My neighbor in Sonoma has some beautiful trees, but a few of the limbs and branches are blocking views. I started wondering whether I was within my rights to trim some of those branches, given that they’re dangling over the fence and onto my property. Who better to ask than Darren Edwards, owner of Advanced Tree Service, a Diamond Certified company? According to Mr. Edwards, “You may have someone trim your tree without your neighbor’s permission. You’re allowed to go back to the property line. You can’t go over the property line. But so long as it doesn’t damage the tree’s health or integrity.” It’s also a good idea to discuss any limb trimming with your neighbor first, Read more

A professional arborist like James Cairnes, owner of a Small World Tree Company, a Diamond Certified company, believes that all pruning should preserve as much of the tree and look as natural as possible. Young trees need what’s called “formative pruning,” where you take out competing stems that could cause problems in the future. Directional pruning is also done on many types of trees, mainly to improve the structure and aesthetics of a tree.

Mr. Cairnes is often asked to help with view restoration. That means cutting off branches with the idea of balancing the homeowner’s view while maintaining the integrity of the trees. Sometimes fruit production is the goal for trimming and pruning, Read more

 
When was the last time you vacuumed under and behind your refrigerator? It’s amazing how much crud builds up back there, as I discovered while getting a start on my spring cleaning.  As I scrubbed away, I began thinking about the origin of this annual ritual.
 
The idea originated in China. The Chinese clean homes in anticipation of the New Year. A thorough cleaning eliminates bad luck and misfortune from the previous year. In Jewish custom, Passover, which comes around April, is a time of house cleaning as well. And when homes were heated with coal, wood and oils in the winter, families waited until spring to remove soot, ash, Read more

My neighbor in Sonoma has some beautiful trees, but a few of the limbs and branches are blocking the view. I started wondering whether I was within my rights to trim some of those branches, given that they’re dangling over the fence and onto my property. Who better to ask than Darren Edwards, owner of Advance Tree Service, a Diamond Certified company?  According to Mr. Edwards,  “You may have someone trim your tree without your neighbor’s permission. You’re allowed to go back to the property line. You can’t go over the property line. But so long as it doesn’t damage the tree’s health or integrity.” It’s also a good idea to discuss any limb trimming with your neighbor first, Read more