Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Gastonia?
- 2 Does the City of Gastonia Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
- 3 Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Gastonia?
- 4 How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Gastonia?
- 5 Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Gastonia?
- 6 What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Gastonia?
- 7 How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Gastonia?
What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Gastonia?
Gastonia is the largest city in Gaston County, North Carolina. It is just minutes west of Charlotte, and one of the best places to live, work, and visit because of its ideal combination of size, livability, and location. However, its natural beauty makes the area come to life. For instance, one of the most beautiful and scenic mountains globally is right in Gastonia’s backyard. Crowders Mountains State Park offers visitors towering cliffs, 25-mile views, and challenging hikes if you love nature and hiking. Or, if you prefer a way to connect with nature in a more relaxing way, you can also head to Gastonia’s Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens. It will give you a chance to see spectacular gardens, a conservatory dedicated to tropical plants and orchids, nature trails, and sparkling fountains.
As you can see, it comes as no surprise that trees, plants, and vegetation are an essential part of the area. That is why residents and homeowners in Gastonia need to recognize signs of tree issues as soon as possible so that they can take appropriate action to keep their trees safe.
Asian Longhorned Beetle
The Asian Longhorned Beetle infests many different types of hardwood trees, including horse, chestnut, ash, sycamore, buckeye, willow, elm, maple, and hackberry trees. This beetle destroys these trees by tunneling through their branches and stems, which causes the dieback of the tree crown and, ultimately, the tree’s death.
Anthracnose
Anthracnose is a fungal disease that attacks trees and plants, usually in the spring when the weather is wet and cool. The condition tends to go after dogwood, ash, maple, and sycamore trees and often causes the leaves to become distorted, cupped, or begin to drop.
Hypoxylon Canker
The hypoxylon canker is a disease that appears as a dead lesion on limbs, trunks, and branches of affected trees. Although hypoxylon canker does not usually affect healthy trees, it does tend to spread across trees that are already stressed, weakened, or damaged, especially after prolonged periods of severe drought.
Does the City of Gastonia Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
Gastonia often takes part in tree removal problems when it comes to trees posing a safety hazard to citizens or causing a sight problem at intersections. The City has the authority to control, supervise, and provide direction over all trees growing in the City. This authority will allow the City to provide further guidelines regarding tree planting, care, removal, and maintenance and review all applications related to removing, trimming, or cutting trees. That is why if you have a tree issue or would like further information regarding a permit to remove a tree, you must contact the City for more details.
Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Gastonia?
Generally, property owners in Gastonia are responsible for maintaining their trees, flowers, and plants. Yet, determining whether these property owners are accountable for the costs associated with removing a dead or fallen tree is not always as clear-cut. In truth, it will depend on several factors.
If You’re a Homeowner?
In Gastonia, if a tree falls because of natural causes such as high winds or a severe storm, the property owner of the place where the tree has fallen is responsible for removing the tree. However, it is also important to point out that property owners must reasonably care for their trees in Gastonia to prevent them from damaging their neighbor’s property. If they do not take care of their trees, they can be held responsible for the damages their tree causes. For these reasons, if a property owner notices that their trees show signs of instability or weakness, they must call us to take action within a reasonable period.
If You’re a Renter?
Typically, before a renter moves into a rental property, they will enter into a property agreement with the landlord. This agreement will often discuss the party’s different responsibilities and how they will each take care of the property. However, suppose the contract does not mention problems that arise. In that case, the landlord will often be responsible for making necessary repairs, while the renter will be in charge of cleaning and maintaining the property. As a result, this usually means that if a tree falls on the property, it will likely go beyond the renter’s responsibility and become an issue for the landlord to handle.
If You’re a Landlord?
As mentioned above, the landlord will usually be responsible for a fallen tree unless the property agreement says otherwise. Yet, before these landlords try to take care of the issue themselves, they should first contact their insurance company. Many times if a tree fell because of natural causes, their policy will cover damage the tree caused unless the policy does not cover “acts of God.”
If You’re a Neighbor?
In North Carolina, the law of a fallen tree is based significantly on the legal theory of negligence. Under this principle, the property owner from where the fallen tree originated will be liable for a fallen tree only if they knew or should have known that the tree was dangerous, sick, or unsteady.
Consequently, if the tree falls because of a natural occurrence, the property owner will typically not be held responsible for the costs associated with the fallen tree, such as the removal costs or other damages.
How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Gastonia?
In North Carolina, the soil is naturally acidic, which means the pH is something that gardeners will want to keep an eye on. Typically, the optimum pH will vary depending on the plants, trees, or crops these gardeners will want to grow. In addition, fertilizers containing ammonium will begin to acidify the soil when they are applied, so growers will need to incorporate lime to raise the pH of the soil and bring it back to the desired range.
That is why before planting trees in Gastonia, property owners need to consider tree varieties that can handle these acidic soil conditions. Some of the best tree types for the region include:
- Pawpaw
- Sassafras
- Serviceberry
- Black Gum
- Live Oak
- Green Hawthorn
- Eastern Red Cedar
Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Gastonia?
One of the many reasons people decide to move to Gastonia is the warmer winters and the mild climate. With the average low of 29 degrees in January and the high of 90 degrees in July, you will be able to benefit from the four seasons living in this area.
As a result, Gastonia is a wonderful place to garden, and most types of vegetation can be successfully grown because of the optional growing seasons and climate conditions. Yet, before you start planting any tree in your backyard, we still recommend that you pick tree varieties that tolerate the swinging temperatures and handle the changing weather during the different times of the year. For example, pine trees and birch trees tend to thrive in Gastonia because they are incredibly tolerant to the state’s weather changes, including the abundance of rain and snow every year.
What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Gastonia?
In Gastonia, utility companies such as Duke Energy have a policy regarding vegetation management, which means they will prune trees away from wires to prevent power outages under specific circumstances.
Under this policy, Duke Energy will hire trained tree personnel to inspect and clear the trees and other vegetation that threaten the power lines. They will also often use an integrated approach to managing these trees, including:
- Having a planned maintenance schedule for tree pruning
- Cutting down trees that threaten power lines
- Aerial trimming to trim trees along power lines in unmaintained areas
- Reactive pruning and trimming of trees with a demonstrated risk of interference with lines
For these reasons, if you believe your tree needs trimming, make sure you contact Duke Energy to speak with a representative that can provide you further information regarding your situation.
How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Gastonia?
Numerous factors can affect the cost of removing a tree in Gastonia: the area surrounding the tree, the tree size, and even the tree’s health. However, before you spend a significant amount of money on your tree removal project, you should learn more about these different cost factors.
The Tree Size
The tree size will be the most substantial factor when it comes to figuring out tree removal costs. For instance, the average price for removing a tree in Gastonia will be between $500 and $700. However, if the tree is considered a giant tree, the cost can increase anywhere between $1,000 and $2,000.
The Tree’s Terrain and Area Surrounding the Tree
Another critical element you will want to consider is the tree’s accessibility. For instance:
- If your tree is on a slope
- If your tree is behind a fence or a garden
- If your tree is near power lines
- If your tree is difficult to access
These factors can increase the final costs of the tree removal project because they can create various issues that will affect how our tree removal experts will cut down the tree.
The Health of the Tree
If the tree is diseased, dead, or at risk of falling over, our arborists may need to use special equipment and precautions to ensure that they can prevent injury when they remove the tree. However, if this special care is necessary, then the job’s overall cost will often increase.
