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
Positive Thinking
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. February 21, 2012 6:06 pm Did You Know?, positive thinking
Positive Thinking
“You can shoot yourself in the foot by being your own worst enemy,” my grandfather tells me at the kitchen table one sunny afternoon. He’s explaining the biggest lesson he learned early on in his life: If you don’t equip yourself with positive thinking, you’ll be defeated before you can even get started. His words have been echoing in my head ever since.
We all personally experience the effects of negative thinking, and sometimes we can even see its effect in the actions of others. We cripple ourselves with the fear created by negative thinking – the fear of the unknown, of failure and even fear of success. We watch as our friends and family come up with reasons or excuses not to try something new or make a change, big or small, which has been keeping them emotionally imprisoned for too long. But, as Granddad learned in the Army, developing a habit of positive thinking can be an infinite source of help when it comes to coping with life.
I’m sure you’ve heard of training your brain to think a certain way.
You can train it to focus on getting things done like finishing important proposals before a deadline or motivating yourself to run one more mile. Pep talks encourage a confidence that the interview will go splendidly or that this date will be a success. In fact, according to the History Channel, we talk to ourselves using 300 to 1000 words per minute! So it’s no surprise that when those words are positive, our brain overrides the goofy fears and anxieties that make life’s curveballs more stressful. Just like warriors have done since ancient times, by focusing the activity going on in your mind, you can transcend whatever it is you thought your limitations were.
Back to Granddad’s wisdom, the reminder I’d like to pass on here is that we all have a choice in our attitudes. We can equip ourselves with the “come hell or high water” determination to succeed or fall victim to the self-fulfilling prophecy of “I can’t because of this inconvenient reason and these extraneous excuses.” But you can’t have both! The real nice thing about being a self-aware human is that you get to choose.
We can’t predict the future but we sure can create it. And, with a positive attitude, a whole world of opportunities will find you.
By:
Kaitlin Jones
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!
Landscape Pros
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. February 16, 2011 1:14 am Employees, Lawn care, curt watson, jesse ragan, Lawn care, leaf removal, mulching, quality tree surgery, shrubs, trees, turf program
Meet our Landscape Professionals!
Curt Watson and Jesse Ragan
Our Landscaping Division Offers:
Full Service Maintenance
Turf Programs
Leaf Removal
Installation of Trees and Shrubs
Mulching
And Landscaping Enhancements
Slides
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. February 16, 2011 12:20 am Did You Know?, Lawn care, Tree care
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc.
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- Stump Grinding
Environmental benefits of a healthy lawn
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. February 15, 2011 10:33 pm Did You Know?, Lawn care, Misc., energy, environmental, healthy lawn, joe churchill, save
Environmental benefits of a healthy lawn
Do you know the environmental benefits of a healthy lawn?
According to Joe Churchill of Rehbein Environmental Solutions, a healthy turf can reduce the amount of energy needed to operate air conditioners by 25%.
The front lawns of 8 houses have the cooling effect of about 70 tons of air conditioning!
Having a healthy lawn also removes dust and dirt from the air, approximately 12 million tons of it annually in the U.S.
Risk of Referring
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. February 15, 2011 9:55 pm Referrals, Bass Tire, quality tree, referrals, referring, Steve Bass
Risk of Referring
We always take a risk when referring someone to our friends, family or colleagues. I have had it happen to me and most of you probably have had it happen to you as well; your referral didn’t come through with shining colors, and now you look like a goofball for referring that person. It’s embarrassing, too, not to mention that your friend thinks it’s your fault for getting them in such a mess.
Well, I have little time for being jerked around by some nut case who really doesn’t want to provide top of the line service. After being in business over 27 years and weeding out a lot of “dead beat bubbas, ” we have a list of really good companies and people that continually provide excellent service.
Understanding the importance of a referral keeps us sharp as a razor; we know someone has put their reputation on the line in telling their friend about us, and we won’t let them down.
I will be referring some of the people we trade with in each issue of this paper. I feel that a personal referral is the best and most likely way to find a competent place of business where everyone comes out a winner.
Steve Bass with Bass Tire – Talking about top of the line service, these guys lead by leaps and bounds. They are a no bull company with super nice people who get the job done and make your experience pleasant. I have been trading with Bass Tire for over 18 years and they are wonderful, prompt, honest, down-to-earth and truly caring people. So, you may already have a personal tire company, but if you don’t, you will find a friend and good service at Bass Tire.
Something you should know
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. February 15, 2011 2:15 pm Did You Know?, Employees, Misc., property value, quality tree surgery, ruel, ruel jones
Something You Should Know…
Twenty seven years ago when I started this tree care company, I had no idea I was lined up for a roller coaster ride of Feast or Famine as a career. That’s right; a roller coaster job is putting it lightly because in the spring and summer, wonderful volumes of work come in like nobody’s business but then come the winter months where starvation and poverty-stricken days show up and surround us like buzzards on road kill.
Getting a tree job is like standing in a soup line with only enough food for half the people and everyone cutting corners to get in front. It’s too funny I’m telling you! I catch myself laughing at the irony of why in the world anyone would start a tree care company – “Just kidding”.
Anyhow, facts are, the best time of year for tree operations are the winter months when trees are in a kind of sleep mode or should I say, “taking a rest and gearing up for the next growing season.”
Not only is it better for the tree but winter pruning is easier because it’s easier to see limbs without leaves blocking the view of dead or unproductive branches. Pruning off undesirable live material is better because the tree hasn’t spent all that energy growing leaves. It’s almost always more cost effective because of factors like less debris to clean up and no delicate flowers growing up under the trees to work around, of course, there is less of a work load which means no over time hours.
Fact is, winter months are hands down the best time of year to have tree work performed regardless of what kind of maintenance it is, and, of course, above all other reasons, the best time to have any kind of work done is when you are ready. It’s not necessary to wait until spring or summer. If you have tree work to do and you are in a position to have it done, do it now; by doing so, you will probably save money, as well.
Ruel Jones
Frost Damage & Turf Care
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. February 15, 2011 2:09 pm Lawn care, brown spots, frozen, frozen lawn, jeff stokes, Lawn care, quality tree surgery
Frost Damage & Turf Care…
By: Jeff Stokes
What happens to your lawn when we get a hard freeze during the winter months?
First of all like most plants, turf grass (fescue) is made up of a large portion of water. So when we get sub 32 degree temperatures, the plant cells inside the grass freeze or crystallize. This is what causes the fescue to turn brown during the cold months. It is not dead! DO NOT WORRY!!!…It may look completely brown, but once we get some warmer soil temperatures, it will grow out of this condition. The early fertilizer applications will aid in this process.
Have you noticed footprints in the lawn? This is simply where the lawn has been walked across while the grass is frozen; the plant cells are broken when stepped on thus leaving footprints…Again do not worry! The turf grass will grow out of this and recover nicely.
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.
Nashville Scene 2010 Best of the Best
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. February 4, 2011 6:20 pm Misc.
I want to thank you all for making Quality Tree Surgery the best tree company in Nashville through the Nashville Scene. In a typical election or voting-based awards program, the competitors will use advertising and marketing as tools to keep themselves remembered at the voting booths; we did none of that. That is what truly makes this so gratifying. Knowing that you, the customer, took time out of your day and remembered us when voting for “Best of Nashville” without being coerced or reminded is truly special. Believe me, there was much chatter around the office when the results came in. We hugged each other, shook hands, high-fived, and generally celebrated. I believe every employee stopped on their way home that day and picked up a copy of the Nashville Scene and its proclamations. We showed our spouses, children and anyone else who we thought may care. We purchased a large banner proclaiming us the “BEST TREE COMPANY OF NASHVILLE 2010” and put it up outside of the office. We drive by that banner every day when coming and going from work, and we are reminded of the thoughtfulness of you, the customer, each time we see it.
To be the best tree company you must have the best employees. We do, and 2010 proved it.
On Sunday, May 2nd, I was sitting at home watching the news and weather about our current crisis-the flood- when I received a phone call. A co-worker had driven by the office and had seen the results of some high wind damage. A large oak had broken and was completely blocking our parking area. Shingles were missing off the roof, and there was general damage to surrounding properties. After a short discussion, we agreed to meet there and clean up the oak so that on Monday we would be able to park. From there, things got real serious real quick. Upon arrival, we checked the answering machine and realized that damages were far from a localized problem. The machine was nearly full. We contacted Ruel, salesman and owner, and he came in. While we worked to clear the parking lot, he was busy returning calls and driving to properties with damages. As the rain continued to come down and the flooding got worse, we were out there clearing drives and supporting trees that would otherwise have fallen over due to saturated ground. I was in communication with my then girlfriend now wife as she updated me on road conditions so I could route myself to these properties. We volunteered for this. It wasn’t mandatory, we simply just wanted to help.
Later on in the summer, we continually had pop-ups of severe thunderstorms all over the mid-state; it seemed to happen weekly. A crew of men could always be found at the office, waiting in case of a call. True, some of this is mandatory, but, oftentimes, you would see others waiting, just in case they too could help. We would work until after dark on Friday nights and come in early on Saturday to take care of damages if that’s what it took. And though we were working overtime and coming in on our days off, no one complained or tried to take short-cuts. We never had a hard time getting a crew together for emergencies; everyone here takes pride in what they do and are constantly looking to help. Just last week we had a tree pruning job that we had to complete by the end of the day, and we had guys volunteering from the turf division and landscape division, and even our secretary said she’d go and work, dragging brush or anything that could help. To have this kind of work environment is great. But to be recognized for it by you, the customer, is phenomenal. Once again, thank you Nashville, for making us the best tree company around. By: Joe Giansante
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
Icky, sticky, gooey stuff…
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. August 18, 2010 11:14 pm Lawn care, Misc., Pests, aphids, brown spots, cletis, hackberry, Lawn care, nashville, Pests, sugarberry, summer, tn, Tree care
Icky, sticky, gooey stuff...
Did you experience a clear sticky substance or black mold on your deck, lawn furniture or car last summer? If you did, you may be experienc-ing the symptoms of the Asian woolly hackberry aphid, Shivaphis celti. Middle Tennessee hackberry trees experienced severe infestations during the summers of 2003 through 2006. 
The aphids mysteriously vanished during the summers of 2006 and 2007 and reappeared again in 2008.
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
Wood Chips
Quality Tree Surgery, Inc. July 12, 2010 8:40 pm Did You Know?
Did You Know?
Wood Chips…..
- Are easy to recycle and store, making them more stable than the markets for other recyclable materials.
- Will prevent weed growth
- Conserve moisture in soil
- Cool surface and stabilize soil
- Reduce soil erosions on slopes
- Keep fruits, vegetables, and flowers cleaner
- Improve aesthetics of a land-scape and add to property values.
