The Parke Company | The Parke Company

Do Your Trees Need to Be Trimmed?

September 30, 2026April 19, 2023 by The Parke Company

We see it all too often: Trees are added to landscape and then forgotten about. Sure, they get water with the rest of the yard. But when was the last time you maintained your trees from the top down? Here are 4 ways to know when you’re trees need to be trimmed:

Branches are drooping onto your roof. That’s never good. Trimming the branches from your roof will save you in roof repairs, prevent leaks and keep pests from having easy access to your home by traveling those branches.
Branches are close to power lines. This becomes a safety issue, and one that should be taken care of quickly. Before leaves and branches actually touch the power lines, trimming is vitally important.
Other plants, grasses aren’t thriving. If the grass, flowers and others plants in your landscaping aren’t thriving, it may be because they’re not getting adequate sunlight. Perhaps your trees are to blame. Trimming the trees in the form of crown thinning — allowing more natural sunlight to come through — can solve the problem.
Branches are growing too close to the ground. If you find yourself hitting your head when you mow the yard, the canopy of your trees may need to be raised. This trimming technique removes the lower branches of the tree to provide plenty of headroom and airflow underneath.

If your trees are in needs of service — from raising the canopy to thinning the crown — please contact us. We strive to maintain your trees so that you get many more years of enjoyment from them.

Electricity and Trees for Nashville Natives

September 30, 2026April 19, 2023 by The Parke Company

The New Year has begun, but the snow, ice and bitter chill is still a familiar invader to the city of Nashville and its neighbors. Although beautiful, the harsh weather can often damage homes, roadways and power lines all over Middle Tennessee. That’s why the Nashville Electric Service is routinely trimming and cutting down trees that pose electrically problems for customers all around the city.

Tress and other brush can be a safety hazard if in close contact with power lines. This is why NES works year-round to make sure trees and power lines are in safe distance from each other. Whether it’s for routine maintenance or emergency situations, NES will cut or trim tress and brush to avoid power outages and other safety issues.

Before a tree is removed by NES, the following factors are evaluated:

1. Is the tree dead, dying or diseased?

2. What is the structural integrity of the tree?

3. Does the tree show any signs of the failure?

4. How much does the crown need to be trimmed?

Some similar factors are considered if brush is needed to removed from the area:

1. Is it in danger of growing into the power lines?

2. Is power lines and other NES equipment accessible?

3. Does the brush serve a purpose (example: sound barrier, protection screen, etc.)?

If the Nashville Electric Company feels that the answers to these questions can potentially cause future problems, your trees and brush might be trimmed, or even cut down in the blink of an eye.

The Parke Company understands the importance of electrical safety, but also know trees are an important part of our ecosystem. That’s why the company can help you make sure your trees and brush is within a safe distance, but also beautiful and prosperous. The Parke Company can even recommend where to plant new ones.

NES isn’t the only company working hard for Nashvillians this season. Be sure to contact The Parke Company for any questions, concerns or emergency situations — and stay warm!

How to Protect Nashville Trees from Construction

September 30, 2026April 19, 2023 by The Parke Company

With a spike in our economy, there becomes an increase in construction. We’ve all seen it – in downtown Nashville for the new convention center, new education buildings at Belmont University and even new homes in West Nashville neighborhoods. But a common question that should be addressed is how to protect your trees when construction happens around your home or commercial business. There are many different precautions and the Parke Company can help you protect them through the duration of the project.

1. Protective fencing and signage – Protective fencing is always a highly recommended method for your trees. Many cities such as Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Brentwood and Belle Meade require this in constructions zones already. In addition, proper signage is a great way to alert construction zones of tree protection. The Parke Company can assist in providing proper signage as well as working with contractors and installing fences.

2. Transplants – Although this is best done during a tree’s dormancy period (fall and winter), transplanting your trees is a great way to ensure protection during construction. The Parke Company can advise in the proper protocol for this option and aide in transplanting during or at the end of the construction project.

3. Tree removal consultations – It is typically less expensive to remove the trees before construction begins, but first have the trees inspected for health and lifespan. The Parke Company will coordinate with building contractors and designers to assess what trees are worth protecting and worth saving. If you have begun construction already, don’t worry! It’s never too late to evaluate the health and longevity your trees

4. Chemical treatments – This is a much trickier option and takes experienced licensed professionals complete the job. However, these treatments use growth stimulators and regulators to control the growth rate of the tree as construction is going on. Although chemical treatments do require professional help, the Parke Company is licensed company in the state of Tennessee (Tennessee Pesticide Charter #1868).

5. Root pruning – Have roots properly pruned underground before construction begins. This service will decrease negative impact on the trees, as well as minimize problems during construction.

Whether you want to use chemical treatments or simply surround your trees with a fence, The Parke Company is available to advise you with multiple options. Many times, coordinating ways to protect your trees with a professional and building supervisors before the construction begins is the most effective way to get the job done. Take the time to map out strategies for tree protection that works best for your project. For Music City to prosper and grow, construction will be necessary; however, do not forget about the health prosperity of Nashville’s trees. The Parke Company is always readily available to give advice, provide services and answer your questions.

For more information, call 615-405-6548.

Tree Trimming or Removal? What’s the Right Call?

September 30, 2026April 19, 2023 by The Parke Company

We have specialty doctors for every possible illness and bodily function: podiatrists, dentists, internists, cardiologists, oncologists. We have specialty veterinarians for our precious pets: equine, avian, canine, feline. And yes, we even have tree doctors, and you can find them right here in Middle Tennessee.

Tree Service of Nashville has expert tree doctors who have years of experience in caring for diseased and decaying trees. But how do you know when your tree is in need of a doctor’s care?

The first thing is if there’s any question, call an expert and they should come out for free and assess it. There are several common signs of tree decay which may be overlooked, such as dead branches, leaves drying up in specific areas, a blemish on the trunk, or anything out of the ordinary.

It may be difficult to notice these signs in late fall and winter when leaves have already fallen, but in the spring, when trees start leafing out, one symptom of a tree in trouble–asymmetry in a tree’s canopy–will be evident.

While disease and pests are the most common causes of tree decline, some tree problems are the result of “mechanical injuries,” in which an object has caused injury to the tree. An example of a mechanical injury is when a sapling is nicked or scraped during lawn mowing. It kills tree the tree from that point up. It may be 10-20 years down the road before the damage shows up.

Tree removals might not be necessary, and a concerned homeowner should call a tree company to assess the problem. At Tree Service of Nashville, we offer tree removal services in all areas, from Brentwood to Hendersonville and beyond, but we first invest in keeping trees alive.

Trees often can have diseases, but trees are treatable. Instead of spending a thousand dollars to cut down a tree, you may just spend a couple hundred to apply an infecticide or insecticide treatment to keep it alive for another 20 years.

For more information on tree services, such as removal of tree, tree trimming, and treating or removing damaged trees, contact Tree Service of Nashville today.

Removing Leaves in Nashville, Tennessee

September 30, 2026April 19, 2023 by The Parke Company

Here in Nashville, there are a lot of trees. Old, broad, tall trees with a lot of leaves. Though leaves are beautiful, when they eventually fall to the ground they can cover your lawn so densely that you might not see any grass at all. In the quest to get rid of leaves and save lawns, there are a few options.

1. Raking

Raking leaves while they are dry is an effective way to get leaves into piles. The biggest advantage to raking is that it’s cheap. Rakes are inexpensive and effective. Wholesale stores like Costco or Sam’s Club, as well as grocery stores sell compost bags specifically designed for leaves. These compost bags run from $.35 a bag if you buy in bulk, to $2.50 per individual bag. The bags can then be taken to compost centers for further use. The downside to the raking method is time. It can take a while to get leaves raked into piles and placed into compost bags. Remember, if you use this method, always wear gloves to protect from injury.

2. Leaf blowing

Leaf blowers are an effective and time efficient way to get leaves into piles. When looking for a leaf blower, there a few key things to look at:

Electric or Gas Powered
Overall Engine Power in MPH
Mulching Kit Component

There are advantages to owning electric and gas powered leaf blowers. Most leaf blowers on the market tend to be electric, so a quality extension cord should also be purchased. Typical engine speeds range from approximately 150 mph to 260 mph, depending on the make and model.

3. Mulching

Many leaf blowers have a mulching kit attachment available. Mulching leaves into compost is the most efficient way to eliminate leaves from a lawn. Many leaf blowers have suction speeds ranging from 180 mph to 220 mph. It’s important to look at blade types as well, as metal blades will last longer than plastic blades. Another consideration is if the mulching kit has a bag attachment or a plastic hose attachment. If your property has a lot of twigs and acorns, you should consider going with a leaf blower/mulching kit that has a rubber or plastic hose attachment rather than just a bag attachment. Twigs can be sharp and often rip through bag attachments, meaning repeat purchases of mulching attachment bags are necessary. Once you fill up a mulching bag or can, simply put the compost into compost bags and take them to your local compost center.

However you choose to get rid of your leaves this fall, just remember to be careful and exercise a “safety first” mentality. For more tips on leaves and all things trees, please feel free to contact us today!