Dangers of DIY Tree Landscaping

Kevin Smith March 9, 2023

If you are a homeowner or property owner, the chances are good that you’ve tried out a few DIY or ‘do it yourself’ projects over the years. It can be fun to try your hand at remodeling, painting, and even landscaping around your home and yard. For the most part, we are thrilled that you are enjoying sprucing up your space! But if you are considering removing large overhanging branches on your own, we advise against it. When it comes to trees and landscaping, DIY is not a good idea. 

At Red’s Tree Service, we recommend that our customers don’t ever attempt landscaping their trees by themselves, which includes things like major branch trims or felling a tree There are a few reasons why we think it’s best to hire a professional crew like ours to handle your landscaping, so continue reading to find out what not to do, and what we recommend instead.

Don’t Mess With Ladders and Heights

One of the skills that professional tree services can offer is equipment to handle heights. Something like a ladder would never be secure enough for you to climb up into a tree and stable enough to let you trim it. No matter how certain you might be that a ladder or other device can hold you up while you trim, we promise, it’s just not worth the risk.

Instead, call a professional tree service like Red’s where our crew will come with trucks and professional equipment that will allow us to reach the tops of trees with no risk to us or yourself. We would rather keep things safe than sorry, no matter what your good intentions might be. 

Don’t Use a Chainsaw

If you’ve ever handled a chainsaw, you know that it takes a bit of practice and skill to be able to use it safely. Many people don’t realize this, thinking they can just purchase a chainsaw and start managing the pruning and landscaping of their tall trees all on their own. 

We can’t emphasize enough how important it is to not attempt to use a chainsaw while on a ladder or while pruning trees. There are so many reasons for this, but if the chainsaw were to malfunction, if a branch were to get caught in the chainsaw, or if a limb were to fall unexpectedly, knocking you down with it, would lead to disaster or major injury. 

Chainsaws are really dangerous pieces of machinery that should only be used by those that can handle them safely and confidently. If you do own a chainsaw, know that it is still a risky piece of machinery, and should only ever be used when standing on firm ground, not with branches or limbs overhead. For the rest of your yard pruning, you should leave it to the experts.

Don’t Take Electrical Risks

One factor that you may not have considered when thinking about pruning your own tree limbs is the risk of electrical accidents. If a large limb accidentally falls onto an electric pole, it can send dangerous currents of electricity back up the limbs and to the person trimming the tree, causing major injuries or death. 

Another thing to consider is if a live electric wire falls to the ground, now making the entire area unsafe for anyone who might encounter it on accident or on purpose. We know this sounds scary, but that’s why we take this safety advice so seriously. Large tree limbs cause accidents like this all the time, and we don’t want anything like that to happen to you or your family. 

Don’t Underestimate Gravitational Pull

Most of us learned about gravity in elementary school, but there’s a big difference between knowing the theory of gravitational pull, and understanding how trees and limbs might fall. Professionals who cut down trees every day are experts at using the proper tools and techniques to ensure that a tree falls or lands in a way that is safe for the surrounding area. That way there is no risk to people, property, or electrical wires as we discussed. 

People who are not experts at managing the gravitational force of heavy limbs and trees often accidentally send trees falling in the wrong places, causing severe accidents or destruction of property. Long story short, it simply isn’t safe for most people to attempt to bring down a tree. 

How To Solve Your Landscaping Problems

After reading all of these negative scenarios, you may be wondering: how can I deal with a tree or branches that are dangerous and threatening my home and well-being? The answer is with Red’s Tree Service!

Our team of skilled professionals has all the tools and training they need to keep you and your home safe while removing potentially dangerous foliage. Even if you aren’t quite sure if a branch or tree needs to be removed, you can request an assessment of your yard so we can determine if your tree is posing a threat, if it needs a trim, or if it needs to be removed. 

Dangers of DIY Tree Landscaping

Get the Landscaping Service You Need!

No matter what the challenge might be, Red’s Tree Service is here to help you with your trees. Give us a call to assess your property, trim, remove trees, remove stumps, or help nourish your trees with deep root fertilization. We are available to customers across the MidSouth, so give us a call today!