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Five Things to Know Before Climbing Trees

March 7, 2024May 4, 2016 by The Parke Company

Parke-Company-tree-service-of-nashville-Five-Things-to-Know-Before-Climbing-Trees The spring season has already arrived and Nashvillians are all out enjoying the warmer weather. Cheekwood in Bloom, farmer’s markets and marathons are just a few of the many outdoor activities to participate in this spring.

One simple activity kids and adults alike have been doing is climbing trees. It’s an easy way to enjoy the nature around Middle Tennessee without too much fuss or expense. But there are a few things to consider before climbing.

How to Safely Climb a Tree

Stay Safe

Is your tree safe enough to climb or swing? This is the most important factor to consider for tree climbers. Climbing trees can be a lot of fun but if the branches are weak it can be very dangerous. Make sure the trees are tall and healthy before attempting to climb. Do not climb any trees where the branches or trunk appear to be damaged due to lightning, disease or other noticeable factors. If you know that animals live in the tree, consider another tree and leave the critters alone.

Evaluate

Even if the tree looks safe, have your tree evaluated by a professional arborist to be sure. There might be issues with the trees or branches that you might not be able to see right away. Having an arborist do a full tree care work-up will be a sure-fire way to know if the tree is safe for tree climbers.

Learn

Before climbing any branches, be sure to learn or freshen up on any and all safety tips. This will help avoid injuries to you and damage to the tree. Consult with an arborist if you are unsure about the proper tree care when climbing the branches or playing in trees. Tree climbing can be a very enjoyable experience. Plus, it’s a great way to familiarize yourself with Nashville’s vast ecosystem, but you have a responsibility to the tree to know all safety measures before climbing its branches.

Install

Have a professional arborist tie up a swing, if applicable. If you want to do more than a simple climb, our arborists can easily tie up rope and install swings from branches. Trees have been nature’s playground for years, but it’s important to acknowledge and treat the tree with care before adding a swing.

Call for Service

Tree climbers in Nashville are all about having fun. If you’re climbing branches in your own trees, it should be for recreational and educational purposes only. If you need to complete any tree care, call our team of professional arborists. Depending on the tree service, tasks necessary to care for the tree can be dangerous. Do not attempt to complete the job yourself.

The five cardinal rules listed above can help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience when climbing or swinging in the branches of your own tree. Love to climb trees but don’t have access to them in your own backyard? Music City has a couple options for you. Consider working for Parke! Our arborist team is certified and trained to complete a wide variety of tree services, and many of them include climbing trees. You might also consider a recreational tree climbing company like Tree Climbing Planet. It’s great for tree climbers who want to bring out their inner child every so often.

The Parke Company can complete a variety of tree services such as tree care analysis, crown thinning, tree removal, etc. Summer is just around the corner so don’t delay. Get your name in the books today!

Lightning and Trees: Three Ways Parke Can Help

March 7, 2024April 20, 2016 by The Parke Company

The Parke Company team cleaning up a fallen tree Just because it’s April doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be concerned with severe summer storms yet. As a matter of fact, we’ve already had a few episodes of threatening weather, including tornados and flash floods. But one of the biggest threats during this kind of weather is lightning. Trees are especially susceptible to lightning, which is why it’s important to regularly monitor your trees and call for any necessary tree care and damage repair.

Trees isolated on hills, near water, and in vast lawns or fields are even more susceptible to strikes. So what can you do when a storm comes through Nashville and wreaks havoc on your trees? Trees are resilient but preventative measures can always be taken, especially if the tree is a historical landmark. If the tree is struck and it needs to be assessed, there are a couple things the Parke Company can assist you with.

How to Help with Trees Struck by Lightning

Protective devices

Because trees are susceptible to lightning, it’s important to consider protection for older and highly-valued trees, like the Battle of Nashville tree. Installing these protective devices can decrease the likelihood of damage from lightning. This is especially important if trees are near your home or business where severe damage could occur. The lightning devices are complex systems and should not be installed without the help of a certified arborist.

Emergency tree care

As with all weather, lightning is unpredictable. If lightning hits a tree and the tree falls as a result, damage is a real possibility. If the tree falls over a roadway, on your property or on a power line, the Parke Company’s emergency team should be called immediately. The arborist will be able to address the problem quickly and remove the tree safely and efficiently. Just remember, the Parke Company’s existing clients are addressed first. If you’ve never used Parke’s tree or landscape services, call today to get your name in the books for tree care or landscape. That way, if something disastrous happens on your watch, Parke’s arborists have you covered fast.

Repair damage

Depending on the severity, lightning strikes can completely destroy your tree. However, there are times when trees get struck and you won’t be able to tell right away. That’s why it’s important to call a certified arborist who will be able to assist you with proper tree care, as well as guide you in a treatment plan for the affected tree. Signs of damage to the tree are cracks down the trunk, loss of leaves, sunken dead spots around the trunk or branches and death (immediate or prolonged). If you see any of these signs after a storm, contact Parke to complete a full tree care work-up.

You getting struck by lightning is a rare occurrence, but unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the trees on your landscape. Whether it’s effective preparedness, emergency service or damage repair, the arborists at the Parke Company are readily available to discuss your tree care options. Need landscape or lawn services? The Parke Company is available for that too! Call today to get your name in the books.

Tree Preparedness: What To Do in the Threat of a Storm

March 7, 2024April 13, 2016 by The Parke Company

The Parke Company team preparing for a storm It’s springtime, and the saying “April showers bring May flowers,” comes to mind. Well, it might not be April yet, but it’s close enough, and the showers are definitely coming to the Nashville and Middle Tennessee area. And while some are just simple, spring rains, other showers can be serious threats. Tornadoes, lightning and flash flooding are all factors that have caused detrimental damage to areas around the country. But one of the most damaging factors during storms are trees. Nashville trees can be easily uprooted or damaged in a storm. Branches and leaves can be yanked off the trunk, harming both the property and the tree itself.

That’s why it’s important to be informed and properly prepared for any possible severe storm that might enter the Middle Tennessee area. Sometimes we can have several days of warning before a storm approaches, but other times, bad weather patterns can change and arrive unexpectedly. Though it’s important to have an emergency plan in place for your family, it’s also important to make sure your trees are properly cared for.

Here are three things to consider for your tree care:

Check trees for stability — Schedule a tree service appointment with an arborist at the Parke Company. A certified arborist will be able to asses any potential danger or instability your trees might have. In addition, if you schedule an appointment with an arborist, he or she can also check for possible disease or other problems.
Care as necessary — If there is a problem, or an arborist finds that parts of your tree are unstable and cannot withstand a strong storm, the arborist team will be able to address it and take care of it quickly. Parke’s tree services will be able to put your mind at ease. Whether it’s a simple crown thinning or treatment for disease, they’ll be able to get it taken care of in no time.
Call for emergencies — Sometimes you can do all the right things and take all the right precautions and Mother Nature still deals you a bad deck. If a tree falls in your property or in the middle of the yard, the Parke Company’s emergency team can help. Their emergency team is trained and certified to handle high-stress situations involving fallen trees. Have the emergency number handy but be sure to also have other important local numbers too, such as Nashville Electric Services (NES) and Metro Water Services. This is in case a tree falls on a power line or damages a sewage system.

Nashville is a great city, but sometimes the weather can be fickle. So be prepared for all possibilities! From a late freeze to lightning damage to your trees, make sure you know how to handle each situation properly. For more information about Parke’s tree care services, contact an arborist today. If your landscape floods, the landscape crew at Parke can help with that too. If you do need emergency tree care services, contact Parke immediately for assistance. Be safe, Nashvillians!

Late Freeze Alert: How it Can Affect Your Trees

March 7, 2024March 9, 2016 by The Parke Company

Snow fallen around trees Nashville and the surrounding Middle Tennessee areas are notorious for late freezes during the spring. It’s a bitter truth Nashvillians have been living with for years. And while a late freeze generally doesn’t affect us other than an occasional frost on our car in the morning, it can affect the livelihood of your newly budding trees and flowers. Your landscape is especially susceptible to freeze if shrubs, small plants or young trees are planted.

Take precautions in order to decrease the risk of damage from frost. If you have things ready to go for your landscape, it’s time to focus on the trees themselves. Though trees are strong and can withstand a lot, it’s important to be cautious. Of course the arborists at Parke are always happy to help monitor and determine precautions for your tree care, but here are some things to keep in mind to get you started:

What to Know About Tree Health in Winter

Healthy trees are happy trees

Have an arborist from Parke come out to do a full tree care work-up on all your trees. Our experts will make sure your trees, whether young or old, large or small, are healthy. This keeps disease and illness away. If a tree is damaged or diseased from a previous ailment, the tree will use its resources to fight off illness, not the freeze from a late frost. Prevention is an arborist’s number one piece of advice to avoid mishaps in the future.

Deep watering right before freeze

Many arborists will recommend giving your trees a deep watering right before a freeze to help keep damage from occurring on the buds of trees. By watering, moist soil will absorb heat during day and alleviate some of that cold air in the evening from the tree. You can also water your trees by spraying or misting leaves and buds.

Blanket young trees and shrubs

Like your landscape, consider using burlap or a sheet to cover young trees and shrubs. This is a great preemptive tree care measure and it helps keep your trees and landscape looking pristine.

Of course there are times when trees fall victim to freeze damage and there’s nothing that will save it. If this is the case, call a Parke arborist and schedule a tree service appointment. Our experts will be able to tell what damage has happened, if the tree can be nursed back to health, or if crown thinning or tree removal services are necessary.

Trees, especially full-grown trees, are resilient and can withstand all kinds of Nashville weather. As long as your trees are healthy and you prepare in advance, they can withstand the late freezes this spring. Contact the Parke Company’s tree service team and they’ll be able to come out and assist you with any tree care needs. Spring is the season for new beginnings and a fresh start. Don’t begin the season with damaged or dying trees due to an inconvenient late freeze. Take advantage of our tree care expertise at the Parke Company.

Parke Company and Cheekwood Unite with Steve Tobin: Southern Roots Exhibit

September 11, 2024February 23, 2016 by The Parke Company

Parke-Company-tree-service-of-nashville-Parke-Company-and-Cheekwood-Unite-with-Steve-Tobin-Southern-Roots-Exhibit-cedar It may still be cold outside, but the warmer months are rapidly approaching, and that means extra time outside admiring trees and the nature all over Nashville. And one of the best places to visit during the spring is Cheekwood. Rooted in tradition, nature and art, this botanical garden is a Nashville treasure that adults and children can both enjoy. Because of this, it’s no wonder the Parke Company enjoys working with Cheekwood so much. Sponsoring another one of Cheekwood’s exhibits, the Parke Company is excited to see what the new art brings to Nashvillians.

Nature and art colliding, this year’s exhibit features structures inspired by the natural form of trees. Steve Tobin: Southern Roots “will give visitors the opportunity to experience the relationship between art and nature through a new lens,” according to marketing material provided by Cheekwood. The exhibit will also will include one of Tobin’s sculptures in downtown Nashville’s Riverview Gardens at Riverfront Park.

Every year Cheekwood showcases works done by artists that draw inspiration from nature. Last year, Parke also sponsored a similar event with Cheekwood called A Celebration of Trees by Charles Brindley. While last year’s work focused on landscape pieces, this year’s art will be more abstract.

The event will align with National Arbor Day and Nashville Arbor Day, which kicks off the spring. The exhibit itself, however, will begin on February 20th and run through the summer. The outdoor sculptures will be available for viewing until September 4th and will cover different areas in the West Gardens at Cheekwood.

In addition to the much-anticipated outdoor sculpture exhibit, Cheekwood will also feature Tobin’s work inside the museum through May 24th. This series will showcase a never-before-seen gallery using wood from fallen trees in Costa Rica. It’s an arborist’s dream come true!

Steve Tobin is a well known sculpture artist who uses glass, bronze, steel and clay as his primary materials. To kick off the exhibit, the artist himself will host a lecture at Cheekwood to discuss his exhibit as well as nature as his artistic influence. The lecture begins at 2:00 p.m. on February 20th and is free for members or with admission.

The spring time is a great time to come visit Cheekwood and view Tobin’s exciting exhibit. If you’ve never been to the botanical garden, what better time to come out and discover what all the hype is about. Not only can you view the art from this acclaimed artist, but enjoy the nature as well. Find some inspiration in the landscape or trees all throughout the property before tree care and maintenance on your landscape begins. Cheekwood is truly an arborist or nature-lover’s happy place. Whether you pull elements from the art or the gardens themselves, the Parke Company’s arborist and landscape teams can assist you in making your landscape dreams come true!