Skip to content
Splitting Your Lot Under SB9? Here’s What Happens to Your Trees
Direct Answer: An SB9 lot split often forces difficult decisions about existing trees. Grading, foundations, and setbacks frequently conflict with mature root zones, and San Jose’s tree protection ordinance still applies, even when SB9 approves the split. California’s SB9 opened the door for many single-family homeowners to split their lot, add a second unit, or […]
Valley Water Will Pay You to Replace Your Lawn. Here Is What That Really Involves
Direct Answer: Valley Water’s landscape conversion rebate pays $2 per square foot, up to $3,000, but your application must be approved and a pre-inspection completed before any work begins, or you forfeit the rebate. A lot of homeowners in San Jose and Almaden Valley know the rebate exists. They’ve heard the number, up to $3,000, […]
Your Tree Is Changing Color. Here Is How to Read What It Is Telling You
Direct Answer: Color changes in tree leaves signal different problems, nutrient deficiency, root stress, vascular disease, or fungal infection. Each one points toward a different diagnosis and a different response. About 12 percent of calls we received in June 2026 were specifically about tree health, leaves turning yellow, canopies browning out, powdery white coatings appearing […]
What Goes Into the Price of Tree Trimming in San Jose
Direct Answer: Tree trimming costs in San Jose depend on tree size, species, access, and what cleanup is included. Two quotes for ‘the same tree’ can differ by hundreds of dollars because they often describe different scopes of work. We get calls every week from homeowners in Willow Glen, Almaden Valley, and Campbell who are […]
You Just Bought the House. Now What Do You Do With the Trees?
Direct Answer: A new homeowner tree assessment covers species ID, structural condition, disease and pest signs, irrigation reach, and any permit-relevant trees, before you commit to any pruning or removal. Buying a home is a long list of decisions made quickly. The trees rarely make that list, until you’re standing in the backyard on move-in […]
Who Actually Owns the Tree in Front of Your House?
Direct Answer: In San Jose, the homeowner adjacent to a street tree is responsible for maintenance costs, but the city controls what work gets done. You need a permit before any pruning or removal happens, even on your own dime. One of the most common calls we get goes something like this: a homeowner in […]
Before You Remove a Tree in San Jose, Read This First
Direct Answer: Most tree removals in San Jose require a city permit before any work begins. Skipping that step can result in fines up to $30,000 per tree, even if a contractor told you it was fine. Every week I talk to homeowners in San Jose who are ready to remove a tree, and most […]
Tree Pest and Disease Questions San Jose Homeowners Keep Asking
Direct Answer: Most tree pest and disease problems in San Jose are treatable when caught early. A proper diagnosis, not a guess, is always the right first step before any treatment or removal decision. Every week, homeowners across San Jose, Willow Glen, and Almaden Valley reach out with some version of the same concern: something […]
When a Property Needs More Than Weed Pulling, Land Clearing Explained
Direct Answer: Land clearing covers everything from brush and weed removal for fire compliance to invasive plant extraction and full lot preparation, each type carries different risks for mature trees and soil structure. I get calls that start like this: ‘We need the weeds cleared, but I don’t want to lose my big oak.’ It […]
How Landscape Design Works When You Have Mature Trees to Protect
Direct Answer: Landscape design around mature trees requires protecting the root zone first. Any grading, irrigation changes, or hardscape within the drip line of an established tree must be planned before a single shovel goes in the ground. We hear a version of the same request almost every week, especially from homeowners in Almaden Valley […]
