Get matched with top arborists in Harvard, NE

Using vinegar to kill tree roots is just one of the clever ways to use vinegar around the house. The method works best when you apply vinegar as directly to the root system as possible. For example, if the old tree roots and stump are currently exposed, drill holes in the tops of the roots and pour undiluted white vinegar into the holes to soak into the plant. Remember that vinegar can kill the surrounding grass and plants should it pour over the edge.

You may be looking to identify maple trees to use for home improvement projects. In that case, you can tell hard maples by looking at their leaves. Leaves will have a U-shaped dip, or sinus, between the points, or lobes, of the leaves. Leaves of soft maples tend to have V-shaped sinuses.

If you already have the cut wood in front of you, look for a light, uniform color to identify hard maple wood and check for variations of red, gray, or brown streaks and an overall darker color in soft maple wood.

Tree removal can be quite expensive, especially for larger projects, but you can use the following tips to help keep costs down:

• Do the yard cleanup afterward yourself

• Choose to leave the logs on your property and split them yourself

• Opt to leave the stump in the ground and tackle stump grinding yourself

• Pull permits for tree removal, if necessary, to avoid fines

• Pay to have multiple trees removed at once

• Remove tree in the late winter or early spring during off-season

Completely topping a plum tree is a risky business. Cut too much, and you’ll kill your tree. That said, you do need to trim the top of your tree to encourage bushy growth, maintain your tree’s vase shape, and limit size. 

A plum tree's central leader (or trunk) should never extend more than 3 feet above the highest branch. When you first plant your tree, cut the central leader so it’s 2 to 3 feet tall. As it grows, cut it back 12 to 20 inches until it reaches its desired height. Never prune more than one-third of the new growth.