Pacific Arboriculture

Pacific Arboriculture Contact Christine to get scheduled for your FREE estimate! (206) 909-2170

All around Tree Service based in *|Auburn, WA|*, including Tree Removal, Tree and Shrub Trimming, Stump Grinding, Arborist Reports, Plant Disease and Pest Managment.

🐛 Why are silky white nests showing up in cherry, plum, and apple trees across western Washington this June?That's tent ...
06/05/2026

🐛 Why are silky white nests showing up in cherry, plum, and apple trees across western Washington this June?

That's tent caterpillar season — and in cyclical outbreak years like 2026, a single tree can lose nearly all of its leaves in two weeks. Pacific Arboriculture sees the same pattern every late-spring across South King and Pierce counties: hundreds of striped larvae spilling out of a tent in a fruit tree, defoliated branches by mid-June, and a homeowner wondering whether the tree will survive.

Three takeaways from this guide that matter most for homeowners in Auburn, Kent, Federal Way, Renton, and Puyallup:

First, the treatment window for Btk (the standard organic biological control) closes by mid-May. By the time tents are highly visible, chemical or biological intervention has minimal value — the focus shifts to tree health and watering.

Second, manual nest removal works well on small ornamental trees within reach. Burning nests with a torch is the worst response — it kills the cambium and creates a wound that lasts years longer than the caterpillar damage.

Third, healthy mature trees usually survive a single year of defoliation. The combination that causes long-term decline is heavy defoliation followed by a hot dry summer with no supplemental watering — exactly the western Washington trend in recent years.

Read the full guide for species ID, what to watch after the leaves are gone, and how winter egg-mass scouting prevents next year's outbreak.

Tent caterpillars in PNW yards? Identify the species, when to remove nests manually, when to call an arborist, and how to prevent next year's outbreak.

🛡️ Three quotes for the same tree job in Auburn. $400, $1,200, $3,500. What's the difference between them?The cheapest i...
05/29/2026

🛡️ Three quotes for the same tree job in Auburn. $400, $1,200, $3,500. What's the difference between them?

The cheapest is often a door-knocker with a borrowed chainsaw and no insurance. The middle quote is usually the truthful one. The highest might be a fully insured ISA Certified Arborist crew — or scope-padded. Reading the difference takes about five minutes of homework.

Three things every PNW homeowner should verify before signing anything for tree work in Kent, Federal Way, Tacoma, Puyallup, or Renton:

1️⃣ ISA Certified Arborist credential — held by the individual, not the company. Verify the certification number directly on the ISA public directory.

2️⃣ WA L&I contractor registration — mandatory in Washington. The state's free "Verify a Contractor" lookup shows active status, bond, workers' comp, and any open infractions.

3️⃣ A certificate of insurance (COI) naming the property as an additional insured for the work date — with at least $1M general liability for residential pruning. "We have insurance" is not insurance.

There's a fourth check for hazard pruning and risk reports — TRAQ qualification — covered in the full guide along with the ten site-visit questions that separate real arborists from chemical-mill operations.

Posted as a neutral educational resource by Pacific Arboriculture, ISA Certified Arborists serving the South Sound.

PNW homeowners' checklist for hiring a tree service: ISA Certified Arborist verification, WA L&I registration, insurance, and the right questions to ask.

✂️ Is late May too late to prune trees? Depends entirely on the species.PRUNE NOW: cherries, plums, magnolias after bloo...
05/27/2026

✂️ Is late May too late to prune trees? Depends entirely on the species.

PRUNE NOW: cherries, plums, magnolias after bloom.
WAIT FOR JULY/AUG: maples, birches, walnuts, dogwoods (the "bleeders").
WAIT FOR WINTER: oaks and elms (disease vector risk).

Wrong-time cuts mean infected wounds and water-sprout flush. ISA Certified pruning across Auburn, Kent, Federal Way, Renton, Tacoma.

Which PNW trees to prune in late May and June, which to wait on, and when to call an ISA arborist for cuts over 2 inches or above shoulder height.

🌲 Planting a new tree in Federal Way this spring? The right species choice today is what makes the difference between a ...
05/15/2026

🌲 Planting a new tree in Federal Way this spring? The right species choice today is what makes the difference between a thriving canopy in 20 years and an expensive removal in 10.

The Pacific Northwest's mild wet winters, dry summers, and clay-heavy soils filter out a lot of nursery favorites. Native Douglas-fir, western red cedar, and bigleaf maple stay on the safe list because they evolved here. Bloodgood Japanese maple and Autumn Blaze are dependable ornamentals when sited correctly. The trouble starts with species that struggle in PNW conditions — flowering pear suffers limb breakage, blue spruce is hammered by needle cast disease west of the Cascades, and tulip poplar gets too large for most suburban lots.

A few quick rules property owners in Federal Way, Auburn, Kent, Renton, and Tacoma should keep in mind:

• Match the mature size to the planting site BEFORE digging — utility lines, foundations, and septic fields don't move.
• Test drainage with a one-foot hole filled with water. If it hasn't drained in 24 hours, choose a wet-tolerant species or improve the site.
• Buy from a local nursery whenever possible. Stock acclimated to PNW conditions establishes faster than out-of-region trees.

A Pacific Arboriculture ISA Certified Arborist consultation can match the right species to a specific lot, soil, and goal — long before the shovel comes out.

The full PNW planting guide breaks down 12 species with mature sizes, soil needs, and pitfalls to avoid.

Federal Way tree species guide — native picks, ornamentals, fall color, and trees to avoid for PNW yards. ISA Certified Arborist recommendations.

🌳 How Much Does Tree Removal Cost?The #1 question every homeowner asks just got an instant answer. Until now, the only ...
05/14/2026

🌳 How Much Does Tree Removal Cost?

The #1 question every homeowner asks just got an instant answer. Until now, the only way to find out was a phone call, a site visit, and a wait.

Not anymore.

Pacific Arboriculture just launched a free instant cost estimator built specifically for Auburn, Kent, Tacoma, Federal Way, Puyallup, and the rest of the South Sound. Pick the tree size, location, stump option — get a price range in seconds. Just real numbers from a real ISA Certified Arborist team.

Try the estimator and stop guessing what your tree will cost. 👇

Free online tree removal cost estimator for Auburn, Kent, Tacoma, Puyallup, Renton, and Federal Way. ISA Certified Arborist pricing, no phone call required.

Tree on the house this season — what should the first thirty minutes look like?A late-spring windstorm in the Pacific No...
05/13/2026

Tree on the house this season — what should the first thirty minutes look like?

A late-spring windstorm in the Pacific Northwest can drop a Douglas fir on a roof just as easily as a December event can. The first half hour is what makes or breaks an insurance claim and protects everyone in the home.

Three things from the new Pacific Arboriculture guide that property owners in Auburn, Kent, Renton, Federal Way, and Tacoma should know before it happens:

1. Document everything before anyone touches the tree. Once a chainsaw starts, the evidence an adjuster needs is gone. Pre-cutting photos from every angle — exterior, point of impact, root plate, interior damage — are the single most valuable piece of an emergency claim.

2. Stay 35 feet away from any wire. A tree on a house is a problem. A tree on a house plus a downed line is a true emergency. Puget Sound Energy and Tacoma Public Utilities each have direct lines for crews to coordinate isolation before any cuts.

3. Crane-assisted removal is usually the safest path for tree-on-house jobs. Lifting each section straight up away from the roof prevents the secondary damage that climbing-only removals can cause when weight gets dragged across trusses.

Pacific Arboriculture's ISA Certified Arborists provide written insurance documentation across Auburn, Kent, Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner, and the rest of South King and Pierce Counties. The full guide walks through every step.

Read the full guide for the complete seven-step protocol and the FAQ.

Tree on the house? Step-by-step emergency guide: safety, insurance documentation, ISA arborist response in Auburn, Kent, Tacoma, Puyallup, Renton.

🪵 Stump in the yard and not sure whether to grind it or pull the whole thing out? It's one of the most common questions ...
05/12/2026

🪵 Stump in the yard and not sure whether to grind it or pull the whole thing out? It's one of the most common questions PNW homeowners ask after a tree comes down — and the right answer almost always comes down to two factors: what's going on the spot afterward, and what's underneath the soil.

For most yards in Auburn, Kent, Federal Way, Renton, and Tacoma, stump grinding is the better call. A grinder chips the wood six to twelve inches below grade, the hole gets backfilled with the chips, and the visible problem disappears the same day. It costs roughly a third of what full extraction costs, leaves the surrounding lawn intact, and avoids the heavy-equipment scars that excavation creates in tight Western Washington backyards.

Full stump removal earns its higher price tag in only a few situations: future construction footings, dense replanting in the exact same hole, or stubborn suckering species like cottonwood, willow, and English laurel that keep pushing shoots from leftover roots. Knowing which situation matches the yard saves real money.

The full guide walks through depth standards, replanting timelines, what to do with the wood chips, and how root-rot diseases like laminated root rot change the calculus on certain Douglas fir and hemlock stumps.

Stump grinding vs. stump removal in WA: which is right for your PNW yard? ISA arborist guide covering cost, depth, replanting, and when to choose each.

🌿 Why are tree leaves turning yellow this spring even though the tree looks otherwise healthy?In Western Washington, the...
05/11/2026

🌿 Why are tree leaves turning yellow this spring even though the tree looks otherwise healthy?

In Western Washington, the most common cause isn't a pest or a disease — it's chlorosis, a soil-chemistry problem that quietly starves trees of iron and manganese. The classic giveaway is interveinal chlorosis: yellow leaf blades with veins that stay sharp and green. Pin oak, red maple, sweetgum, river birch, and rhododendrons are the most frequent victims in Puget Sound landscapes.

Three takeaways from the new Pacific Arboriculture guide:

1) The vein-versus-blade test separates iron and manganese deficiency from nitrogen deficiency in seconds — and the difference matters because the treatments are not interchangeable.

2) Spraying iron sulfate at a chlorotic tree without testing soil pH masks the problem for a season but doesn't fix the chemistry. Lasting recovery needs a soil pH and texture test first.

3) Trunk injections deliver iron or manganese in 2-6 weeks for high-value specimen trees. Soil-applied chelates and elemental sulfur take a full growing season but are gentler on the budget.

Pacific Arboriculture handles chlorosis diagnostics and plant healthcare treatments across Auburn, Kent, Federal Way, Renton, Tacoma, Puyallup, Maple Valley, and Lake Tapps. ISA Certified Arborists run the full workflow — canopy inspection, root flare excavation, soil testing, and tissue analysis when warranted — so treatment matches the actual cause.

Read the full diagnostic guide for the species lists, deficiency comparisons, and treatment options.

Yellow leaves on a PNW tree? Learn how an ISA arborist diagnoses chlorosis, iron deficiency, and root-zone stress — and what treatments actually work.

🍁 Why is sticky sap dripping onto cars, patios, and lawn furniture under maple trees this spring?That clear, sticky resi...
05/08/2026

🍁 Why is sticky sap dripping onto cars, patios, and lawn furniture under maple trees this spring?

That clear, sticky residue isn't tree sap — it's honeydew, the sugary waste excreted by aphids feeding on maple leaves overhead. By June, a black sooty mold often grows on top of it, leaving stained driveways and dull leaves across Pacific Northwest neighborhoods.

Three things every maple owner should know in May and June:

1. Aphids on maples come in colors — green, black, yellow, even pink — and cluster on the underside of new growth. Bloodgood Japanese maples, vine maples, and bigleaf maples in Puyallup, Sumner, and Bonney Lake are all common hosts during the spring flush.

2. The fastest non-chemical knockdown is a strong jet of water from a hose, repeated every 3-5 days. For heavier infestations on mature trees in Lake Tapps or Maple Valley, an ISA Certified Arborist can apply targeted horticultural oil or a soil-applied systemic — without blanket-spraying pollinators.

3. Encouraging ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps gives long-term control. Avoid broad-spectrum insecticides that wipe out the predators along with the aphids.

Pacific Arboriculture serves Auburn, Edgewood, Fife, Federal Way, and surrounding South King and Pierce County communities with ISA Certified Arborist diagnoses and treatment plans tailored to PNW maples.

Read the full guide for identification photos, timing tips, and prevention strategies.

Sticky sap on cars or patios under a Pacific Northwest maple? It's likely aphids. How to identify, treat, and prevent the problem.

Address

Auburn, WA

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 5pm
Tuesday 7am - 5pm
Wednesday 7am - 5pm
Thursday 7am - 5pm
Friday 7am - 5pm

Telephone

+12069092170

Website

,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Pacific Arboriculture posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Pacific Arboriculture:

Shortcuts

Share

Category