Trout Brook Landscaping - March 2020

March 2020 Tree Care

WWW.TROUTBROOKTREE.COM

(860) 888-8472

Why It’s the Best Time of the Year for Tree Work

pathogens are dormant, so you’ll minimize any risks of infection and rot. 3. REDUCED STRESS When trees are dormant, all the energy and plant sugars migrate down to the roots for winter storage, so removing a live branch isn’t as stressful to the plant.

During the past month, we have been focused on tree service, as there hasn’t been much snow. You may have seen us around town with our bright yellow shirts. It’s important to me to keep the core employees, who the business depends upon, as busy as possible during the winter, and then come springtime, our team runs like a well-oiled machine. In late winter, we get to start dreaming about our trees and shrubs coming back to life. Before they do, though, they may need to be cleaned up and pruned of deadwood and overgrown branches.

In the seasonal cycle, March is an important time of year for trees because colder weather is ideal for tree pruning. Plus, the tree can start healing its wounds as soon as it springs to life in April. There are three main benefits to pruning trees in winter. 1. EASIER ACCESS With all of the leaves gone, the arborist can get a good look at the tree structure, access the canopy, and see dead branches that need removal. 2. DISEASE PREVENTION When you hire us to prune during colder months, disease-causing

THE SPRING GROWTH FLUSH During the spring growth spurt known as the “growth flush,” trees shouldn’t be pruned heavily, as it CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ...

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provides their employees. Do their employees wear hardhats and safety gear at all times? Before you agree to any work, insist on a written agreement and ask to receive a copy of their insurance policies to protect yourself. Remember to call us at (860) 888-8472 before March 15 for up to 15% off tree service. Our professional, educated team is here for you.

can damage them right while they are dipping into their energy reserves to send out new flowers and leaves. Get the pruning done now while plants are still dormant. Before spring arrives, I’m reaching out to offer our best prices for anyone who

needs tree work. It’s the best time of year for it, and it’s our main focus in winter (outside of snow). When you’re hiring a tree service, ask if the arborist is individually licensed and what kind of training the company

–Andrew Bachman

RED MAPLES

The Vibrant Hues and Brilliant Wood of a New England Classic

October glory, autumn blaze, ruby frost ... the names for the varieties of the American red maple tree signify the vibrant colors this tree shows off in the fall. Each variety grows well in Connecticut, up to a medium-large size of 45–60 feet, only differing in the range of reds and oranges its leaves change to as autumn sets in. The red maple, Acer rubrum , is a fast growing, strong-wooded

maple tree. It is native to eastern North America, commonly found from Maine down to Florida, and grows in ecosystems ranging from misty woods to rocky uplands. One of the most common trees in America, the red maple is hardy, and its ability to grow quickly makes it a landscaper’s dream. They grow easily when planted properly and can tolerate full sun. After a year in the ground, a new tree’s roots are established, and it will start growing fast into a beautiful shade tree that will last for decades and, true to its name, burst into crimson and scarlet hues come September and October. Did you know that in addition to tree removal, we also specialize in tree planting? Tree planting is our favorite service we offer. You can

reach Susan at (860) 305-8762. With her 20 years of experience, she’s a pro at exploring options for your spring planting.

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TAKE A BREAK

COMMUNITY EVENTS SEE WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WEST HARTFORD

What’s happening in West Hartford this month? Plenty! Here are just a few of the fun local events going on in our community. ‘STATE OF THE TOWN’ WITH MAYOR SHERI CANTOR When: Available now! Where: We-Ha.com/blog-podcast Admission: Free Shari Cantor was interviewed at the end of February by “Experience We-Ha,” a weekly podcast featuring influencers and local businesspeople from our town. Tune in to hear what our mayor has to say about West Hartford, past, present, and future. FESTIVAL OF WOMEN’S VOICES When: Saturday, March 28 at 4:30 p.m. Where: Conard High School, 110 Beechwood Rd. Admission: $10 Join the West Hartford Women’s Chorale for an engaging concert of different women’s choirs across different generations singing some of their favorite arrangements. Performers include Hall High School, Connecticut Women’s Chorus, West Hartford Women’s Chorale, Simsbury High School, Elm City Girls’ Choir, and Glastonbury High School. JOHNNY’S JOG FOR CHARITY 5K When: Sunday, March 29 at 10:30 a.m. Where: Blue Black Square, 65 Memorial Rd. Admission: $35 to register (13-year-olds and under are free!) Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in style, get a good workout, and benefit charity while you’re at it. Johnny’s Jog for Charity is a 5K run and walk that offers fun and fitness for all ages. Push strollers are welcome! Bagpipe players will serenade you as you start the race and celebrate you in all your glory as you finish. Afterward, enjoy prizes, crafts, and music. Learn more at JohnnysJog.com.

Easy Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup margarine • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, divided • 1 egg • 1/4 cup butter, melted

• 4 cups all-purpose flour • 4 tbsp white sugar • 1 tsp baking soda • 1 tbsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 F, and lightly grease a large baking sheet. 2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and margarine. 3. Stir in 1 cup buttermilk and egg, and mix until dough comes together. 4. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface. Form dough into a round before placing it on baking sheet. 5. In a small bowl, combine melted butter and remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk. 6. Brush the raw loaf with this mixture and cut an “X” into the top. 7. Bake loaf for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean after being inserted into center of loaf. You may need to continue brushing the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.

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WWW.TROUTBROOKTREE.COM (860) 888-8472

Tree Care March 2020

69 TALCOTT RD. WEST HARTFORD, CT 06110

INSIDE

THIS ISSUE

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Get That Prune in Before It’s Too Late

The American Red Maple Tree

Community Events

Easy Irish Soda Bread

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Andrew’s Book Recommendation

BOOK RECOMMENDATION

FROM ANDREW

I recently read a really great book and want to recommend it to all of you, too. It’s Daniel Stone’s “The Food Explorer: The True Adventures of the Globe- Trotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats.” Here’s the book’s description from Amazon. “The true adventures of David Fairchild, a late-19th-century food explorer who traveled the globe and introduced diverse crops like avocados, mangoes, seedless grapes, and thousands more to the American plate. “In the 19th century, American meals were about subsistence, not enjoyment. But as a new century approached, appetites broadened, and David Fairchild, a young botanist with an insatiable lust to explore and experience

the world, set out in search of foods that would enrich the American farmer and enchant the American eater. “Kale from Croatia, mangoes from India, and hops from Bavaria. Peaches from China, avocados from Chile, and pomegranates from Malta. Fairchild’s finds weren’t just limited to food: From Egypt, he sent back a variety of cotton that revolutionized an industry, and via Japan, he introduced the cherry blossom tree, forever brightening America’s capital. Along the way, he was arrested, caught diseases, and bargained with island tribes. But his culinary ambition came during a formative era, and through him, America transformed into the most diverse food system ever created.” –Andrew Bachman

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