At least once a month, we get a request for topping someone's trees. The reasons are myriad. On the surface, topping doesn't seem like a bad idea. You get to keep your tree and have it out of your way. In reality, though, topping is a terrible practice, and we try to dissuade all our clients from having it done.

Ultimately, a hazard tree is one in which the weight of a tree – or a part of the tree – exceeds the tree’s structural integrity (in a branch, trunk or roots). When assessing your tree for risks, we evaluate the likelihood of the tree failing, the environment that contributes to failure, and the target (the part of your property that would sustain damage).

Weak branch unions are one of the most common hazards we see on clients’ properties. This hazard is easily identifiable and, thus, easily avoided. But what are the signs that tell us a weak branch union likely exists?

By this point in the winter season, many of us feel like we've got it all figured out. We've worked out the snow removal kinks, have all our firewood in, and know how to keep our family and animals cozy and safe. But what about winter tree care? Has that crossed your mind?

Douglas firs and grand firs are highly susceptible to North Idaho's three most prevalent kinds of root rot: annosus, Armillaria, and laminate. All three kinds of rot are likely present in a single stand. They may even be present in a single tree. The fungi spread easily between trees; all it takes is for an infected root to make contact with another tree's roots underground.

It’s a common question among our clients: When is the best time for pruning my trees? The answer can generally be kept fairly simple: When you remember that your tree needs pruning, that’s when you should do it. Your tree is healthier pruned, no matter the time of year.

Many of the big, expensive jobs that come our way are the result of improper pruning practices. Though these expensive jobs are good for our bottom line, we'd rather see our town populated with healthy, thriving trees, the result of proper pruning.

If you live outside of Sandpoint city limits, you're likely surrounded by trees. However, come fire season, forests become fuel, and it's scary living inside the tinderbox. So, beyond making a stump farm of one's acreage, what's a forest-bound resident to do?

Cankers tend to be prominent. If your tree has a potentially hazardous canker, it’s hard to miss. Think of the tree version of a large, open wound or deformity, and you’ve got the visual idea of cankers. They may be ugly, but are they a problem? Maybe yes, maybe no. And maybe not quite yet.