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Free resources

Tree care guides you can watch.

Short video walkthroughs of the tree maintenance a San Diego homeowner can do safely. Each guide has step-by-step instructions, a safety callout, and a clear line on when to call a pro instead.

Homeowner walking a San Diego backyard looking up at a mature oak, checking canopy density and trunk condition
Maintenance · Featured · 5 min watch

Walk your trees for warning signs

A 15-minute seasonal walk catches 80% of the failures that kill trees or drop limbs.

Watch guide
All guides

What tree maintenance can you do yourself?

Homeowner raking dried leaves and pine needles from the five-foot zone next to a San Diego stucco home with a clean gravel border
8 min watch
Safety

Create defensible space around your home

CAL FIRE zones 0, 1, and 2 are what stand between a wildfire and your house. Half the work is stuff a homeowner can do.
Close-up of a hand pruner making a clean cut just outside the branch collar of a small tree limb
6 min watch
Basics

Prune small branches the right way

Branches under 2 inches are homeowner-friendly if you cut in the right spot. Cutting wrong invites decay.
Homeowner looking up into the canopy of a backyard tree with a pair of binoculars, scanning for dead branches before storm season
7 min watch
Safety

Prep your trees before Santa Ana season

Santa Ana winds hit October through January. Dead limbs get invited to fall. The prep work takes a Saturday.
Close-up of a tree trunk showing small round exit holes and frass, evidence of a wood-boring beetle infestation
6 min watch
Troubleshooting

Spot a pest or disease infestation early

The difference between saving a tree and removing it is usually a 3-month head start.
Red flags

When should you stop and call a professional?

Six signs that the problem is past DIY. Turn the system off and pick up the phone — running a system with these issues turns cheap repairs into expensive replacements.

  • A tree is leaning toward a house, driveway, or power line

    Soil heave or root failure. Leaners get worse fast, especially after rain. Get eyes on it before the wind does.

  • Large dead branches overhanging a structure or walkway

    Dead branches drop without warning. If it's bigger than your wrist and over a roof, patio, or path, it's a when-not-if issue.

  • Mushroom conks growing at the base of the trunk

    Conks usually mean internal wood decay. The visible mushroom is 10% of the problem. An arborist can probe or sound the trunk.

  • Fresh cracks in the soil near the root plate

    The tree is shifting. Root failure is imminent. Do not stand under or near it. Call immediately.

  • Bees, wasps, or a hornet nest in the tree

    Africanized bees in San Diego are aggressive. Pest control handles the nest first, then tree work proceeds safely.

  • Storm damage or a fallen tree blocking access

    Chain-saws plus unstable limbs plus adrenaline equals injuries. Our emergency crew is insured, equipped, and coordinates with utilities.

Further reading

What tree care resources and resources are available?

CAL FIRE

CAL FIRE Defensible Space Guide

Official zone-by-zone guidance on the 100-ft defensible space around your home.

 UC ANR

UC ANR Tree Pest Identification

UC Agriculture and Natural Resources integrated pest management guide for California trees.

 City of San Diego

San Diego City Tree Removal Permits

Official City of San Diego rules for removing Heritage Trees and street trees.

 International Society of Arboriculture

ISA — Find a Certified Arborist

Verify an arborist's ISA certification before hiring. Every one of our climbers is listed here.
Serving San Diego County

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If the guide didn't solve it, we probably can. Flat-rate diagnostic, same-day service across San Diego County.

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