Make Your Holiday A Safe One

The holiday season is upon us again, and again it is time for us to decorate. For many of us this is a time when we string up festive lights and deck the halls from wall to wall. It is also the time of year when holiday displays are shown off in the great outdoors. Whatever your traditions may be, there is one important tradition we should all keenly observe...safety.

Carefully make your holiday a safe one by inspecting and testing your lights before hanging them. What worked fine last year may not this holiday. Wiring and bulbs have undergone a year of wear and tear by now. Be mindful to use only lighting that has been designed for outdoor use. If not properly installed and cared for those blinking and glowing lights can become a hazard. Holiday lights add cheer to the season, but use caution with placement and never leave the lights unattended if you are not home.

Remember that you should never use inside cords for outside decoration. Also, do not overload them by putting more than three strings of lights into one cord. Be sure to use extension cords correctly. Current going through the cords can heat them up, so you do not want a cord coiled on the floor in layers. This could be a fire hazard. Try to use the length of cord that you will need.

Keep in mind that trees and other plants you may choose to decorate with lights are organic compounds such as wood and leaves, and these materials can possibly catch fire if they are overheated. You should definitely discard your old holiday lights if you feel that the lights are giving off too much heat. New technology means that the bulbs on newer lights can be replaced, and they are designed to prevent a short circuit.

Certified outdoor lighting is specifically designed to be used outdoors in all weather conditions, and should be used for an outdoor seasonal lights display, rather than indoor lights. Indoor lighting used outside can increase the risk of fires, and short circuits. LED lights look just like the standard incandescent holiday that you've grown used to, only better. In point of fact they last longer with a 50,000 hour bulb life. LED lights are safer - due to burning at a lower temperature, and are practically unbreakable. But most importantly, the LED lights are more efficient - they use 90% less energy than the lights your neighbor leaves up year-round.
Zimmerman Tree Service provides commercial and residential holiday and year-round lighting services in the Palm Beach County area. 

http://zimmermantreeservice.com/Services/HolidayLightingInstallationandRemovalService.aspx.

Canopy Reduction For Your Trees

Canopy reduction is the process of removing the end of branches at the top or sides of trees.

The main reasons for pruning your tree canopy are:

1. Provide clearance from a structure

2. Reduce the risk of tree failure

3. Overall size reduction

http://zimmermantreeservice.com/Services/CanopyReduction.aspx

Whitefly Treatment and Control in South Florida

Protect your trees and bushes from attack by Whitefly.
Zimmerman Tree Services provides expert, licensed professional protection of your plants from infestation of the invasive, devastating Whitefly pests.
There are different Whitefly treatment methods that may be applied to trees and hedges.

http://zimmermantreeservice.com/Services/WhiteflyTreatment.aspx

Holiday Lighting Installation And Removal Service

Zimmerman Tree Service provides commercial and residential holiday and year-round lighting services in the Palm Beach County area.

Professionally decorate your business or home for the holiday season with holiday lights and Christmas decorating service.

Get professional lighting installation at its very best, with safe, quality installation and removal.

From holiday lighting design, installation, removal and storage, turn your business or home into a wonderland.

 

http://zimmermantreeservice.com/Services/HolidayLightingInstallationandRemovalService.aspx

 

 

Harvesting Pumpkins, Storing Seeds

The quintessential fall vegetable is, of course, the pumpkin. Master gardener Chris Dawson shows how to harvest this special squash and the best way to save seeds for the next season. http://www.hgtv.com/gardening/harvesting-pumpkins-storing-seeds/index.html

Autumn Landscape Care In Florida

Here in Florida we do not encounter the dramatic changes in foliage seen in cooler northern climates. To be sure we do experience the changing of the leaves just as other areas do, just not to the visual extreme evident in some locales. Autumn is, like all the seasons, a time of change. Cooling temperatures slow the above ground growth of leaves and other foliage, some will change colors and die off. Moister soil allows stronger development of roots. We can protect plants' overall health during this time by removing withered parts like spent stems and dead branches.

This is the perfect season to aerate the lawn. Compressed soil must be aerated so water and nutrients can reach the roots. On a small yard A garden fork can do the job. Bigger lawns may require a walk-behind aerator. It is also a good time to feed your grass. For most types of grass the roots keep growing until the ground gets down to around 40 degrees. Apply a high-phosphorus (12-25-12) mix to lawns in fall to encourage further root growth. This will also be beneficial after winter as your turf will green up earlier in spring.

During the cooler months your grass will grow much more slowly. This is a great time for an end-of-season mowing as disease has a harder time getting established with shorter grass. Also keep in mind that fallen leaves blow easier across the lawn with shorter grass because they have nothing to latch on to. Those leaves will also be a valuable addition to your compost heap. You will need to flip the leaf pile every week with a garden fork to aerate it. The resulting mulch can be used next year to nourish shrub borders, lawns, flower beds, and herb gardens. 

This can be a good time of year to plant new shrubs which tend to be more cold-resistant. Planting them now gives the plants a head start at establishing roots in the season's cool, moist soil. At the same time you initiate new growth it is good to eliminate the remains of the old. Trimming branches and dead limbs can remove the possibility of them blowing down in cold windy weather and damaging your home or endangering your family. You can probably handle the small ones yourself but for the bigger jobs it is better to call in the pros.

The groundwork you do this season will prepare your lawn and landscaping for the next. Your autumn efforts will generate spring rewards. The work you do now results in healthier spring beds. Get rid of tired annuals, as well as the snails and slugs that feed on them, which breed in fall. Trim spent perennial foliage down to the ground and divide crowded tuberous plants, like daylilies and irises. The more space you create the more room you will have for flowers next year.

Zimmerman Tree Service Receives Recognitions

 

A local tree care firm received industry recognitions.

 

Zimmerman Tree Service of Lake Worth recently achieved re-accreditation through the Tree Care Industry Association.

 

For the three-year designation, businesses undergo an extensive review of professional practices, including consumer satisfaction, best business practices, employee training, industry compliance and insurance coverage.

 

In addition, the International Society of Arboriculture recently recognized company founder Michael Zimmerman for his contribution to the advancement of the purpose and substance of ISA’s Florida chapter.

 

July 1, 2013
By Cindy Kent, Sun Sentinel