The Unfulfilled Promise of Urban Tree Planting
This is a utopian view from a commercial – and maybe somewhat jaded – arborist who has seen hundreds of examples of bad work. Luckily, I have not had to deal with bureaucracy, the pressure of town residents, low-budget bids or property managers with no loyalty. That said, my intention here is not to cast […]
Be a Pesticide-Compliance Superhero!
What is a pesticide-compliance superhero? A pesticide-compliance superhero has impeccably clean and organized storage areas, no outdated pesticides, stellar PPE and a knack for avoiding spray drift and unintentional exposure to non-target plants, humans and natural resources. They pass inspections with flying colors and are viewed as exemplary. In the PHC industry, this is pretty […]
American Holly Pruning
Pruning should always be a very specific process. The intent: What are you trying to accomplish? The timing: What time of year is best to accomplish your intent? The amount or dose: How much foliage can you remove without hurting the plant? How often will you need to prune this plant to achieve your goal? […]
Pruning Pin Oaks Like a Boss
Back in November 2023, I caught up with Thomas Paine, CTSP, co-owner of Rooted Arbor Care in Warrenton, Missouri, on a job site in Missouri. He was tasked with inspecting a picturesque, healthy pin oak (Quercus palustrus) tree and performing a cleaning and pruning of it. It was a beautiful fall day just prior to […]
Catching Up With a Fast-Moving Pest: Spotted Lanternfly (SLF)
Basic biology and human assists collude for the rapid spread of SLF First detected in Berks County, Pennsylvania, in 2014, near the town of Pikeville, this phloem-feeding sap sucker, the Spotted Lanternfly (SLF), now has breeding populations in more than 17 states. These include Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New […]