Link: http://www.icontact-archive.com/azw1uozM3S4lxmakswFoT1dA9NpdcSBp?w=3

Article brought to you by TCIA. Here are some warning signs to look for in your trees.

Link: http://www.embarkservices.com/blog/blogs/

Just like motion detectors and dead bolts, the placement of a prickly plant or a holly bush can help keep bad guys out of your house.

Homeowners can motivate intruders to stay out without turning the outside of your house into a fortified castle with a moat.

Environmental design can make a house less appealing to burglars who are usually lazy and adverse to pain. Plants with thorns or sharp leaves present a perimeter that few will enter.

Landscaping and plants should not function as an aid by becoming a screen to shield them from view when entering a walkway or breaking in to a building.

Fences, walkways, and plantings set psychological and physical boundaries to stay away.

A good place for a thorny shrub is underneath a window. Windows are easy access but thorns can help burglars away. The height of the shrub also shouldn’t create a hiding place either.

Do make sure that the shrubs are cut below the window in case you have to escape a fire. Proper air circulation and access for maintenance can be provided if you allow some distance between the shrub and the wall of the building.

Law enforcement also suggests the “3-7 rule,” which says to trim bushes down to three feet and have no tree limbs lower than seven feet. The cut-down shrubs provide no cover and the chopped limbs keeps burglars from climbing trees to get to the second story.

Just as ladders shouldn’t be left outside, neither should garden tools or bricks which can be used to smash a window to gain access. A trellis that could support someone’s weight could be inviting to someone eager to sneak in upstairs.

A home inviting to burglars means easy access but with the right landscaping, you can make your home less attractive. Let Embark help you before you go on vacation. Call 713-462-3261 or make an online request. http://www.embarkservices.com/request.php

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HOUSTON, Texas. – In a continuing effort to develop and maintain a "Total Safety Culture", Embark employees consistently display vision, persistence and discipline. The company puts great effort and commitment into workplace safety – not to mention providing rewards for its safe workers. This week, Embark presented a truck and turf equipment to two employees for safe performance in the workplace as part of their Annual May Employee Appreciation Day.

“As we move into the summer months, we need to remain focused on the basic, everyday safety behaviors. These behaviors drive our safety performance and our safety culture”, said Jeff Schroeder, President of Embark Services.

Embark’s truck and equipment giveaway reinforces Embark’s deep commitment to workplace safety by encouraging employees to perform throughout the year accident-free. To qualify, full-time field employees must complete one year of service with no accidents.

The winners for 2011 are:

Juan H. Razo, Landscape Maintenance Crew Leader, 16 years, Embark Tree and Landscape Services

Jesse Rojas, Pest Control Technician, 16 years, Embark Pest Control

For more information on Embark Services, please visit www.embarkservices.com.

About Embark Services

The Embark family of services is “embarking” on a path of environmental excellence. Embark is uniquely qualified to assist our customers with Tree Care, Landscape Construction, Landscape Maintenance, Irrigation, Drainage, Interiorscaping, Floral and Pest Control Services. As an industry leader, Embark continues to provide these services in the safest, most professional and cost-effective means available. For more information, visit us at www.embarkservices.com.

With Houston's drought in full swing, the last thing on your mind is Hurricane Season. Don't let the lack of rain delay your preparations! Take action now!

Fallen trees accounted for 40 percent of all insurance claims after Hurricane Ike, according to one source. While Mother Nature is out of our control, being proactive and accountable for the trees in our yards could minimize cost and damage to your family, home and neighbors.

Don’t let fear drive you to remove a large tree close to the house without the opinion of an Arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture. This tree professional can help you avoid higher utility bills, a barren landscape, and guilt.

The tree closest to the house may serve as a wind buffer. A Certified Arborist can determine if the tree is structurally sound and possesses an intact root system.

Pruning trees can reduce property damage from hurricanes, tropical systems and high winds. By eliminating dead and weak branches and selectively thinning as needed, proper pruning techniques by a Certified Arborist allow the wind to blow through the canopy of the tree. Remember to have no more than 25 percent of the canopy removed.

Before hurricane season, certain types of trees should not be planted or should be removed. Young trees with shallow roots and brittle wood and branches cause the most damage during hurricane force winds. Again, a Certified Arborist can give specifics on which trees to secure or remove ahead of time.

While hurricane season has not yet arrived, it is right around the corner. Awareness and preparedness should receive the highest priority. Let a Certified Arborist from Embark Tree and Landscape help you keep your home, family and neighbors safe. Call 713-462-3261 for a free estimate and 10 percent off when you mention this blog.*

*Offer expires June 30, 2011.

Link: http://embarkservices2-px.rtrk.com/blog/blogs/

As the winter season changes the look of your landscape, beauty can still be found with trees. Though often hidden during the growing season, a tree’s beautiful bark finally comes to center stage in the winter.

To keep your garden as attractive in the “down season” as in the growing season, try incorporating a tree with unique bark patterns into your landscape. Try planting a tree near a path so you can appreciate the grain up close, or create a beautiful focal point in an underused area of your yard. Either can add a new dimension of interest to your winter landscape.

The American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), shown below, has smooth gray bark with vertical ripples twisting the length of the trunk. Also called musclewood, is usually a small shade tree but can be planted in full sun if given enough moisture. This tree’s wide range—from Quebec south through Mexico—makes it a promising addition for many American gardens.

Cinnamon clethra’s (Clethra acuminata) name comes from its beautiful tan and cinnamon-colored, peeling bark, shown below. Though summersweet (Clethra alnifolia)—cinnamon clethra’s spreading cousin—is the more popular of the two species, it is cinnamon clethra that has the distinct advantage of forming a single clump or small tree. As an added bonus, it has the same fragrant mid-summer white flowers as summersweet. Unfortunately, it is only available to those gardeners who live in USDA Hardiness Zones 6-8.

For the southeastern U.S., river birch (Betula nigra),—found naturally from the Great Lakes south to Florida and Texas—is better adapted to survive in their gardens. Birch species prefer full sun and moist soils, but could tolerate some shade.


Also great for the southeastern U.S is the Natchez crape myrtle - As with many of the widely-grown crape myrtle trees used in landscaping, this plant is a hybrid derived from crossing Lagerstroemia indica with Lagerstroemia fauriei. Although originally from Asia, Lagerstroemia is naturalized in the southeastern U.S. The bark peels off attractively, much like that of birches, adding winter interest.

Species which have wide growing ranges also have immense variability between regions. When researching the possibilities, go one step further to ensure your new tree is as cold hardy or heat tolerant as you need it to be. Make sure to consult with a certified arborist to ensure that you are making the right choice for your landscape.

Keep in mind, local genetic material which is already more adapted to your region will be less stressed and, therefore, more disease resistant. Buying locally, you will also be helping to preserve and maintain the biodiversity of your local population.


Check out the Embark Tree and Landscape video below on planting trees!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8RjRWVA6rg&feature=player_embedded