Get matched with top tree service pros in Shaker Heights, OH

No, you cannot plant a tree above a gas line. Tree roots grow and spread over time and can sometimes dent, crack, or penetrate a gas line. Those same roots may also cause accessibility problems for maintenance or repairs. You can generally plant vegetation with non-invasive root systems, low-growing vegetation, and flower beds near gas lines. 

For Bradford pears, damage from storms is common, and if the trunk splits, it can pose a danger to people and surrounding structures. The best thing to do in that instance is to have the tree removed. If there’s only minor damage to the branches, pruning away the damaged parts is the first order of business. You may also want to consult a professional arborist to make sure the tree is healthy.

Most trees can be successfully transplanted while they are young, but pines, walnuts, and some oak tree varieties are more difficult to move because their root systems grow deeper than most other trees. Also, trees adapted to sandy soil with wide root systems like beeches, willows, and aspens are harder to dig out because their roots spread much farther out from the trunk. In these cases, unless the trees are very young and small, it’s a good idea to consult a tree planting professional.

It is possible for you to cut down your own tree, but only take this project on if it’s a small tree and you’re experienced handling a chainsaw. If you need to use a ladder to cut down the tree or tree limbs, it’s too large (and dangerous) for you to remove yourself. 

Hire a pro instead who can safely remove the tree without injury to you, themselves, or your home. Either way, look into tree removal regulations for the state you live in before having a tree removed to ensure it’s not a historic tree or protected by your city.