Your trees seem to be leaning a bit more of late? After a good soaking rain you put in some standing water at the foot of your oaks? And when a storm makes its way through Lancaster, are you left to question if your trees will see out the season?
You would not be the only one with those concerns. We at CBC Lawn and Tree, LLC (CBC Tree Service) are in touch with homeowners and businesses in Lancaster, SC and environs on a daily basis. Call (803) 680-2239 and we will put you in conversation about what your trees are up against.
There is a particular strain put on trees in this part of South Carolina. With the dense clay beneath us and stormy weather above, our local trees have to contend with things a homeowner elsewhere would not consider. To have a healthy landscape and a safe property one has to come to terms with that.
The Hardship of Clay Soil
In Lancaster and towns in the vicinity such as Indian Land and Fort Mill the red clay is heavy and does not drain well. Over the course of years that can be a problem.
Once the storm is over the clay retains the water. Roots left to sit in such conditions will rot. Then there is the matter of compaction; it is not easy for roots to get a proper hold and spread in clay that packs down so readily.
We put in front of us these typical issues:
- A mature tree unsupported by shallow roots
- Root rot from water with nowhere to go
- Compacted soil robbing roots of nutrients
- Trees on a slant due to roots that did not take deep hold
- Canopies thinning out in a slow decline over a few seasons
More often than not you will not know of these troubles until the tree is in dire straits. From where you are standing a tree may appear sound while the root system is failing under ground.
Storms Exacerbate the Situation
Then there is the storm season. Already hard pressed by the clay, high winds and the like put a great deal of stress on a tree.
After days of rain the clay becomes soft and the ground gives up its grip. Should the wind come up a tree with shallow roots in wet clay will be uprooted. That accounts for the whole trees you find down after a storm as opposed to mere broken branches.
The damage is varied:
- Uprooted trees coming down on power lines or a fence
- Wind twisting diseased wood and splitting the trunk
- Limbs hanging in a dangerous fashion
- Branch unions that crack and give way weeks later
- A tree that leans a little further with every storm
Some of it is not so obvious. A limb might be cracked in half during a storm and yet hold fast for weeks. That is the kind of delayed hazard that makes an inspection by a professional advisable once the weather has been bad.
Do Not Overlook the Warning Signs
A tree will tell you before it goes. Being able to read them is good for your wallet and the safety of your family.
Look around your property for:
- An increase in the lean of a tree
- Cracking or heaving of the soil at the base
- Fungus or mushrooms at the root collar
- Deadwood in the upper canopy
- Cracks in the trunk or at the junction of large limbs
- Puddles about the roots that do not want to go
If you see any of the above, let someone have a look at it. You will be glad you did; it is much less costly to put right most problems than to wait for a tree to fall in on itself.
A Case for a Professional
While you can handle some of the work yourself, trained crews should be called in for root and storm damage or a tree that is not upright. As a licensed and insured operation, CBC Tree Service has the regional knowledge to know when a Lancaster tree is in jeopardy and whether it can be put back in order or must be removed.
Our service area covers Rock Hill, Camden, Kershaw, Ridgeway, Lesslie, Great Falls, as well as Indian Land and Fort Mill. And we are on hand 24/7 since a storm will not be patient for normal business hours.
For a free estimate and to ensure your property is in good order before the next big one comes along, get in touch with CBC Lawn and Tree, LLC at (803) 680-2239.