AFFORDABLE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE IN Idaho Falls, ID

What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Idaho Falls?

With over 17,000 public trees in city parks and street rights-of-way in Idaho Falls and thousands more on homeowners’ properties, the community must be vigilant to spot any common tree issues early to prevent extensive damage to the area’s landscape. 

Poor Planting Techniques

Without following proper planting guidelines, you could be setting your tree up for failure. It is also important to plant tree species with a track record of doing well in the soil type and drastic weather conditions in Idaho Falls. Idaho’s short growing season and high altitude mean that a mistake in planting can delay the tree’s establishment and growth. 

Tips for planting trees in Idaho Falls:

• Avoid planting trees too deep, which can lead to bark rot and slow death for your newly planted trees. Instead, plant trees at the same soil depth they are planted in their pot. 
• Correctly stake trees to discourage vole and other rodent damage at the base of the tree. 
• Add support to newly planted trees until their root system has become established. 
• Avoid accidentally hitting the base of trees with your lawn mower or weed eater to prevent life-threatening damage to the tree. 
• Protect trees from sunscald by loosely wrapping the lower half of the main trunk or whitewashing it. 
• Avoid overwatering trees by using consistent, appropriate irrigation methods. 
• Provide winter protection to new and younger trees until they develop their thick bark layer. 

Bark Beetles

As a boring beetle, bark beetles are another threat to trees in Idaho Falls. The Mountain Pike Park Beetle is most common in the region and often attacks previously weakened pine trees. Besides the beetles’ larva feeding interrupting the transportation of water and nutrients of the tree, they also introduce blue stain fungi into the sapwood, leading to the tree’s death. Identifying early signs of a pine beetle attack is essential because a successfully infected pine cannot be saved and tree removal is the only option. You can recognize an attack by looking for reddish boring dust in bark crevices at the tree’s base, pitch tubes with defensive resin at attack sites, or vertical J-shaped galleries beneath the bark. The following season after an attack, pine needles often fade from green to red and after the tree has died pouch fungus from sapwood decay may appear on the bark. 

Dwarf Mistletoes

Attacking conifers of all ages and sizes in Idaho Falls, these parasites extract the water and nutrients from host trees. Dwarf mistletoes are easily recognized by the swelling of branches, formation of brooms, localized spindle-shaped plants growing on branches, and trees experiencing reduced cone and seed production. The color of dwarf mistletoes can vary from yellow to purple to brown or olive green. Damage caused by the parasites includes top kill, witches brooms, cankers, and growth reduction. Refer to the Field Guide to Diseases & Insect Pests of Northern & Central Rocky Mountain Conifers to help identify the different types of dwarf mistletoes affecting Idaho Falls, or ask our arborists for assistance.

Tussock Moth

With Douglas-firs, a common conifer found in Idaho Falls, the tussock moth is a major threat to our forests. The tussock moth is a native defoliator leading to growth loss, top-kill, or tree mortality across southern Idaho. While an infestation does not always kill the tree, it makes it more susceptible to bark beetles and other issues in the future. While female tussock moths cannot fly, wind can blow young larvae into nearby trees spreading the issue to surrounding areas. Outbreaks of the tussock moth can last for several years. Watch for webbing, small cocoons, and egg mass cases attached to the underside of branches and twigs to identify a potential infestation. You can also ID a tussock moth by its appearance of a grayish moth with brightly colored tufts of hair and a shiny black head with two long horns. However, the most common stage seen by homeowners are older caterpillars covered with hairs and can cause a skin rash if touched. 

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

The City Code 8-9-15 states “all limbs or foliage which overhang or project into any public street, sidewalk, alley, or easement and which interfere with public travel or use of such public way or easement” must be trimmed or removed. Idaho Falls Horticulture & Urban Forestry Division inspects trees in the right-of-way and for trees determined to be public safety issues during the tree’s dormant growing season and will remove any trees or branches out of code, but will bill the property owner for the costs and expenses related to the trimming or removal per City Code 8-9-22. Therefore, it is important to maintain all trees on your property yourself to avoid unexpected removal costs from the city. 

Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Idaho Falls?

As a property owner in Idaho Falls, it is your responsibility to remove fallen trees on your property. While it sounds fairly clear cut, it can become unclear in certain situations involving neighbors or tenants. Regardless of your tree issue in Idaho Falls, we’ve broken some of the most common scenarios to help you decide who is the responsible party for fallen tree removal.  

If you’re a homeowner?

If you own a home, it is up to you to handle all maintenance and repairs, including your landscape. Therefore, when a tree falls on your property, expect to cover the expense for removal on your own. However, you should contact your homeowner’s insurance to check if they can help alleviate any cost for removing a fallen tree or any related damage it caused. 

If you’re a renter?

Luckily as a renter, you do not have to worry about property maintenance and repairs. It is your landlord’s responsibility for fallen tree removal on property they own. Therefore, you should call your landlord to assist with tree removal or report any potential safety issues from trees near your rental. 

If you’re a landlord?

While you can earn additional income as a landlord, you must also handle all landscaping and property maintenance. Therefore, if a tree falls on your rental property, you must cover the expense to have it removed. This is why it is important to routinely check trees on your rental properties and do any necessary trimming before a larger issue arises. 

If you’re a neighbor?

When a tree falls on a property line or onto a neighboring property, it is still the responsibility of the property owner where the tree was originally growing. If there is a dispute about removal costs or damages, you should contact your attorney to help solve the civil issue. 

How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Idaho Falls?

The soils in Idaho Falls are alkaline, ranging from loam to clay to slightly sandy. Due to our cold, dry climate, our soil is often low in organic matter, affecting the overall health of trees in the region. If you are concerned about how the soil is affecting your trees, get your soil tested to determine the best methods for improving soil conditions to help your trees thrive. 

Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Idaho Falls?

With an average high temperature of 86 in the summer and low of 13 in the winter and around 12 inches of rain and 39 inches of snow per year, the trees in Idaho Falls have adapted to the area’s extreme weather. One of the most common effects on the health of the area’s trees is sun damage due to heat and the potential for wildfires with the summer’s drier conditions. The drought conditions often create an environment for pests to attack weakened or damaged trees, affecting the overall health of our urban forests. 

What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Idaho Falls?

The short answer is to call Idaho Falls Power, especially for dead trees not on your property near overhead lines. However, the responsibility for removal will depend on the location on the lines of the dead tree. It is the property owner’s responsibility to clear the power lines running from the transformer to the home, but the property owner should hire a professional tree service like Tree Triage for the job. We will request that Idaho Falls Power temporarily disconnect the lines for tree trimming and reconnect them when the job is complete. For primary electric lines, running from pole to pole, Idaho Falls Power handles the trimming and maintenance to help reduce the number of tree-related outages. Homeowners should also follow the City Code 8-9-9 to ensure trees are not planted too close to overhead and underground lines. 

How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Idaho Falls?

Homeowners in Idaho Falls typically pay between $200 and $1,900 for tree removal services, with an average cost of around $680. The wide range of tree removal costs is due to several cost factors that can make your original quote lower or higher. 

How Tall Is Your Tree? 

The size of trees is a major factor for removal because it takes specialized equipment and time to safely remove a taller tree than one shorter or younger. 

Where Is Your Tree Located? 

For trees in remote areas, larger equipment can be used for tree removal, often resulting in less labor needed. On the other hand, trees in congested areas that require street closures can cost more to remove. This is because of the additional risk of something going wrong during removal, the limited use of certain equipment, and the additional labor required for the tree’s safe removal from your property. 

Do You Need Stump Grinding? 

Often an additional service cost, stump grinding is an excellent way to improve the curb appeal and reduce lawn maintenance hassle after having trees removed from your property.