Hire a Licensed Contractor for your tree work.

For your safety and peace of mind CAÑADA TREE CARE is a fully insured and licensed company. It is a good idea when hiring a licensed contractor to always request certificates of insurance. You also need to know who is in charge and who is the owner of the company. Some tree companies have a Contractor's License but claim they have no employees so as not to pay into the Workmen's Compensation Fund. You can go to the California Contractors State License Board web site to check the current status of a company or you can use the number listed below to verify if their license is current and whether they have Workmen's Compensation Insurance.

To check a Contractor's License number call: 1-800-321-2752.

What is an arborist?

The International Society of Arborculture tests prospective arborists with a battery of tests designed to determine their knowledge of trees. The test is divided into ten sections, ranging from the biology of trees, proper punning, disease and infestation, to O.S.H.A regulations and safety procedures. This all came about as a way for arborists to separate themselves from the old school tree trimmers who tend to do more damage than good in trimming trees. I currently do not do arborist reports but i do work with and refer these arborists.

Mike Barker Philosophy of Pruning

Most deciduous trees respond best when trimmed in the fall. Evergreens can be pruned year round, although pines and eucalyptus should be trimmed in the winter months to avoid attracting bores. California Live Oak trees should be trimmed only during the dormancy period between July and September.

My philosophy for punning trees is essentially the same for all trees. Light thinning, removing dead wood, and lightly reducing the canopy provides a safe, beautiful tree. Through punning we enhance the natural characteristics of the tree, making each tree unique to its shape.

We never defoliate a tree to the point where is responds by sending out lots of water sucker growth. Trees need leaves to live, and if heavy topping or defoliation occurs, massive amounts of suckers will follow. In fact, the more drastically a tree is topped, the greater liability a year or two later. Water sucker growth does not firmly attach itself to the tree, so when this growth becomes new tops and branches, they are weaker and more likely to break. There is nothing dangerous about large trees, providing they are maintained annually using the punning technique adhered to by the International Society of arborculture.

(818) 952-4036