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Tree Trimming in Rancho Cordova

Down the hill and west of El Dorado Hills lies Rancho Cordova, and we cover it. Call (530) 255-2773 now. A tree pro who works the valley is who we'll book, and we'll set the time.

A young city on vineyard land

Rancho Cordova incorporated in 2003, Wikipedia says, and held 79,332 people at the 2020 count. It was named for the Cordova Vineyard, which sat inside an old land grant. A post office opened in 1955 under the name Rancho Cordova.

After World War II, builders put homes on land that had been vineyards. The first ones went up near Folsom Boulevard and Zinfandel Drive, which tells you how the streets got their names.

Some yards here are decades old, so the trees in them can be big.

Valley weather

This is the Sacramento Valley, not the foothills. Wikipedia says the monthly average high runs from 56 degrees in January to 92.6 in July. It adds that yearly rain totals about 18.14 inches, mostly from December to March.

That's drier than El Dorado Hills, where the same site shows about 26.5 inches. So watering matters more here. UC Master Gardeners say to water slowly, to soak the top 12 inches of soil, and to check with a probe two days later.

They also give a rough rule of about 10 gallons per inch of trunk width, every 5 to 10 days for trees under stress. Soil type changes that.

Old yard trees: what to check

• Roots lifting a sidewalk or driveway.
• Branches rubbing the roof or the gutter.
• Dead twigs in the crown after a dry summer.
• Powdery white coating on new leaves.

That last one is powdery mildew. UC IPM says it can be serious on crape myrtle and oak, because it attacks the new growth. The Master Gardener talk adds that on blue oaks it turns the leaves pale blue or nearly white, and that nothing needs to be done.

Crape myrtle country

Valley yards often have crape myrtles. Prune them in late winter, before new growth, says Virginia Tech Extension. Don't top them. The guide says topping makes weak shoots that break in wind.

Our ornamental tree page has the full story.

Gravel, grapes and the ground under your tree

The ground here is old river country. Wikipedia says gold rush miners worked placer deposits around Rancho Cordova, and some traces remain. The level ground sits about 118 feet above sea level, and gravel companies have dug younger gravels from the area.

Why does that matter for a tree? Gravelly ground can drain fast, so a lawn that looks fine may leave tree roots dry two feet down. UC Master Gardeners say a probe pushed into the soil can show how deep the water went. Clay soil holds water longer than sandy soil, they add, so you need to learn your own yard.

If your lawn is the only water your tree gets, it may be getting short sips. Ask your pro to check how deep the roots drink.

Measure your trunk

Here's a tip that helps with watering. The UC guide talks in gallons per inch of trunk width. To get your tree's width, pull a tape snug around the trunk at chest height. Next, divide the inches by three.

A trunk that measures 30 inches around is about 10 inches wide. At the UC guide's rule of about 10 gallons per inch, that's roughly 100 gallons per deep watering. Tell the pro the number when you call.

Costs

Thumbtack lists a national average of $402 to $1,158 for trimming. Homeyou says $212 to $688 is typical, with an average near $486. Fixr says $175 to $750. Use them as a rough guide.