I have seen quite some damage to trees during last nights lightening storm. Did you know that you can storm proof your trees with the following 3 steps:
1. lightening protection – installing a lightening rod next to your tree will conduct the electricity away from the tree – not through it
2. Bracing of susceptible branches with tree bracing
3. Pruning to thin out the canopy. This reduces the sail effect, which allow wind to blow through rather than against the tree.
see our website for more details at Central Coast Tree Services.

We also offer 24 hour emergency tree service to the Central Coast Region of NSW.

Click here to see a video of  lightening hitting a tree

Depending on

Lightening struck tree

Why is there so much bark coming off my gum trees? Are they still healthy?

The growing season for most eucalypts is summer. When trees grow, they put on new sap wood on the outside and they expand. As a result most smooth bark eucalypts shed a lot of their bark in the summer months.

This bark shedding is called “decorticating” and is a normal thing to see, especially with smooth barked gum trees, such as Sydney Bluegum, Spotted Gum and Lemon Scented Gums.

Decorticating bark can be seen in many species all year round with long flakes of old bark seen hanging from the crowns of trees.

Most routine tree pruning such as removing weak, diseased or dead limbs can be carried out at any time of the year with little or no effect on the tree. As a guide, growth is maximized and wound healing is fastest if pruning is done before the spring growth occurs.

Heavy pruning of a tree, however, should be done before Spring time. During Spring, trees expend a great deal of energy producing new growth. Heavy pruning after this time can stress the tree.

Some climates, such as in parts of the tropics and Australia, dont have a distinct four seasons. So, when to prune then?
Prune in the dormant season if possible. This may be be the dry season in the tropics or winter other areas.

The best time to prune most deciduous trees is late autumn early winter, prior to new bud development.

Ideally have your local Arborist or tree service company provide a tree pruning program, so you can co-ordinate pruning at the most appropriate time.

A tree service generally provides the following facilities to their customers:

Advice on tree health and tree hazards – an Arborist Report, for example.

Expert tree climbing service. This can include anything thing to do with your tree, whether it be an aerial tree inspection service, installing bird or wildlife boxes, installing Christmas lights or just a quality, safe and efficient tree pruning or tree removal job.

Stump removal, this usually involves the use of a specialty piece of machinery – a stump grinder

Wood chipping, recycling of tree materials into garden products.

If you live or own property in the Central Coast of NSW, Gosford or Wyong Shires and require any of these tree services, please contact T&G – Tree and Garden Services for a free quote.

The cost of removing trees has gone down considerably in the past 10 years. 20 years ago Tree climbers were rare and it was a specialist industry. Now tree loppers are a dime a dozen, this is great for the consumer in many ways, but also means there are many unscrupulous operators out there.

The cost of removing a tree is dependent on theses factors:
Size of the tree.
Location of the tree, front yard or backyard, bush or urban
Integrity of the tree, is it hollow or defective.
Shape of the tree, a wide tree is more difficult to remove than a tall vertical tree.
Buildings, structures, feature gardens under the tree
Powerlines- the proximity to high voltage Powerlines will certainly increase the cost due to the extra control methods that need to be employed to do the job safely.
Access; good access to the base of the tree for machinery will make a job quicker.

Really it comes down to time and saftey. There is such a huge potential for disaster when working with trees, to property and people. No shortcuts can be taken when people’s lives are at risk. Please take this into consideration before you employ a tree worker or arborist to prune or remove your tree. Ask them to explain their work method and make sure you are comfortable with their attitude towards safety.
If you require a tree removal cost or tree pruning quotation on the Central Coast NSW, please contact us for free consultation.

Most tree removal on the Central Coast requires approval from either Gosford or Wyong Shire Councils. Care should be taken as both Councils have slightly different guidelines when it comes to working on their trees.

You can be working on eucalyptus species  tree pruning in Terrigal, then drive 5 minutes up the road and be pruning trees in Bateau Bay, where it is a whole different ball game. Bateau Bay East is identified as a particularly unique and vulnerable coastal environment, and to their credit, Wyong Council has done a great job of preserving this natural habitat.

Wyong Council has recently updated it’s Development Control Plan and tree works guidelines. Previously trees within 3 metres of a building were exempt from approval  providing they were not on the Councils endangered or keystone species list and were not located in sensitive areas such as Bateau Bay East.

Now all trees over 6 metres in height require approval for tree removal in Wyong, even if they are within 3 metres of a building. It should also be noted that endangered or keystone species, irrespective of height require Council approval for any works at all times. Exceptions to this rule are those trees identified as undesirable species. Be careful here as well, as some cultivars (cultivated varieties) of these undesirables are not classed as undesirables, even I have been caught out on this one once before.

The regulations are a bit of a mind field, you can find further documentation on this from Wyong Council or check out our tree service Central Coast page for Council approval forms and information. If you are still having trouble contact an Arborist or the Council officers directly.

I have heard people say, ” trees are no good unless you can grow something you can eat on them”

or “that tree is no good, it makes a mess with all its leaves over my roof and driveway”.

Sure, trees can also be hazardous, and tree roots can get into pipes and building footings, but I would like to focus today on some of the benefits of trees.

• Trees turn carbon dioxide into oxygen for us to breathe
• Trees provide shade
• Trees cool down surrounding areas by reducing reflected light
• Trees provide shelter in the form of wind breaks
• Trees reduce erosion of riverbanks and landscapes
• Trees are great for kids to climb around
• Trees provide food and habitat for native animals, insects and birds
• Trees provide privacy and screening
• Trees are green, a symbol of growth, regeneration, fertility and nature.
• Trees beautify our landscape, just look at new housing developments and see how stark and oppressed they seem compared to well established leafy suburbs surrounded by trees

Where would we be without trees? Plant a tree today, but plant the right tree. The right tree can provide all the benefits above for the cost of a few dollars. Seek some advice from an Arborist on which tree is best for your garden. If you live on the Central Coast, Gosford or Wyong Shires we offer this free tree service Consultation to our readers.

My tree is unbalanced, will it fall over? Can you do some tree pruning so it is more balanced?
This is a question I often get asked.
Sure, a tree may look unbalanced, but that is just our perception. We may percieve unbalance because there are more branches on one side than another.
It is a legitimate question though, particularly if part of the tree was lost or damaged in a storm or by mechanical (human)injury.
Truth be told, a tree does not balance itself by growing branches on one side then another. Branch growth is determined by sunlight. Look in nature. Trees growing on the edge of a forest, on the side of a cliff, next to a building, all look one sided, yet they are balanced.

How do they do this?
Part of this is due to the formation of tension and compression wood in the trunk and main branches. To simplify, wood cells growing under pressure grow differently from those under tension. The result is the side of the trunk supporting a heavier load grows compression wood, which acts like a support to hold that side of the tree up. The side of the trunk supporting negative weight (under tension) grows wood with fibers that resist that tension.

Certainly there are other factors to consider as to whether a tree is at risk of failing or falling over, such as, the degree of lean that a tree may have, soil type and structure, intergrity of the root zone and trunk defects such as cavities and hollows.

However, if your tree has been pruned a little too heavily on one side by the power company or by your neighbour, and it has a reasonably vertical trunk, it will most likely be ok from a balance point of view. Probably one of the worst things you could do to a tree that has lost a few limbs is to prune it more just for the sake of looking balanced.

Please call a suitably qualified and experienced arborist to have you tree assessed if you have concerns about your tree. If you are within 20kms of my area and you are after a Central Coast Tree Service, I will be happy to offer a free assessment to my readers.

Trees in nature don’t get pruned in a conventional manner. However they do still get pruned. They are pruned by nature, by storms, by wildlife, by bacteria and fungii. Weak branches and trees are blown over, infested or eaten by animals or microorganisms. Weak trees or branches do not survive in nature, that is natures way, it is how trees evolve.When pruning a tree we should aim to do the same.

In urban environments many trees are taken out of their natural habitat. They used to co-exist in protected forest communities.  They can now grow wider than they usually would in a forest situation and they can become thicker with foliage. They can become heavy and exposed to the wind. Trees in urban environments need to be maintained by us to protect not only our safety but also for  the health and longevity of the tree.

When pruning we should consider work in this order:

1. Firstly aim to improve structural strength, reduce end weight of heavy lateral limbs, remove branches with poor taper, remove or reduce branches or trunk sections with poor unions or attachments to the trunk. A strong tree is a safe tree.
2. Secondly we can look at removing wounded, dead, dying or diseased tree limbs or sections to prevent the spread of decay. A healthy tree is a safe tree.
3. Thirdly, we can now look at pruning the tree for amenity, to clear buildings and services, enhancing shape, views and beauty.
4. Lastly, we should look at pruning from a holistic approach. What happens when a tree branch breaks off from the wind in nature? It falls to the ground, decays and becomes food for the tree again. Tree pruning by humans should also be accompanied by similar fertilisation, by mulching the area around the tree after significant pruning works are carried out.

Tree branches should always be pruned back to the branch collar.

The branch collar is the area of  tissue around the base of the branch. It is usually identified by a distinct collar of built up wood around the branch base. Some tree species have more distinct collars than others.

The branch collar provides a physical and chemical boundary between the branch and the trunk which stops the spread of decay into the main trunk of a tree if a branch breaks off. Removal of this boundary opens the tree up to decay causing organisms which can be detrimental to tree health and human safety. See image below.

When pruning your tree, ensure that you always cut back to the collar and do not leave stubs. Dying branch stubs are also a food source for decay causing organisms. They are unsightly as well.

Correct pruning techniques require the correct tools. Secateurs or loppers will need to be used on smaller trees and shrubs, while a hand saw or powered chainsaw will be required for larger limbs. Always ensure than a slight under cut is made on larger branches. This will stop the bark from peeling down through the all important branch collar. See image below.

Please do not try this on large limbs yourself without the proper training or equipment. Call a professional Arborist for the best tree pruning or cutting advice.