c/arborists

Vent: Girdling roots are taking down healthy trees in my city

I was inspecting some park trees yesterday and found three with severe girdling roots. This happens when trees are planted in tight spaces or with bad soil. It cuts off nutrients and water, so the tree slowly dies. We should push for wider planting beds and proper root care. Are you seeing more of this where you work?

After a close call with a dead limb, I'm all about sounding trees first.

I mean, it's basic but I used to not do it when I was in a hurry. Now I tap every trunk before climbing, maybe it's just me but it took a while to make it a habit.

I've seen a push for better planting practices, so I expose root flares every time, and trees thrive.

My view on crew check-ins did a full 180 after this season

I always saw daily check-ins as just extra paperwork that slowed us down. Then our new lead made us talk through each tree's condition before any cuts. One morning, he pointed out subtle decay in an oak we had marked as healthy. Spotting that early changed our whole plan and probably saved the tree. Now I get how those few minutes prevent big mistakes and keep jobs moving right. It's not about red tape, it's about sharing what we see on the ground. I'm totally for them now, they make our whole crew sharper.

Shoutout to my kids for helping plant a backyard oak (so much dirt, but lots of laughs)

Spotting buried root flares in every other backyard job

In my experience, I see a lot of trees in newer neighborhoods planted too deep. The root flare is often covered with extra soil and mulch, which hurts the tree over time. This makes the trees weaker and more likely to get damaged in bad weather. Homeowners usually call me when the tree already looks sick.

My long struggle with city tree rules ended with a clear guide

For years, dealing with the city's tree protection rules felt like a maze. Every job had different officers with their own take on what was allowed. I'd submit plans, wait weeks, and then get vague feedback that meant starting over. It was so frustrating because clients would get upset over delays. Last month, I sat down and mapped out all the past rejections and approvals. I made a simple checklist based on common issues like root zones and canopy covers. Now, my submissions go through on the first try almost every time. It's a small win, but it saves so much stress and keeps projects moving.

Back from a weekend job on some historic park trees

Took a short trip to a town a few hours away to prune a set of old maples in their main park. The trees had some rough splits from past storms, but we managed to clean them up safely. It was my first time working in that kind of public space, and the park staff were really thankful. Just a small thing, but driving home felt pretty solid.

Showerthought: Drone tree checks are a safety risk we're ignoring

They can't feel rot or spot small cracks like a climber up close. Why is everyone so quick to use them now?

Tried to prune my backyard oak and ended up with a squirrel tenant

Was trying to save some cash on tree care, but my cuts were so messy it looked like a buffet for the local squirrels. Now one of them has set up shop in my empty bucket, lol.