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The Key With Fall Fertilization Apply late in season for fall root growth and storage in plant tissues for use in springBy John Fech PHOTO BY JEFFREY HEYDEN-KAYE/THINKSTOCK. Fertilization programs are utilized to maintain the vigorous and healthy growth of trees and to increase their resistance to damage from insects and diseases. When applied judiciously…

Summer Safety: How to beat the heat and keep your crew safe when the mercury rises By Tony Tresselt Summer is often the busiest season for production tree workers. Dormant season’s end, summer storms and active insect and pathogen populations all add to the pace of tree care operations. Many tree care companies depend on…

By John C. Fech Determining the need for pesticide application is a good first step. (Photo court esy of James Kalisch, UNL.) There are many critical issues in the tree care industry, from invasive pests to the implementation of pest monitoring, from training new workers to marketing to new customers, and from tree risk assessment…

Emerald Ash Borer(Courtesy of  USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Services)  Symptoms and Treatment: Although you can’t always spot it, the beetle may live in cut wood such as firewood. You can help stop the beetle by not moving firewood. Moving firewood can spread the beetle, its larvae and its eggs to healthy trees. Burn your firewood…

Tools & Techniques:Pulleys and Blocks When Friction is Not a Friend By Michael Tain Sheave, not sleeve The surface of an arborist block that the line is intended to run over is called a sheave, and it’s typically the larger diameter of the two block ends. This sheave should turn freely, minimizing the amount of…

Tools & Techniques:Pulleys and Blocks When Friction is Not a Friend By Michael Tain Click image to enlarge. (A CMI rescue pulley in support of a static load. Note the lack of a bushing for sling attachment, thus requiring the use of a connecting link, and the thin side plates with sharp edges. Photos by…

Maintenance Matters Maintaining your climbing equipment is imperative to staying safe aloftBy Anthony Tresselt Click image to enlarge. (All life support carabiners should be marked with their ratings and the markings should be legible.)(Photos courtesy of Anthony Tresselt unless otherwise noted.) As with any type of skilled labor, high-quality tools and equipment are necessary for…

Keeping customers happy while dealing with snow and ice damage By John C. Fech Click image to enlarge. (Rabbit browsing is common in winters with extended snow cover.Photos by John C. Fech, UNL) There are many ways to perceive or view winter damage to trees. One is to deny it, to say to yourself or…

Care and Maintenance  By Kate Leifheit Click image to enlarge. (Pick a color, any color.  Rope manufacturers often use bright colors so arborists can quickly and easily distinguish the ropes used for various arboricultural operations. Ropes are manufactured using a multitude of construction methods and materials, resulting in different tensile strengths and stretch.  It cannot…

(Courtesy of US Department of Agriculture) Proper mulching and pruning of trees are important to their health. The following information from the USDA Forest Service addresses these two issues. PROPER MULCHING: Maintain a ring of mulch around the tree (the wider the better). Organic material like wood chips and leaves are best. Wood chips will…