Organic, without the use of chemicals, done in a natural state, allowing and relying on nature to live and grow as intended. Working with nature in a positive give and take, rather than controlling a commodity.
To me tree work is a form of forest bathing. This is a new phrase from Japan describing something ancient, being in nature for the sheer pleasure of it. Those of us with a connection to nature in its myriad forms understand this in our bones. It's just not passing time outside, but something deeper, a connection that needs to be met. It seems for most nature-connected people that this is a simple experience that requires little more technology than a good pair of shoes. Indeed the more head-phoned, texting, waiting for an email you are, the harder it will be to make a connection. Forest bathers know to leave the e-world safe at home by itself, and set forth technologically naked, so to speak.
And so with Tree work; I am hearing almost every day from people who have problems with their trees that have been injected with a chemical for various reasons. This quick money answer appears to be the latest add-on to the thinking that everything green needs to be heavily fertilized. The last example came in yesterday. A woman who is genuinely worried about her trees sent me pictures of a Schubert cherry which had been injected with a fungicide to help control black knot. This is just silly; the Schubert is only about 20% as susceptible as the May day to black knot and if knots appear they are easily dealt with by pruning. It's the thinking [?] behind these actions that worry me. The tree in question has about a six-inch diameter trunk. Within the space of three inches, three injection capsules were inserted into the trunk. They must have got the dose wrong because a strip of bark a foot and a half high and three inches wide died after the injection. This is a significant wound to such a small tree. The irony is amazing, there is now a deadwood-eating fungus living on the edge of the recently killed bark. Do you think she should have the Tree service back to inject for the thriving secondary infection?
There is a better way, and Tree owners who understand the varying water requirements of their Trees know it. Better to spend more money on water than on fear based ideas whose main concern is chemical sales and not actually Trees. Any Tree in Calgary that gets the water it needs will be healthy, full and nearly pest and disease free. Most Insects do little harm but stop for lunch, they come and go. The same can be said for most fungus, (read my series of articles, Calgary's Most Dangerous, to meet the real bad guys). Our society is just beginning to understand the positive strengthening presence of insects on plants. Without being tested and challenged, the Tree's systems grow weaker. Do you like the birds and the bees and the butterflies? Then keep toxic chemical use to a bare minimum. Water your trees more and take the power back from those who would have you in fear, relieved only by spending money on chemicals that are dangerous, sometimes lethal and about 60 years behind the times.
SPEND MORE ON WATER, LESS ON ARBORISTS.
Cheers,
Kevin.
