BigTreeSupply.com: Mulching Tips for Spring

by Nancy Penrose

Mulching is one of the easiest ways to keep your trees healthy, and an important part of spring tree maintenance.

Mulch helps protect plant roots from the sun. It will also keep the soil cooler for a longer period of time, which means your trees won’t leave their winter dormancy too early.

Mulching also keeps soil from drying out too quickly. By conserving moisture, the need for water is also reduced.

Other benefits of mulching include protecting the soil from erosion and preventing the growth of weeds.

As the mulch begins to decompose, it will release organic material (nutrients) which creates food and shelter for beneficial soil organisms like earthworms.

Many different types of materials can be used for mulching, such as wood chips, shredded bark, straw, pine needles, peat moss, grass clippings, compost, cardboard, newspaper and manure. There are also non-organic mulching materials such as plastic sheeting.

Mulch is typically spread in a two to six inch layer around the tree. Before mulching, remove any grass within a 3 to 10 foot area at the base of the tree depending on its size. Spread the layer evenly, making sure it doesn’t touch the tree trunk. Always remove any mulch that ends up on your grass, or the grass underneath it will die.

Any older, thick and matted mulch may need to be raked to ensure water and air can pass through to the tree’s root system.

Mulch that contains a large amount of nitrogen will need to be rotated. Without rotation, decomposition will occur at a faster rate. The decay can change the woodsy aroma of the mulch to a sour smell of ammonia, vinegar and sulfur. The smell will dissipate once the mulch is exposed to air, but if it’s placed on the soil before the dissipation occurs, it can kill the tree.

To avoid costly mistakes, get more tips on mulching from a big tree specialist.

Nancy Penrose is owner of Big Trees Inc. (http://www.bigtreesupply.com), (tree nursery Seattle / Snohomish, WA), one of the largest Seattle tree nurserys, specializing in large trees for sale and transplant tree service. Learn more about tree preservation at http://bigtreesupply.com/tree-care-maintenance/ and for more tips on big trees care or installation go to snohomishbigtrees.com. See our video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULejKnh2MYY and connect with us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Trees-Inc/193731105108

Big Trees Inc. Transplants 30 Foot Western Red Cedar Tree

SNOHOMISH, WA: Big Trees, Inc. (http://bigtreessupply.com/), a large tree nursery and tree transplant company in the Seattle area, has transplanted a 30-foot Western Red Cedar tree onto the greens of a local, prominent country club.

Big Trees was contacted a year ago to evaluate the feasibility of transplanting the large Cedar to provide a way to block erratic golf balls that would occasionally come into a high traffic area. The Cedar was hand dug into a 12,000-pound root ball in one day, and tightened into a lift-able load with shrink wrap, burlap and rope. Afterwards, the receiving hole was dug with a tractor and made to match the necessary dimensions for the tree to be set in place with a large crane.

The next morning, the Cedar was rigged with a large 800-pound chain around the base of the root ball, and the tree was lifted vertically out of the hole and swung to its new location. The tree was then gently lowered and checked for height and lean of the tree as it touched down. Once all were satisfied with the appearance of the tree, it was detached from the rigging, and the final planting began.

Nancy Penrose, owner of Big Trees, stated, “When our tree transplanting services are utilized on a golf course, the benefits are usually twofold; a beautiful tree is saved, and something gets protected from the off target shots all of us are hoping to avoid when we’re out on the fairways. Another beautiful Cedar tree gets a new home, and everyone is happy!”

Nancy Penrose is the owner of Big Trees Inc. (http://www.bigtreesupply.com), located in Snohomish, WA, in the Seattle area. The company is one of the largest tree nurseries in the Seattle area with over 120,000 trees available in over 300 varieties. They not only can deliver young trees but also mature trees in a wide range of sizes. Some types of trees available include spring flowering, deciduous, evergreen, and privacy trees. The company also does tree transplanting including large trees. Their blog can be seen at http://www.bigtreesupply.com/blog/ or http://arboristblog.com/. They can be reached at 360-563-2700.

Big Trees Inc. Transplants a Large Camellia Tree

SNOHOMISH, WA: Big Trees Inc. (http://bigtreesupply.com), a large tree nursery in the Seattle area, recently participated in the protection and transplanting of a very old type of tree, a Camellia. The tree was in the way of a demolition and building project and would have been destroyed, but it has been safely relocated to another part of the property and will continue to provide shade and blooms for many years to come.

Big Trees Supply was approached by a builder in January who wanted to start demolition on a property in order to make way for a new construction project. However, the problem was that there was a 20’ tall Camellia tree that has been growing next to the foundation of a house on the property, and is estimated to be 40+ years old. The new owner of the property was reluctant to destroy the Camellia tree due to the building project, and asked their contractor to look into the possibility of having the tree transplanted to another part of the property. The contractor contacted Big Trees, and in spite of the tight timeline, Big Trees began discussions of what could be done to save the tree by transplanting it to a new location.

It became clear to the Big Trees staff that the Camellia tree was very close to the home’s foundation, and that the entire house, including the foundation wall, would have to be carefully dismantled and pulled away from the Camellia if it would have a chance of getting dug out and root balled correctly. The day for the project was coordinated with the demolition contractor.

Once the root ball was tightly wrapped in a well-built system of plastic wrap, burlap, and rope, the crew fastened and rigged the tree to large excavator on-site and lifted and moved the tree to its new home on another part of the property.

Nancy Penrose, the owner of Big Trees, stated “It’s a wonderful pleasure to participate in salvaging some of these old trees and shrubs in our changing neighborhoods. Many people look forward to these blooming trees each year, and there can be unpleasant blowback from a community when a beautiful tree is eliminated from a property. On the other hand, when a tree like this is saved, the owners of that project receive a significant amount of praise and welcoming that is sometimes a little unexpected! It’s a terrific process for all involved.”

Nancy Penrose is the owner of Big Trees Inc. (http://www.bigtreesupply.com), located in Snohomish, WA, in the Seattle area. The company is one of the largest tree nurseries in the Seattle area with over 120,000 trees available in over 300 varieties. They not only can deliver young trees but also mature trees in a wide range of sizes. Some types of trees available include spring flowering, deciduous, evergreen, and privacy trees. The company also does tree transplanting including large trees. Their blog can be seen at http://www.bigtreesupply.com/blog/ or http://arboristblog.com/. They can be reached at 360-563-2700.

BigTreeSupply.com: Monitoring the Growth of Your Tree

By Nancy Penrose

Monitoring the growth of your trees will help keep them healthy and thriving. Here are some of the different stages of tree growth:

Starting life as a seed. If your tree has been planted as a seed, the first thing you will see as it grows is a short stem. At this early stage of life, most of the tree’s energy will be used to continue growing.

Young trees. Most young trees are small, thin and extremely vulnerable. They will need protection and space to grow. The growth will usually occur around the canopy and root system, with branches becoming longer. Young trees will need very little, if any, pruning.

Established trees. When a tree establishes itself, it will start growing at a faster pace. Established trees are more capable of protecting themselves against disease, illnesses and pests. Pruning during this period will ensure a good branch structure.

Saplings. Trees that have grown several feet in height with a declining growth rate are called saplings. They will usually have a trunk that is a foot or less in diameter.

Mature trees. Mature trees have strong branches with a large amount of foliage. Tree limbs will keep growing, but not as quickly. Mature trees also have the most strength and can reproduce.

Later stages of maturity. Many trees, during late stages of maturity, will start developing flat-topped canopies. The tree’s energy will decrease and major limbs may start to die. Seed production will also decline. Pruning can help maintain tree health, but over-pruning can cause damage and make the tree less resistant to disease and pests.

End stages of maturity. During the final stages of life, it will become more difficult for a tree to protect itself against pest infestations and tree disease. You will also see more limbs dying and breaking off. The trunks will also become hollow.

How long a tree lives will depend on its general health, maintenance and various environmental factors.

Any dead trees on your property should be removed by a big tree specialist or tree arborist who has the proper tree removal equipment.


Nancy Penrose is owner of Big Trees Inc. (http://www.bigtreesupply.com), (tree nursery Snohomish, WA), one of the largest Seattle tree nurserys, specializing in large trees for sale and transplanting tree service. Learn more about tree preservation at http://bigtreesupply.com/tree-care-maintenance/ and for more tips on big trees care or installation go to nurserytrees.net. See our video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6vVhNW1XJI and connect with us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Trees-Inc/193731105108

Big Trees Establishes Privacy for Mill Creek, Washington Property

SEATTLE, WA: Big Trees Inc., (http://bigtreesupply.com/), a tree transplant and tree nursery company in the Seattle area, was recently involved in a project to enhance the privacy of a property in Mill Creek, Washington (in Puget Sound) with Emerald Green Arborvitaes trees.

When Big Trees was asked to help establish privacy to the property in Mill Creek, luckily Big Trees had just the right larger privacy trees for their needs.

After the client visited Big Trees’ nursery and became familiar with their inventory, they selected the Emerald Green Arborvitae for their situation. While these privacy trees are regularly used in screens through the western Washington area, it is unusual to find them in the larger sizes Big Trees offers. Once measurements of the screening effort were taken, it was determined that 13 of these trees were needed. The client felt that 12’-13’ tall Emeralds would be their choice for this project.

Nancy Penrose, owner of Big Trees, stated “The access to the property was limited and wouldn’t allow for a tractor to carry the 400 pound Emerald Green Arborvitaes to their location. But our crews are very capable and we came up with alternative methods to manage getting the trees to the proper location. This process involved plywood planking to mitigate the wet, squishy terrain, and a sturdy ball cart that can handle the significant weight of some of our privacy trees when conditions allow. The trees were planted into the row, and the client was thrilled with the results. The undesirable view was changed to the green. These clients were pretty surprised to have this option available to them. They were ready to settle for smaller trees and having to wait years and years for the result they got with our inventory in a day! It’s always fun to see the changes we can provide for people.”

Nancy Penrose is owner of Big Trees Inc. (http://www.bigtreesupply.com), one of the largest Seattle tree nurseries, (see Big Trees planting services page at http://bigtreesupply.com/planting-service/), specializing in large trees for sale and transplant tree service. For more tips on tree installation or care go to arboristblog.com. See our video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEP1vudflm0 and connect with us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Trees-Inc/193731105108

BigTreeSupply.com: Preventing Tree Damage During a Storm

By Nancy Penrose

Trees can become damaged by wind, ice and snow. A severe storm can break branches, rip a tree apart or even topple it. When big trees come down during harsh weather, they can cause significant property damage and even serious injury.

There are many preventative actions you can take to prevent or minimize storm damage. To start with, give your trees adequate room to grow. This includes sufficient space for the trunk and branches, as well as the roots. Trees that have strong trunks and branches, and a healthy, robust root system, are less likely to break or fall over during a storm.

If you are planting a young tree, protect its roots with mulching and by keeping foot traffic away from the area. Remove tree stakes as soon as possible so the young tree can build up strength by flexing in the wind.

Planting several trees or moving trees to the same location can also make them more resistant to storm damage. As the roots of the tree grow, they will start to interlock, which will increase the tree’s strength and stability.

Also make sure you regularly inspect your tree for any signs of decay or tree disease. Although decay is a natural process of degradation, decaying tree tissue is relatively weak. Keep an eye out for any leaning trees or trees with low hanging branches or cracks, which can increase the chances of damage or uprooting during a storm.

Issues like these can often be corrected with cables, braces and better or more frequent pruning. Regular pruning will prevent the tree’s canopy from becoming too heavy, and reduce wind resistance. Removing dead wood and weak limbs will stop branches from being torn from the tree during severe weather condition.

Still have questions about tree protection? Ask our big tree arborist or tree specialist for tips and advice. We’ll show you to keep your trees healthy, strong and storm-resistant.

Nancy Penrose is owner of Big Trees Inc. (http://www.bigtreesupply.com), (tree nursery Snohomish, WA), one of the largest Seattle tree nurserys, specializing in large trees for sale and transplant tree service. Learn more about tree preservation at http://bigtreesupply.com/tree-care-maintenance/ and for more tips on big trees care or installation go to arboristblog.com. See our video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEP1vudflm0 and connect with us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Trees-Inc/193731105108

Big Trees Inc. Hired For Tree Transplanting in Redmond, WA

SNOHOMISH, WA: Big Trees Inc., (http://bigtreesupply.com/), a tree transplant and tree nursery company in the Seattle area, has been hired to move and transplant some large trees on a property being developed in Redmond, WA. The trees are currently in the footprint of a large planned apartment development, and once they have been moved to another area of the property, will add peace and tranquility to the property for decades to come.

The property was a former homestead, and two of the large trees are unique. One is a large Japanese Maple, and the other is an unusual variety of Pine. There are also three Douglas Fir trees that are in the 30” tall height range. All five of the trees will be moved to a part of the property that will become a play area, and the tree transplants will provide some shade to the trails surrounding this social area.

The company’s 90” Big John tree spade will be used to dig, transport, and set the trees into their new locations. Additionally, Big Trees is going to be digging and turning the soil from the receiving location, which will help with these trees adjust to their new location. With the soil loosened up, the trees will be able to grow new roots out into the surrounding areas with greater ease and they will have better access to nutrients and hydration.

Nancy Penrose, owner of Big Trees, stated “Having an opportunity to move these special trees out of harm’s way and into a location where they will continue to be appreciated is such a fun process to be part of. We’re looking forward to stopping in on these trees in the years to come, and seeing them look like they’ve always been in these locations.”

Nancy Penrose is the owner of Big Trees Inc. (http://www.bigtreesupply.com), located in Snohomish, WA, in the Seattle area. The company is one of the largest tree nurseries in the Seattle area with over 120,000 trees available in over 300 varieties. They not only can deliver young trees but also mature trees in a wide range of sizes. Some types of trees available include spring flowering, deciduous, evergreen, and privacy trees. The company also does tree transplanting including large trees. Their blog can be seen at http://www.bigtreesupply.com/blog/ or http://arboristblog.com/