Category: Tree care

13th Annual Tennessee Tree Climbing Championship

· April 19, 2012 · 9:44 am · Did You Know?, Tree care, , ,

On October 1st, professional tree climbers from all over the Southeast were converging upon Nashville for the 13th annual Tennessee Tree Climbing Championship! This exciting and highly anticipated event took place at the Ellington Agricultural Center and  showcased some of the best climbers in the region. Winners eventually move on to compete at an international level! There is now more gear and technology available than ever before. This championship has helped increase safety and productivity in the tree industry, brought climbers together to share the fruits of knowledge, skill and talent, and continually created and shattered WORLD records! If that doesn’t riddle you with goose bumps from excitement, then I don’t know what will.

There are five events at these competitions that are directly related to the every day tree work that you can usually observe us doing in your own yard and trees. They are as follows: Throw Line, Belayed Speed Climb, Secured Foot Lock, Work Climb and Aerial Rescue. The three highest scoring competitors will go on to compete in what  is called the Master’s Challenge.

The Throw Line event judges how accurately one can hit different target zones. They range from 40 to 60 feet high throughout the canopy of the tree. Competitors have to hit these targets by swinging a small weight attached to a “diameter line” by hand which is then used to secure climbing liners (the ropes that climbers use to pull themselves up into the tree).

The Belayed Speed Climb is a timed climb! We have to try to fly up 60 feet of tree as fast as monkeys using either the rope or tree itself. That one is fun to watch!

The Secured Foot Lock is a seriously physically challenging event. It’s a timed 49 foot climb in free space. That means that we have to pull ourselves up a rope, without any assistance, as fast as we can. Like in gym class! The world record for this is 13.65 seconds. That may not sound impressive but that is a vertical ascent of 23.5 feet per second! Geez-louise!

The Work Climb is designed to simulate a job task, like pruning, throughout the canopy of a tree. The climber’s are judged on speed, safety and efficiency.

The Aerial Rescue is another crowd favorite because it presents a dramatic situation in which a climber has been gravely injured and must be rescued! The competitor has to rush up there and bring them down safely so that medical personnel can begin treatment. This event displays the creativity and dedicated drive that tree climbers embody, especially in emergency preparedness.

The Master’s Challenge tests the climber’s ability to assess the tree, install a climbing line from the ground, enter the tree, and make it to several work zones positioned throughout the canopy of the tree. This event has a time limit BUT the fastest time does not always win. Criteria like safety, ingenuity, preparedness and skill are where all the points are racked up. Points can be deducted, too, for unsafe work practices, poor time management, multiple attempts at a target and a variety of other crucial aspects.

I would like to congratulate Aqualina Amador on his victory in this year’s competition.  It was a fun-filled day with climbers from as far as Maryland participating.  Every person that competed in this event walked away with a new skill or idea that furthers safety, efficiency and overall professionalism.  Once again, congrats Aqualina, I’ll get you next year.

By: Joe Giansante

FREE Growers Success Summit 2012

· February 20, 2012 · 5:03 pm · Lawn care, Tree care

http://www.coronatoolsusa.com/growers-success-summit-2012-session-access/ 

Register now for the FREE Growers Success Summit 2012!

describe the imageWelcome to the Growers Success Summit 2012 (GSS12) designed to help you achieve growing success in your garden and landscape this season.  Starting February 16, 2012, we’ll be presenting some of the of the best growers in the business and providing easy to follow tips and techniques that will have you gardening and landscaping like the pros this season!  This is a FREE 2-week webinar is loaded with topics that cover the basics in; Click here to read more

Newsletter Winter 2011

· January 31, 2012 · 9:31 am · Tree care

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The Business of “Growing” Successfully

· February 16, 2011 · 12:58 pm · Did You Know?, Employees, Misc., Tree care, , , , , , , ,

The Business of “Growing” Successfully

Ruel Jones

While I always hoped I’d be in the international banking business, I found my niche in nature, though ironically there are similarities.
Understanding how a plant operates is the key component to providing proper year-round care, much the same as with operating a successful business.
A tree is like a company, which has employees both below ground (roots) and above ground (leaves), and both play vital roles. A tree stores money (energy) in its fibers and cells just like a company does with a savings or checking account. In the spring this living, breathing company uses last year’s stored savings to build new leaves, or what we might call next year’s “employees” for the growing season. All winter long this plant was spend-ing money on root development to support the group of employees that will soon be coming on. After the leaves are built, they are now ready to start making money for the company to use in a new growth development season, while at the same time, of course, refilling the savings account now low due to all the money the company spent developing the current roots and leaves.
That is basically how a plant works. The leaves support the roots and the roots sup-port the leaves in a symbiotic relationship. The margin or profit from these two groups of employees is what the company uses each year for new growth.
Improper pruning or care of your trees and plants can cause them to dig further down into their “savings account” and spend more money to create additional leaves to do necessary work. The plant knows that without the proper amount of leaves doing the job and making money, the company will soon be filling Chapter 7.
So in the end, though the company’s name is Quality Tree Surgery, some might con-sider us in the financial and banking business for trees!

Slides

· February 16, 2011 · 12:20 am · Did You Know?, Lawn care, Tree care

Quality Tree Surgery, Inc.

Steve Cooley

· February 14, 2011 · 8:49 pm · Employees, Lawn care, Tree care, , , , , , ,

LANDSCAPE INDUSTRY CERTIFIED

Steve Cooley

Steve Cooley

The Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) announces that Steve Cooley of Quality Tree Surgery, Inc.,  in Nashville, Tennessee, has earned the Landscape Industry Certified Horticultural Technician and is now nationally certified.

Candidates pass two extensive exams covering the care of trees and shrubs in residential and commercial landscapes.  Those achieving this certification have expertise in a wide selection of plants used in area landscapes and can recognize pest problems and other factors that stress ornamental foliage.  Successful candidates understand the need to carefully observe foliage for the subtle signs that signal a situation to be controlled before it becomes overwhelming or uncontrollable.

Certification enhances an individual’s professionalism, demonstrates a sense of personal achievement, and increases respect and recognition in the profession.

Photos

· November 16, 2010 · 9:42 am · Tree care

Prepare for the Holidays

· November 5, 2010 · 7:17 pm · Lawn care, Tree care, , , , ,

Jesse & Jeff 003

Prepare for the Holidays

What a relief!  With the last two scorching summers that seriously had me questioning my profession, this cooler version in ‘09 was a big relief to say the least. My

anticipation for fall is still calling, but nothing compared to ‘07 and ‘08.

While enjoying the cooler weather, fall colors  and tailgating, keep in mind there is no better  time to plant than in the fall. Tree and shrub roots are working all winter long while the rest of the plant is dormant. This allows the plant more time to get established,  improving survival rate and speed of growth.

Fall and winter is also a great time to touch up your mulch and give the shrubs one last trim-up. Although we can’t make your favorite team win, we can help your yard look good for the holidays. Go ahead and get on the schedule early, and GO VOLS!!!

By: Jesse Ragan

The Long Race of Summer!

· August 5, 2010 · 3:16 pm · Lawn care, Misc., Tree care, , , , ,

Imagine if you will, a group of racehorses
pacing in a field. They look eager for the
run; it has been a long off-season. You
can see the restlessness in their eyes, the
anxiousness in their body movements.
You can almost see them speaking with
one another, conversing about the challengesQuality Tree Surgery, Inc.
to come and the obstacles to hurdle
over. As they gallop in the field and
spring around the practice track, you can
tell that they are driven beyond something
of duty, they are driven by a passion. Isn’t
this what makes them great and why they
are so quick and efficient on the track?
That love of the race?
They are no different than us, the workers of Quality Tree, Turf
and Landscape. When the long season ended last year and the
days became shorter and cooler we were relieved and enjoyed the
lighter, shorter work weeks! But not anymore. With spring comes
that anxiousness, that drive to once again put our skills and performance
to work. Yes, you can see it in our eyes; that push. Yes,
like an eager racehorse we have begun to pace. And why not?
This is what we love, this is our passion. You may see us during
our race in your yard, looking tired and exhausted, but also you will
see a deep satisfaction. You will see smiling faces streaked with
dirt and sweat and maybe even a thankfulness to do a job so rewarding.
For once again we are in our element – going the distance.
We are now beating our hooves on the ground waiting for the gunshot
to ring out so we may once more run the long race of spring
and summer.

By Joe Giansante

Winter Tree Care

· July 12, 2010 · 8:50 pm · Tree care, , , ,

Winter Tree Care

Should I be DOING anything for my trees during winter? I get this question a lot from homeowners. The answer is “Yes”. Fertilization is an important tool. Although trees appear to be asleep in winter, they are active growing new roots and taking up nutrients for next year. Fertilization is an important step which ensures that trees and shrubs have what they need to continue growth and have a healthy look next year. We use the finest slow release fertilizer formulated just for trees and shrubs. In addition to this, we add other key ingredients: Biostimulants to feed the colonies of microbes in the soil (which greatly helps the tree do its work), beneficial bacteria, and Mycorrhizae spores, a beneficial fungus for the root system. Just remember, the next time you are looking out the window at that lonely tree out there, he is working hard to get ready for next years growth.

Larry Loiseau/Certified Arborist

What is my Landscape Worth?

· July 12, 2010 · 8:48 pm · Lawn care, Tree care, , , ,

Most people are aware that trees and other living plants are valuable. They provide beauty to our properties, manufacture oxygen, reduce rain-fall runoff, provide sound barriers, and help us save energy by provid-ing cool shade in the summer and reducing the harsh winds in the winter. However, trees and other landscape plants are a part of your property and have a dollar value that can be measured by competent plant appraisers.
A U.S. Forest study conducted in Amherst, Massachusetts shows that real-estate appraisers estimated that trees contributed as much as 27 % increase in dollars for two thirds wooded compared to open land with no plants. Another study by Arbor National Mortgage, Inc., revealed that “ 84 % of the real estate agents feel a house on a lot with trees would be as much as 20 % more saleable than a house on a lot with no trees.” (Arbor National Mortgage 1993).
If you have trees or shrubs that have been damaged or destroyed, you may be able to recapture your loss through insurance claims, litigation, or as a deduction from your income tax. The extent of damage and how the damage occurred will determine which avenues are available to you to compensate for the lost value. If you have a portion of your property condemned for right of ways, utility easements or other condemnation proceedings, the value of any trees and shrubs on that portion of your property should be considered in determining your compensation for the loss of that property. In the event of a loss or damage to your landscape, you should obtain a written appraisal by a qualified plant appraiser to insure that you are properly compensated for the dollar value of your landscape.
Kim Cross

Benefits of Wood Chips

· July 12, 2010 · 8:29 pm · Lawn care, Tree care

Saves Water – far less watering needed, and more rain absorption.
Saves Labor – no weeding, less time watering.
Stimulates growth – mulched trees grow faster than unmulched trees.
Keeps soil and roots from overheating in hot summers.
Eliminates injury to trunk from mower collisions.
Reduces soil compaction over roots.
Nourishes the soil by adding nutrients as it decomposes.
Reduces erosion under heavily shaded areas.
Reduces bruising of fallen fruit under fruit trees.

For FREE Wood Chips, delivered by the truck load, give us a call!!!

Fall Facts

· July 12, 2010 · 8:23 pm · Tree care

Did You Know?
Fall Facts

  • The more light a leaf is exposed to, more likely it will become red.

  • Fertile soil enhances the intensity of red in leaves.

  • Leaves actually stay orange and yellow throughout the summer, but the chlorophyll (green) covers it.

  • Rainy, cloudy days dim leaves from becoming brilliantly colored.

    • The Benefits of Trees!

    · July 12, 2010 · 8:15 pm · Tree care

    Wow, the Benefits of Trees!
    A Tree Can Grow To:
     Manufacture five pounds of pure oxygen per day
     Consume carbon dioxide to fight the “greenhouse effect” that threatens our survival
     Provide the cooling equivalent of 10 room-size air conditioning units
    A Tree, Over a 50-year Period, Will:
     Generate $31,250 worth of oxygen
     Provide $62,000 worth of air pollution control
     Recycle $37,500 worth of water

    Wow, the Benefits of Trees!A Tree Can Grow To: Manufacture five pounds of pure oxygen per day Consume carbon dioxide to fight the “greenhouse effect” that threatens our survival Provide the cooling equivalent of 10 room-size air conditioning unitsA Tree, Over a 50-year Period, Will: Generate $31,250 worth of oxygen Provide $62,000 worth of air pollution control Recycle $37,500 worth of water

    Tree Myths

    · July 12, 2010 · 8:04 pm · Tree care

    Myth #1 – “Lots of Mulch is Good.”
    TRUTH: Mulch is too thick when roots start growing into it. When this occurs, several continuous hot dry days can lead to root death. Start by applying 3 to 4 inches and inspect several times a year for root growth. Keep mulch at least 6 inches away from the trunk to reduce chances of rodent injury and infec-tion by pathogens. Excessive amounts may disrupt soil moisture and aeration.
    Myth #2 – “Professionals Know Not to Plant Large-Maturing Trees Close to Buildings.”
    TRUTH: They may know this is wrong, but it is done often. Blue spruce, paper birch, and many species of pines are used often for foundation plantings. The mature size of the tree seems to be forgotten at the time of planting. Too often the annuals are in the middle of the yard and the trees are against the house.
    Myth #3 – “Fill Holes With Concrete, or Fill With Wound Dressing.”
    TRUTH: Concrete or wound dressings lead to greater internal injury.
    Myth #4 – “Ants Speed Up the Decay Process.”
    TRUTH: Ants keep their galleries very clean and in doing so they slow the decay process. Ants live in the tree and eat elsewhere. Termites ―eat‖ in the tree and live elsewhere.
    Myth #5 – “Topping Does Not Injure Trees.”
    TRUTH: Topping not only injures wood in the crown, but roots are injured. And, topping leads to haz-ardous trees. Topping is a money wasting treatment illegal in some counties in some states because once started, it must be continued. Some species of trees can survive the treatment, while others quickly de-cline. Topping destroys a trees dignity.■

    Dr. Alex L. Shigo

    You Make it All Worthwhile

    · July 12, 2010 · 8:02 pm · Lawn care, Misc., Tree care

    I‘ve worked for some of Nashville‘s tree companies over the years. I‘ve never been involved with a clientele cut from the same cloth as the patrons of Quality Tree Surgery. I‘m almost always greeted with a smile. I hear friendly voices on the phone even at such odd hours as seven in the morning when I‘m calling to let you know that I‘m on the way to make an unscrupulous amount of noise outside your windows with my chipper and my crew‘s chainsaws. It makes all the difference in the world to my crew when they are treated with respect. Let‘s face it, tree climbers aren‘t usually thought of as the most intelligent group of people on the planet. We‘re used to getting dirty for a living and being treated like ditch diggers when we come into contact with the general public. There‘s absolutely nothing ―general‖ about you people. I‘m not just saying this to stay within your good graces. I truly mean it. Some of you have gotten to know me quite well. Some of you even actually read my articles in our quarterly. So, this time, I take great pleasure in taking the time to sit and write a short note to all of you. Ruel Jones told me once: ―This is a people business Jason. The trees aren‘t ever going to pick up the phone and call us.‖ Thank you for caring about your trees. More importantly, thank you for caring about us. No act of kindness goes unnoticed. No kind word is left unheard. You are all the finest people a man could hope to work with. May this new year be the best one you‘ve ever experienced.
    -One of your ―Tree Men‖■

    Jason Kenney

    An Ounce of Prevention

    · July 12, 2010 · 6:22 pm · Tree care

    It‘s the clashing of hot and cold air that cause all the problems; that‘s why it‘s the spring and summer we should look out for, with only the occasional winter storm.‘ Speaking of which, there have only been a few in the last 20 years I’ve been in business, with only one being worth mentioning—the ice storm of 1994—what a nightmare!  It‘s the spring and summer months that 95% of our calls related to damaged trees and property come in— and four out of five trees that we go clean up and remove off a house, car, drive and/or yard were really not the storms fault anyway,they were problems waiting to happen.  That‘s right.  I go out and look at that beautiful tree split in half and think how sad it is that I didn’t get to see it before it fell apart. Given the opportunity, I could have informed the owner that with some cable bracing and/or proper pruning this tree would have been fine and the homeowner would still have a shade tree and the money; now they have neither.  A large portion of these lost trees are simple problems like a multi-stem trunk with sharply angled forks and most are reasonably easy to protect.In other cases, I see uprooted trees with mushrooms around the base and others with conks and/or cavities up the main frame and say to myself, ―how did it make it this long?  What I‘m encouraging is that you take a few minutes and walk through the yard and look at your trees; they don‘t have to have leaves to determine these most common problems. As a matter of fact, a fully foliated tree has no reflection on how safe it is.Look for the following: Sharp angled forks in the low and mid-area trunk section. This is our number one problem.  Mushrooms on the ground within 6 ft. of the base or on the trunk and stems. Old injuries anywhere on the tree – and of course if it hasn’t had any leaves on it in the last few growing seasons – this could be a problem too.  The structure is what counts.  Buttress rot, crotch-rot, and sharp angled forks are always bad news.  There are many other factors that play a role in inspections although these are the biggies.  Still yet, remember: anything that stands has the ability to fall.  There‘s no way to truly state that a tree will not fail under some unforeseen condition, although with an understanding of why they fail, it allows us to prevent many tree casualties. No need to wait until you get spring fever.  Do the ounce of prevention now during winter– it‘s better for you, the trees, and us.■

    Why Aerating is Overrated

    · July 12, 2010 · 6:17 pm · Tree care

    Aerating and overseeding is a very important part of the lawn maintenance process. One reason it is so necessary is because it replenishes the grass we lose during the hot summer months. We lose fescue in the summer because of the heat stress as well as a lack of rain. So in order to have that nice full lawn aerating and seeding should be done at a minimum of every other year.
    Another reason aerating and seeding is so important is because it relieves soil compac-tion. After your lawn has been subjected to heavy equipment during the mowing season, the roots begin to starve for oxygen. Aerating helps your lawn regain this lost oxygen to the roots by pulling plugs out of the soil.
    Aerating also speeds up thatch breakdown. I personally love aerating and seeding because there is nothing more pleasing to the eye than to pull up at a house and see a beautifully manicured lawn

    When Lighting Strikes

    · July 12, 2010 · 6:13 pm · Tree care

    Most people I talk to have a fear of the awesome force we call lightning. When I visit homes with storm damage, lightning is blamed by the homeowner when in fact wind damages most trees during thunderstorms.
    It is estimated that lighting strikes the Earth 9 million times a day -100 times per second. It is no wonder that trees can be damaged by lightning, but what is lightning anyway?
    The electric charges that generate lightning are formed in large, very, very tall storm clouds. Negative charged particles collect at the base of the cloud. Since the Earth herself is positively charged the two forces fight to find a way to connect and cancel out by following the path of least resistance. Many times the tall tree out in the yard is that path of least resistance. An acting terminal if you will.
    The voltage carried by a lightning strike averages 100 million volts and 500 amps. This is an awesome amount of energy! Trees are damaged because the living tissues of the tree serve as pathways for the surging energy. Moisture is instantly converted to steam which is why the bark of a struck tree appears to have been blown off.
    Most serious is damage done to the root system as the charge grounds out.
    Trees can be protected from lightning damage by installing lightning protection systems in them. Lightning protection systems do not attract lightning! I like to think of it as the ground (positive charges) is brought up to the top of the tree! The negative charges released from the storm are allowed to cancel out with the positive ones well above the tree leaving the tree out of it all.
    Lighting systems are all copper – with air terminals connected to woven copper wire. The system is connected to grounding rods driven deep into the Earth to create a good ground. Trees which should be considered for lightning protection are those within 25 feet of a building, historic, rare and specimen trees.
    Trees struck by lightning do not always die. They should be evaluated and monitored over time. Fertilization and watering are important. Insect pests such as ambrosia beetles must not be allowed to colonize these trees. Many trees will recover but could develop structural defects when exposed areas begin to decay. I have seen many a warrior Oak still standing tall and proud with old lighting stripes running down to the ground. ■
    Larry Loiseau / Certified Arborist

    New Standards on Line Clearing

    · July 12, 2010 · 6:05 pm · Tree care

    NES tree pruning policy—My goodness . . what a stir up that group of people are in! We have lopsided, off balance, center sections and corners cut out of trees all over town and how unsightly they can look. I am writing this article in efforts to help with the understanding of how a tree operates.
    First of all, understand that a tree is like a big corporation or company. The main stem of the tree is the core of the company and there are mass branches of employees under and above ground. The upper employees (leaves) support the underground force (roots) with starches and sugars. The roots give the leaves water and nutrients and the overspill of this symbiotic relationship is what the tree uses for cell division/growth and storage for hard times. Understanding that a great loss of employees from either side of this company will result in death of employees on the other end. This is why we see tops of trees decline after major root loss. We are unable to see the loss of workforce underground.
    Hold that thought! The more leaves a tree loses the more roots underground die from starvation, thus putting stress on the whole company. Now, think back to the practice in which trees were trimmed here in Nashville ever since the first electric wire hit the top of a pole. They’d come in and real nicely round over the whole top of the tree stripping it of virtually every employee it had.
    The type of trimming they used to do made trees more dangerous if they survived. That type of trimming practice also starts a whole downward spiral of: decaying wood, root loss, weakly attached limbs and several other situations that come back to haunt the tree and tree owner over time.
    Had our trees been pruned under the new policy as they grew up, we would have a completely different view. It was not understood that topping was so wrong. Shaping and balancing to please the eye is the last concern of a tree. The tree is most concerned about how many employees it gets to keep as a result of our wanting lights, hot water, and a TV to watch.  Change is hard for all of us, although I’m sure glad our medical doctors have adapted to new methods over the last 50 years. It would scare me to death if my doctor didn’t change practice according to new technology and education in the field of medicine.■
    Ruel Jones

     

     

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