AFFORDABLE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE IN Westerville, OH

What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Westerville?

In Westerville, we’ve all come to expect the wonderfully warm summer days and the bitterly cold winter days. Even our native trees have grown accustomed to the climate, but if there’s one thing we all know for sure, it’s that the weather can change quickly and unpredictably in Ohio. While this can be a hassle on our landscape’s trees, regular maintenance and tree care can prevent them from being impacted too negatively. After all, giving special attention to our forestry is the reason our city has been recognized as “Tree City of the World 2020” and “Tree City USA” for 45 years. 

Most important for our landscapes, planting native trees in Westerville will ensure the success of your trees in our area. For more insight, you can check out a list of the most common trees in the area.

This is only a taste of what’s in Westerville’s forestry. However, it should be noted that even the most accustomed trees can endure the worst tree diseases and die because of them. Look out for the following common tree diseases in our area to help prevent the spread and maintain the health of our landscapes.

Insect Infestations in Ohio

It’s nearly impossible to prevent every infestation from making its way to your trees and landscape, but it’s worth a try if it prevents most – especially since insects are a major reason for the weakened state of your trees and their eventual death.

APHIS says the most common insects in Ohio are Asian Gypsy Moths that feed on North American tree and shrub species, European Cherry Fruit Flies that feed on honeysuckle and dogwood, Light Brown Apple Moths that like to feed on plants and crops, and Spotted Lanternflies that usually feed on ornamental and woody trees.

They also report the federally quarantined species like the Asian Longhorned Beetle and European Gypsy Moth are common in the area.

Sudden Oak Death

Being located in a state with such a range of oak species in it makes Westerville a hot spot for diseases like Sudden Oak Death. This tree disease refers to the attack on trees via fungi and does not have a known cure yet. The word “Sudden” in the title refers to the more susceptible species like coast live oak, canyon live oak, California black oak, and the like, that can die suddenly after infection. 

Signs and symptoms vary by the species and term of infection, but typically include wilting, yellowing leaves, decaying bark, roots rotting, foliage loss, and more. Since we cannot cure this disease, we typically have to remove it in these cases. However, if you keep up with proper care and catch it early enough (and the species isn’t as susceptible), then we may be able to save it by pruning the infected areas and helping the tree recover.

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

The City of Westerville does not assist any private property owners with tree removal problems. You are expected to find your own qualified professionals like Tree Triage to complete those projects for you. However, they do maintain, manage, and remove public trees that have fallen on public property (i.e., alleys, streets, right-of-ways, etc.). 

The City of Westerville also recognizes the importance of replacing the trees we remove from the area. For this reason, the tree replacement program connects you with professionals like us to ensure the right tree species are planted in the right location (location is determined by the expected mature size of the tree) of landscapes, keeping you and your trees safe.

Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Westerville?

It’s not always clear-cut and obvious who is responsible for a fallen tree and its removal. Fortunately, we have the breakdown for Westerville residents, given the party, the tree’s health, and the circumstances in which the tree fell in the first place.

If you’re a homeowner?

As a homeowner, you’re directly responsible for the trees that have fallen on your property. If by some chance, the tree also falls onto an adjoining property’s side and/or has a portion on public property, you are only responsible for the portion up to your property line. Everyone else, including the City of Westerville, is responsible for their own portions, as well. 

Some other circumstances may impact this; read the “neighbor” section below to explore those. 

If you’re a renter?

You’re in luck. As a renter, it is not your responsibility to remove any fallen trees on the property. However, you should certainly be keeping an eye on the health of the trees on your property since you’re there more than the landlord. If you notice anything wrong, discuss the problem with your landlord, so it can hopefully be taken care of before it falls.

If you’re a landlord?

Much like a homeowner, landlords also have all the major responsibilities of owning property and it includes removing all the fallen trees from the property. However, as a landlord, you also have the responsibility of your renters to think about.

For this reason, you should always be proactive and preventive in your measures to keep tenants and your assets safe – meaning calling our experts in for regular tree care and maintenance. 

If you’re a neighbor?

The health of the tree in question plays a big role in who is responsible in this section. For instance, if your neighbor’s tree fell on your property, but it was healthy and happened after a big storm, you’re responsible for its removal. 

On the other hand, if the tree in question was damaged, dead, or dying, the responsibility is instead given to your neighbor. This includes expenses associated with the tree falling (i.e., house/property damage, injuries, etc.).

How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Westerville?

The Ohio state soil is Miamian, so much of Westerville is made of this soil series. According to the USDA, this series “consists of very deep, well-drained soils that are moderately deep to dense till [with a texture like] silt loam, silty clay loam, or clay loam.” 

Soils 4 Teachers adds, “Miamian soils are well suited to a wide range of land uses, and are highly productive for agriculture [and] contributes to the fact that more than 50% of the land area of Ohio is classified as prime farmland.” This is also good news for our forestry because this type of soil is ideal for hardwood forest trees. On the other hand, our trees can also be negatively impacted by our Miamian soil if it causes run-off, has low soil moisture, and causes water erosion, as it sometimes does. 

Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Westerville?

The landscapes in Westerville are acclimated to our area’s unpredictable weather by now, but the sometimes sudden changes in heat, cold (sometimes even freezing) temperatures, and rain can be problematic to the health of even our strongest trees. This is a problem because unpredictable weather can stunt growth in the spring, affect color changes in the fall, encourage growth in the winter (temporarily before the cold causes the trees to once again lose leaves), and more.

For this reason and many more (i.e., natural disasters like severe storms, tornadoes, etc.), the weather in Westerville plays a big role in tree health. The best you can do is keep up with care and maintenance to ensure you’re doing everything you can to prevent damage and paying special attention to the treatment of trees that experience damage from these conditions. 

What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Westerville?

If dead trees are near a power line in Westerville, you should always notify your electric utility company over taking care of the problem yourself. Not only can things go wrong and cause power outages in the area, but your life is at risk for electrocution and other hazards.

The City of Westerville says, “The Westerville Electric Division employs four Utility Arborists who are professionally trained in tree care and maintenance with specialization of clearing greenery near and on power lines.” Given a circumstance that requires it, these electrical professionals are allowed to go onto your property without permission to take care of the problem, including tree removals. 

How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Westerville?

Most residents in Westerville pay anywhere from $200 to $850 on average to remove a 30 to 60-foot tree, and around $850 to $2,000 for trees 60 feet and higher. While this is the case most of the time, it should only be recognized for what it is – an estimate, not the actual cost. 

The following factors often play a role in impacting the cost of tree removal:

Tree Height

The exact height of your tree will determine how much you pay for its removal. This is because a tree taller than 60 feet requires a larger workforce, as well as more tools and equipment to prevent unexpected damages. On the other hand, a tree much shorter than 30 feet will be significantly easier for us to take care of.

This is also the reason a fallen tree will cost you nearly 50% less than a still-standing tree; most of the work is already done and so half the time, equipment, and people are needed from us to finish the job. 

Additional Services – Tree Protection

Additional services can also impact the cost of tree removal. For example, if you’re removing a tree because it was sick or diseased, you might want to purchase tree protection. This will ensure that all surrounding trees are safe from the disease of the sick tree. It also supports the growth of new trees that can be planted as replacements. The average cost of tree protection in Westerville is about $50 per trunk injection.

Hourly Rates

Our arborists factor in hourly rates for our crew members when considering how long your tree removal job will take. More complex, larger, or dense trees will naturally take longer to remove, as will trees near your home or other personal property. As such, these removals will be more costly, as more hours are required from our crew.