KUTV 2 Fresh Living
Owner Gregg Nelson joined KUTV 2’s Fresh Living to explain why Utah’s hot, dry summers quietly weaken trees months before the damage becomes visible.
Heat and drought stress a tree from the inside out. By the time a limb comes down in January, that failure usually started back in July. The tree was already compromised, and the first heavy snow or windstorm finished the job.
What Gregg covered
- Warning signs you can spot yourself — leaves browning at the edges or dropping early, thinning in the upper canopy, and new growth noticeably smaller than last year’s.
- Structural red flags — cracks in the trunk, mushrooms or soft spots at the base, and bare branches scattered through an otherwise full canopy.
- Species to watch in Utah yards — Siberian elm, silver maple, and Bradford pear are all known for dropping limbs under snow load.
- How to actually water a mature tree — most people water trees like grass. Trees do far better with a slow soak at the drip line, long enough to wet the soil about a foot down, with a few inches of mulch kept away from the trunk.
- How to vet a tree company — confirm liability insurance and workers’ compensation, ask whether an ISA Certified Arborist will be on the job, and get the estimate in writing including cleanup and haul-off.
Be careful with anyone knocking on doors after a storm quoting a price on the spot. And if someone recommends topping your tree, that alone tells you what you need to know.
Read the full segment on KUTV.com
Best of Salt Lake City — Tree Service
Rent A Monkey has been named a Best of Salt Lake City award winner in the Tree Service category every year from 2022 through 2026, including 2026 Gold Winner.
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For interviews or expert commentary on tree health, storm damage, or seasonal tree care in Utah, contact us at contact@rentamonkey.com or 801-895-4676.
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