November came in fast and furious in Calgary, dumping up to 25 centimetres of snow in some areas and plunging the city into minus-30 degree weather. Because of winter’s quick arrival, many trees and shrubs have not had a chance to fully shed their leaves. Consequently, branches are over-laden with snow and are hanging precariously, on the verge of breaking or broken already.
As a residential or commercial snow-removal client of Mirage, we will always keep an eye on every aspect of your property throughout the winter. If we spot any sort of situation that requires attention, we will alert you, as the property owner, and advise on the next steps. We keep communication open and honest with our clients, with our main goal being the quality care and complete safety of your property.
How to approach hanging branches
We all love our growing things and want them to survive and thrive. When we see a tree, shrub, or plant struggling, we all want to act.
- If you can safely do so, approach the tree or shrub to give it a good shake to get the excess snow off of hanging branches. Be very careful to knock the snow away from you so that you do not bring anything down on top of you.
- It is never advisable to get up on a ladder when you can’t see what it’s standing on. If damaged and hanging branches are too high up, certified arborists such as us at Mirage will use proper equipment, like a cherry picker, to safely approach your trees at height.
- Often branches that are bent, but not broken, can be tied up to parts of the tree or shrub that are undamaged and sturdy. This will help them regain their proper shape throughout the winter to be ready for spring.
- Broken branches need to be attended to immediately. Do not allow them to simply fall off on their own. They will strip bark from the trunk and leave a very large wound that will not heal properly. That leaves your tree at risk of infection by bugs and pests come spring.
Contact the City of Calgary for municipally owned trees
A city-owned tree is one where the trunk is located outside of your property lines. If you are concerned about a tree that you think might be city-owned, call 311 to determine for sure who is responsible for its care. You can also visit the City’s Urban Forest Management page for more information. Click on the magnifying glass to open the search, then enter your address. The results will show if you have any city-owned trees on your property, denoting the size and species of the tree to make it very clear.
Never go near power line
Do not go near a tree if any part of it has come into contact with either pole-to-pole electrical wiring or pole-to-structure service lines. Call 911 if a tree or branch is in contact with a wire on or near your property, as this is an emergency that requires immediate attention to prevent further damage.
If you have any questions about trees and branches and it’s not an emergency, contact ENMAX at 403-514-3459, or at treetrimming@enmax.com. If you have a tree involved with a wire servicing your house, you need to contact a certified arborist (ISA) to cut away or remove the tree entirely. You may also wish to make contact with your insurer and keep them abreast of a possible damages claim.
Keep your property properly pruned to reduce damage
As landscapers in Calgary we have seen the devastation caused to yards and commercial properties by our often extreme weather. A way to help keep the wreckage down is to ensure your yard is properly pruned. Keeping your property neat and tidy not only looks good, but greatly reduces the chance of an accident.
In addition to snow removal services, Mirage Landscaping provides complete landscape maintenance services and landscape construction services. We specialize in serving the southeast area of Calgary, including the communities of:
Auburn Bay, Chaparral, Chaparral Valley, Copperfield, Cranston, Douglasdale, Heritage Pointe, Lake Bonavista, Mahogany, McKenzie Lake, Mackenzie Towne, Maple Ridge, New Brighton, Odgen/Lynwood/Millican, Parkland, Riverbend, Sundance, Walden, and Willow Park.
We are very proud of what we do. View our portfolio to see our work, and contact us for a free quote.
