Practical guides to trees, permits, costs and storm damage in Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley.
Ice can multiply the weight of a branch by ten to a hundred times, and trees break at their joints rather than in the middle of sound wood. What to check on an Ottawa property before freeze-up, and the three things we would not do.
Thinning Your Spruce Will Not Stop Wet Snow. Here Is What Actually Fails. Read More »
If the branch is in the main line on the poles, Hydro Ottawa trims it for free. If it is in the wire that runs to your house, that one is yours. Here is who to call, in what order.
Tree Touching a Power Line in Ottawa: Whose Job Is It? Read More »
Thousands of free trees are going into Ottawa yards this year, and the tree is the cheap part. Where to actually put one — the hydro clearances, how far back from the house, and the species we would not plant.
Ottawa Is Giving Away Trees. Here Is Where Not to Plant One. Read More »
Most of a mature tree’s roots are in the top 15 to 60 cm of soil — right where a trencher goes. What driveway, patio and utility work actually cuts, how much root loss a tree survives, and why the damage usually shows up years later.
Cutting Tree Roots in Ottawa: The Driveway Job That Kills a Tree Three Years Later Read More »
Mushrooms growing out of the trunk or root flare mean wood is being decayed. Mushrooms in the lawn nearby usually mean nothing. Here is how to tell the difference, what each of the common ones looks like, and when it is worth a phone call.
Mushrooms at the Base of Your Tree in Ottawa: Which Ones Actually Matter Read More »
CFIA guidance keeps elms unpruned from April 1 to September 30, and oaks should wait until December. Here is the pruning calendar we actually work to in Ottawa, and why September is the month to skip.
When to Prune Trees in Ottawa — And Why September Is the Wrong Answer Read More »
After the wettest summer on record, saturated ground holds a tree far less well than dry ground does. How to tell a lean the tree has adapted to from a root plate that is pulling out — and what to do about each.
Leaning Tree in Ottawa: How to Tell a Settled Lean From One That Is Failing Read More »
Nobody in Ontario needs a licence to run a tree company. Here are the two documents that actually tell you who you are dealing with, how to verify them yourself, and the ten-day cancellation right on anything you sign at your door.
Hiring a Tree Service in Ottawa: The Two Pieces of Paper to Ask For Read More »
Tar spot and anthracnose are on half the maples in the city after the wettest summer Ottawa has ever recorded. Here is how to tell them apart, why the leaves are the least of it, and what saturated ground means for your trees this fall.
The first ten minutes matter more than the next ten days. What is genuinely dangerous, what can wait, who to call first, and how to avoid the two mistakes that turn a tree problem into an emergency-room problem.
After the Storm: What to Do With a Fallen or Split Tree in Ottawa Read More »
