Tree Surgeon Margate

Employing unqualified individuals for tree work or attempting to do it by yourself, could harm your trees, cause damage to property, or even be life threatening. However, even for expert tree surgeons who know about all the dangers, tree work is not entirely safe. Within the profession there are a worrying average of 140 serious injuries and 3 deaths a year, making tree surgery one of the most dangerous jobs in Britain.

There is also a threat to life from neglected or damaged trees in Margate, since around five people each year are fatally wounded in Britain by falling branches and trees. You may well be liable for any compensation to a third-party due to the consequences of your actions, if you bring in somebody to carry out tree work and subsequently property is damaged, or an injury occurs. This is why employing a certified Margate tree surgeon to undertake the work on your trees is very important. (The above figures were sourced from HSE UK).

A seasoned Margate tree surgeon should be a member of one or both of the 2 trade bodies found in Britain. You can view the professional status and membership of any tree surgeon on the websites of either the AA (Arboricultural Association) or the ISA (International Society of Arboriculture). To discover whether any particular tree surgeon has recognised Approved ARB Contractor status and has membership of either of these organisations, you can do a search on this website.

If a problem springs up during the tree work, or after it's been concluded you'll be able to contact these trade associations for arbitration assistance and for help and guidance.

You should politely decline the offer of a price quote from anybody who isn't on this directory list, and carry on your search for a fully qualified and approved tree surgeon. As soon as their accreditations and professional memberships have been diligently checked, you should try to get at least three quotes from different companies in the Margate area. Whilst getting the quotes you must ask the following questions, making it crystal clear that you need them to provide you with the answers because of the risks involved with tree surgery work:

• Could I contact some past clients so that I can check the quality of your tree work? It's a good idea to carry out an independent examination of any recent work.
• Precisely what level of insurance coverage have you got? Your tree surgeon should be able to produce an insurance certificate covering a minimum of five million pounds public liability, as stipulated by the AA and ISA.
• Can you offer me a quotation in writing? Verbal quotes alone are not acceptable. Always try to get a quote in writing.
• Can you show a NPTC/LANTRA certificate for the use of a chainsaw, and documentary evidence of your professional memberships and qualifications? Any worker/tree surgeon using a chainsaw, must by law hold a NPTC/LANTRA certificate. A certified Margate tree surgeon could hold City and Guilds National Diplomas and Certificates in Arboriculture.

Easy to understand information on all the tree work that is being undertaken should be included on the written quotation. Who's responsible for the removal and disposal of tree branches, stumps and waste should be stated, as should details about any trees which could be protected in law, and the required steps to get permission to carry out work on them. Unless you are a commercial business, you should also make sure that VAT is included on the quote. It's vitally important to understand that you have a responsibility to hire only trained people to work on your trees and property.

PRIOR TO WORK COMMENCING - Checking whether any of your trees are covered by a tree protection order (TPO), your chosen Margate tree surgeon should ensure that any work gets the green light from the appropriate local authority. Finding a tree has protected status does not signify that work can't be carried out, as even protected trees need maintenance in order to cut back old or dead wood and ensure the safety of the public.

A minimum of six weeks written notice is required to the Local Planning Authority before any tree work can be undertaken, if your property in Margate is in a designated conservation area. However, tree trunks of less than seventy five millimetres in diameter when measured at 1.5 metres from the ground are exempt from this requirement. If the pruning or thinning of a protected tree's branches is required to promote and sustain growth, notice is also not necessary.

After carrying out a full assessment of your trees health, your chosen Margate tree surgeon will determine the remedial treatment needed and how best and safely to achieve the required outcome. This involves completing a full risk assessment to include your property, public spaces and any section of a neighbour's property that could be affected by falling debris. The amount of workers required and the level of protection needed, will also be determined at this stage. This is both personal protective equipment (PPE) along with other safety precautions to keep property and the general public safe from harm or damage.

ON THE DAY OF WORK - Barriers and safety measures should be put in place before any cutting of branches, tree felling or climbing is started, to keep unauthorised persons and passers-by away from the area of work. When there is the possibility of branches and debris falling onto a highway, it might be necessary to temporarily halt the traffic.

The tree surgeon will need different degrees of protection subject to the type of work being executed. At the very least when doing chainsaw work they'll be wearing specialist protective clothing to prevent cutting injuries to the hands, torso and legs. At all times, every worker involved in the operation should wear high visibility clothing, and eye and head protection.

If any working at height is involved, associated climbing equipment and ladders will need to be deployed, and additional workforce will be there to help with the removal of high branches and heavy sections of tree trunk. For removing waste, access to the work site will be necessary. So, it is a good idea to inform your neighbours, because a skip or other transportation vehicle will need to be stationed as close as possible to the work area while the work progresses.

UPON COMPLETION OF WORK - The whole area can be cleared of any debris, and all the branches and waste can be taken away, once all work has been accomplished. Especially in the case of any protected trees, a certificate of work will then be prepared by your tree surgeon, which will be signed off and a copy handed to you. If any safety measures were put in public spaces they can now be removed, with roads and pathways being re-opened to the public.

Issues or problems should be put right immediately by approaching your tree surgeon directly. If your tree surgeon is a registered member of a trade body, you can obtain guidance and help from the ISA or AA so as to arrive at an acceptable solution, if any further arbitration is required.

Local Margate tree surgery services are likely to have the phone code 01843 and the postcode CT9. They will work in Margate itself, in addition to nearby areas such as Kingsgate, Woodchurch, Westwood, Reading Street, Broadstairs, Northdown, Monkton, Garlinge, St Lawrence, Haine, Manston, Cliftonville, Birchington, Northwood, Westgate-on-Sea, St Peters, and these postcodes: CT9 1JT, CT9 1NZ, CT9 1EX, CT8 8RS, CT10 9AE, CT9 1LE, CT9 1JB, CT9 1PT, CT9 1LS, CT9 1HB.

For this kind of assistance it is certainly better to use an approved local tree surgeon. Margate property owners can benefit from the knowhow and expertise that are the trademark of a fully trained professional.

The Use of Chainsaws

Probably the most common piece of equipment used by Margate tree surgeons, the chainsaw is also the most dangerous in the wrong hands. Even though mains electric and battery models of chainsaw can be purchased, the most preferred by tree care professionals are driven by petrol, due to their ease of use and greater mobility. For slicing effortlessly through thick trunks and tree limbs, petrol chainsaws are really the only effective option, being robust, powerful and able to cope with even the most demanding tree work.

A chainsaw consists of a motor and a revolving chain with a series of sharp teeth that cut through the bark and wood of a tree. For the varied functions that are required, there are different styles of chainsaw, top-handled for working at height (and which can be operated single handedly if necessary), pole saws for long distance pruning and hard to reach branches and rear-handled for working on the ground (two handed).

Although being high up in a tree with a spinning blade in your hand is an incredibly dangerous form of activity, you'll rarely see an experienced Margate tree surgeon who doesn't make use of a chainsaw. All tree surgeons need to be trained in the safe use of chainsaws, and it is one of the primary prerequisites for becoming a registered member of the Arboricultural Association.

The most popular makes of chainsaw used in the United Kingdom by professional tree surgeons are Stihl, Hyundai, Husqvarna and Makita, although there are several different brands and models.

Air-Spading Margate

When you are worried about the overall health of a tree, it could be due to a number of factors, but problems with the root system is a common trigger for such worries. To be able to check for root rot, soil compaction, or other issues, an experienced tree surgeon in Margate may need to gain access to the roots of your tree.

Due to the chance of root damage in the digging down process, this was problematic in the past. Many modern day tree surgeons in Margate use a system known as "air spading", which uses compressed air to successfully break down and clear away compressed soil without any risk of damaging the tree's roots.

When the soil surrounding the stem of a tree becomes compacted by passing vehicles, building work or heavy foot traffic, the general health of the tree can be affected. A tree can become "stressed" because of a lack of water and nutrients, which makes it more prone to attack by pests, diseases and insects. Root flare problems can also be an issue, where the flare at the base of the stem becomes covered in soil, causing it's tissues to break down, and increasing the chances of root decay. Air-spading is a useful technique for correcting this.

The ingenious air spading process involves the use of an air compressor and an air-spade tool which blows air into the soil at speeds of up to 1,200 mph, the air enters the voids in the soil and instantly breaks it up, whilst leaving tree roots and utility lines untouched. Immediate inspection is possible, as the flow of air blows away the soil from the roots. Problems can then be resolved and the previously compacted soil exchanged for a less dense layer of chip mulch and fertiliser to encourage the tree to rejuvenate. (Tags: Air-Spade Investigations Margate, Air-Spade Margate, Air-Spading Margate).

Protecting Shrubs & Trees in Winter

Although long periods of intense cold are quite rare in Margate it could still be worthwhile to look at some precautionary measures for protecting your trees and shrubs when the weather conditions turn sour. In actual fact, even trees, plants and shrubs that we usually think of as hardy, will benefit from a bit of extra protection during the cooler winter season.

High winds and storms can cause the biggest problems when trees are involved, and although come winter most of your trees will have shed their leaves, they might still be susceptible in extreme conditions. If you have a tree in your garden that appears to be weakened, or shows signs of toppling over, you'll want to get it examined by a tree surgeon, who can offer guidance and advice. You can also have issues with breaking branches due to heavy snowfall, so when weather such as this is anticipated, be on the lookout for potential damage. In the depth of winter, your shrubs and trees may require a bit of protection from frost and ice. Laying a blanket of mulch around the stem bases will enable them to absorb moisture and prevent the soil around the roots from freezing.

Tree Removal Margate

Though there are various reasons why you might have to remove a tree from your property or garden in Margate, the removal of a tree should in fact be a last resort. Numerous trees could even be protected by law, so you can't fell them even though you'd like to, unless they are causing a safety threat. Genuine reasons behind removing a tree would be if your tree is hampering a new construction, your tree has been uprooted, the tree has grown too large, your tree is a hazard to safety, the roots are obstructing retaining walls/foundations, the tree is infected or you have a dead/dying tree.

Dutch Elm Disease

Destroying tree stocks and wiping out millions of elm trees all around the British Isles during the past 50 years or more, Dutch Elm Disease (Ophiostoma novo-ulmi) is not so prevalent now, as it was in the past. Accidentally imported into the United Kingdom from North America (Canada) in the nineteen sixties, Dutch Elm Disease (DED) is spread by the elm bark beetle and caused by a fungus called Ophiostoma novo-ulmi.

Its swift spread was mostly down to to elm products such as saplings, elm crates, mulching bark, and logs with the bark on, being transported around the British Isles. Dutch Elm Disease didn't just affect the United Kingdom, but also devastated the stocks of elm trees in continental Europe and North America, it is believed to have originated from Asia (possibly Japan).

Usually first appearing in early summer, the recognisable symptoms of DED disease are:

• Dark spots or rings in the cross-section of twigs.
• Twigs turning into a "shepherd's crook".
• Affected shoots dying back from the tips.
• Foliage that turns yellow, wilts, shrivels and falls.

As a consequence of disease and the chopping down of dying, infected and dead trees, there are now very few large elms remaining in the UK's countryside, therefore the spread has slowed and the favourite habitat of the elm bark beetle largely removed. The propagation of young trees which are resistant to Dutch Elm Disease is a continuing project.

If you have elm trees on your property in Margate, and are suspicious they might be afflicted with Dutch Elm Disease, contact your neighbourhood tree surgeon for advice, or request a diagnosis from the THDAS (Tree Health Diagnostic and Advisory Service).

Tree families affected: Ulmacae and Zelkova.

Spread by - small beetles of the Scolytus genus.

Cause - fungi Ophiostoma Novo-Ulmi & Ophiostoma Ulmi.

Daily Duties for a Tree Surgeon

• Prepare on-site or telephone quotations with the clients.
• Climb trees to prune or remove branches as required.
• Plant trees and vegetation.
• Fell and remove trees and perform stump grinding.
• Tidy up area upon completion and remove waste from client's site.
• Produce tree survey reports for commercial and domestic customers.
• Chip and cut logs and branches.
• Be adept with power tools and other powered equipment.
• Establish dangers posed by trees.
• Deal with clients and complete admin duties.
• Maintain and service equipment like chainsaws and chippers.
• Assess the health of trees and create treatment plan.

Removal of Tree Stumps Margate

If you're in a position where you have to have a large tree cut down and removed from your garden in Margate, you are probably going to be left with a stump, which also needs to be tackled. You may be thinking of using the stump as a quirky garden seat or some other useful feature, and might be happy to leave it in position until it eventually rots away. However, tree stumps can be a trip hazard, can attract unwanted pests, and be an eyesore as well.

Stump grinding or stump removal are the 2 key alternatives, if you do decide to remove the stump once and for all. In the next few sentences, we'll be considering the different methods of removal.

Burning, chemical treatment and digging out by hand, are the 3 main methods of removing a tree stump. You could employ any of these approaches if you want to to remove a tree stump on your own. If a local tree surgeon is going to be doing the work, stump grinding is generally their method of choice, however eco-plugging or another chemically based removal treatment may be offered.

Stump Digging: The digging up of a tree stump by hand is a relatively self-explanatory process, and involves shoveling out out all the soil at the base of the stump, revealing and sawing all the primary roots, and eventually freeing up the tree stump so that it can be hoisted out. You might need to use some form of winch for lifting out the stump. This is tedious and exhausting work.

Chemical Stump Treatments: The chemical treatment option requires the use of a strong chemical liquid for example Resolva Xtra Tough Tree Stump Killer, Vitax SBK Stump Killer or Roundup Tree Stump Remover. You must always read and follow the directions closely for applications, timings and rates for these chemical solutions, and be mindful of the fact that they're toxic and sometimes inflammable. This is not a short term fix, and it could take several weeks for the stump to break down completely, after which time a spade and an axe can be used to remove it.

Stump Burning: Burning a tree stump isn't normally a recommended course of action, and may contravene local laws, so take care if using this technique. The burning procedure involves drilling out a few 25mm holes into the stump, filling keeping them topped up with vegetable oil for a number of days until saturated. You should then cover the tree stump with logs or charcoal and set it alight. Such a fire shouldn't be left unattended, and must be monitored until safe to do so. As soon as the burning has finished, you should make certain that the fire is put out, when it is completely cool you can dig out and clear away the burnt remnants of roots and stump.

An alternative method is scooping out all the soil from below the tree stump and setting a fire in the cavity created underneath. There are of course a number of situations where burning is not appropriate, such as when there are a building, other trees or fences close to the stump being removed.

Tree Surgery Tasks Margate

Margate tree surgeons can usually help you with landscape clearance Margate, tree surveys, eco plug treatments in Margate, tree dismantling, crown removal, hedge reduction, tree topping, tree cutting, felling of storm damaged trees Margate, tree management, commercial tree surgery, woodland clearances, damage restoration, crown lifting in Margate, crown thinning Margate, safety inspections, air spading, tree shaping in Margate, tree lightening protection, formative pruning, tree transplanting Margate, stump removal Margate, crown raising Margate, hedge lowering Margate, woodland management in Margate, root grinding, hazard assessments, brush cutting services, root decompaction, stump grinding and other tree surgeon services in Margate, Kent. These are just an example of the duties that are performed by a local tree surgeon. Margate specialists will be happy to tell you about their whole range of services.

Tree Surgeons Nearby

Also find: Westwood tree surgeon, St Lawrence tree surgeon, Haine tree surgeon, St Peters tree surgeon, Reading Street tree surgeon, Northdown tree surgeon, Woodchurch tree surgeon, Birchington tree surgeon, Cliftonville tree surgeon, Kingsgate tree surgeon, Manston tree surgeon, Monkton tree surgeon, Garlinge tree surgeon and more. The majority of these areas are serviced by tree care companies. Residents in the region can obtain quotations for tree surgery by going here.

Tree Care Services Margate

Find a Tree Surgeon in Margate Here

• Margate Crown Thinning
• Margate Crown Lifting
• Margate Stump Grinding
• Margate Stump Removal
• Margate Tree Topping
• Margate Hedge Reduction
• Margate Tree Pruning
• Margate Dead Wooding
• Margate Tree Transplanting
• Margate Hedge Planting
• Margate Tree Surveys
• Margate Cable Bracing
• Margate Crown Removal
• Margate Crown Reduction

More Margate Trades: Of course, when you are having tree surgery done in Margate, Kent, you are likely to need other garden related services, and apart from a tree surgeon in Margate, Kent, you may also need garden clearances in Margate, garden rubbish removal in Margate, landscapers in Margate, driveway specialists in Margate, patio installation in Margate, weeding in Margate, garden shed installers in Margate, gate installers in Margate, pond installers in Margate, grass cutting in Margate, soil irrigation in Margate, garden planning and design in Margate, decking fitters in Margate, artifical grass in Margate, local SKIP HIRE in Margate, hedge clipping in Margate, and other different Margate tradespeople.

Margate (CT9): To get more on Margate go here

Tree Surgery CT9 area, phone code 01843.

Arboriculturalist Margate - Vegetation Control Kent - Tree Care Margate - Tree Surgeons Margate - Tree Surgeon Margate - CT9 - 01843 - Forest Management Margate - Tree Felling Margate