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Tree Trimming in Sloughhouse

Sloughhouse, ZIP 95683, is on our list. It's about 14 miles southwest of El Dorado Hills, out Highway 16. Call (530) 255-2773 now and we'll find a pro who drives that way.

A roadhouse that burned and came back

Wikipedia says Jared Sheldon built a roadhouse, hotel and stagecoach station here in 1850 and named the place for another building he had put up nearby. A fire destroyed the roadhouse in 1890, and it was rebuilt.

The site is California Historical Landmark number 575. Sloughhouse is in Sacramento County, on State Route 16, about 17 miles east-southeast of downtown Sacramento. The post office there dates from 1916, and the elevation is just 102 feet.

Low ground and valley oaks

At 102 feet, this is river-bottom country, close to the Cosumnes River. In the Master Gardener talk for this county, the valley oak is a bottomland tree that likes moist ground along rivers. It's a huge tree with massive, horizontal limbs and a wide, spreading crown.

So if you own a big oak here, there's a good chance it's a valley oak. Valley oaks drop their leaves, which means winter is their pruning season by the Master Gardener rule.

Those horizontal limbs are what the talk warns about. On hot, still days, long sideways limbs can let go. The break is often 3 to 12 feet from the trunk. Look at any limb over the house, the barn or a parking spot.

Water and wet feet

Valley oaks like moist ground, but a wet lawn right at the trunk is another thing. The talk says lawns near oaks can cause disease. It says Phytophthora root and crown rot comes with soggy soil and poor drainage, and that Armillaria likes warm, wet soil.

So keep sprinklers off the trunk. And fix any spot where water pools after rain.

Wires on a country road

Long roads mean long runs of wire. Not sure who your power company is? Check your bill, since this part of Sacramento County is not all one utility. Ask that company about the line from the pole to your house. For any limb near a power line, stay back at least 10 feet.

A quiet corner of Sacramento County

Wikipedia says Sloughhouse has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. It also points to a wine region named for the town, the Sloughhouse AVA. Rural land and vines mean a lot of space between homes and a lot of space between trees and help.

When you call, give us the road name and the closest crossing. Tell us how far you are from Highway 16. It saves the pro a wrong turn.

The oak talk adds a good habit for big trees. Don't plant new flower beds inside the drip line, and if you do, choose small, drought-tolerant plants far from the trunk. New plants need water, and water at the trunk can cause disease.

Take a walk after the first big rain. Look for new cracks in the bark and any water standing near roots.

Tell us about the ground

Is your yard soft in winter, or does water stand after a rain? Say so on the call. A pro wants to know before parking heavy gear near a root zone.

Soil that gets packed down hurts roots, which then go without enough water and food, says the talk. A truck on wet ground does exactly that.

Cost ranges

Valley oaks are big. Fixr puts oak trimming between $175 and $1,500, and sometimes above that. LawnStarter lists $230 to $1,480. HomeYou says rates for large-tree work run $88 to $152 an hour. National guides only.