#arboriculture

Daisugi is an ancient Japanese technique that involves pruning a mother tree to create a platform of sorts, from which new shoots are allowed to sprout. These shoots are then carefully pruned and trained to grow straight upwards.

The purpose of Daisugi was to produce high quality, straight timber (known as 'taruki') for construction without having to cut down entire trees.

This method of forestry not only saves space but also allows for faster timber production, as the shoots grow much faster than they would if they were planted separately.

I run around administering birth control several times a week.

Not to people, I don’t have that sort of training.

Suppressing fruit or seed pods from a tree can have a number of benefits. Sweet gum trees create spikey balls that weigh down branches and sometimes cause failures, tripping hazards and at the very least create an annoying mess on people lawns. Acorns from Oak trees can be an annoyance for folks who don’t want to hear them dropping on their roof all year long. This is not to mention undesired fruit production.

The trick is timing. This fiasco usually starts in early March with cherries. You see, I have to catch the tree in a very specific stage. I’m waiting for the tree to ovulate. Yep, trees ovulate in case you didn’t know. Depending on specie, their buds will start to flower at different times in spring. It has no bearing on what the leaves are doing, I’m watching the flower buds. If they make it to full flower, they will have been pollinated by our local bee population. Then that flower turns into a fruit or seed. It’s been fertilized. Sound familiar? Nature uses the same tricks in different forms and I think it’s beautiful.

This treatment does not harm the bee population. It’s an injection that doesn’t harm nearby trees, does not have lasting effects and can be skipped in order to allow the tree to produce fruit the following season.

This is another way arborists can improve people’s relationship with trees as an alternative to removal. Once they are gone they are gone and we advocate for retention whenever possible.

​🌳 The Standing Dead Tree: A Wildlife Skyscraper 🌳

​Often perceived as "waste" or something to be tidied away, the standing dead tree – or 'snag' – is in fact a vibrant, bustling skyscraper of biodiversity, absolutely crucial to healthy ecosystems. This hyper-realistic diagram unveils the hidden world within a standing dead tree, showcasing why these natural structures are irreplaceable.

​Why every snag is a testament to nature's ingenuity:

​Nesting Cavities: From owls to woodpeckers and small mammals, these hollows provide essential shelter, safe nurseries, and protection from predators and the elements. They are vital homes that new trees simply cannot offer.

​Beetle Galleries & Larval Insects: As the wood slowly decays, it becomes a food source and habitat for a vast array of insects. These larvae, in turn, are a critical food supply for birds, bats, and other wildlife, fueling the entire food web.

​Mosses & Lichens: These resilient pioneers colonize the bark, adding layers of intricate texture and providing micro-habitats for even smaller invertebrates, while also playing a role in nutrient cycling.

​Bracket Fungi: Nature's decomposers! These fascinating fungi break down the tough wood fibers, returning vital nutrients to the soil and softening the wood for other creatures to excavate. They are the architects of decay, creating more homes as they work.

​Sheltering Bats: Bats often roost under loose bark or within crevices, finding safe havens during the day before emerging at night to control insect populations.

More than just a tree—it’s a living skyscraper of biodiversity. 🌳✨

Ancient trees aren't just "old." They are complex ecosystems that have survived centuries of history. While they might look "messy" with their hollows and fungi, those are actually the features that make them most valuable to our planet.

Why these features matter:

Hollow Trunks: Safe havens for bats, owls, and rare insects. 🦉

Deadwood: A vital food source for specialized beetles and fungi. 🍄

Epicormic Growth: New life sprouting from old wood—nature’s resilience! 🌱

Rare Lichens: These "air quality sensors" only thrive on the stable bark of ancient giants.

​It’s easy to admire the canopy, but as arborists, we spend just as much time looking down at the complex ecosystems at our feet.

​This photo captures a beautiful example of saprotrophic fungi at work. While they might look delicate, these fungi are the heavy lifters of the natural world. They are among the few organisms on Earth capable of producing the specific enzymes needed to break down lignin—the tough, structural polymer that gives wood its strength.

​Without fungi, our forests would be choked with fallen timber. Instead, they act as nature’s digestive system, unlocking nutrients trapped in deadwood and returning them to the soil in forms that new trees and plants can absorb.

​In arboriculture, we often assess fungi to determine tree stability, but on the forest floor or a habitat pile, they are a vital sign of a functioning ecosystem.