Category: 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
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. 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!
Welcome 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
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. January 31, 2012 9:31 am Tree care
The Business of “Growing” Successfully
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. February 16, 2011 12:58 pm Did You Know?, Employees, Misc., Tree care, employees, nashville, proper care, quality tree surgery, roots, ruel jones, spring, winter
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
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. February 16, 2011 12:20 am Did You Know?, Lawn care, Tree care
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc.
- Stump Grinding
Steve Cooley
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. February 14, 2011 8:49 pm Employees, Lawn care, Tree care, certified, horticultural, PLANET, Professional Landcare Network, quality tree surgery, steve cooley, Tree care
LANDSCAPE INDUSTRY CERTIFIED

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
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. November 16, 2010 9:42 am Tree care

Prepare for the Holidays
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. November 5, 2010 7:17 pm Lawn care, Tree care, christmas, fall, holidays, jesse ragan, quality tree surgery
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!
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. August 5, 2010 3:16 pm Lawn care, Misc., Tree care, By Joe Giansante, Lawn care, quality tree surgery, summer, 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 challenges
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
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. July 12, 2010 8:50 pm Tree care, fall, root, Tree care, winter

Winter Tree Care
Larry Loiseau/Certified Arborist
What is my Landscape Worth?
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. July 12, 2010 8:48 pm Lawn care, Tree care, property value, quality tree surgery, ruel jones, Tree care

Benefits of Wood Chips
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. July 12, 2010 8:29 pm Lawn care, Tree care
For FREE Wood Chips, delivered by the truck load, give us a call!!!
Fall Facts
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. 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!
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. 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 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
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. July 12, 2010 8:04 pm Tree care
Dr. Alex L. Shigo
You Make it All Worthwhile
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. July 12, 2010 8:02 pm Lawn care, Misc., Tree care
Jason Kenney
An Ounce of Prevention
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. 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
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. July 12, 2010 6:17 pm Tree care
When Lighting Strikes
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. July 12, 2010 6:13 pm Tree care
New Standards on Line Clearing
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. July 12, 2010 6:05 pm Tree care























































