Late Freeze Alert: How it Can Affect Your Trees

Snow fallen around treesNashville 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

Parke-Company-tree-service-of-nashville-Parke-Company-and-Cheekwood-Unite-with-Steve-Tobin-Southern-Roots-Exhibit-cedarIt 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!

It’s Cold Outside! Schedule your Snow Removal Services Before It’s Too Late

Snow plow in NashvilleThere is nothing like Nashville weather. One day we’re surprised with eight inches of snow and a few days later it’s sunny and in the 50s. Thanks, Mother Nature! And even though we’ve already had one snow storm hit the Middle Tennessee area, that doesn’t mean another one can’t come again before spring arrives. So before you panic, make sure all your ducks are in a row. Call the Parke Company to schedule your winter services.

Just don’t wait until it’s too late! If you are prepared now, it’s less stress in the long run. Not to mention, your services are completed faster. Not sure what Parke has to offer you during the winter months? Here are just a few of the Parke Company’s most valued winter services for clients all around the area.

Winter Landscaping Services

Snow Removal

Parke’s landscape team works diligently all winter long cleaning up snow and ice for many clients. When a storm hits (or even just a couple inches fall to the ground), the team will arrive at your home or commercial business and clear any walkways, driveways and parking lots of snow and ice. Deicing and salting walkways isn’t just for safety; it’s for your convenience too! It’s one last thing you have to worry about when you’re snowed in. The Parke Company completes snow removal and deicing services to contracted clients first, and then to customer call-ins. So don’t wait to get your driveway deiced! Call today to set up your account.

Firewood

With low temperatures come evenings with cups of hot cocoa and a crackling fire. Though Parke no longer offers firewood delivery services, they are happy to help existing customers find options around Nashville for great firewood for the cold nights to come.

Tree care

One of Parke’s biggest services during the winter months is emergency tree care service. During the snowstorm a few weeks ago, did you notice a lot of fallen trees and branches around Nashville? Trees will fall and block driveways, roadways or even land on cars and houses. It happens when the branches get too heavy with ice and snow. If you have an emergency situation, call the emergency tree care team for immediate assistance. Parke’s arborists will also cover other areas of tree care during the winter as well. These services are mostly precautionary and are completed to improve the life of the tree and prevent any possible damage in the future. These services include crown thinning, deadwood services or tree removal.

It’s safe to say, a lot of Nashvillians would be very happy if there wasn’t any more snowfall this winter. But it’s not guaranteed! We still have a few more months to go before spring arrives, so take the proper precautions. Sign up with Parke for snow removal as well as taking care of any tree care or firewood needs. For more information about routine snow removal or tree care services, contact the Parke Company today.

How to Avoid Dangerous Situations with Proper Tree Care

Tree fallen on a fence in NashvilleIf you have watched the news in the last several weeks and you live in the Nashville area, you’ve probably heard about the tree falling on Vanderbilt’s campus. The tree fell unexpectedly on a group of prospective students and their families. Fortunately, all ten people injured will be okay, but the fallen tree should be a lesson to all of us. Tree care is important not just for the sake of the tree but for the people who enjoy them.

Sources stated the large hackberry tree on Vanderbilt’s campus was water-soaked, which caused the fall. Heavy waterfall, snow and ice are major weather concerns during this time of the year. If you haven’t already this season, be sure to contact the Parke Company to come check out the well-being of your trees.

Here are some services to consider before the harsh winter season gets the best of your yard:

Tree Landscaping Services

Crown thinning

This type of tree service is great for a variety of reasons. Not only does crown thinning involve removing limbs to reduce weight in highly stressed areas, but it also improves air and sunlight throughout the tree. Removing heavy limbs or branches in stressed areas of the tree is a great way to avoid falling limbs during storms or other natural disasters. In addition, it keeps the trees healthy and strong for many years to come.

Weight reduction

Weight reduction services involve the removal of large limbs on lower areas of the tree to reduce overall weight. This is done to avoid limbs (or the whole tree) from falling during strong winds, ice, or for no reason at all.

Deadwood

This tree care service is commonly completed to remove dead, dying and diseased branches or limbs from a tree. Although this is mainly done for the health of the tree (so disease or other factors won’t spread to other areas), and it’s also done to improve the aesthetic of the tree. Similar to the other tree services listed above, if these dying or diseased branches do not get removed in a timely matter, they can fall causing damage to property, people or the tree itself.

Taking care of your trees on your property is vital in preventing damage to other areas of your home or business and the people who live or visit there. In addition, maintaining proper tree care enhances the lifespan of the tree. It’s important to contact the Parke Company to assess your trees and its branches or limbs. Tree services can help you avoid any possible disasters from occurring.

Obviously, some accidents (like the tree on Vanderbilt’s campus) just happen without any warning. If you find yourself in need of emergency tree care services, contact Parke today. Tree care experts will assist in a variety of emergency tree situations both efficiently and safely. For more information about routine tree care or emergency tree services, contact the Parke Company today!

Have You Ordered Your Live Christmas Tree Yet? Contact Parke!

Parke-Company-tree-service-of-nashville-Have-You-Ordered-Your-Live-Christmas-Tree-Yet-Contact-Parke-ornament-red-trailWhoever said you had to stick to the rule of waiting to decorate for the holidays until after Thanksgiving? Why not get started on the decorations now? After all, you don’t just have to limit yourself to Christmas decorations. Why not put up decorations for Thanksgiving? Autumn decorations pair beautifully with Nashville trees and landscape during this beautiful season. Decorations are a great way to get your family in the holiday spirit, and that even applies to decorations outside your home or business.

The Parke Company doesn’t just provide comprehensive tree care; our team can help you put together beautiful and festive decorations over the next couple of months in a variety of ways:

A live Christmas tree is one Parke’s most exciting services. Though it’s always fun to visit Green Hills Mall or Warner Park’s Red Trail to see living Christmas trees, it’s never too early to call the Parke Company to discuss your own living Douglas fir or Norway Spruce tree! Call the Parke Company and they’ll set up your live tree at your house, either inside or outside, to enjoy during the Christmas season. Once the holidays are over, Parke can come back out and plant the living tree in your lawn that will permanently become part of your landscape.

While your tree grows in your landscape for decades to come, it will provide much more than a Christmas memory for you and your family. Though it takes a bit of planning, it’s a great way for your family, especially children, to learn the importance of nature. Don’t need a tree but want to give one as a gift? The Parke Company can do that too! Just call them for more information.

There are other great ways to decorate your landscape with leaves and other holiday decor: your flowerbeds and mailboxes. Your mailbox is an ideal way to show some festive cheer before guests even enter the driveway. Whether you envision autumn leaves or Christmas holly, the Parke Company can make it happen with an array of artistic displays.

Want to add something more to your landscape aside from your mailbox? The Parke Company will work with you to create the perfect display for your porch. Your display can be simple or elaborate. Get in the holiday spirit both inside and outside of your home. They will even take care of any special planting needs for the holidays so your flower bed and landscape.

The team at Parke understands that you have a busy schedule, but don’t forget to call and discuss living Christmas trees and holiday decorating before it’s too late! And while you’re at it, you can talk about plans for your landscape, flower bed and tree care, too. Feel free to call them today for a free consultation or decoration ideas for the upcoming season.