in Gosford, NSW to help you get rid of your stump, King Kong Tree Services is your best option. Get in touch with us to see how we can help.

5 Factors to Consider in Choosing a Tree Service Company – Our Guide

tree service Gosford NSW

If you have surrounding trees in your yard, they don’t only enhance the appeal of your home, but they also provide value to your property and your family.

Know that taking good care of the trees is paramount for their health and growth. Neglecting them, on the other hand, can create a liability and pose a potential danger for anyone in the vicinity. If you don’t have enough time and effort to maintain them regularly, it will be best to hire a reliable tree service company who also provide stump grinding services.

When looking for a company to take care of your trees, there are five essential factors to consider. Keep on reading to find out how to choose the most qualified tree company for your trees.

1. Credentials and professional association

It’s one matter to know how to water the trees, and it’s another to be qualified in performing tree care. First, it’s best to work with a licensed company with a team of trained professionals.

Second, it helps if this company has public liability insurance (which King Kong Tree Services have) just in case any mishaps occur on site.

2. Reviews and testimonials

If you want to check the knowledge, skills, and expertise of the tree service company, the best way is to check available reviews and testimonials online. It’s best to review what others have to say about the service of a particular company. While you’re at it, take a look at the picture of their latest projects on Facebook. From there, you can better decide whether or not you want to hire their services.

cheap tree service Gosford NSW
Check out what our customers say by having a look at our Facebook reviews.

3. Quality of customer service and work

As a customer, you want to be treated with respect and fairness. If you want to get quality customer service and quality work, keep in mind that you will get exactly what you pay for.

For one, it’s good to work with a tree company whose staff values and upholds customer’s satisfaction. Two, the quality of their work is deemed as the most crucial factor. It’s best to work with a team that can ensure your trees will be taken care of while providing excellent customer service.

4. Knowledge on local rules and regulations

It’s worth knowing that each council area, like the Central Coast Council, has distinct laws and regulations as far as tree maintenance is concerned. It’s crucial to work with a tree company that is updated with council regulations in your area. The best way to gauge their knowledge is to ask them what the regulations there are in your area. From there, you’ll know whether or not that tree company is worth hiring.

5. Safety and insurance

When it comes to hiring a tree service company, safety should always be their top priority. As performing any tree service comes with potential risks, it’s best to work with a company that puts safety first.

The company should require their employees to wear protective gear, and safety measures should be put in place. Also, as mentioned, it helps if the company has public liability insurance to protect its employees in case of an accident. You don’t want to put yourself at risk of being legally and financially liable.

Final words

Your surrounding trees deserve to be treated rightfully and taken care of, and this is where a tree service company comes into the picture. To ensure that you’ll get the best tree service company, consider the factors outlined above. The company of your choice will surely make a difference in your trees’ beauty, health, growth, and life span.

If you are looking for a professional tree service company in Gosford, NSW, get in touch with King Kong Tree Services today! We’re happy to help.

5 Warning Signs That Indicate Tree Failure – Our Guide

tree removal services Central Coast

Damaged or weakened trees that are in danger of falling need to be dealt with as soon as possible.

This is particularly important when there are potential falling targets in the surrounding area, including people, property, electrical lines, and cars.

Defective trees are extremely hazardous as they can fall over your house and cause injury to your family members in the process. Worse, in New South Wales you may even be held responsible for the potential damage or injury that can be caused by falling trees in the Land and Environment Court*

It’s imperative that you constantly check on your trees to ensure that there aren’t any signs of defects anywhere.

How can you spot these warning signs? This article will tell you how to recognize when your trees are in danger of falling so that you can get them removed as soon as possible.

1. Dead Limbs

Dead or dying branches are the most obvious signs of defective trees. Imagine a burst of strong wind or the weight of young kids climbing on weak branches. In such a case, it’s only a matter of time before the dead branches give way. If you notice that your tree has a lot of dead or dying branches on it, then it is suggestive of the tree’s poor health. When this happens, you need to remove all of these branches immediately to prevent further damage.

tree removal services
This tree could have caused issues if we didn’t remove it. You can see healthier trees around it…

2. Rubbing Branches

When tree branches are crossed or rub against each other too much, it can cause some damage. Again, when you see any crossed or rubbing branches in your tree, you should have them trimmed as soon as you can.

3. Cankers

A canker refers to the area where the bark is missing. Cankers are an indicator of the tree’s frail condition. Not only are they unsightly and an indicator of poor tree health, but they are often the weak points where the tree snaps.

4. Leaning Trees

If you notice one day that your tree is leaning, despite normally being upright, you need to take immediate action. That is because leaning trees can suggest the deterioration of support roots. To make sure, check if there is any cracked soil on the opposite side of the lean. Another thing to remember is that if the tree leans more than 15 degrees, it should be removed instantly.

5. Root Rot

Root decay is not easy to spot. Look for any mushrooms that may grow near the base of the tree as it would suggest that the tree is rotting inside meaning the tree most likely will have to be removed and the stump grinded by a stump grind expert. Moreover, if you spot thin crowns or strange leaf colour, chances are that the condition of the roots is far from ideal. Damaged roots are one of the reasons why a tree may be in poor condition and may eventually lead to collapse.

Summary

Just like any other living thing, trees are prone to dying and damage. However, what you can do is to closely monitor your trees so that you can get rid of hazard trees to ensure the safety of your property and your family. You should consider setting up a regular schedule for a professional arborist to inspect your trees at least once a year. The last thing you want is to wait until the last minute in which the damage may have already been done. The costs that you have to pay for the damage can be extremely high, which is why you should always make sure that your trees are healthy and not at risk of falling.

If you are looking for tree removal services on the Central Coast of NSW, get in touch with us to see how we can help.

3 Reasons Why You Should Hire a Stump Grinding Expert – What to Know

tree stump grinding services North of Sydney

After some hard work spent working on your landscaping, you finally have the perfect front lawn: beautiful flowers, finely-cut grass, intricately-trimmed bushes, and healthy trees—everything that represents textbook landscaping. While it may be a marvel to stare at and be amazed by, the chances are that there may be one wrong little detail that’s spoiling the scenery for you: an old and forgotten tree stump.

As green as your grass may be and how blooming your flowers are, there’s nothing beautiful landscaping can quite do when it comes to covering up those unsightly, old, and greying tree stumps.

It’s better to remove them with the help of a stump grinding expert.

A stump grinding expert is skilled in safely, effectively, and quickly removing old and forgotten tree stumps. Stump grinding experts also save you time, and money you may have to fork out purchasing stump removal tools that you’ll only use once.

Through several processes, such as controlled pulling, chopping, and controlled grinding, this type of tree professional can get your stumpy problem solved in no time.

Tree stump grinding Central Coast NSW
Using a stump grinder effectively requires training and experience.

Let’s look at a few significant reasons you should hire a stump grinding expert:

1. Stump grinding experts can do the removal process safely
Stump removal is a whole lot more complicated than getting a rope, wrapping it around the stump, tying the other end to the back of your truck, and driving away. It is quite easy to injure yourself or severely damage your property if you decide to do the removal process on your own. With a stump removal expert, however, you will have someone who has all the necessary experience, knowledge, equipment and skills to remove your landscaping problem in the safest way possible.

2. Leftover tree stumps can cause more problems as they age
Aside from being just plain unsightly and easy to trip on, tree stumps can cause even greater problems as they age because they are much more prone to serious issues. Termite infestations and other insect problems inevitably come when you let your tree stump problem go unsolved. For this reason, you should have an expert remove the problem at hand right away.

3. Stump grinding experts have the right skills for the job
Tree stump removal can be a painstakingly long and detailed process from start to finish, spanning from pre-removal inspection to the final cleanup. Bringing in the services of a stump grinding expert ensures that you will not have any more problems to deal with after removing the problem itself other than knowing what to do with all the free space. Having the right skills and expertise also allows every stump grinding expert to keep your landscaping safe through the implementation of key post-care steps, such as soil preparation.

Hiring a stump grinding expert is the best way to remove any tree stump problems you may have. They can get the job done in the most efficient and safest way possible.

If you’re looking for professional tree stump grinding service on the Central Coast of NSW, get in touch with us today to see how we can help!