Local

Now is a great time to get trees checked

If you're a homeowner in the Tulsa area, chances are you're a tree owner as well.

Todd Rickert, a certified arborist and owner of Rickert Landscaping and Tree Service says this is the optimal time of year to have someone come out and check your trees.

"We can spot issues quicker when there aren't leaves on the trees," Rickert tells KRMG. "Also, the trees are starting to bud out right now, so we can spot the live growth versus the dead wood or dead branches on the tree."

He says there are a lot of misunderstandings about when a tree is or isn't potentially dangerous.

For example, thick, healthy trees are sometimes the most likely to topple in high winds.

That's because they're covered in leaves and branches, increasing the amount of wind resistance.

"Sometimes the thickest, healthiest trees are the first to topple," he said. "Thinning the tree sometimes becomes an issue."

He says routine pruning should begin after a tree's been in the ground about five years.

After that, he recommends owners have an arborist come out once every three years or so to check the tree for any problems, and to prune it back for optimal health and to reduce the potential of toppling.

He also says he doesn't advocate topping a tree, with the exception of a Bradford Pear, which regrows well if topped every few years.

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