AFFORDABLE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE IN Phoenixville, PA

What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Phoenixville?

When our arborists look at a tree, they assess the health of a tree and how best to treat it. They also rid trees of pests, treat abnormally large trees, and prune and fertilize tree roots.

Assessing the Health of a Tree 

Every tree needs nutrients specific to its type. Only a trained arborist like ours can determine and identify what nutrients would help your tree stay healthy.

Treating a Tree That Is Ill

Many illnesses can affect trees in Scranton. The most common include:

• Apple scab is a fungus that attacks cultivated and wild apple trees. It causes brown lesions to appear on the leaves, slowly killing them off. In the worst cases, the fruit itself can become infected, rendering it inedible.
• Cedar apple rust is another fungal disease that attacks apple trees. It is one of several fungi from the genus Gymnosporangium. It is a unique disease because it needs both cedar and apple trees to complete its life cycle. The disease starts in cedars and then spreads to apple trees.
• Anthracnose is a fungus that causes black lesions called cankers on most of the tree’s foliage. The word means “ulcer-like sore” and is diagnosed by the symptoms rather than a specific fungus that causes it. The trees most often affected are sycamore, ash, oak, and evergreen elms. It is widespread all over Pennsylvania due to the amount of moisture that the state gets.
• Verticillium wilt is a fungal disease common in deciduous trees. It causes early production of smaller than normal seeds and browning leaves. If you look at the bark of your tree, and it is becoming streaked, that is a clear sign of verticillium wilt.
• Powdery mildew gets its name from the powdery residue it leaves on an infected tree’s surface. As the mildew works its way into the tree, thousands of spores attack the tree leading to leaf yellowing and the destruction of the tree’s foliage.
• Fire blight is known to attack 75 species of plants in the rose family. It can also occur commonly on flowering pear trees. The disease can kill blossoms, fruit, shoots, limbs, and even tree trunks in fruit trees. Fire blight causes leaves to be brown and causes cankers on the tree’s limbs.
• Thousands cankers disease is caused by fungus carrying walnut twig beetles. Over time, the cankers halt water and nutrient flow to the tree, killing it from the inside.

Ridding of Tree Pests

Various pests plague the trees of Phoenixville, including:

Zimmerman Pine Moths cause popcorn-like pitch sores on the trunk and reddish sawdust-like substances near boreholes. These pests are dangerous to Douglas Fir and Spruce trees.

Western Conifer Seed Bugs feed on Douglas Firs and was first detected in Pennsylvania in July 1992.

White Pine Weevils attack Spruce, Pine, Douglas-Fir, and Fir trees. They cause pin-sized holes in the bark of terminal leader with clear droplets of sap oozing from holes and are best observed on dry, sunny mornings on the eastern white pine.

White Grubs give birth to larvae of several species of scarab beetles, including the Japanese beetle; they feed on the roots of conifer seedlings and transplants. 

Spruce spider mites can develop from an egg to an adult in 2–3 weeks under normal conditions. Damage includes small, irregularly shaped yellow spots on needles.

Gypsy Moths were discovered in the United States in 1889 and made their way to Pennsylvania sometime in the 1980s. Gypsy Moths feed on hundreds of different trees and shrubs, making them a more dangerous pest than most invaders, limiting themselves to certain tree species. Gypsy Moth populations tend to go dormant for a while before exploding all at once about once a decade. Many counties participate in an annual gypsy moth suppression program to keep potential devastation as low as possible.

The yellow-necked caterpillar is a key pest of shade trees. It is widely distributed throughout most of the eastern United States. Generally, it feeds on basswood, paper, yellow birches, elm, honeylocust, oak, maple, mountain-ash, and walnut. This insect is also destructive on the foliage of blueberry, apple, and other fruit trees.

The boxwood leaf miner is active in late March into early April; some boxwoods look pretty ragged before the new growth covers the problem. At this time, adult female leaf miners (which look like gnats) fly about boxwoods looking for newly emerged leaves to lay their eggs.

The tuliptree scale is one of the largest soft scale insects in the United States. It is often misidentified as the larger magnolia scale and has a similar life cycle but only attacks magnolias. The tuliptree scale is a key pest of yellow poplar or tuliptree, magnolia, and occasionally linden. This soft-scale insect is so prolific that it quite often covers twigs and branches.

Four-lined plant bug damage is very characteristic: circular brown to black spots about a one-sixteenth inch in diameter. The spots often coalesce to create a more blotchy appearance that could easily be mistaken for some disease or possibly frost damage. These shy insects move very rapidly and are often difficult to see.

The rhododendron borer was first described from specimens collected in Pennsylvania in 1909. Larvae are yellowish-white with a reddish-brown head and thoracic legs. Injury caused by this key pest in ornamental plantings of rhododendron tends to increase from year to year if an infestation is not effectively managed. Small host plants are susceptible and may be killed by a light infestation.

The oyster shell scale is one of the most common armored scale insects that cause injury to shade trees and shrubs. When this scale insect was first described in Europe in 1758, it was referred to as the mussel scale. It occurs throughout the United States and is more common in northern states than southern states. This key pest species usually infests lilac, ash, dogwood, maple, poplar, and willow, but it has been reported on more than 130 host plants.

The old house borer is one of the most injurious wood-boring insects inhabiting Pennsylvania. The name is somewhat misleading since many infestations are noticed in homes just four to seven years after construction. The larva bores through wood and also feeds on it. Tunnels made by the larva weaken structural timbers. The borers feed only in pine, spruce, and other coniferous woods.

Obscure scale is a key pest of oak in Pennsylvania. This armored scale insect attacks a wide variety of other woody host plants such as beech, dogwood, hickory, maple, and willow, This insect is not a pest of these trees when growing in the forest.

A common beetle is the Emerald Ash Borer; it bores holes in ash trees to lay eggs. When the eggs hatch, the larvae interfere with the tree’s ability to circulate water and transport nutrients. Finally, the beetle starves the tree, and it dies.

The Spotted Lanternfly, native to Southeast Asia, is an invasive species here in the United States, where it is has become a growing problem in many Northeastern states. This is especially true in Pennsylvania, where 13 counties have been affected. Matured Spotted Lanternflies can be recognized by their vibrant red wing pads with black spots. In their younger forms, Spotted Lanternflies are typically black with white spots. These invasive pests can be detrimental to the health of trees and other plants, particularly during heavy infestations.

Regulating Tree Growth

Fast-growing trees need special root support to keep the tree structure strong. Early intervention by our arborists can ensure this support keeping the tree from toppling and increasing its immunity to diseases.

Root Pruning

When space is premium, tree roots can curl in on themselves, killing the tree. Root pruning prevents this from happening.

Deep Root Fertilization

Different trees need different minerals and nutrients. By analyzing the soil composition, the proper nutrients and minerals can be added to keep your trees healthy.

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

The City of Phoenixville has tree ordinances that cover trees that become a threat to human life or property. Any problem with trees in public parks will be taken care of by the Phoenixville Department of Parks and Recreation.

However, any trees that are on private land are the property owner’s responsibility. Section 2 of the Phoenixville Tree Manual specifically states that any tree on private land is the landowner’s responsibility, even in cases where the tree must be removed for public health reasons.

Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Phoenixville?

If a tree falls on private property in Phoenixville, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to remove the tree. They also may be responsible for any damages the tree caused when it fell. Dead and dying trees must be removed efficiently for this very reason. Otherwise, the owner of the property may be responsible for thousands of dollars in damages. Naturally, the responsibility of a fallen tree has different consequences depending on if you own or rent the property.

If you’re a homeowner?

If you are a homeowner, not only are you responsible for the removal of the tree, but if the tree fell of its own accord, you are responsible for any damages it caused when it fell. Most homeowners, however, have insurance, and depending on the policy, some expenses may be covered by the insurer. Before you pay to remove a tree or pay for damages for a fallen tree, check with your insurer to see if you are covered.

If you’re a renter?

Suppose you rent in Phoenixville, PA, and a tree has fallen. In that case, the property owner is responsible for tree removal and any damages the tree might have caused if it fell. If a fallen tree damaged your private property, you might also be eligible for compensation.

If you’re a landlord?

Any tree removal, trimming, pruning, or otherwise maintenance of a tree or shrub on any rented property in Scranton is the responsibility of the person or persons who own the property. If you own more than one property, then you are responsible for those as well. It is the landlord’s responsibility or property owner to maintain any trees, shrubs, bushes, lawns, and other types of landscaping.

If you’re a neighbor?

Sadly every case is different, and it can be difficult to determine whose property the tree came from and who is responsible for the damages. All claims are very different; our arborists can give you an idea of whose property the tree was originally on, but it may be a good idea to consult with a lawyer to understand better how your situation stands. In most cases, healthy trees are the responsibility of the property owner where the tree fell. Dead or dying trees are typically the responsibility of the property owner where the tree grew.

How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Phoenixville?

Phoenixville is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, at the junction of French Creek with the Schuylkill River. Phoenixville soil is excellent for conifers, and new trees must be watered every day for the first two weeks and once a week for the first year, considering rainfall. Mulching and fertilizing with the right types and amounts of material is important during the beginning of a tree’s life.

Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Phoenixville?

A report written by Eli Sagor talks about how climate change is affecting trees in Phoenixville. “Weather also influences insects and diseases. Tree vigor may be a minor factor if the weather is favorable to the insect or disease. For example, wet springs and summers may favor tree growth and vigor and provide ideal conditions for many foliage diseases, which may cause a loss of vigor. For example, recent heavy summer rainfall in northern British Columbia has allowed an epidemic of foliage disease to attack otherwise healthy lodgepole pine trees. Even though they were vigorous at the outset, weather conditions favored the disease more than the trees.”

What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Phoenixville?

Dead trees knocking over power lines can be hazardous, but who is responsible for trimming or cutting down the trees? PECO (Phoenixville power) won’t prune or remove trees around the service wire between your house and the utility pole. For those jobs, you can call us for emergency services. However, the utility company will be happy to de-energize the wire and lower it to the ground for you at no cost. Contact PECO to ask for their services.

How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Phoenixville?

Tree removal is expensive no matter what you do. Even the easy jobs are dangerous and labor-intensive, and you pay for those difficulties. Even worse, there are often unforeseen difficulties in tree removal, making the final price sometimes more than the estimate. The minimum cost of tree removal is about $190, with a maximum of about $2,500 and an average price of around $950.

Naturally, some factors can affect the price, making them higher or lower (sadly usually higher), and it’s helpful to know what these factors are before you decide to have your tree removed.

Tree Location

Some trees are readily accessible and can be removed without any heavy equipment. Other trees, however, are near power lines or near fragile structures and require special equipment to remove safely. When this is the case, your cost will be much higher than average. You will be paying for the ordinary labor and danger and the heavy equipment needed to remove the tree; it also matters if the tree is accessible to the truck used to haul the tree away. We will charge you more if we need to carry the heavy tree farther.

Tree Size

The size of the tree matters. The bigger the tree, the more expensive it will be to remove and the more dangerous the job is. If the tree is big enough, you may end up paying the maximum to have it cut down.

• Cost to remove a 20-foot tree $150 to $700
• Cost to remove a 40-foot tree $500 to $800
• Cost to remove a 60-foot tree $800 to $1,200
• Cost to remove an 80-foot tree $1,200 to $2,500

Tree Condition

Usually, healthy trees are good, but not when they are being removed. You can expect to pay much more for removing a healthy tree than a dead tree. Dead trees tend to be lighter, bringing down the price considerably.