Before you remove trees please read this. Trees have many benefits. Trees clean the air, they cool the air and they soften landscapes. Most trees provide shelter and food for other organisms, and trees are amazingly beautiful. So, considering all of this, why would you ever want to remove one? During my career as an Arborist, I have heard many reasons for why a tree should go. Many are genuine, some not so. In some cases, tree removal really is the only option to reach a sensible solution. In others, alternatives may be available. The role of a good Arborist should be to navigate this grey area to achieve an outcome that satisfies both the needs of the client and the tree. In this Blog post, I will cover some of the more common reasons for why a tree should be removed … [Read more...]
What does an Arborist do?
I remember back in the early day of predictive text on mobile phones if you tried to type in “Arborist” you were suggested “Arsonist”. Recently when I returned to a shop where I buy water filters, they had my occupation in their system as “Abortionist” (true story!). At times during my career, it has felt like I have come close to both of those professions but neither accurately describe what I actually do. This blog post is for those who wonder what is behind the mysterious title and to shed more light on the role of an Arborist. Photo of an Arborist in a tree. Type “Arborist definition” into Google and you get... “Tree Surgeon” (In German “Baumdoctor”). This is what I was often referred to as when I used to live in Germany. At the time I enjoyed having the word … [Read more...]
How can trees help bees and why to use the BeeMushroomed Feeder.
Read how can trees help bees. Life as a bee is becoming increasingly difficult. Since the initial detection of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) in 2006, honey bee keepers have been losing roughly 30% of their hives annually. Although CCD is not fully understood, it appears to have several contributing factors. These include but are not limited to pesticides, parasitic mites, and increased viral levels. However, help is at hand how can trees help bees. It turns out that certain fungus that grows on trees is abe to improve hive health. This Blog post will discuss some of the work of Paul Stamets. Paul is a fungi expert and who along with other scientists has developed solution to the problem of declining bee numbers. Why should you care if bees are under threat? If not for the the … [Read more...]
How to check your trees following a storm and what you should do.
Read about how to check trees after storm. Trees are incredibly strong, yet flexible structures. Not only do trees support the weight of their own structure, they are also able to stand up the worst that the environment can throw at them. Trees are both the weight lifter who can withstand huge forces and the featherweight boxer who can duck and weave and avoid danger. However, everything has its limit. There is always someone or something that is stronger or quicker. For trees this can equate to adverse weather conditions. No matter how strong or healthy a tree is, under certain weather conditions even sound trees can be at risk. This Blog post will discuss how you can identify if your trees may have sustained damage and what you can do about it. The evolution of trees has been … [Read more...]
How to care for your trees in Spring.
The first tender young leaves are starting to grow. The sunny days are here. It's safe to say that spring is on its way. Read our Tips for Spring Tree Care. The new growing season is a busy time for your trees as they produce flowers for pollination. Growing new leaves ready for maximising energy gathering during the summer months. There are certain things you can do at this time of year to support your trees during this hive of activity and plan for the summer to follow. This Blog post will discuss measures you can take to ensure your trees get the care they need to keep them at their best. Spring can be a great time to get out in the garden and have a good look at how things have fared over the winter months. Check for signs of damaged branches that may have broken in … [Read more...]
How to manage old trees in the urban environment.
How to know tree is dead. With the amount of people and property in the urban environment, it's often not safe to neglect a tree's health. In a town or city, the likelihood of a tree or a part of tree hitting someone or something if it fell can be quite high. This will make tree management necessary. This following Blog post was inspired by an article in the Daily Herald entitled “Old trees will tell you when their time is up”. The article interviewed several Arborists based in the Eastern States of the USA. They talk in reference to some prominent old trees in their area including some that are at the White House and Arlington National Cemetery. From the article: “The decision to take down or at least dismember an old tree is neither easy nor always objective. However … [Read more...]
When to prune fruit trees by our expert arborists.
Growing your own fruit at home can be a very rewarding experience. In the age of farm to plate eating, you cannot get much fresher than tree to mouth in seconds. Growing productive fruit trees can seem like a daunting process but it need not be. Learning a few basic principles can really help you get the best out of your orchard. This Blog post will discuss what time of year is best to prune your fruit trees to ensure you have a healthy crop of fruit for years to come. A common misconception is that you only prune fruit trees in winter. This seems logical as the trees are in a dormant period and so pruning will not disturb their other processes. Winter pruning is suitable for some trees at some stages of their lives; however, it is not true for most fruit … [Read more...]
How to grow and prune an Avocado tree.
If you are a fan of Avocados, it can be a very satisfying experience to eat fruit grown from your own tree. Besides from knowing exactly where your food is coming from you can also save some money in the long term. Given the right conditions, Avocados can be relatively easy to grow. This Blog post will discuss how to get an Avocado tree started at your home and how to maintain it as it grows. Avocados are native to the rain-forests of South America. As such they like free draining, fertile soil and lots of sunshine. They do not like wind and will not tolerate frost or having roots in waterlogged ground. Lack of sun and cold temperatures can be hard problems to deal with and may determine if it is possible to grow Avocados at your site. The wind protection and soil … [Read more...]
Where to plant trees? The right tree in the right place is the key.
Read our where to plant trees Blog post. There is a saying that goes “there is a tree for every garden..." basically meaning no matter the size of your space, the aspect of your garden or the soil it has, there will be a tree that is suitable. If this saying is true, it means there are far more trees that are not suitable for your garden. Often as Arborists, the reason we are removing a tree is because it is no longer appropriate for the space it is growing in. This can be a real shame when you are stood looking at beautiful specimen of a tree that has outgrown its environment. Overgrown trees can create a nuisance or pose a threat to the local inhabitants. This blog will discuss ways to avoid this situation by choosing a tree that is suitable for your site. Accurate … [Read more...]
How to understand Arboricultural terminology
Arboricultural terminology - How to understand by the tree experts. Sometimes a single word or a phrase can be very useful in describing something complicated. Arboriculture (tree work) is full of these phrases. When we are out on a tree site, we do our best to describe our intentions in simple language that can be easily understood by our clients. However, we are not perfect and sometimes technical terms can slip out. Or words fail us, and we instantly result to the one word or phrase that we know explains what we mean. As a client, having knowledge of Arboricultural terminology can be very useful. It will help you achieve the exact result you want for your trees. This Blog post is designed to shed some light on some of the common arboricultural … [Read more...]
