Photo/submitted
By Nancy Brumback, Contributing Writer
Business name: Skyhook Tree
Address: 9 Harding St., South Grafton
Owner: Jason Magnusson
Contact Information: 508-839-4777
How did you get started in the tree business?
“My father started the company in 1953 after the Worcester hurricane,” said Jason Magnusson, owner of Skyhook Tree in South Grafton. “He served in Korea on the flight deck of the USS Hornet, and pilots called him “Skyhook” when they came in for a landing. When he came back, he worked nights at the post office until he got enough tree work to run the business full time.
“I’ve been doing this since 2000. I worked for Digital Equipment, which was a great company to work for but after several layoffs it was time for me to leave.
“So I called my father and asked if I could start up the old Skyhook Tree. My dad had been retired about 20 years. I took his old truck with the grapple on it out of mothballs, put a lot of money into it. My older brother and my sister helped me get the business going.”
What services do you provide?
“I take down any size trees, trim trees, grind stumps. I do a lot of crane work, lifting big trees over houses. I offer free estimates.
“We prune ornamental trees like dogwood, magnolia, Japanese maple and others. When the tree looks like it’s getting out of hand, it’s time to trim it. The nutrients then go to the main trunk and make the tree stronger.
“We trim back shade trees when they get too big or are hanging over something. Trees like swamp maples grow very fast and put out big leader branches that can be dangerous. You have to taper them back. Proper pruning improves health and appearance, prolongs the life of the tree and encourages lawn growth beneath it. Dead, dying and diseased wood is removed, shape is enhanced and more daylight is provided.”
Skyhook also offers emergency service after storms.
What geographic area do you cover?
“About a 25-mile area around South Grafton.”
What is a good time to do pruning?
“You can trim evergreens year-round. Right now, with the drought, I don’t think I would take too much off a tree. As a general rule, you don’t ever trim more than a third of a tree at one time.”
Will gypsy moth damage hurt trees permanently?
“I think nature will take its course. I’m not big on chemicals. There will be more birds next year because there were so many caterpillars this year, and the birds will help combat the gypsy moths and other bugs. It may take a year or two or three, but around the third-year mark, these situations usually handle themselves.
“It takes about three years of defoliation before a tree would die. The oak trees are already getting a second leafing and beginning to recover.”
What sets your business apart?
“I care about everything I do. My heart and soul are in this business. I take care of my equipment, and a lot of my employees have been here for over 10 years. And I try to give back to the community. I’ve collected hives for the Worcester beekeepers association when the bees swarm, I’ve gotten cats out of trees and put up flags for vets. All the communities around take good care of me, so I try to help where I can.”
