AFFORDABLE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE IN Wilson, NC

What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Wilson?

When arborists look at a tree, they assess the health of a tree and how best to treat it. They also rid trees of pests, treat abnormally large trees, and prune and fertilize tree roots.

Assessing the health of a tree: Every tree needs nutrients specific to its type. Only a trained arborist like ours can determine and identify what nutrients would help your tree to stay healthy.

Treating a tree that is ill: Illnesses in Wilson can be organized into five different categories leaf diseases, branch and stem diseases, root diseases, vascular diseases, and abiotic diseases.

Common Leaf Diseases

Brown Spot is a fungal disease causing brown and black spots to appear on leaves, eventually killing off the foliage.

Needle cast fungi are common diseases of pines throughout the South. Eastern white, loblolly, slash, Shortleaf, Virginia, and Scotch pines, as well as spruce and firs, are susceptible.

Anthracnose is a fungus that causes black lesions called cankers on most of the tree’s foliage. The word means “ulcer-like sore” and is diagnosed by the symptoms rather than a specific fungus that causes it. The trees most often affected are sycamore, ash, oak, and evergreen elms. It is widespread all over North Carolina due to the amount of moisture that the state gets.

Dogwood anthracnose first appears on the leaves of the bottom of the leaf as tan spots with purple rims. It is important not to confuse these tan spots with other foliage diseases. The dogwood anthracnose symptoms will travel up the tree to the surface leaves as the fungus spreads to the twigs and trunk, causing brown circular cankers. Leaves that show the dogwood anthracnose spots will not fall off in the fall and often remain on the tree until spring. Spores produced by the fungus are spread by rain, insects, or birds, mainly in cool, moist weather.

Oakleaf blisters cause bulges and curling on the leaves of oak trees, eventually leading to the death of the tree.

Common Branch and Stem Diseases

Fusiform rust is a damaging disease of the loblolly pine and slash pine in the state’s southeast. The fungal disease causes ulcers to appear on the branches and stem, eventually killing the tree.

White Pine Blister Rust is native to Asia and was introduced to North America around the twentieth century. Since its introduction, it has spread to 38 states and caused substantial damage and mortality, especially in commercially valuable species of white pine. The disease continues to spread into high elevation areas where the effects go beyond the loss of individual trees. 

Pitch canker is a disease where fungus spores are airborne and spread in the summer during windy, wet periods. The spores infect wounds. The eastern pine weevil, which breeds in dying trees and feeds on young branches, can transmit the disease. Spores are abundant beneath diseased trees and fruiting bodies persist for months. 

Bacterial wet wood, also called slime flux, causes a slimy liquid to slip out through the bark of a tree leaving vertical streaks; you can diagnose this disease from these streaks and the strong smell it gives off.

Wood decay is several fungal diseases that attack the trees all over North Carolina.

Sudden Oak Death is a tree disease caused by the fungus-like plant pathogen Phytophthora ramorum. First recognized in the mid-1990s, the disease kills some oak species (primarily coast live oak and an oak relative, tanoak) and has had devastating effects on forests in North Carolina, California, and Oregon.

Common Root Diseases

Annosus root disease (ARD), caused by the fungus Heterobasidion annosum, produces significant losses of pines across the South. On sandy, well-drained sites, this disease causes growth loss or kills trees. It is most often associated with thinning of loblolly, longleaf, shortleaf, slash, and white pine plantations. Slash and loblolly pines are the most commonly planted species in the South and are both very susceptible to ARD.

Little Leaf disease is a fungal disease that attacks the roots of pine trees across North Carolina.

Phytophthora root and crown rots are common and destructive diseases of fruit trees throughout the world. In North Carolina, apple, cherry, and peach trees are usually attacked. Pear and plum trees appear to be relatively resistant. Trees declining and dying from Phytophthora root and crown rots are frequently misdiagnosed as suffering from “wet feet” (root asphyxiation) or are sometimes confused with those suffering from winter injury.

Common Vascular Diseases

Oak wilt is a fungal disease common in deciduous trees. It causes early production of smaller than normal seeds and browning leaves. If you look at the bark of your tree, and it is becoming streaked, that is a clear sign of Oak Wilt.

Dutch Elm Disease is a vascular wilt disease. The earliest external symptoms of infection are often yellowing and wilting of leaves on individual branches. These leaves often turn brown and curl up as the branches die, and eventually, the leaves may drop off.

Laurel wilt is a deadly disease of red bay and other tree species in the Laurel family. The disease is caused by a fungus (Raffaelea lauricola) introduced into host trees by a nonnative insect, the redbay ambrosia beetle. If left unchecked, it will attack the tree’s vascular system, strangling the tree from the inside.

Bacterial leaf scorch is a chronic, eventually fatal disease that is most noticeable in the early fall. Symptoms include premature leaf browning and defoliation. Infected trees leaf out normally the following year; however, leaves on a few more branches turn prematurely brown in late summer.

Common abiotic diseases include several diseases caused by a lack of micro and macronutrients in the North Carolina soil.

Ridding a tree of pests: There are five categories of pests that attack trees in North Carolina; they are defoliators, bark borers, wood borers, bud pests, and sucking insects.

Defoliators are insects that feed on the foliage (leaves or needles) of trees. These insects harm trees by removing the chlorophyll-containing tissues that are responsible for photosynthesis. While many trees can survive defoliation that is minor or infrequent, defoliation can stress trees and make them more susceptible to attack from other insects and diseases. Repeated defoliation can kill trees. Common defoliators in the area include the pine webworm and sawfly, the gypsy moth, the forest and eastern tent caterpillar, bagworms, and cankerworms.

Bark borers are insects that bore into the bark of trees to feed or reproduce. These insects harm trees by destroying the phloem, a thin layer of cells just beneath the surface of tree bark that transports carbohydrates and nutrients throughout the tree. A tree can be killed if bark borers ‘girdle’ a tree by destroying the phloem all the way around the stem. Common bark borers in Wilson include the southern pine beetle, ips beetle, and black turpentine beetle.

Wood-boring insects are often secondary pests that bore into the wood of dead or dying trees or green logs to lay eggs. Larvae feed on the inner bark and boreholes deep into the wood. While wood borers usually do not directly cause tree death, boring activity can cause degradation of lumber. In addition, boring permits the entrance of fungi that can cause wood decay or discoloration. Common wood borers in the area include emerald ash borer, sawyer beetle, ambrosia beetle, and the sirex wood.

Many forest insect pests only attack seedlings or the young succulent tissues of small twigs, shoots, and buds. Seedlings can be killed and larger trees can be disfigured. Infestations of these insects can be difficult to identify and symptoms may confuse those of other insects or diseases. Common bud pests in Wilson include pale weevil, tip moth, twig girdlers, and white pine weevil.

Many insects can cause harm to trees by piercing the surface of soft plant tissues and feeding on nutrient-rich sap. In enough numbers, piercing/sucking insects can starve a tree by depleting the carbohydrates produced from photosynthesis. If infestations last several years, tree death can result. In addition, many piercing/sucking insects carry pathogens that can also cause tree death or decline. Common sucking insects in the city include scales, aphids, gall makers, and the hemlock and balsam wooly adelgid.

Root Pruning:When space is premium, tree roots can curl in on themselves, killing the tree. Root pruning prevents this from happening.

Deep Root Fertilization:Different trees need different minerals and nutrients. By analyzing the soil composition, the proper nutrients and minerals can be added to keep your trees healthy.

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

The City of Wilson has general assembly laws that cover trees that become a threat to human life or property. Any problem with trees in the public area will be taken care of by the Arboricultural Administration of Wilson.

However, any trees on private land are the responsibility of the owner of the property. Chapter 328 of the 1977 Session Laws of the General Assembly of North Carolina, specifically states that any tree on private land is the landowner’s responsibility, even in cases where the tree must be removed for public health reasons.

Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Wilson?

If a tree falls on private property in Wilson, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to remove the tree. They also may be responsible for any damages the tree caused when it fell. Dead and dying trees must be removed efficiently for this very reason. Otherwise, the owner of the property may be responsible for thousands of dollars in damages. Naturally, the responsibility of a fallen tree has different consequences depending on if you own or rent the property.

If you’re a homeowner?

If you are a homeowner, not only are you responsible for the removal of the tree, but if the tree fell of its own accord, you are responsible for any damages it caused when it fell. Most homeowners, however, have insurance, and depending on the policy, some expenses may be covered by the insurer. Before you pay to remove a tree or pay for damages for a fallen tree, check with your insurer to see if you are covered.

If you’re a renter?

Suppose you rent in Wilson and a tree has fallen. In that case, the property owner is responsible for tree removal and any damages the tree might have caused if it fell. If a fallen tree damaged your private property, you might also be eligible for compensation.

If you’re a landlord?

Any tree removal, trimming, pruning, or otherwise maintenance of a tree or shrub on any rented property in Wilson is the responsibility of the person or persons who own the property. If you own more than one property, then you are responsible for those as well. It is the landlord’s responsibility or property owner to maintain any trees, shrubs, bushes, lawns, and other types of landscaping.

If you’re a neighbor?

Sadly, every case is different and it can be difficult to determine whose property the tree came from and who is responsible for the damages. All claims are very different; our arborists can give you an idea of whose property the tree was originally on, but it may be a good idea to consult with a lawyer to understand better how your situation stands. 

How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Wilson?

The soil in Wilson is in the coastal plain of the United States, and much of its soil has micro and macro deficiencies affecting the trees that grow there. The most common macronutrient issues are:

• Nitrogen and magnesium deficiencies cause chlorosis, a disease that causes leaves to be yellow and die.
• Phosphorus deficiencies causing leaves to turn blue-green or red-purple.
• Potassium deficiencies causing leaves to become scorched, browned, and mottled.
• Calcium deficiencies deform the growth of root tips and shoots.
• Sulfur deficiencies causing necrosis of young shoots.

There are also common micronutrient issues, including:

• Iron deficiencies cause the veins of leaves to change from dark to light green.
• Manganese deficiencies cause leaves to develop pale brown or purple spots.
• Boron deficiencies cause leaves to become dwarfed and discolored.
• Zinc deficiencies cause a bronzing of leaves.
• Copper deficiencies cause leaves to wilt.
• Molybdenum deficiencies cause leaves to take on a pale color.

All of these nutrient deficiencies mean our arborists must add nutrients to the soil to keep your trees healthy.

Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Wilson?

Climate change has begun to affect trees in Wilson. In a report by Eli Sagor, he noted, “The trees thriving in a given forest stand are well adapted to the current and recent historical conditions. Because most tree species are well adapted to a relatively narrow range of soil, light, and other factors, as conditions change, their vigor may change”.

What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Wilson?

Wilson Energy operates several tree crews responsible for maintaining clearance around the large number of primary lines we have throughout the county. Primary lines are the main lines that typically run parallel to the street. Over the course of the year, these crews make their way through the county trimming around the lines in specific areas. However, if an urgent situation may endanger a primary line, please report it to the dispatch office at 252-399-2424.

Wilson Energy does not maintain the same clearance around service lines that run to each home. For trees on private property and are growing close to or touching the service lines, you will need to contact our specialists to either trim or remove the trees. We will contact the power company to shut off service so that the removal can commence safely.

How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Wilson?

Tree removal is expensive no matter what you do. Even the easy jobs are dangerous and labor-intensive, and you pay for those difficulties. Even worse, there are often unforeseen difficulties in tree removal, making the final price, on average, almost always more than the estimate. The minimum of removing a tree in the area is about $150, with a maximum of about $2,700 and an average price of around $900.

Naturally, some factors can affect the price, making them higher or lower (sadly usually higher), and it’s helpful to know what these factors are before you decide to have your tree removed.

Location of the tree

Some trees are readily accessible and can be removed without any heavy equipment. Some trees, however, are near power lines or near fragile structures and require special equipment to remove safely. When this is the case, your cost will be much higher than average. You will pay for the ordinary labor, danger, and any heavy machinery needed to remove the tree; it also matters if the tree is accessible to our truck used to haul the tree away. You will pay more if we need to carry the heavy tree farther by hand.

Size of the Tree

The size of the tree matters. The bigger the tree, the more expensive it will be to remove and the more dangerous the job is. If the tree is big enough, you may end up paying the maximum to have it cut down.

• 6″ to 12″ diameter at breast height: $550
• 12″ to 24″ diameter at breast height: $1,400
• 24″ to 36″ diameter at breast height: $1,800
• 36″ to 48″ diameter at breast height: $2,300
• 49+” diameter at breast height: $2,700+

Condition of the Tree

Usually, healthy trees are good, but not when they are being removed. You can expect to pay much more for removing a healthy tree than a dead tree. Dead trees tend to be lighter, bringing down the price considerably.