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 The winter solstice is almost here, which means it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! It’s time to wrap up in cozy blankets with mugs of hot chocolate by the fireplace, and of course, decorate the Christmas tree. But what is the winter solstice, and what does that mean for you? What is the Winter Solstice?There are two solstices every year – one in summer, and one in winter. The word “solstice” comes from the Latin word solstitium, and means “sun stands still.” A solstice occurs when the Earth’s axis, or tilt, is aligned with the sun. In the summer, that alignment means we have the longest day, or the most hours of sunlight. But in the winter, it means we have the longest night, or the most hours of darkness. In colder climates, the winter solstice is used to mark the middle of the cold season, and celebrated as midwinter. But in warmer climates, like here in Georgia, the solstice is more often considered the first day of winter.  Two First Days of WinterThis year, the winter solstice is on December 21st. But you probably noticed on your calendars that December 1st was marked as the first day of winter. So what gives? December 1st is considered the first day of winter in the meteorological world. People who study the climate and the weather divide the 12 months of the year into 4 equal sections so it’s easier to compare climate date over the years. The “winter” section of the meteorological calendar is December 1st to February 1st. But traditionally in cultures throughout the world and throughout time, the longest night of the year has been used to mark the changing of the seasons, be it the start or the middle. Winter is Here. What Now?No matter which “first” day of winter you choose, winter weather is undeniably upon us, which means there are a few arboreal best practices it’s time to revisit:  Look At Your Trees We know you’re spending less time outside in the cold, and more time inside where it’s warm, but it’s important to take a moment to look at the trees around your house this winter. Certain signs of decline can be more visible in the winter, when the leaves have dropped and bare branches are easier to see. Get An Assessment Even if you don’t see anything concerning, it’s still a good idea to have the trees around your home assessed by a Certified Arborist. What looks like a healthy pine tree to you might be a fall risk with all the wind and rain we can expect this season! Save Some Money! The colder seasons are often the slow seasons for tree care, which means it’s actually a great time to get your tree care needs scheduled! The slow seasons of course means less wait time between getting a quote and actually getting your work done, but it can also mean better prices as companies try to fill their calendars. If you’re in the Athens, Georgia area, give Classic City Arborists a call to schedule an assessment and get a free quote! AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has worked with Classic City Arborists for the last 5 years. In addition to handling administrative tasks and customer communication (she’s the voice you’ll hear on the phone!), Emily is an experienced copywriter, editor, and storyboard consultant. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.
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Like most tree companies, the majority of calls we get from customers involve pretty big, obvious tree concerns: a pine down in a storm, a big limb with all dead leaves that hangs close to the house, or a sweetgum that drops gumballs all over the driveway. These kinds of noticeable problems are an important part of the work that we do, but it’s also important to have the trees that you don’t notice looked at, too. Why do I need regular tree assessments?When you feel sick, or you fall and break your arm, you of course go to the doctor. But you also go to the doctor for check-ups even when you’re feeling fine, just to make sure everything is working the way it should. Your trees need the same: regular check-ups to make sure nothing is wrong that you can’t see. What might look like a perfectly healthy tree to the average person could actually be at a high risk of failure, with signs only a trained arborist is likely to spot. A perfect example of this would be a tree we removed last month. Take a look at the stump:  The inside is entirely hollow. The tree’s structural integrity was shot, and it could have failed at any time. Now take a look at the outside:  If you don’t know what you’re looking for, this seems like a pretty healthy tree. That small cavity at the base, a fairly normal occurrence that’s easy to overlook, is the only sign that something might be wrong. Our Certified Arborist, Scott, spotted this cavity and knew it could mean more serious issues were at play. Further investigation and testing revealed the hollow interior, and so we removed the tree as soon as possible. How does a tree assessment work?Our regular estimate appointments are customer-led. This means that, when our Certified Arborist, Scott, comes out to take a look, you’ll walk around together and point out to him the concerns you have or the work you’d like done. He’ll let you know what the options are, and whatever you discuss, he’ll write you a quote for. Of course, if he sees any glaring concerns that you don’t mention, he’ll point them out and can add them to your quote if you’d like. An assessment, on the other hand, doesn’t necessarily have to be customer-led. While Scott is happy to meet and walk around with you, especially if you do have any specific concerns, he can also take a look on his own. He’ll wander your property to examine all the trees near important structures, like your house, your driveway, your shed, or your kid’s swing set. Any tree within striking distance of persons and/or property gets the once-over. An assessment also doesn’t necessarily end in a quote. Once he’s looked at everything, Scott will send you an email report of his findings. This could be a short “everything looks great!” or it could be a longer list of concerns. The report will include important information like how urgent the concerns are, and what the recommendation would be for each, whether that’s pruning or removal, monitoring, or some kind of tree health care. After reviewing the report, if you’d like to get a quote for any of the items listed, we will of course write one up! How often should I have my trees assessed?Our usual recommendation is to have an assessment once a year. After your first, Scott will note if there are any trees with concerns that should be checked on sooner than a year and include that recommendation in his report. If you’d like to schedule an assessment, give us a call today! AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has worked with Classic City Arborists for the last 5 years. In addition to handling administrative tasks and customer communication (she’s the voice you’ll hear on the phone!), Emily is an experienced copywriter, editor, and storyboard consultant. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.  As you probably already know, in late September of 2024, Hurricane Helene struck our humble state of Georgia. The deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland since Katrina in 2005, Helene claimed over 250 lives and wrought an estimated $78 billion in damages. In the days, weeks, and even months following the storm, most of Georgia was in crisis mode, desperately trying to clear debris and retrieve the injured. Thankfully, our little Athens area was largely unaffected. This allowed us here at Classic City Arborists, along with many other local tree service companies, to spend multiple weeks travelling to neighboring communities (even going so far as North Carolina!) to assist with tree-related clean-up. Long-Term ImpactIt’s been a year, now, since this disaster struck, and Southeast is still feeling the aftershocks. The agriculture industry saw major losses to 2024’s crops, including cotton, vegetable, and pecans, causing shortages throughout the year. Many pecan orchards were partially or entirely blown away, destroying decades of work and investment in one fell swoop. Recovery for impacted farms and orchards are still ongoing, and shortages continue. The poultry industry also saw millions in chicken houses ruined, and even the dairy industry felt the effects with lower milk production due to rainwater saturation. Timber Supply ChainUnsurprisingly, the timber industry was devastated. An estimated 1.5 million acres of timberland were damaged, and the overall economic impact to the industry is estimated by the UGA Cooperative Extension as at least $2.65 billion. This reduce in supply, of course, increases the cost of the final product, which we’re starting to see in the rising cost of everything from lumber to paper. But that’s just the direct impact of damage from Helene. The timber industry saw more tragedies than just the hurricane in the last year, namely the closure of four major paper and pulp mills.  In addition to the direct loss of over 1,600 jobs, careers down the line from loggers to truck drivers to small business owners have taken hits due to these closures. Loggers are finding it nearly impossible to return to their standards of sale pre-Helene without these major mills to purchase their product. In turn, they require less truckers to transport that product. This reduce in supply could further increase the cost of all wood-based goods down the line, from 2x4s to paper towels. And with loggers harvesting less wood to compensate for the lack of mills willing to take their product, landowners are uncertain that the investment needed to replant will return anything at all. To put it simply, the entire timber industry in Georgia is still struggling over a year after the initial devastation of Hurricane Helene. There’s HopeThe state of things is certainly dire, but that doesn’t mean it’s hopeless. Every industry impacted by Helene has rallied in the wake of tragedy, coming together with the dedication and determination humanity always displays in times of crisis. Even the timber industry’s future isn’t bleak despite the current state of things. The Georgia Forestry Association is looking at a variety of options for expansion, to provide jobs for those impacted by mill closures and to revitalize the industry itself. AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has worked with Classic City Arborists for the last 5 years. In addition to handling administrative tasks and customer communication (she’s the voice you’ll hear on the phone!), Emily is an experienced copywriter, editor, and storyboard consultant. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.  It’s finally Fall! As you wander through the festivals and enjoy the cooler weather, you may notice an abundance of acorns on the ground this year in addition to crispy leaves. While acorns are a common autumn occurrence, you aren’t imagining things: there’s definitely a lot more of them than usual! That’s because in Georgia this year, white oaks are masting. It’s a mast year! What is Masting?Masting is a coordinated event where all the trees of a given species in the same area will produce an unusually large bounty of their nuts, seeds, or fruit. This abundant crop is called a ‘bumper crop’ and is synchronized locally every 2 to 5 years, depending on the species. A mast year is just a year in which a certain species goes through masting. Why Do Trees Mast?Growing fruiting bodies that can reproduce is a heavily taxing process for any plant species. There’s only so much energy to go around, and a lot of that has to be spent on keeping the tree alive. That means that most trees only produce enough fruiting bodies in any given year to satisfy the local wildlife population that eats their crop. Only a small percentage is left over a given the chance to actually grow into new plants. While this is functional enough for any species to continue, the goal is not just to survive, but to multiply. And so, some species developed masting as a clever way to help along the reproduction side of things without overextending themselves into extinction.  Every few years, these species produce their bumper crop of fruiting bodies, an amount much higher than the local wildlife population could hope to get through. This guarantees a larger percentage of seeds or nuts that get the chance to grow into new plants, helping boost the species’ population. Of course, the amount of energy required to do this is exponential, which is why they don’t go around masting every single year. Instead, they save up their stores for a few years and use it all up at once in a mast year. How Do Trees Mast?The process of growing extra fruiting bodies is fairly straightforward, and even the cyclical nature of doing so every few years is a pretty common phenomenon in nature. But the part of masting that still leaves us stumped today is the synchronized bit. If all trees of the same species, regardless of location, were on roughly the same masting schedule, then we would know that the event is dictated by, essentially, a biological clock. The time between mast years would be dictated by evolutionary pressures in the species’ past. But mast year schedules of any given tree species vary from location to location. That means that all the trees of a particular species in one area are, somehow, communicating with each other. There’s plenty of theories out there about how they do this (things like electrical signals sent through underground fungal networks, for example), but as of now, we have no definitive understanding of this process. Which just means we still have so much to learn! What Are the Effects of Masting?One of the main effects of masting is, of course, an increase in population for the species that masts. In the years following the bumper crop, a much larger number of that species will take root and grow.  Another effect of masting, however, is the benefit to wildlife. In a normal year in prime conditions, the ecosystem supports the local wildlife’s population. But conditions are not always prime, and sometimes unexpected circumstances can impact a species’ population. For example, a severe storm might wash away some food supply, and flood nests or burrows, hurting the population. Masting of course helps boost the tree species’ population, but also provides an abundance of food that can help boost listing wildlife populations, keeping the entire ecosystem in balance. AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has worked with Classic City Arborists for the last 5 years. In addition to handling administrative tasks and customer communication (she’s the voice you’ll hear on the phone!), Emily is an experienced copywriter, editor, and storyboard consultant. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.  Leyland Cypresses are a beautiful evergreen tree, used widely both by professionals and homeowners to decorate landscapes and offer privacy. You’ve probably seen them in rows as a privacy fence in your neighborhood, or even at your local Christmas tree farm! What Is a Leyland Cypress?The Leyland Cypress (X Cupressocyparis leylandii) is a hybrid coniferous evergreen tree. A hybrid is a cross between two other species: in this case, the Nootka false cypress (Chamaecyparis nootkantensis) and the Monterey cypress (Cupressocyparis macrocarpa). As a hybrid, most Leyland Cypresses are sterile, which means they don’t produce seeds that can then grow into other trees. To propagate them, nurseries and other sellers and farmers must use cuttings. Leylands grow in a pyramid- or cone-like shape, and can reach heights of 60 to 70 feet, with spreads between 15 to 25 feet. They’re fast growers, too, and on average, will add about 4 feet to their height and 2 to 3 feet to their width every year until they reach that full size. They usually live 15 to 20 years before naturally dying out. The leaves of the Leyland Cypress are more similar to needles than leaves, and grow in thin, short layers resembling scales. They range from a rich green to a darker blue-green depending on the cultivar. Their sterile seeds are found in small cones about 2 cm in length. These cones begin green, fade to brown with maturity, and eventually dry out, turning gray before they fall.  Leyland Cypress trees like full sun to thrive, which means they need 6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day. This makes them good candidates for creating borders where you otherwise have little to no trees, as they won’t have to worry about shade taking away from their sunlight hours. What Makes Leyland Cypresses Popular?Leyland Cypresses are a popular landscape choice largely due to their quick growth. These trees are relatively hardy, and require little up-front maintenance. You can plant a row of them and within a couple years have a fully-functional privacy fence or border. Their classic pyramid shape and rich green needles make them visually appealing and easy to incorporate into any landscape. The classic shape and quick growth make them a popular choice of Christmas tree, especially for “choose and cut” farms that plant rows of trees and allow customers to come cut down their own. Most people want a tree that’s 5 to 8 feet tall, which means farmers only need a year or two of growth from a Leyland Cypress to have a sellable product. Planting Considerations for Leyland CypressesWhen planting a Leyland Cypress (or a privacy fence of Leyland Cypresses), there are a few important things to keep in mind if you want a happy, healthy tree. 1. Growth Rate This might seem obvious, considering their quick growth rate is a major factor in why homeowners and landscapers choose to plant Leyland Cypresses in the first place. But it’s all-too-easy to underestimate just how much space a fully-grown Leyland will take up, which means it’s all-too-easy to plant it too close to something, whether that’s another Leyland in a row designed as a privacy fence, or your house or driveway. A Leyland too close to other trees will start competing for space, and the losers will suffer and may even die. A Leyland too close to structures might start growing branches over your roof, or digging roots into your foundation.  2. Depth One of the most common mistakes we see with Leyland Cypresses is trees that were planted either too deep in the ground, or not deep enough. If the root collar is buried, the tree can suffocate. But if the root ball is too shallow, the tree won’t establish well, and might get blown over in a summer storm. The best practice is to dig out a hole that is 3 to 4 times larger than the diameter of the root ball, and only as deep as the root ball is tall. When covering the root ball, make sure the root collar is exposed. 3. Soil Drainage Leyland Cypresses are fairly hardy, but require well-drained soil to thrive. They don’t like wet feet! The easiest way to encourage drainage is to use some kind of ground cover, like mulch, to help control moisture levels. AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has worked with Classic City Arborists for the last 5 years. In addition to handling administrative tasks and customer communication (she’s the voice you’ll hear on the phone!), Emily is an experienced copywriter, editor, and storyboard consultant. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.  It’s September! The heat is finally starting to give, signaling the beginning of fall. Cooler weather means it’s about time for the beautiful colors of the seasons as the leaves start changing. Just like with summer, there are technically two “first days” of fall. The meteorological first day, which passed us on September 1st, is determined by meteorologists, who divide the year into four neat seasons so it’s easier to compare climate data between years. But culturally and historically, the true “first day of fall” is actually the Autumn Equinox. What’s an equinox?There are two equinoxes each year: the vernal equinox in spring, and the autumnal equinox in fall. “Equinox” comes from the Latin aequus, meaning “equal,” and nox, meaning “night.” The name refers to one of two days each year when we have about the same amount of daylight as we do darkness – that is, about 12 hours each. This happens when neither of Earth’s hemispheres is tilted more towards the sun than the other. After an equinox, the Earth’s axis continues its pattern, and one hemisphere will begin to tilt towards the sun while the other tilts away. In the fall, our Northern hemisphere is the one tilting away, which means we’ll start to see less sunlight each day, making the days “shorter.” When is the Autumn Equinox?This year (2025), the autumnal equinox is on September 22nd. What does that mean for me?The start of fall means we should finally start to see some cooler weather, though of course, here in Georgia we know all about false fall. But overall, temperatures are going to trend downwards.  That means all the usual fall pleasures are almost here, like pumpkin spice lattes and corn mazes and cozy nights by the fireplace. Washington Farms will open soon, and there will be plenty of fun fall events to go to, like the UGA Botanical Gardens 14th Annual Native Plant Sale on October 2nd, or the Oconee County Fall Festival on October 18th. The leaves are going to start dropping, so soon it’ll be time to break out the rakes. While you’re out there, keep an eye on your trees – as the branches get bare, it’s easier to spot signs of decline that might be cause for concern! And even though things are cooling down, there’s still plenty of time to get working on that garden. Check out our article on what you can plant in the fall. AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has worked with Classic City Arborists for the last 5 years. In addition to handling administrative tasks and customer communication (she’s the voice you’ll hear on the phone!), Emily is an experienced copywriter, editor, and storyboard consultant. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio. Georgia’s weather is notoriously fickle, but in these hottest summer months, we know to expect frequent storms. Heavy rains, booming thunder, and of course, flashing lightning. The winds and water are enough to cause tree failure, of course, but the lightning is an oft-overlooked threat. Why Does Lightning Strike Trees?
What Happens When A Tree is Struck by Lightning?
When Should I Worry?There’s plenty of damage lightning can cause that’s perfectly visible – flying bark, broken branches, fire. But lightning often causes significant internal damage that compromises the tree’s structural integrity. Lightning is also incredibly damaging to the tree’s root system. This can lead to full tree failure.
It’s also important to have your tree assessed as soon as possible after the strike. The longer you wait, the worse that internal damage can get. This increases the threat the tree poses to your home and family, and it can also make the removal process more difficult and more dangerous, which could cost you more in the long run. Is Removal the Only Option?We’ve stressed the dangers of a lightning-damaged tree, because they can pose a serious threat to surrounding persons and property. But just because a tree was struck by lightning doesn’t automatically mean it will have to be removed. Trees are resilient. Depending on the level of damage, they may be able to recover on their own, or with some assistance (such as pruning, fertilizer, etc). But it’s always best to have a Certified Arborist assess the tree to make that call. If you’ve had a tree struck by lightning, don’t wait! Contact Classic City Arborists in the Athens, Georgia area today to schedule a free quote! AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has worked with Classic City Arborists for the last 5 years. In addition to handling administrative tasks and customer communication (she’s the voice you’ll hear on the phone!), Emily is an experienced copywriter, editor, and storyboard consultant. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.  If you’ve ever dealt with home insurance, then you know how frustrating the claims and indemnity process can be. And when there’s the pressure of a tree sitting on your house, that process becomes even more stressful. To help make things less overwhelming, here are a few tips and important points to keep in mind. Don’t Delay – Call Today!If a tree or a branch falls on your house, you’ll need to make some calls. The most important call if anyone is injured is always 911 – your first priority is making sure the people in your home are taken care of. But your second call should be to your insurance. This is both to notify them of the damage as quickly as possible, and also to check for any requirements you’ll need to fulfil to ensure the damage is covered. Depending on the situation, the adjuster may want ‘before’ pictures of the area, or they may even need to come out and take a look at it themselves. Of course, in more severe and urgent situations, your insurance will understand the need to get the problem taken care of immediately, and may waive or alter their requirements to ensure no further damage is caused. Once you’ve notified your insurance, then it’s time to call a Certified Arborist. Most tree service companies prioritize emergencies, so unless a large storm causes a high volume of emergency work all at once, they should be able to fit you in pretty quickly. Common MisconceptionsThere are a lot of assumptions out there about what your insurance will cover, or what they might require in order to cover something. Here are a few misconceptions we’d like to debunk: 1. You need your insurance’s permission to remove a tree from your house . In an emergency situation, it’s much more important to get the dangerous tree off your house than it is to wait for your insurance to send an agent to your house to look things over. That said, we always recommend contacting your insurance as soon as possible to at the very least notify them of the situation. 2. Insurance only covers removing the part of the tree touching the house. It’s true that insurances often want to minimize costs when funding the removal of a fallen tree, so there’s this idea that they’ll only pay for taking care of what’s actively causing damage to the home. But insurances usually understand that getting debris off a structure can be incredibly complicated, and sometimes the easiest and safest way to remove a tree involves removing the whole thing. That’s why it’s important to get a Certified Arborist involved, to assess the situation and determine the best course of action. If your insurance is skeptical or reluctant to cover the full removal, most arborists should be willing to write a letter to or even speak directly with your insurance agent to explain the situation. 3. Insurance only covers damage to your home.  While it’s called “home insurance,” never assume your policy only covers your physical house. Many policies extend coverage to things like mailboxes and address posts, or even sprinkler systems and landscape lighting. Depending on the package you chose, your shed or fence might be covered too! Even if you read through your policy and don’t think something is covered, it’s worth the call to your insurance to double-check. 4. Stump grinding is never covered by insurance. Stump grinding is generally considered an aesthetic preference as opposed to a necessity, which is why most people assume it’s not covered by their insurance. But trees don’t always break at some point up the trunk. Sometimes, the root system fails, and the entire root ball lifts up out of the ground. This tangled mess of roots can lift up and break through a nearby fence, your patio, or even your underground utilities. Assuming the damage is to a covered structure, the removal of the root ball and grinding of the stump would likely be included in the repair process. So there you have it! Hopefully, these tips and debunked misconceptions will help ease some of the stress when it comes to emergency tree removals. If you’re in the Athens or Watkinsville, Georgia area and would like to get a quote, whether for an emergency tree removal or a routine pruning, contact Classic City Arborists today to schedule your free estimate! AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has worked with Classic City Arborists for the last 5 years. In addition to handling administrative tasks and customer communication (she’s the voice you’ll hear on the phone!), Emily is an experienced copywriter, editor, and storyboard consultant. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.  Whether it’s a tree that’s been sheared to allow clearance for power lines, or a poor crepe myrtle that’s been “murdered,” we’ve all seen the unfortunate realities of tree topping. But what’s so bad about it? And why, when the practice is pretty universally looked down on in the arboricultural world, is it still happening? What is Tree Topping?Tree topping, also known as heading, stubbing, or dehorning, is the practice of drastically removing some or all of the large branches of a mature tree. Though "top" is in the name, the removed branches can come from any part of the canopy. They may be cut all the way back to the base, or they may just be chopped off at whatever point is needed to achieve a particular goal (like clearing way for utilities, removing visual obstruction, or even just reducing overall height to a certain range).  Why is Tree Topping Bad?Obviously, trees need their leaves to survive. But you might not realize that, in order for a tree to thrive, it actually maintains a certain crown-to-root ratio designed to ensure it obtains enough nutrients both from photosynthesis and from the ground to support itself. The exact ratio will depend on the species, age, and size of the tree, but every tree has one. Tree topping drastically upsets that ratio by removing a significant portion of the crown, thereby removing a significant portion of how the tree obtains nutrients. Not to mention its reserves for harder times! With large sections of foliage removed, the tree will attempt to regrow that foliage through new growth shoots. These smaller, upright “water sprouts” are delicate and more susceptible to disease, which can easily spread to the rest of the tree. They also grow densely clustered together, disrupting the tree’s natural growth pattern. This can be unsightly, of course, but also creates an imbalance in distribution that can lead to structural failure later in the tree’s life.  On top of decimating a tree’s ability to gather nutrients, tree topping also exposes the tree to a variety of potentially devastating circumstances. The main problem is the wounds left behind from each cut. Normally, the tree would close, callus, or otherwise seal off the injury to prevent things like insects, fungi, and other decay from setting in. But when a large branch is fully cut off, the tree will no longer send nutrients to that branch, since there’s no foliage to support. Without those nutrients, the wound won’t close, and the injury will remain vulnerable to pests and decay that can easily spread to the rest of the tree. Another concern is sun damage. When the normal canopy is removed, the remaining branches and trunk are left without protection from the sun and may get the tree equivalent of sunburnt! If It’s So Bad… Why Is It Still Happening? As we mentioned, tree topping usually happens when trees grow too close to power lines or other utilities. In these kinds of public spaces, cost-effectiveness is usually prioritized over any individual tree’s wellbeing. Selective pruning, while better for the tree, is often more difficult and time-intensive (and therefore more expensive) than just using a pole saw to hack away the offending branches. Fully removing the tree can also be more time-intensive and expensive, which is why the topping option is chosen. Trees are also topped in situations where they are obstructing a view or casting shade where shade is not wanted. In such cases, selective pruning wouldn’t necessarily solve the problem the way that topping does, and so it won’t be chosen. Most homeowners that choose to have a tree topped are either trying to get some sun on their garden, or are worried that the tree in question is too tall and poses a threat to their home. They likely don’t even realize that topping is such a bad thing! That’s why we always recommend having your tree work needs reviewed by a Certified Arborist – someone who can warn you of the dangers, and recommend practices that can help you achieve your goals without hurting your trees! Have a tree you’d like pruned? Contact Classic City Arborists today to schedule a free quote! AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has worked with Classic City Arborists for the last 5 years. In addition to handling administrative tasks and customer communication (she’s the voice you’ll hear on the phone!), Emily is an experienced copywriter, editor, and storyboard consultant. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.  Phew, it’s getting hot outside! The first day of summer was June 1st, so the warmest season is finally upon us. But the summer solstice, also considered the first day of summer, isn’t until June 21st. So what gives? What is the Summer Solstice?The word “solstice” comes from the Latin solstitium, which means “sun stands still.” There are two solstices a year – one in summer, and one in winter. Both solstices are days when the Earth’s axis, or tilt, is aligned with the sun. In the winter, that alignment means we have the longest night, or the most hours of darkness. In the summer, it means we have the longest day, or the most hours of sunlight! In more temperate climates, the summer solstice is used to mark the middle of the season, and celebrated as Midsummer. In warmer climates, like here in Georgia, the solstice is often considered the first day of summer.  But what about June 1st, then? Two First Days of SummerYou’ve probably heard that June 1st is the first official day of summer. In fact, you’ve probably seen it marked on calendars and announced by news anchors. This is because meteorologists divide the 12 months of the year into 4 equal seasons. They do this to make compiling and comparing climate data over the years easier to comprehend. The meteorological summer season is June 1st through August 31st. But traditionally, and across a variety of cultures in warmer climates, the solstice has been seen as the real first day of summer. Summer Is Here. So What Now?Either way you view it, the 1st or the 21st, summer is here. There are lots of things to keep in mind as we move into the hottest months of the year. First, while the spring planting season is over, that doesn’t mean you can’t still get out in the garden! There’s a host of things you can plant during the hotter months. Check out our article on What to Plant This Summer to learn more. Second, and most importantly, we’ve already talked about impending summer storms. While hurricanes don’t usually reach us, they do tend to send lots of rain and heavy winds our way, which can easily topple a compromised tree. It’s important to keep your eyes on your trees this time of year, and our blog post on signs of decay can help you identify potential problem trees that may pose a higher fall risk. If you do see something concerning, or even something you just aren’t sure about, it’s best to call a Certified Arborist immediately.  If you do, remember this is the busy season for your local tree services and certified arborists. In the summer, everyone is spending more time outside, looking at their trees, and calling their local arborists. We’re all working hard to get to everyone in a timely manner, usually while prioritizing emergency storm damage to keep customers and the community safe. Whether you reach out to us here at Classic City Arborists, or another qualified tree service in the area, please be patient. Together, we’ll makes sure your tree needs are taken care of. Interested in scheduling a free quote? Contact us today to schedule an appointment! AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has worked with Classic City Arborists for the last 5 years. In addition to handling administrative tasks and customer communication (she’s the voice you’ll hear on the phone!), Emily is an experienced copywriter, editor, and storyboard consultant. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio. |
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23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24
24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24