Tree Trimming in Latrobe
Yes, Latrobe is in our area. It's the quiet place south of El Dorado Hills where Latrobe Road ends up. Call (530) 255-2773 and we'll send word to a tree pro who knows those back roads.
A railroad town that got small
In its busy days Latrobe was a rail town with 700 or 800 people, says Wikipedia. Trains on the Placerville and Sacramento line ended here. The railroad's chief engineer, F.A. Bishop, chose the name to honor Benjamin Henry Latrobe II, the B&O Railroad's chief engineer.
The post office served the town from 1864 until 1921. These days it's a small place, 761 feet up and about 15 miles southwest of Placerville.
Wikipedia lists Latrobe's climate as warm-summer Mediterranean, which means dry, sunny summers.
Dry summers, stressed trees
A tree with little summer rain has to live on stored water. UC Master Gardeners say you can spot trouble by wilting, yellowing or gray-green leaves, and by brown tips or edges. They say to look in the late afternoon.
They add that stress can make a tree more open to pests and disease. UC's bark beetle guide says local beetles prefer trees worn down by drought, rot or damage.
Not sure if your tree is thirsty? Push a long screwdriver into the soil under it. If it won't go in, the ground is dry down deep. See how to water a stressed tree.
Roots and the fungus problem
UC's wood decay guide names two root rots that can spread between nearby trees through root grafts. One is Armillaria, which causes a white rot at the butt and in the roots. If you have several trees in a row, one sick tree can pass it along.
The Master Gardener oak talk says Armillaria is favored by warm, wet soils and that there is no reasonable treatment. So don't add a wet flower bed under an oak.
The Chinese pistache is a bright spot. UC IPM says it is resistant to oak root fungus.
Remote lots, long wires
Out here, the power line to a house can run a long way through trees. PG&E says owners need to keep that service drop clear of vegetation. In its words, only trained, line-clearance workers should do tree work near powerlines.
Planning for a quiet road
A small town far from the highway has a perk. Fewer cars pass your trees, so low limbs bother you less. It also has a catch. If a limb falls across your road, there may be nobody around to see it.
Walk your road's edge once a season. Look up. Dead branches over the road are the ones to call about. The arborist brochure says taking out dead, dying and weak branches is called cleaning, and it can happen any time of year.
For wood that's down, don't leave a big pile of fresh pine logs near healthy trees. UC says unseasoned, freshly cut wood can attract bark beetles. Stack firewood off to the side, or cover it with thick clear plastic in the sun, which UC says works over several months. And please don't haul firewood to other places. UC says don't move firewood, since that spreads pests.
Costs
HomeYou lists trimming at $212 to $688 for a typical job. Fixr says a small tree of 10 to 20 feet runs $75 to $300. Thumbtack lists $60 to $80 an hour. A short job far from town can cost more per hour, so ask about a minimum.
Latrobe questions
Do pros come all the way to Latrobe?
Many do. A short job may cost more because of the drive, so ask.
Can one sick tree make its neighbors sick?
UC says some root rots can spread through root grafts. A pro can check.