Category: Services

5 Reasons Why You Need a Professional Tree Felling Service

There comes a time in every home owner’s life when they need to get rid of a problematic tree. It may seem easy just to grab your chainsaw and cut it down, but you shouldn’t do that. Tree felling is a difficult task that is best left to the professionals. While it may seem easy to do it yourself, a simple mistake can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage.

Here are five reasons why you need to call a professional tree felling service to help you remove unwanted trees.

1. Property Damage

Chances are you don’t have proper insurance to cover any damage you cause should a tree fall onto your neighbor’s house or property. A professional tree felling service does.

But more importantly.

They have the necessary experience too. They understand how to cut a tree, how to ensure that it doesn’t cause any damage, and the insurance to cover any accidents that do happen. It’s worth paying a little extra to protect yourself from potential headaches.

2. Your Safety Matters

Tree felling isn’t as simple as standing behind the tree and cutting. There is a distinct technique and approach that you need to follow to do it right. It’s no secret that trees are heavy. The smallest mistake can lead to severe injuries, and even death.

You don’t want to be responsible for injuring someone because you tried to cut your own tree down. Leave that task to the professionals who make a living out of tree felling.

3. Experience

Tree felling involves more than just cutting a tree. You need to go into it with a plan. There’s more to it than just cutting the tree at the base and letting it fall. Some larger trees may need to be cut down in segments. A professional tree felling service is experienced and knows how to handle these types of trees.

They will provide you with an accurate quote, explain the process, how they plan to remove and dispose of the tree, and they will even offer to remove the stump for you. Don’t underestimate how valuable experience is when it comes to removing unwanted trees.

4. They Remove Everything

There’s more to tree felling than just removing the tree itself. If you want the job to be done right, you need to grind and remove the stump. You likely don’t have the proper equipment to do this. A professional tree feller does. They have a specialized stump grinder that can remove the stump entirely, a wood chipper for grinding up the chopped segments of the tree, and a flatbed truck for disposal.

If you want to do the job right, it’s important that you remove the stump to enable grass to grow in the area where the tree was removed.

5. Package Deals

Do you need tree felling for more than one tree on your property? Professional tree cutters often offer discounts if you hire them to cut multiple trees at once.

Why is that?

The answer is simple. Whether a tree removal company is cutting one tree or many, they need to bring all of their equipment to the job. It’s in their interest to make that trip worthwhile. You will have to pay more to cut multiple trees, but you will likely get a better per tree price.

If you need to have multiple trees cut at once, make sure to let your tree cutting company know when you are asking for a quote.

Harmony Tree Services – Professional Tree Felling

Harmony Tree Services has been providing professional tree felling, landscaping, and related services to clients in Allentown, Emmaus, Bethlehem, and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania for many years.

Don’t make the mistake of trying to cut your trees on your own. Give us a call at 610-966-4142 for a tree felling quote. We can easily remove your trees quickly and reliably.

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LandscapingServices

4 Things Your Landscaping Service Can Do for You In the Winter

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You take pride in your lawn. After all, you’ve worked all summer to keep it looking nice, or you contracted your favorite landscaping service to keep things in order. When the winter weather sets in, it may seem easy just to leave your lawn be until springtime. But there are still many things you can have your landscaping service do.

Here are five things you should get your landscaping company to do during the winter.

1. Trim Your Shrubs, Trees, and Hedges

Many people try and trim their shrubs, trees, and hedges during the summer time. While this may be the most common time this task occurs, it’s often easier to maintain them during the winter months.

Why is that exactly?

In the winter months, those trees, shrubs, and hedges will have shed all of their leaves. This alone makes it easy for you to prune and trim them so they can grow even healthier in the summer months. Remember, it’s always recommended you work with a professional landscaping service when it comes to pruning and trimming. A simple mistake can severely harm your plants.

2. Remove Leaves and Debris (Before Heavy Snowfall)

Leaves and debris are the enemies of your lawn. When you leave leaves and debris on your lawn, it stunts the growth of your grass. You should take the time to remove them during the fall, that way your grass will grow in healthy and lush in the summer.

You may have to rake several times during the fall, as certain trees can take a reasonable amount of time to lose all of their leaves. If you dread the thought of raking, ask your landscaping service to take care of it for you. Many companies will offer several other value-added services like tree trimming and pruning that can be combined with basic maintenance packages.

3. Prep for a New Lawn Design (Before Freezing)

If you’re planning to install a new flower bed, mulch, or some other set piece, it’s best you get your landscaping service to remove anything that you are looking to get rid of. Once the frost sets in, it’s extremely difficult to remove deeply rooted plants, trees, and other things that you want to be cleared for your new landscaping feature.

4. Repair Broken Decks and Patios

If your deck and patio are damaged, they may collapse during a heavy snowfall. We recommend you repair your deck and patio before winter arrives. While it may not seem that important, it’s always easier to fix your deck than it is to build a new one.

A landscaping service can help you repair your deck and patio, as well as assess your irrigation systems for cracks, and check the condition of your stone and concrete walkways.

Looking for a Winter Landscaping Service?

Harmony Tree Services has been providing landscaping services to clients throughout the Allentown, Emmaus, Bethlehem, and surrounding areas for several years.

If you are interested in our landscaping, tree removal, lawn maintenance, or winter services, feel free to contact us at 610-966-4142. We can help you with all your landscaping needs.

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ServicesTree and Tree Stump Removal

The Twisted Saga of Tree Root Damage to Your Yard: How To Protect Your Trees and Avoid Root Damage

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Roots are a critical part of a tree’s health and lifecycle. When neglected, unhealthy roots can lead to the need for complete tree removal. Too often roots are left ignored underground. Root health can have a significant impact on the overall health of a tree. While tree removal services are readily available, proper maintenance and care can extend the lives of trees everywhere when done properly.

Tree roots can extend two to three times further than the tree’s branches, creating a potential space issue for those planting and managing the trees. While most root systems are found anywhere from 18” to 24” underground, the size and length of tree roots can differ greatly from species to species. In some cases, the roots of trees can grow to an immense size at the surface level, creating a hazardous situation for both the tree itself and those around it.

From playing children to low-cutting lawn mowers, there are many different hazards that can have a damaging effect on the root system and overall health of any tree. The following are some of the most common hazards to consider when planting or protecting a tree:

Animals

All animals interact with trees in different ways. When it comes to root damage, dogs capable of digging can be the most dangerous. Be wary of dogs that like to dig, as underground roots can look easily look like a bunch of satisfying sticks to your four-legged friend. If your dog does find a way to dig up the roots of a tree, do your best to replant the root system. Cover it sufficiently with soil before adding a splash of water. In the case of an especially stubborn pet, consider covering the roots with mulch or another protective medium.

Soil Compaction

Whether from foot traffic or landscaping vehicles, soil compaction can have a negative impact on the roots of any tree or plant system. Irrigating soil surrounding the tree’s root system has the potential to improve the growth and health of the tree. You will have to be careful with the roots themselves. Most machine irrigators are far too aggressive to be used anywhere near a root system, and should be avoided wherever roots could be hidden. If soil compaction is an issue, consider using a manual irrigation tool to alleviate smaller soil compaction issues. Consider removing oil compacted soil and replacing it with fresh soil and fertilizer to stimulate healthy tree growth.

Landscaping Damage

Whether driving a lawnmower, operating a weed-whacker, or cutting a clean edge along a flower garden, there are several tools that have the potential to accidentally damage a tree’s root structure. While it’s important to be careful around any living thing, landscaping mistakes are bound to happen.

It’s important to plant mulch around the base of the tree’s root system to provide it with protection. Protective barriers may also be necessary for situations where the potential for damage is higher, especially high-traffic areas that require constant maintenance.

Trees with healthy and established root systems can live to stand decades, however a tree’s root system is only as strong as the ground it is secured to. Arborists must be careful to provide trees and their roots with the right environment to avoid a rushed call for tree removal services after a heavy storm. With a little care and preparation, you can help maintain the strength and health of your trees for years to come.

Looking for a Tree Removal Service? Call Harmony Tree Services Today

Sometimes there’s nothing you can do to save a tree when nature has its way. If you are looking for a tree removal service, call Harmony Tree Service today. We specialize in tree removal, pruning, planting, and a wide range of landscaping services. We can help you remove a dead tree and plant a new one in its place.

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ServicesTree and Tree Stump Removal

9 Tips That’ll Help Protect Your Trees from Storm Damage

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Canadian winters can be harsh, especially on the trees and plants that provide shelter for the rest of mother nature. With the weather growing colder and the winds whipping higher, it’s the right time of year to consider some proactive measures to protect the trees on your property and avoid the need for tree removal services later in the season.

1. Practice Proper Pruning

Tree removal is a drastic measure. With a little prudent pruning, even amateur arborists can prevent significant damage and enable their trees to grow stronger and taller. Always keep an eye on your trees to ensure they are growing properly, taking the space you’ve provided for them. Ultimately trees will grow where you want them to, so be diligent with your pruning to ensure healthy growth.

2. Let Trees Adjust

Trees have evolved to adapt to their surroundings, but they need to be given the opportunity to do so. While it’s a good idea to stake new trees in the ground to promote proper growth, it’s also important to remove these supports in order allow the tree to develop its root system, a critical defense when battling back against strong winds.

3. Eliminate Codominant Branches

When pruning your tree, consider removing codominant stems that split from the same point. These v-shaped splits can cause weak points in the tree, and should be removed as quickly as possible to prevent significant damage during future storms. Codominant stems often develop included bark, which is bark pinched between two stems. This pinching can create a future fault point in the tree, and should be avoided at all costs.

4. Healthy Trees Need Water and Fertilizer

Like most plants, trees can greatly benefit from healthy doses of water and fertilizer. When planting new trees, consider talking with a local arborist to ensure you are providing your new trees with the optimal balance of water and nutrients to foster a strong and sturdy tree and root system.

5. Excess Is Bad for Trees Too

While nutrients can be great in moderation, trees can suffer if they are overwatered or over-fed fertilizer and additives. Always be careful with what you are adding to the soil of your trees. If fertilizing yourself, consider consulting with an arborist or outdoor specialist to ensure you are providing your trees with the right balance of inputs.

6. Keep Pests At Bay

Even the largest trees can be brought down by the smallest of pests. Avoid the need for tree removal by keeping a close eye on the barks and leaves of your trees. Cavities, hollow spots, and dead stems may be a sign of disease or decay.

Always consult a local arborist to ensure your tree is healthy and free of disease before the next big storm hits. Trees that have been overtaken by pests or disease can suffer considerable damage when put under the stress a storm can produce, resulting in the need for tree removal.

7. Maintain the Structural Integrity of Your Trees

The structural health of a tree can be just as important as the plant health of a tree. Consider hiring tree pruning services to maintain the structural integrity of your trees, allowing them to grow in a shape and structure that will promote resilience during storms and harsh weather.

8. Avoid Overcrowding

The structural integrity of a tree is only as good as its neighbor. Always consider how much space a tree may need in the worst case scenario when planting (or pruning) a property. Large unhealthy trees can be incredibly dangerous to those nearby, and should be removed if too close to others in the area.

Contact a local arborist if you are concerned about a tree on the property falling before it’s too late.

9. Consider Lightning Protection

Those who maintain or live near taller trees should consider lightning protection where applicable. Lightning protection involves inserting copper conductors into a ground rod to reduce tree damage by conducting the electrical energy of a potential lightning strike into the ground. This method has the potential to protect both the tree that was hit, and the surrounding trees (and homes). Always contact a local arborist or tree removal specialist if lightning strike has hit a tree on your property, or you require some kind of tree removal help.

Tree Removal Needed? – Trust Your Arborist

While a number of the measures above can be used to reduce the need for tree removal services, these are only preventative measures. Some storms are strong enough to create damage regardless of owner preparation. However, arborists are ultimately an essential service in preventing future damage.

Contact Harmony Tree Services today for any tree service you may need. We offer tree removal, pruning, planting, and more.

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LandscapingServices

10 Easy Landscaping Tips and Tricks to Make Your Lawn Beautiful

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Your house’s front and back yards contribute greatly to your home’s overall appearance. A nice garden right out front provides an excellent backdrop when you want to finish that summer novel out on the patio. A beautiful backyard garden, on the other hand, makes for an excellent dinner party location or even just a play area for your pets.

Investing a lot of time and effort into landscaping is a high priority then for many homeowners. If you think an aesthetically pleasing garden for your home is an endeavor worth pursuing, read on for these 10 tips to get started.

1.    Water the Plants Early

In the early hours of the morning, the hot sun becomes an excellent source of energy for the plants but also evaporates away any water from the soil. Schedule watering the garden before the sun comes up to maximize absorption by the flowers.

2.    Choose the Right Colors

There’s an entire field of study on color theory for gardening, but the only strategy you need to know well is finding a good balance between warm and cool colors. Try to use a mixture, as a monochrome garden usually isn’t as satisfying.

  • Warm colors like red or orange are more vibrant and stand out in the garden. Use warm-colored flowers to promote a sense of excitement in the viewer.
  • Cool colors like blue or purple can make the viewer feel relaxed. These types of flowers are ideal for meditation gardens.

3.    Use Mulch

Possibly the most popular gardening resource, mulch is great for improving soil fertility and reducing weed growth. Read up on the many types of mulch and find out which ones are best for your situation. For instance, straw mulch is more useful than hay mulch for reducing weeds since it doesn’t contain as many seeds as hay does.

4.    Include Some Evergreens

As beautiful as a rainbow of flowers and shrubs are in the summer, most plants shed by the time winter rolls around. Go for some evergreens to ensure your garden stays lovely throughout the year.

5.    Build a Landscaping Walkway

Japanese gardens use walkways to focus the viewers’ gaze into their most beautiful features. Walkways also reduce the amount of wear and tear on the soil caused by walking over it. When building a walkway, remember to include:

  • Stepping stones or bricks that match the color and material of your house’s exterior. This strategy ties the garden to the home well.
  • Attractive lighting fixtures to illuminate the walkway at night.

6.    Keep the Landscape Interesting

Break the monotony of large green grassy spaces by including various accessories throughout the yard. For instance,

  • A flower bed. Use smooth, curved stones to mark the edges of a flower bed, which give your garden a more natural look than straight edges.
  • A water fixture such as a fountain, which should be made of stone, rock, or any material that blends in with the background.
  • Berms, a landscaping term for small mounds decorated with shrubs, trees, and flowers.

7.    Include Outdoor Seating

A basic garden bench or patio if applicable can seem more inviting to viewers and give them a chance to take in the sights comfortably.

8.    Recycle Equipment

To save money on gardening equipment, recycle household items for the job. Consider for instance:

  • Twist ties from the grocery store to keep flowers and vines upright against a fence or stick.
  • Vinegar as an herbicide for weeds.
  • Empty milk jugs as watering cans.

9.    Hide the Artificial Elements

While an air-conditioning unit is useful in the hot summer months, its metal exterior can look ugly against the plants. Covering the unit in a wooden housing can go a long way into making your lawn look more natural, though be careful not to obstruct the fan.

A garden hose, in addition, can be housed in a similar wooden crate when not in use.

10. Know When to Call in the Pros

Landscaping is a rewarding journey but a difficult one that may require specialized equipment and training. For some parts of the job, don’t hesitate to call in a professional landscaping service to help you out.

Make Harmony Your First Choice for Landscaping Services

If you live in the Lehigh Valley, Harmony Tree Services offers tree and stump removal, pruning, and other landscaping services. Give us a call today to learn more.

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LandscapingServices

6 Signs You Need to Start Landscaping Your Yard Immediately

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A clean lawn contributes greatly to the overall look of your home. If you’re looking to sell your house at some point or even want a nice environment to hold your next outdoor barbecue, making your lawn look beautiful goes a long way.

But landscaping is more than just a one-time effort. Plants grow, rough weather comes and goes, and nature makes its changes throughout the year. In order to keep your landscape updated and maintained, you need to do checkups every now and again.

Here are 6 common signs that calling the local landscaping service is a good idea.

1.    Aged Plants

Whether it’s grass, flowers, shrubs, or trees, plants don’t maintain their best appearance at all points throughout their lifecycles. A few signs to look out for are:

  • Patches in the grass
  • Brown grass and leaves
  • Overgrown shrubs that need trimming
  • Tall weeds
  • Damage to tree bark

Some of these issues can’t be fixed even with good, routine maintenance. Consider landscaping if you notice a strong case of any of the above.

2.    Dated Landscaping

Much like home design and fashion, the art of landscaping changes from year to year. As of 2018, there are recent trends for:

  • More extravagant outdoor dining spaces.
  • Elaborate flower pots that store multiple plants.
  • An increasing push for wildlife support.

…among many others. To keep up, consider redoing your landscaping every decade or so.

3.    Overgrown Trees

Trees contribute greatly to the vertical aspect of a garden. Reaching high into the sky, they can give your lawn more volume and make it look more natural.

However, trees with overgrown branches can block sunlight coming into the plants and grass below. Also, branches can pose a hazard, especially in the winter, where they can break and fall.

If the ground seems darker than it needs to be at high noon, that’s a sign tree pruning might be needed.

4.    Dirty Furniture

Over time, dirt, grime, leaves, and small twigs can get caught in your stone walkways and benches. What was once a beautiful white stone border can turn grey and dirty rather quickly, especially in heavy weather. Various power washing services can restore their appearance.

5.    Weather Damage

Unlike an indoor flower pot, the outside is exposed to rain, wind, snow, and storms that can damage or blow plants sideways. On top of that, inclement weather can render stone walls uneven and crack wood in patios, stairs, and other structures. Maintenance for weather damage is a natural responsibility for you as the landscaper.

6.    Many Pests

Rotting plant matter attracts rats, mice, insects, and other pests to your lawn. Pests can also spread to your house itself, so if your landscape is being invaded, that’s another good sign an update is needed.

What Should I Do If I Need to Start Landscaping?

While a lot of jobs can be done yourself, don’t be afraid to call a professional landscaping service like Harmony Tree Services. We can handle your pruning, tree removal, stump grinding, and other general landscaping. Don’t hesitate to call us if you have a project you’d like to discuss.

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LandscapingServices

8 Mistakes You Need to Avoid When Landscaping

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Your home’s front lawn is the first impression you make on your visitors, so it makes sense to spend time and money on making it beautiful. After some careful planning, you decide to make landscaping your yard a personal project.

But even after reading up on some of the best up-to-date guides out there, even experienced gardeners can make mistakes. Here are 9 of the most common ones you should keep in mind while landscaping your lawn.

1.    Neglecting the Soil

Your soil is quite literally the foundation of your gardening efforts. Keep your soil fertile by adding 2 or 3 inches of compost at the beginning. Remember to go easy on the fertilizer. While moderate amounts can help plants grow, too much will cause water pollution. Find out how to test your soil to determine how much is needed.

2.    Overdoing the Mulch

Mulch is a common yet effective tool to control soil temperature and moisture. Avoid putting too much however, as tightly-packed mulch can:

  • Suffocate your plants.
  • Collect rot.
  • Attract insects.

Also avoid the “mulch volcano” phenomenon, where too much mulch is used at the base of small trees. This surprisingly common setup generates heat at the base of the tree, causing the bark to rot. Damaged bark prevents the tree from protecting itself against insects and disease.

3.    Overdoing the Gravel

Gravel is a drought-proofing measure commonly deployed in drier climates. Gravel tends to absorb heat, so be careful not to use too much, or you risk overheating your plants. Plus, gravel can find its way into the underlying soil, making it difficult for nearby plants to seep in water through their roots.

4.    Planting Too Close to Buildings

Whether you’re planting near a backyard shed or the side of your house, make sure any trees aren’t planted too closely. You don’t want tree roots to intersect with these buildings, nor do you want a tree to potentially fall onto your house during a heavy storm.

5.    Choosing the Wrong Plants

You might consider seeing a professional landscaping service to choose the right ones.

  • Some plants are seasonal and thus only grow in a specific climate. Have a variety of seasonal plants so your lawn doesn’t look too bland at a particular month.
  • Don’t use too many evergreens, as seeing nothing but green throughout the year makes your garden unappealing.
  • Other plants might even grow too quickly and overtake parts of your garden. Try using smaller plants such as dwarf trees.

6.    Failing to Deal With Weeds

Weeds are the bane of any homeowner’s existence. They pop up everywhere and they are difficult to deal with. Still, they have to be dealt with. Here are a few tips:

  • Pull them out before they get bad.
  • Plant ground covers, or low-growing plants that spread across the ground to stop weeds.

7.    Shrub and Tree Pruning at Bad Times

There certainly is such a thing as too much pruning. In general,

  • Prune in the winter while the plants are dormant to prepare for the growth spurt in the spring.
  • Prune in the summer after the seasonal growth ends. This is your chance to remove defective limbs and direct the growth where you want it to go.
  • Avoid pruning in the fall, as certain species of decaying fungi spread their spores around this time, which you certainly don’t want near recently pruned plants.

8.    Know Your DIY Limitations

Rest assured, you don’t have to worry if a job seems too difficult to do on your own. Jobs like constructing patios or removing tree limbs can be difficult without the proper training and equipment.

Knowing when to hire a professional tree pruning or landscaping service can save you a ton of time, money, and energy in the long run. Do not hesitate to contact Harmony Tree Services if you ever need help. We specialize in pruning, stump grinding, and snow removal among many others. Overall, we can help get your landscaping job done right, giving you the results you need the exact way you want them.

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ServicesTree and Tree Stump Removal

9 Reasons Why Calling a Tree Stump Removal Company Is a Good Idea

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Your lawn is your pride and joy. It’s the first thing your neighbors and passers-by see when they visit your home. A beautiful front yard makes a strong first impression and makes you the envy of your neighborhood. It’s no wonder, then, that you put so much effort into landscaping.

One day, you decide to remove the tree in the center of the yard to let more sun reach the flowers and grass below. The tree removal service comes by and finishes the job. You proudly survey your lawn, satisfied with the work until you notice it. The stump. That big ugly piece of wood sticking out like a sore thumb in your otherwise luscious lawn.

This could easily be you.

If your lawn is has tree stumps that need to be removed, you should strongly consider removing that it. Here’s 9 reasons why you should contact a tree stump removal company to get rid of that annoying stump.

1.    Stumps Can Cause New Sprouts to Grow

If you wait too long to remove a stump, it can start sprouting. These types of sprouts are ugly and costly to remove. Plus, they steal nutrients from the surrounding plants. If you recently installed a nice flower bed, or other landscaping set pieces, protect that investment by getting your tree stumps removed.

2.    The Roots May Continue to Grow

While tree roots technically don’t grow after the tree has been cut down, the sprouts attached to the roots certainly can. And such root growth can make its way under your driveway and into your underground pipes. The latter issue can cost hundreds of dollars in drainage repairs.

3.    Decaying Stumps Attract Insects

Termites, ants, and various other insects love living in decaying wood. You certainly don’t want those little critters spreading to your house.

4.    … And Disease

Even worse, stumps can harbor plant diseases that could spread to other parts of your lawn. Do your other trees a favor by removing the stump before it does any damage. Speaking of which…

5.    Stumps Are Dangerous

If you have kids with friends over, you don’t want anyone tripping over that stump. Avoid potential injuries and liability by taking out the hazard.

6.    Stumps Make Mowing the Lawn Much More Difficult

Not only is working your way around the stump exhausting, but an accidental crash can also damage your mower.

7.    You Lose Space

With a big stump in the way, you have far less room for better-looking features in your lawn, like a picnic table, pool, or a simple flower bed.

8.    It’s Downright Ugly

It doesn’t take an expert to see why stumps aren’t welcome on a beautiful lawn. Proper stump removal can even increase the value of your house in case you wish to sell it.

9.    Mo st Tree Felling Services Already Offer Stump Removal

Why not kill two birds with one stone? Since most tree cutting services also offer stump removal, get the work done in one go to save on money and time.

Convinced? Get In Touch With a Tree Stump Removal Company

On top of improving the aesthetics of your lawn, removing that pesky tree stump can save you tons of costs down the road. And don’t worry, you don’t have to do it alone. Call a tree stump removal company as soon as you can.

If you’re interested in getting your lawn work done right, contact Harmony Tree Services. For decades, we’ve been offering landscaping services like tree stump removal, pruning, stump grinding, and snow removal to the Lehigh Valley area. Contact us today at 610-966-4142 for a free estimate.

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LandscapingServices

6 Quick Tree Pruning Tips from Your Local Landscaping Service

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There is nothing more scenic than large, healthy trees on your property. But as much as you love your trees, you also need to maintain them. Many homeowners neglect tree pruning because they feel it is too hard and too time consuming.

Here at Harmony Tree Services, we provide detailed tree pruning and landscaping services. Still, we want to teach homeowners who want to do it on their own how to properly prune a tree in order to avoid damaging them.

1. Decide when and what to prune

The obvious first step is to decide what you want to prune. Do not try and prune every tree on your property in one day. Tree pruning takes time and you want to make sure you do it well. Cutting the wrong parts of your tree can hurt your trees, and as you know, replacing or removing them is no easy task.

As a general rule, pruning in the winter will lead to a lot of growth come summer, while summer pruning will slow growth for that season, but will help you shape and control how your tree grows.

2. Assess and start pruning your tree

The next step is to assess your tree. Take a look at its major branches, determine which ones make up its skeleton, and look for damaged branches that need to be removed.

Damaged branches should always be the first to go. If they are dead or damaged, carefully remove them with your pruning shears. Damaged branches could be slowing the growth of your tree by blocking healthier ones from coming in.

Thin out areas where branches overlap, to increase light exposure and air flow. Trees need both of these things to promote healthy growth.

3. Target problem areas

Some of the most important branches to target are the ones that are obstructing a power line, telephone pole, or other structures. Pruning these branches won’t hurt your tree – and they will help you solve a major source of annoyance. That’s a win-win.

4. Prune branches to shape your tree

The entire purpose of pruning is to shape the tree you are working on. You don’t climb up on a ladder and start cutting branches off for no reason. Make sure you have a plan for how you want to shape your tree and execute it.

5. Less is more

One of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to tree pruning is over-pruning. While some pruning is good for your tree, cutting too many branches isn’t good. Trees grow branches in order to protect themselves from fungus and insects.

We mentioned it above, but you should always focus on damaged branches first, over cosmetic ones. While it is important to solve annoyances, damaged branches usually block healthier ones from growing in. If you want to keep your trees healthy, remove these first.

As a general rule, never prune more than 25% of the trees branches.

6. Dispose of your branches properly

Depending on where you live, you may be able to burn your branches in a fireplace. If you can, this is one of the easiest ways to go about it. Leave the branches out to try for a few days and quickly burn them in a fire.

If you live in a major city and cannot do this, you’ll probably need to hire a landscaping service to help you with this.

Need help with your tree pruning?

Does the idea of pruning your own trees seem too hard? Don’t sweat it, that’s quite normal. If you want to get your trees pruned with the stress of doing it yourself, give Harmony Tree Services a call. We have been helping our clients in Allentown and surrounding areas by providing a wide variety of landscaping services for many years because we are good at what we do.

Give us a call today and we’ll help you figure out the best plan of action when it comes to tree pruning and other tree services.

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LandscapingServices

6 Tips to Help You Hire the Best Landscaping Service

If you own a house or property, you know all about the landscaping struggles that come with home ownership. It isn’t hard to spot landscaping services in any major city, but finding reliable ones is another question all together.

Here are 6 things you will want to know when it comes to hiring a professional landscaping service in your area.

1. Check the BBB Rating of the Landscaping Service

The Better Business Bureau provides tons of useful information that you can use to check the status and reliability of a company. Look to see if the landscaping company you are looking at is in good standing, that their licenses are up to date, and that they have little to no complaints listed.

2. Quality (Experience) over Quantity (Price)

We all like to save a dollar from time to time. But is saving that dollar worth it if the service you receive is subpar? Like almost everything in life, you get what you pay for. The barrier to entry for starting a landscaping service is low, so we always recommend that you seek out a company that has a solid reputation for providing excellent service.

When a landscaping company cuts corners, you can guarantee that you will have to go back and fix that work, costing you a lot more in the process.

3. Let Your Landscaper Handle the Permit Process

It doesn’t matter where you live in the United States, if you want to make major changes to your property or a structure, you’ll need a permit.

Experienced landscaping companies understand the permit process and are more than capable of helping you apply for the right permits. In some cases, you will have to pay for the permit up front, or the company you hire may include it as an item on your bill when they invoice you.

Always be wary of a company that tries to skip getting permits. Not having the proper permits for a job can lead to hefty fines that you don’t want to be responsible for paying.

4. Beware of Large Deposits

Deposits are a normal part of any service business, but massive deposits are not. If a landscaper asks you for a large deposit upfront, be wary of them. This is often a major red flag as these types of landscapers will usually take your money and run.

This isn’t to say that every company that requires large deposits is a scam, but if the company is unproven and doesn’t have any legitimate reviews, you have the right to be concerned.

5. Ask About Their Warranty

Even the best landscaping companies have to redo work sometimes. It’s a fact of life. Whether the workmanship was bad, or the materials themselves were defective, always ask your landscaping service about the warranty they provide.

As a general rule of thumb, a high quality company will stand by their work and offer a warranty for it, while lower quality ones will offer no compensation should things go wrong.

6. Sign a Contract

This is one of the most important things you can do. A contract is legally binding and will outline exactly what the landscaping company is supposed to do.

In cases where things go wrong, where the company is negligent, or tries to cheat you out of work you paid for, you can sue them for damages using the terms laid out in the contract. Sometimes contracts may seem formal, but they are designed to protect both you and the company, so use them!

Questions? Ask Harmony Tree Services

Hiring the right landscaper isn’t easy. Harmony Tree Services has been offering dedicated landscaping services to clients in and around Allentown for many years.

Don’t hesitate to give us a call if you have a question about landscaping. We are more than happy to help.

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