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Tree Trimming in Diamond Springs
Yes, Diamond Springs is on our list, ZIP 95619 and all. Call (530) 380-5512, and a tree pro from up the hill gets booked to look at your pines, oaks or yard trees.
Diamond Springs is up the hill from Cameron Park, toward Placerville. It's one of the oldest towns around, and its trees have seen a lot.
An old camp with a long memory
Settlers arrived in 1848 and named the place for its clear-as-glass springs. The diggings ranked among the richest in the region. Miners even pulled a 25-pound nugget out of the ground here. Few El Dorado County finds were ever bigger.
When the gold slowed, lumber, lime and farming kept the town going. A post office opened in 1853 as "Diamond Spring," and the name only became "Diamond Springs" in 1950. Today the town is California Historical Landmark number 487, and the 2020 census counted 11,345 people.
It sits at about 1,791 feet. That's a few hundred feet above Cameron Park.
Pines: the timing really matters
If you have pines, the calendar is everything. UC's bark beetle guide says not to prune pines from February to mid-October. That's when adult beetles fly, and UC says to avoid fresh cuts in those months.
So the best window for a live pine trim is roughly mid-October through January. Dead branches are the exception. The International Society of Arboriculture says dead and dying limbs can come off any time with little effect on the tree.
Signs of beetles to watch for
- Pitch tubes, which are blobs of pine sap mixed with boring dust, usually low on the trunk.
- Sawdust-like frass in bark cracks or on the ground below.
- Needles fading to yellow or yellow-green.
UC says native bark beetles usually pick trees already stressed by drought, disease or damage. A badly infested tree can die in one season. If you see these signs, call sooner rather than later.
Keep the firewood away
Here's an easy one. UC's advice is to keep green, fresh-cut wood away from the trees you want to keep. Freshly cut and dying wood is where some wood-boring beetles breed. After a trim, have the wood chipped, hauled, or stacked well away from your pines. For firewood, UC suggests wrapping it tight in heavy clear plastic and leaving it in full sun for a few months. That locks beetles out and cooks the ones inside.
Fire safe help
There's a Diamond Springs Fire Safe Council, listed among the local groups on the countywide council's site. The countywide group also offers a free home assessment. That's a handy way to see which limbs near your house matter most before you pay for a trim.
What pine trimming costs
Pines vary a lot in price, mostly by height. National guides put them here.
- HomeGuide: $250 to $1,600 per pine.
- LawnStarter: $210 to $1,630 per pine.
- Fixr: $200 to $1,800, depending on size.
A short pine in an open yard is quick. A tall one over a roof takes a climber and careful lowering, and costs more. The pro gives you the price before any cutting.
Diamond Springs questions
Can you send a tree pro to Diamond Springs?
Sure can. Phone (530) 380-5512, give us the street, and someone close by gets scheduled.
When is it safe to trim my pine?
Aim for mid-October through January. UC rules out live pine cuts from February to mid-October. Dead limbs are fair game year-round.
What are the little sap blobs on my pine?
Those may be pitch tubes, a sign of bark beetles. Have a pro take a look soon.
Close by
Related reading: bark beetles and dry years.