AFFORDABLE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE IN Lancaster, CA

What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Lancaster?

As you likely already know, there are two things for certain in Lancaster: the sun is nearly always out and rain is nearly nonexistent, especially compared to other cities and states. For residents, this means it’s important to take a water bottle or two with you when making your way through some of our most admirable nature areas, like the Apollo Community Regional Park and the Prime Desert Woodland Preserve. Our trees, however, need us to provide them with a little extra care and love to survive the driest months.

To maintain your landscapes during these times, check out Love your Landscape’s Weathering the Drought, and be sure to follow the city of Lancaster’s quick tips on saving water while you’re at it. It will also be more beneficial for you to plant native trees when building and maintaining your landscapes, as those species are more likely to ride out the toughest California conditions. Some options can include the Eastern redbud, Pacific madrone, white alder, California bay, coast live oak, and California state trees, like the giant sequoia and coast redwood.

Nonetheless, there’s always a chance for even the strongest trees in Lancaster to fall to their death when confronted with our common tree issues. For Lancaster, the most common to look out for are the following.

Tree Pests

Tree pests are a natural problem to trees and landscapes all over the world. This is because there is no shortage of pests and the many sizes and forms they take on. The biggest problem they bring is that they’re known to spread some of the worst diseases from tree to tree and often weaken trees to the point of vulnerability by feeding and burrowing into their trunks, branches, and leaves. 

To name a few, some of the more common California pests include the Asian gypsy moth, emerald ash borer beetle, European cherry fruit fly, coconut rhinoceros beetle, Asian longhorned beetle, spotted lanternfly, and the false codling moth, with pests like the Asian citrus psyllid, imported fire ant, light brown apple moth, and Mexican fruit fly in the category of federal quarantine for their danger to our landscapes. 

Sooty Canker 

Sooty canker is particularly common in Lancaster landscapes because it thrives in warm and dry climates, much like our summers. This is a fungal disease that causes wilting and stunts the growth of the infected tree’s leaves. Common symptoms of sooty canker include smaller than average leaves, growing, wilting, bark cracks and loss, and cankers.

The best way to approach this tree issue is to regularly look out for symptoms to detect the problem early on. From there, prune all the infected areas of your tree, sanitize any tools used, and dispose of the waste carefully. You should also consider a fungicide on open wounds to prevent any further infections.

Powdery Mildews

Another common tree issue that thrives in the warm, dry heat of California is powdery mildew. This fungal disease is often caused by drought and the overwhelming stress those kinds of conditions can bring on our trees. Symptoms differ from tree to tree, but the most common are white, powdery-looking spots, leaf discoloration, prematurely ripened fruit, and an obvious decline in your tree’s health. 

While it is sometimes unavoidable to use fungicides to treat this disease, it is also possible to treat it with nonchemical methods, like washing spores off of your infected plants around mid-morning and pruning out small infections to the best of your ability, being sure to dispose of infected waste before it makes its way into other areas of your landscape.

Does the City of Lancaster Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?

When it comes to services like tree maintenance and removal, the city of Lancaster does not provide any assistance to private property owners. This is because licensed professionals can do the job without the help of the city. For public trees, like those on right-of-ways, alleys, parks, etc., the city must be consulted before residents consider doing anything with street trees. In most cases, they come out and complete the job themselves. 

The Lancaster Tree Ordinance states that “no person shall plant, spray, fertilize, preserve, prune, remove, cut above ground, or otherwise disturb any tree on any street or municipal-owned property without first filing an application and procuring a permit from the superintendent of parks or otherwise specified municipal authority.”

Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Lancaster?

It can be a pain determining who’s responsible for tree removals after one falls, especially if it originated on one property but made its way onto another (or multiple, in many cases). Fortunately, we have the responsibilities broken down in the following sections for residents in Lancaster. 

If you’re a homeowner?

If you’re a homeowner, you are inherently responsible for all things on your property and in your home, including maintaining and removing fallen trees that originated on your property and fell on your property. In cases where your healthy tree fell onto multiple properties, each property owner is responsible for taking care of the portion of the tree up until their property line, including the city if it lands on public property.

It’s also important to note that if the tree was dead or dying before falling, the entire tree is your responsibility to remove, regardless of where it fell.

If you’re a renter?

If you’re a renter, you’ll be happy to hear that you have no responsibility when it comes to removing a fallen tree from the property you rent; that duty is given to your landlord. With that being said, we do suggest that you stay in contact with your landlord about how the trees on the property are doing, discussing any potential dangers or health declines, so that they can be treated appropriately.

If you’re a landlord?

If you’re a landlord, your responsibilities are much like a homeowner’s responsibilities. This is because, just like a homeowner, you own the home and the property it resides on, and your renters simply pay to stay temporarily. Since you’re a landlord, you have even more responsibility as you must keep your renters’ well-being and safety in mind.

For this reason, we suggest regular maintenance, care, and removals to ensure no trees harm your tenants or damage your biggest assets. 

If you’re a neighbor?

The neighbor responsible for a fallen tree primarily depends on the state of the tree that fell. If the tree was healthy when it fell from your neighbor’s property onto your own, it is your responsibility to remove the tree. However, if the tree was dying, dead, or diseased, it is your neighbor’s responsibility to remove it.

How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Lancaster?

The official state soil for California is San Joaquin. According to Soils 4 Teachers, the San Joaquin series has a brown to reddish-brown surface or surface soil horizon with a loam (a combination of sand, silt, and clay) texture that has an accumulation of organic matter. It’s also considered to be moderately well-drained with very slow permeability, meaning it’s harder to retain water, and runoff is common.

This is important to know because the trees you plan to plant in your landscapes depend on the soil in your area to successfully grow and maintain their health and longevity. Only native plants are likely to thrive in Lancaster’s unique mixture of soil, weather, climate, and diseases, which is why you should always know what trees are best suited for your area.

Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Lancaster?

Weather is an important factor when it comes to tree health in Lancaster and pretty much everywhere in the world. This is because it doesn’t matter how well-adjusted a tree is to the area’s climate. Weather is often unpredictable and sometimes extreme. This means that heavy rainfalls can come into Lancaster and knock a tree’s leaves and branches off or a natural disaster can hit and knock it over. 

Either way, your tree can be severely damaged, weakened (making it susceptible to tree diseases), and/or killed. In California, the most common natural disasters in the area are wildfires, extreme wind, earthquakes, drought, severe thunderstorms, and more.

What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Lancaster?

If you come across a dead tree near a power line in Lancaster, it is vital that you do not mess with the tree in any way and immediately call one of your local electric utility companies, like Lancaster Choice Energy or KCM Electric Inc. You shouldn’t even skip this step to call us as the job takes someone experienced in both trees and power lines to complete the job safely. 

If you’re unsure about power line protocols, you can also reference PG&E‘s guide to trees and shrubs for power line-friendly landscaping. It has great information on what to do before planting, how to plant and care for your tree, recommended small trees, and some additional tips on keeping the lights on and your community safe.

How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Lancaster?

If you’re in Lancaster, the average cost of tree removal is typically around $800, with an average range between $350 and $1,500. However, you may experience a higher bill if one or more of the following cost factors pertain to you. 

Labor

Depending on the professional you hire for the job, hourly rates can differ. This is because a professional with years in the field will rightfully cost more than one who is new to the field. How much you decide to go with depends on what you can afford, but should be made with the phrase “you get what you pay for” in mind. 

With that being said, whatever professional you decide to work with, new or experienced, must be licensed to complete the job. To verify that your professional is licensed in your area, you can do a License Search using California CSLB’s online portal.

Tree Height and Position

You also must take into account how tall your tree is and what position it is in when you need it removed. By this, we mean a still-standing tree will cost much more (sometimes 50% more) than one that has already fallen because most of the job is already done. Likewise, a tree taller than 30 feet will cost significantly more than one shorter than the standard 30 feet. This is because taller trees are much more difficult and typically take more people to complete safely. 

Additional Services

Finally, you should also think about any additional services that may interest you as they will also add to your final costs. While you are welcome only to get the removal service, many residents in Lancaster often opt for additional services like tree protection and land and lot clearing.

Tree protection is most beneficial for residents who are removing an infected tree and want to protect their surrounding landscape. Land and lot clearing appeals to homeowners who have a lot of yard waste on their property and are looking for professionals to not only clear it from their property, but also dispose of it according to local laws and regulations.