AFFORDABLE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE IN Morton, IL

What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Morton?

For the residents of Morton, trees do more than provide shade and beautify their landscape. They screen unwanted views and noise from busy highways, thereby bringing a calming effect. Some of the common trees planted in the City include red cedar, apple, hawthorn black oak, black walnut, junipers, arborvitae, pines, bur oak, pecan, and many more. Every homeowner and commercial property in the City hates to see their tree die. Unfortunately, trees in Morton battle various issues, majorly pests and diseases. Some of the common pest and diseases that impact the trees in the area leading to severe damage and death include:

• Apple scab: Apple scab is predominant during spring when the new leaf growth emerges. The fungal disease can be observed primarily on leaves, blossoms, and fruits. Typical symptoms include olive-green spots that enlarge and darken to become circular. If not checked, this disease leads to the wilting and eventual death of the tree.
• Cedar-apple rust: Cedar-apple rust is caused by a fungus that needs two hosts to survive, such as a juniper host like eastern red cedar and a deciduous host like the hawthorn. Symptoms may include leaf spots on the upper and lower side of the leaves and infections on fruits and branches. Severe infestations eventually destroy the ornamental value of healthy trees, besides causing wilting. Call us to remove infected trees to curb the spread of the disease.
• Phomopsis blight: This is a fungal disease affecting evergreens such as the junipers, arborvitae, and some pine species. The symptoms usually manifest in spring when new growth changes from light yellow-green to red-brown. As the tree dies, the leaves eventually change to gray. Infected stems feature lesions that cause tip death. It is important to note; the blight is spread by splashing rain, wind, insects, and infected pruners.
• Japanese beetles: Japanese beetles are quite common in the Chicago area. Their larvae overwinter in the soil and can damage trees by feeding on the root. Adult beetles emerge from the soil in late June and feed on tree leaves of more than 300 different plant species. Due to their high population, the beetles can drastically reduce the vigor of affected trees leading to their eventual death.
• Caterpillars: The Eastern Tent caterpillar and the Fall Webworm are the two common pests affecting deciduous trees in Morton. While the Eastern tent caterpillar is active during spring, the former infest trees in summer and fall. Their gauzy tents deface trees on roadsides, home landscapes, and orchards, leading to massive damage and death.
• Emerald ash borer: The EAB is a major infective species that causes significant mortality to native ash trees during its larval stage. Their larvae feed on the water-conducting tissues under the bark, thereby making it impossible for trees to get water and nutrients from the ground. The larva rapidly multiplies and creates massive tunnels that girdle a tree within one to three years.

These are some of the typical issues affecting Morton trees. The City has also seen massive trees destroyed due to fire, molds, storms, and other insects. If you are concerned your tree is suffering from any disease or devastating pest infestation, feel free to contact us at Tree Triage for a quick and thorough inspection. We have fantastic equipment and years of experience to diagnose myriads of tree problems and remove any tree before it becomes a major issue. For us, no tree removal is too big or too complicated.  

Does the City of Morton Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?

The City of Morton has put in place robust Tree Ordinances that guide planting, maintenance, removal, and protection of trees to the greatest extent possible. The ordinances specify that a person requires a permit for any tree work on public property, including planting, removing, trimming, spraying, or otherwise treating any tree. Regarding trees on private property, the ordinances further specify that:

• “When emergency conditions exist, including a storm which damages or destroys a tree on private property, it shall be the responsibility of the private homeowner to promptly have the damaged or destroyed tree removed.”- Ord. 2-2-9-emergencies“No person shall keep or maintain a tree which is deemed to be a nuisance on his/her property, and it shall be the duty of any such owner to quickly cause any such tree or limb of any such tree to be removed and disposed of.”- Ord. 2-2-10-nuisance abatement.

According to the Morton city tree ordinance, a nuisance tree includes all species and varieties of dead, substantially dead, or diseased trees. It also consists of the limb or part of any tree located on private property that overhangs any sidewalk, street, and other public places within ten feet of the ground. It may also include any tree or tree limb located on private land which impedes or interferes with traffic passage, obstructs traffic signals, or causes a blind corner.

In a nutshell, the City of Morton doesn’t provide any assistance in tree removal problems. The City’s tree ordinances also clarify that failure to abate a said tree nuisance will lead to the city abating it at the homeowner’s expense per sections 8-7-6 through 8-7-10 of the code.

Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Morton?

The removal of diseased, dead, or downed trees on private property in Morton is the owner’s responsibility. Similarly, any damage caused by a falling tree will be the owner’s responsibility. However, falling trees have for long contributed to major neighborhood disputes, some ending in court cases. Let’s look at your options if you are a homeowner, a renter, a landlord, or a neighbor impacted by a fallen tree.

If you’re a homeowner?

According to Morton city’s municipal code, you are responsible for removing any fallen tree on your property.

If you’re a renter?

If you rent in the Morton area and a tree has fallen, it is the landlord’s responsibility or the entity owning the property responsible for the tree removal. However, if you carry the blame for the fallen tree due to your actions, you could end up paying for the removal.

If you’re a landlord?

Any tree or shrub maintenance work in a rented property in Morton, including trimming, pruning, and removal, is the landlord’s responsibility or the entity owning the property.

If you’re a neighbor?

Trees are alive and growing, which means that they may affect their surroundings. If your neighbor’s tree limbs extend to your property, you have a right to have them trimmed. If a storm causes your neighbor’s tree to fall in your yard, your homeowners’ insurance may cover the cost of removal and the damage it caused on your property.

How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Morton?

Drummer soil is the official state soil of Illinois. It is the most occurring soil type in the Morton area. Drummer soil series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils formed in 40 to 60 inches of loess or other silty material. Since the soil is slow to drain, it holds large amounts of water that weakens trees and other crops. Typically, diseases such as mildew affect trees and crops weakened by poor drainage conditions. Additionally, trees on poorly drained landform shallow root systems. In dry periods, they may not obtain adequate moisture to maintain full growth, thereby showing rapid drought symptoms. 

Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Morton?

Adverse weather affects trees in Morton. Severe droughts like the one witnessed in 2012 lead to the massive death of several tree species lasting nearly six years. During extended dry conditions and harsh winters, trees in the City lose root mass, which ultimately reduces sap flow leading to branch and stem death. Additionally, storms accompanied by high winds typically cause some trees to fall in the City due to shallow root formation.

What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Morton?

Growing branches that get in the way of power lines pose significant hazards, including electrocution and the risk of death. In Morton, it is the responsibility of the City’s utility company to trim trees near power lines as per the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC). 

How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Morton?

It will cost you between $200 to $750 on average to have a tree removed in the City of Morton, but some removal jobs total more than $1,500. Removing both the tree and the stump costs an extra $100 to $150. However, several factors can determine the actual price you will pay for a tree removal service. These include:

Size

Your tree’s height significantly impacts the project’s overall cost. Removing a large tree poses more risks and safety hazards than a smaller one. Our arborists also need special equipment to remove a big tree. In essence, expect to pay more to have a bigger tree removed on your property than a small one.

Type

The type of tree will also have an impact on the overall cost. Although two different tree types with the same height are likely to cost the same amount, some tree types are considered problematic and may require specialized equipment and skills. Ideally, it may cost you more to remove a maple tree than a palm tree, even when the trees share one size.

Other Factors

While the tree size has the most significant impact on the price tag, some other factors determine the cost as well:

• Fallen tree: Removing a standing tree costs more than removing a fallen one; this is because an upright tree comes with higher risks and safety hazards.
• Tree condition: Unhealthy trees pose severe hazards to our removal experts and other neighboring trees and should be removed immediately. Depending on its health status, you may pay more to remove a sick tree than a healthy one.

Accessibility: Removing an inaccessible tree can increase your final bill up to 50 percent as we will require specialized tools and adequate preparation to ensure nothing is damaged.