Common Tree Trimming Mistakes

Trimming Trees

When people decided to trim trees on their property, they typically make a couple mistakes. While they might have a “do-it-yourself” spirit, they might not have the knowledge or expertise to do the job right. Hence, they end up calling Big Foot Tree Service to come trim their trees “the professional way.” Fair enough. So… Read more »

A Tree Care Checklist for the Fall

Tree Care for Fall

As autumn approaches, you know what that means: temperatures will get colder and leaves will fall off trees. As we move into the winter months, autumn is a good time to pay attention to the trees in your yard and on your property. What are some ways to prep your beloved trees for colder weather… Read more »

Tips for Selecting the Right Tree Removal Company

Tree Removal Company

What are some tips for selecting the right tree removal company? Experience Matters First, you’ll want to look around for the more experienced companies. It’s good to find ones that have been in business for several years and have dealt with all sorts of issues, rather than “newbies.” The Right Qualifications That said, next you’d… Read more »

The Different Ways to Remove a Tree Stump

Grinding Tree Stump

Tree stumps are like pimples– they exist but most people don’t want them! Indeed, stumps can mess up the look of an otherwise pristine yard/landscape. Nine times out of ten, people want their stumps removed, and there are several ways to make this happen. Generally, there are four ways to remove tree stumps: digging them… Read more »

Keep These Things in Mind When Mulching Around Your Trees

Mulching around trees

It’s that time of year, again… time to mulch around trees. Oftentimes, you see landscaping companies dumping foot-tall mounds of mulch around trees– well that’s not good, because it suffocates the tree(s). Ideally, a 2”-to-3” layer of mulch works best. It should extend far enough to reach out to a tree’s “drip line,” which is… Read more »

Have Your Trees Professionally Trimmed This Spring

Trimming Trees

If you’re like most people in New Jersey, you spent most of the winter indoors. It was just too windy, snowy and cold outside to truly enjoy simple pleasures like a walk in the park or doing yard work. Well, not everyone likes doing yard work, but after a long winter, it is nice to… Read more »

How to Become a Good Tree Pruner

Pruning Trees

If you’re like most people, you don’t have a clue about pruning a tree. You’re likely to take a scissors or shears and “go to town” cutting things off your yard trees haphazardly, never paying much attention to how it’s done. That said, there are some basics to being a good tree pruner. Tips to… Read more »

Should You Fertilize Trees?

Fertilizing Trees

Have you ever wondered whether you should fertilize the trees on your property? If you haven’t fertilized trees on your property, maybe this will be the year you start. Trees are like people– they get hungry. In some cases, they’re starving. Trees need nutrients and fertilizer helps them get needed nutrients so they can grow… Read more »

How Do Trees and Shrubs Withstand Winter Temperatures?

Frozen Trees and Shrubs

Watching a TV show called “Open House NYC,” one wonders how certain shrubs and trees weather the harsh New York City winters high atop tall buildings where penthouses go for $8 million or more. How does greenery withstand the frigidly cold winter temperatures in New York and New Jersey, anyway? How Plants Survive Frigid Conditions… Read more »

Signs That You Have a Diseased Tree

Diseased Tree

Do you notice any funky-looking growths on your trees? One of the signs you have a diseased tree, for instance, is the appearance of fungi– which can be colorful growths, looking like a mushroom, conk or shelf-life structure. Signs You Have a Diseased Tree Fungi typically appear after a tree has been wounded. How does… Read more »

Landscaping Tips to Keep In Mind This Fall

Fall Landscaping Tips

Besides raking up leaves this fall, here are some ideas to help you take good care of your landscaping (and yard) before winter hits. Fall Landscaping Tips First, you can (and should) cut your grass “one last time” before it snows. Therefore, even if it’s cold outside in October, cutting the grass is a good… Read more »

What Are Tree Cranes?

Tree Cranes

You’ve heard of cranes, but have you heard of tree cranes? Trees grow, and sometimes they grow so big that they can no longer support their own weight. When this happens, they might need a company like Big Foot Tree Service to intervene with a tree crane, providing structural support for big trees. What are… Read more »

Why You Should Avoid Planting Trees in the Summer

Planting Trees in the Summer

In New Jersey, July and August are typically the hottest months of the year. Indeed, summertime is hot! Do most landscaping companies plant trees during the summer months? Nope. They tend to plant trees in spring and fall when the weather is cooler. Trees, like people, don’t love extremely hot temperatures. If and when you… Read more »

How to Make Your Yard Look Great This Summer

Summer Landscaping Tips

How can you make your yard look great this summer? Well, it’s a good idea to do some trimming to tame nature a bit. For instance, if you have trees with dead hanging limbs on them, cut those off. Prune trees and bushes so they’re not out of control. You’ll especially want to pay attention… Read more »

An Interesting Use for Dead Trees

If you think about it, there are millions of dead trees around the world right now. What if those dead trees could be turned into renewable energy to power our homes, communities and more? Interestingly, an energy company in California is doing this– turning dead tree debris into renewable energy. Pacific Gas and Electric Company… Read more »

How Often Should You Have Your Trees Trimmed?

It seems like only yesterday it was winter, and that meant we hardly spent time outdoors. But come Spring, the weather in New Jersey warms up to the point where we’re back outside, putting down new mulch around trees, planting flowers along our sidewalks, and looking around our yard for anything and everything that “needs… Read more »

How to Make Your Lawn Look Nice After Winter

Winter was kind of mild, which is a good thing. That said, there were still times when snow and ice dominated the New Jersey landscape these past few months. And, as usual, many people’s lawns and yards look a little worse for wear because winter is, in general, a rough season. As spring comes along,… Read more »

How Does Freezing Rain Affect Trees?

If you lived in Buffalo, New York in October 2006, you’d have experienced “the October Storm” that saw hail and ice pellets hit trees with the leaves still on them. This early October “surprise” involved numerous downed trees and power lines. 400,000 people were left without power for several days. The National Guard had to… Read more »

Should You Prune Trees in the Winter?

Winter is coming and that means there’ll be ice, snow and slush on the ground. Though most people tend to spend a lot of time indoors each winter, especially in New Jersey when the temperature dips below freezing, some people choose to be outdoors for pursuits like cross-country skiing, sledding, and… pruning trees. Wait a… Read more »

Tips for Preparing Your Landscape for Fall

As the leaves change color on the trees and eventually fall off, it’ll soon be winter. What can you do to prep your landscape for autumn and the season that follows? First, consider aerating compressed soil in your yard. You can use a garden fork or a walk-behind aerator to loosen up the soil. This… Read more »

Do You Need A Permit To Remove A Tree In New Jersey?

If there is a tree on your property that is a nuisance or a threat to safety, there are several options available to remove it; however, you often need to obtain permission to do so due to state regulations. As we all know, trees are vital to our environment and we risk great harm if… Read more »

Why You Should Hire a Professional to Remove a Tree Stump

Tree stumps in our yards can become real eyesores that we want to be removed as soon as possible. You could go out and try to remove it yourself but that can become very time-consuming, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing. That’s why you are better off hiring a professional to remove that… Read more »

Why Tree Stump Removal is the Smart Play

Trees come with many benefits, such as adding aesthetic appeal to a home, providing the comfort of shade and privacy from onlookers. However, there are many instances where trees in the yard are more burden than benefit, especially if all that’s left is a stump. If you have gotten to this point of being tired… Read more »

Caring for a Tree Before and After a Storm

Storms can cause a considerable amount of damage to trees and if they are on your home’s property, they can lead to home damage as well. That’s why as a homeowner it’s imperative to know what do to with a tree before and after a storm. Here are some tips to help. Before It’s a… Read more »

Things to Ask When Hiring a Tree Care Specialist

When we get work done on our home, we want to make sure we are getting the right people for the job. That’s why it’s important to ask the right questions before anything is made official. However, when it comes to tree care service, many of us might not know the right questions to ask…. Read more »

What is an Arborist?

There are many professions that work with trees, including loggers and foresters. However, not many people know of the profession, nor what it is they do. An arborist is someone who practices arboriculture, which is the cultivation, management, and study of individual trees, shrubs, and other perennial woody plants. So where some professions might just… Read more »

How Often Should You Have A Tree Trimmed?

One component of landscaping that sometimes goes left untouched is tree trimming. Trimming trees not only keeps your yard looking great, it also preserves the health and longevity of the tree. Tree overgrowth and branches that hang loosely around a tree’s trunk pose a safety concern, especially for the little people in your home who… Read more »

Common Mistake People Make When Landscaping Their Lawn

Landscaping seems to be both an art and a science, doesn’t it? For most of us, we’re kind of lost when it comes to landscaping. We can choose to hire a professional landscaper or do it ourselves. There are common landscaping mistakes that do-it-yourselfers often make. First, people tend to have good intentions but they… Read more »

Things That Could Go Wrong When Cutting Down Your Own Trees

Cutting down your own trees is something you could do, but do you really want to do it yourself? First of all, most of us do not have the time, tools or knowledge necessary to cut down trees on our property. What if some high-up branches need to be removed first? How are you going… Read more »

Make the Safe Decision When Debating Tree Removal

We humans certainly get attached to things, including trees. There’s something about trees that make them feel like part of the family. Sure, they don’t talk, walk or think, but they’re there for us, silently living nearby, giving us shade from the sun, protection from the wind, and, of course, a view of natural beauty… Read more »

Signs Your Tree has Expired

How do you know if your tree is dead? One way to check is to scratch the bark on the shoots of your tree using your thumbnail or a knife. Stems with green under the bark are still alive, while those with brown under the bark are dead. Other telltale signs of dead trees can… Read more »

An Interesting Tree Stump Vantage Point

As we recently celebrated Earth Day (April 22nd), it got us thinking about tree stumps. Did you know there’s a photographer named Joe Freeman who did a project called “Clearcut” showcasing aging tree stumps at the historical Snoqualmie Pass in Washington State? Why would a photographer want to take pictures of old stumps? Freeman discovered… Read more »

Will Tree Stumps Grow Back?

Oftentimes you’ll have that one tree or bush in the yard that annoys you. So, you cut it down as best as you can, to the bottom leaving just a stump. You think you’ve conquered it. However, stumps can and do “grow back.” Yikes! It’s NOT common for evergreen coniferous shrubs and trees to grow… Read more »

Tips for Getting Your Property Ready for Spring

Springtime is a time of new beginnings. Leaves sprout on formerly dormant trees. Flowers pop up out of the ground. Birds can be heard chirping among the trees and bushes in your neighborhood. After a dark and cold winter, Spring brings with it warmer weather, sunshine, and new life. If you’re like most people, you… Read more »

How to Get Your Property Ready For Spring

Springtime is a time of new beginnings. Leaves sprout on formerly dormant trees. Flowers pop up out of the ground. Birds can be heard chirping among the trees and bushes in your neighborhood. After a dark and cold winter, Spring brings with it warmer weather, sunshine, and new life. If you’re like most people, you… Read more »

How Long Do Trees Usually Live For?

Where would we be without trees? They add value to our homes and neighborhoods, they break the cold New Jersey winter winds to help lower our heating costs, and they provide food and shelter for wildlife. Most trees will outlive us; indeed, some trees have been alive on this planet in their spots for hundreds… Read more »

Why Do Trees Fall Over During Severe Storms?

When there are big storms, there is always a lot of wreckage. Houses can be torn apart, cars moved and sometimes thrown from their original location, and trees fall onto properties. When Hurricane Sandy came through, it knocked over 8,497 trees in New York City alone. However, a storm isn’t always required for a tree… Read more »

Don’t Let Tree Stumps Become an Unnecessary Issue

 If you plan on having a tree removed from your yard, you may be wondering whether or not it is really necessary to get rid of the sump. While it may seem like no big deal, we’re here to tell you why there are actually quite a few reasons you should have tree stumps removed…. Read more »

The Evolution of Tree Stump Removal Equipment

Tree stump removal equipment has come a long way. Back in the 1800s, trees were chopped down by hand using double-bit and grub axes. Pioneers sweated their way westward, chopping down trees from Ohio to California as America grew and new areas were settled. In the old days, trees were generally cut in the winter… Read more »

Checklist for Fall Landscaping

Before winter, there are some fall landscaping tasks you or a professional can do to prepare your yard for the cold season and next spring. Fall landscaping typically involves raking tree leaves onto a plastic tarp and then making a mulch pile and/or disposing of the leaves in the garbage if that’s possible where you… Read more »

Don’t Get Stuck with Stump Issues – Remove It Today!

Regardless of the reason, when you decide to cut down a tree in your yard you face the question of whether or not to remove its stump. Now you might think that you don’t need to because you don’t see it affecting your yard in any way. However that is not case at all and… Read more »

What Types of Bugs Are Attracted to Your Tree Stumps?

If you have dead trees or tree stumps in your yard or on your lawn, there is a big chance that there may be bugs inhabiting that area. These bugs may not be the bugs you want all over your stumps or even on your lawn; they could do damage to the appearance of your… Read more »

When Is It Necessary to Remove a Tree From Your Property?

For some people, trees, bushes, and other shrubbery are not only part of their lawn, but a part of their house. Certain types of trees can grow for decades and not show any changes, and other trees can sprout up to be over a hundred feet tall! A common factor between all types of trees,… Read more »

Can Governments Tell You to Remove a Tree From Your Property?

Many trees have been here long before us and will remain long after we’re gone. Indeed, trees are an important part of any community as they help give a place history, beauty, and shade from the sun. When you have a tree on your property that you think needs removing, are there any rules against… Read more »

How Landscaping Can Be Good For The Environment

While most people know trees are good to have around for many reasons, not every property has trees– or decent landscaping. These days, however, the world is moving toward landscaping that’s good for the environment whereas nature and beauty come together in a way that doesn’t deplete resources but, instead, enhances them. “Beneficial landscaping” is… Read more »

Why You Should Prune Your Trees

Just like a person gets a haircut, a tree can get one too, though in this case it’s called “pruning.” A popular horticultural practice, pruning involves altering a tree’s form and growth so it looks and functions the way a person wants it to. So, here’s the question: “Why prune a tree?” Pruning offers many… Read more »

When to Plant a Tree After a Stump has Been Removed [Video]

If you’ve recently had a tree removed, chances are your yard’s looking a little more bare than usual. While there was likely good reason for the tree to come down, there’s no doubt that it left you wanting to spruce up your landscaping immediately! Before doing so, there are some things you’ll want to consider… Read more »

The Dangers of High Wind

“They Call The Wind Maria” was a popular song in the 1950s from a Broadway musical, and the way Maria was pronounced was “Mariah,” as in “Mariah Carey,” the singer who got her name from that song. Now one thing about Mariah Carey is this: she’s got a set of lungs/pipes on her– when she… Read more »