Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Pottstown?
- 2 Does the City of Pottstown Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
- 3 Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Pottstown?
- 4 How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Pottstown?
- 5 Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Pottstown?
- 6 What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Pottstown?
- 7 How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Pottstown?
What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Pottstown?
Located 40 miles northwest of Philadelphia in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, you’ll find Pottstown. The city is home to the nation’s oldest mill and has several historical buildings that uncover the distinct history behind the town. Trees throughout Pottstown line the streets in a charming way, weaving pathways, and acting as guiding soldiers everywhere you walk. During the fall, roads are littered with colorful leaves in a more picturesque manner. Many of the trees in the borough are so old that we can’t help but wish they could tell the stories of the things they’ve seen and lived through. Unfortunately, like any area with natural greenery, trees in Pottstown aren’t immune to the average disease or insects. Whether you’re walking around town or doing light trimming in your own backyard, you may likely run into the following tree issues.
Apple Scab
Commonly found in early spring, apple scab is found worldwide. It’s known for being the largest culprit behind the loss of apples and symptoms can be seen in leaves and fruit, along with flowers, petals, and buds in growing plants. When checking for the disease, you may notice lesions appearing on leaves in an olive-colored form. These types of ‘scabs’ are spread through spores and distort and damage healthy growth.
Anthracnose
There are many types of anthracnose found in tree life, making it sometimes difficult to determine which fungal disease is causing harm. Anthracnose tends to leave behind lesions on leaves and stems and is commonly partnered with twig blight. The fungus initially targets shoots and growing leaves, ultimately leaving behind canker-like lesions and leading to dieback.
Verticillium Wilt
Known as a fatal disease frequently found to target Maple and Ash trees, verticillium wilt can be extremely lethal to trees. Notable signs that a tree is infected are discoloring of leaves, abrupt wilting, and brown or green streaking in the sapwood beneath the bark. The disease is caused by two fungi coming together that cause a disruption in water movement as the infection spreads.
Does the City of Pottstown Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
Throughout the city of Pottstown, the local government has a street tree program to assist in the trimming, pruning, planting, and removal of trees on streets and public property. The city has strict guidelines when it comes to the maintenance and care of trees within the public right of way, and will remove decaying or dying as necessary on public and private property.
For the removal of protected trees, the borough requires a permit for private homeowners to seek approval before starting the removal process. In some situations, if a tree is near a power line or poses risk to sewer lines and is located on private property, the council will send out a notice regarding removal and task it upon their tree program to do the heavy lifting. In most situations when you receive a notice regarding removal on your personal land, the city requires that you handle all expenses of removal due to the tree being considered a risk factor. If you fail to schedule to have the tree removed in a timely manner, you may face fines if the tree falls and causes damage to public property.
Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Pottstown?
There’s no fun in dealing with a fallen tree and sometimes it can be more confusing trying to figure out who’s responsible for the removal than necessary. The reality is that many cities follow state laws rather than creating city ordinances and this can become confusing when trees fall due to negligence rather than natural causes.
If you’re a homeowner?
Pottstown considers trees on private property to be the primary responsibility of the homeowners on which they reside. Trimming, pruning, and basic maintenance of private property trees are encouraged and sometimes enforced by the Public Works Department, dictating the care of private trees is the property owner’s responsibility. When a tree falls due to negligence, a property owner may face a fine from the city if it causes damage to public property and if they’ve received notices stating the tree needs to be removed.
If you’re a renter?
Most rental contracts will state that, as a tenant, you’re responsible for cutting the grass and trimming shrubs, along with basic lawn care. However, many contracts do not dictate that the maintenance of trees is the renter’s responsibility. If a tree shows signs of decay, your best bet is to report it in written context via text or email to your landlord. This ensures that you’ve notified the liable party of the issue so that they can handle it should it fall.
If you’re a landlord?
Property owners retain responsibility for trees on their property, meaning that whether a tree falls due to neglect or natural causes, you’re responsible for the removal of it unless agreed upon in the lease agreement with your current tenant. In most situations, even with that agreement, you’re still liable for the removal.
If you’re a neighbor?
Dead tree laws in Pennsylvania dictate that if a neighboring tree falls on your property after you’ve notified the neighbor of its decay and they’ve failed to handle it, they’re liable for the removal and cost of repairs caused by any damages. However, if the tree falls due to natural causes and shows no signs of decay then it is your responsibility to remove the tree from your property. In some situations, your homeowner’s insurance may reimburse you or help pay for the costs of removal and property repairs.
How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Pottstown?
Throughout the city, you’ll find deep, moderately to well-draining soil with gentle slopes. The Pennsylvania town runs comfortably along the Schuylkill River, making the outskirts of Pottstown a nutrient-rich area for natural growth and gorgeous greenery. Valleys throughout the area are laid with limestone and made up of silty and Codorus soils on narrow flood plains, creating a mixture of sand and rock subsoils. The major soil types throughout Pottstown are all very similar and allow trees plenty of opportunities to healthily move nutrients and water as needed. This enables many trees to live a long-lasting, prosperous life.
Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Pottstown?
Weather in Pottstown is considered to be very mild on average, blending between comfortably warm in the summer and freezing cold in the winter. The harshest weather of the season typically comes in the winter, leading to frozen ground which can be harmful to young trees growing. Following periods of snow, it’s important that branches are properly trimmed to assist in regrowth as the soil in the area begins to warm up. During warmer seasons it can feel very humid or muggy out, leaving trees to comfortably soak up moisture without much issue.
What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Pottstown?
Active power lines carry thousands of volts of electricity per second, making them extremely dangerous. While they’re necessary to help power many things, any form of physical interaction with a power line can result in a quick visit to the hospital or an unfortunate death. In Pottstown, the city takes the maintenance of trees very seriously and works with local electric companies to have decaying or dead trees safely removed when they’re located near power lines. In situations where a tree is near a line on private property, the city may move up the permit approval process to assist in having the tree removed before it causes any damage or harm to anyone.
How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Pottstown?
The cost of tree removal services is unique for each removal project. Homeowners in Pottstown pay $800 on average for all-inclusive removal. The price behind tree removal relies on several factors that directly impact how time-consuming and complex the job is. Each of these factors helps our team of experts determine which equipment they need, how big of a crew to utilize, and if extra safety precautions will be taken into consideration.
A basic tree removal quote will typically include the preparation, labor, machinery and equipment, along with any cleanup. It will not include extra services such as stump grinding, trimming of other trees, cutting firewood, or landscaping. However, you can request additional services if you’re okay with needing to pay the upcharge.
Size and Diameter
If a tree is young and only a few years old, it’s likely that the cost of removing it will be less than removing a tree that’s been growing for more than 30 years. This is due to the fact that the tree is less likely to have an extremely large diameter and it won’t weigh as much as older trees. The size and diameter of a tree impact the cost of removal based on the fact that larger trees require more equipment and precision when removing.
Accessibility
Depending on how far a tree is from the roadway, the cost of removal may increase due to lack of access and having to manually carry machinery or equipment to it. Accessibility also comes into play when the tree being removed is located next to a structure or public area. Trees that aren’t easily accessible are considered to be more difficult to remove and will require additional planning.
Emergency Removal
Most tree removal services aren’t considered emergency jobs, meaning that when you schedule a removal you’re likely not going to see our team out there that day unless the situation is severe. Emergency tree removal projects often follow severe storms or damage to homes caused by a fallen tree. In these situations, you can sometimes get moved up on the schedule or have our team come out to remove a tree during what’s considered to be outside of business hours. These types of jobs will likely cost more money due to the rushed planning but can be necessary at times.
