How to Put Some Money Back in Your Pocket with Fall Palm and Tree Trimming Ahead of the Santa Anas
You have those palm trees with dead fronds overhanging the roof you put off tending to? Or perhaps you have been eyeing the large Coast Live Oak in the yard and thinking what the next windstorm will make of it. Then there is the matter of the Santa Ana winds; one does not have to be in South Orange County long to be weary of the bill for emergency cleanup when they blow in.
We would say you are entitled to ask such questions. At Luna Tree, we are having that very conversation with homeowners this fall. As a family-run tree service out of Capistrano Beach, we have been in the business since 1928. To stay one step ahead of the wind season, pick up the phone and call us at (949) 240-5925.
In brief: trimming today is invariably cheaper than the damage of tomorrow. We can explain.
The Hard Truth About Santa Ana Winds and Trees
For residents of the Beach Cities the Santa Anas are a fact of life in the fall and winter. They come on fast and dry, and by then the trees have put on a good deal of growth. A palm will have its share of heavy, dead fronds to serve as sails; a Coast Live Oak has a wide, dense canopy for the wind to catch like a parachute.
Leave a tree overgrown and when the winds make their move something will give. It could be a branch or the entire tree. More often than not it comes down on your car or fence or the neighbor’s place, or worse, your roof.
What You Are Up Against if You Wait
There is no economy to emergency work. If a tree gives way in a storm you are not paying for a trim so much as for crews to put in an appearance and clear the debris and make any needed repairs.
Waiting has a way of adding up:
- To have a branch put a hole in your roof
- Replacing a gate or fence after limbs have fallen
- An insurance deductible that leaves you on the hook for some of the vehicle damage
- The premium for after-hours removal
- Hauling away a sizeable downed tree
- Any harm done to hardscape, lighting or irrigation under the canopy
Then again, it is all preventable. You can put a planned fall trim in your budget for a fraction of what a storm cleanup will set you back.
The Purpose of a Fall Trim
It is a question of risk and load. On a palm we take out the dead and dying fronds that are prone to break free. With oaks and the like we do some shaping and thinning so the wind goes through rather than battering a wall of leaves.
Our arborists are ISA-certified and familiar with the stock in this part of the country. A Coast Live Oak and a palm are not to be treated alike; do it wrong and you compromise the safety of the tree. We are concerned with the health of the specimen as well as its appearance.
When we are done you will have:
- A yard in better order for the windy months
- Less of a chance of a loose branch or frond taking flight
- Limbs that overhang the home relieved of some weight
- A canopy more permeable to the wind
- An early indication should a tree be showing weakness or disease
A Matter of Timing
You want to trim before the winds, not in the midst of them. When the Santa Anas are up it is more hazardous to be working on trees and you are in a rush to get service like everyone else. An early fall appointment means the job is done in a measured way and you know the cost beforehand.
We provide a free estimate and our pricing is upfront at Luna Tree. There is no guessing.
Our Service in South Orange County
From Dana Point and San Clemente to Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills and Lake Forest, Mission Viejo and Aliso Viejo, as well as Laguna and Ladera Ranch, Laguna Beach and San Juan Capistrano, we cover all of South Orange County.
There is no need to let a forecast of dry winds prompt you to think about your trees. A trim now is protection for your home and your budget. Let us put almost a century of experience to use for you; contact Luna Tree for a no cost estimate at (949) 240-5925.
