Living Christmas Trees in Florida

Those of us living in the Sunshine State really appreciate the warm weather, but Douglas Firs, the classic Christmas Tree, doesn't.

If you'd like to have a Christmas Tree growing in your yard here in Florida, the best option is probably the Southern, or Florida, Red Cedar.

They are cold hardy, but do well in Mid Florida as well. They have a conical shape and a deep green color.

They grow to about 40 feet tall.

Southern Red Cedars are salt tolerant as well.

Imagine one of these beauties decked out in Christmas lights bringing joy to your family and your neighbors.

In the off season, they are still beautiful on their own, and can be planted in rows for privacy and wind mitigation.

No matter what kind of tree you have in your yard, when you need tree service in our area, I recommend Mid Florida Tree Service.

Tree Trimming in East Pasco Florida

 Pasco County Tree Service

Tree Trimming and Pruning in East Pasco County Florida

(East of Suncoast Parkway)

Since 1976, Mid Florida Tree Service has served the Tampa Bay Region's arborist needs. That region includes the eastern part of Pasco County including Wesley Chapel, Crystal Springs, Zephyrhills and Land O' Lakes. 

Residents and businesses in Eastern Pasco rely on Mid Florida Tree Service for expert tree service. With Florida's strong weather, fallen limbs and broken or uprooted trees can be cause considerable trouble. Pruning trees can minimize that trouble Mid Florida Tree Service can help you before a storm hits, and help recover from storm damage.

Besides reducing storm damage, pruning and eliminating dead branches can make your trees more appealing as well as improve the overall health of your trees by discouraging wood destroying organisms.

Mid Florida Tree Services offers multiple tree care services in Eastern Pasco County including:

Removing cracked or dead branches

Cutting branches that would touch a house or other building

Root pruning to prevent damage to driveways & foundations

Trimming low hanging branches to raise the ceiling of the tree, promoting healthy growth

Treat for wood destroying organisms like bacteria, parasites and insects

Total tree removal, obtaining permits when needed, safe cutting of even the most dangerous trees, stump grinding to below grade (below the grass line) as well as site cleanup when the job is done.

Mid Florida Tree Service is ready to help with your East Pasco Tree Service needs.

Difficult Tree Removal

My client's site has an article on this topic that starts with a comment on lumberjacks, or whoever, chopping down a tree and yelling "Timber!". 

That  might be okay in the middle of the woods, but in your yard, near your house, or standing over your car, that's just not going to work.

What do I mean when I say a "Difficult Tree"?

Well, let's consider just a large tree. Often these will need to be brought down piece by piece. Sometimes using ropes to ensure the bits don't land on anything or anyone. Then, all that debris needs to be picked up and hauled away.

What about trees that are already damaged?

Whether it's from something like a lightning strike, disease or a wind storm, a damaged or leaning tree poses a risk of falling or dropping large branches. You don't want to be near these things without proper training and equipment.

Emergency Tree Removal

Emergency tree service is similar. If a tree has already fallen on you home, you don't want to make the situation worse or have anyone get hurt in the process.

Mid Florida Tree Service has the skills, experience and safety equipment to handle these difficult tree removal situations.

Give your new tree the best start!

 I've mentioned my Tree Service client on several blog posts before. People usually think about cutting and pruning, because that's a significant portion of the services offered by anyone involved in tree care.

Today, however, I want to talk about what to do when you get a new tree.

When planting a new tree, it's a good idea to consider what comes next to give your tree a healthy start in its new location.

Here are some things to think about for your young tree:

• Mulching
• Mulch is supposed to hold in moisture. Too much moisture around the trunk can be a problem though, so at least three inches should be open between the tree and the edge of the mulch. Otherwise, there may be rotting and serious damage to the tree.
• Put a layer of mulch about 2 to 4 inches thick around the tree.
• Mulch out to the tree's dripline.
• Watering
• There's no hard and fast rule about how much water to give a certain tree. Soil conditions and drainage will be a factor. Most importantly, the root ball should be kept moist, but not soaked. 
• Test the soil down to about 6 inches to see if it is staying moist. Add a few more gallons a week if needed, or reduce watering if it's too wet. Be aware of the amount of rain that's falling, so you can adjust as needed.
• Fertilizing
• Because our lawns are not left to nature, their nutrient composition isn't the same as a natural forest. Sometimes we need to give our trees a boost.
• Don't fertilize blind. Have a professional tree service like my client, Mid Florida Tree Service, do a soil analysis to determine the correct type and amount of fertilizer to use.
• Because our yards are covered in grass, a lot of surface fertilizer gets absorbed before it can get to the tree's roots. Ask about Deep Root Feeding when you talk to your tree care professional. 

• Pruning
• We typically think of pruning for mature trees that might have branches that are getting unweildy. Young trees may need a little help as well. Often there will be competition to become the main trunk. If more than one trunk is allowed to develop, it can lead to a weaker overall tree.
• The tree service professional or arborist will consider which branch is most likely to be the strongest and select the others to be pruned off.

My Client, Mid Florida Tree Service, has more information on this topic at the link above.