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sussex-nature-lover · 3 years

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Monday 30th November 2020

Trees!

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Our lane this afternoon

It’s our National Tree Week in the UK. I saw Prince Charles talking about it

THE Prince of Wales has thrown his support behind a Countryfile campaign to plant 750,000 trees in an effort to tackle climate change.

He is joined by stars including actress Dame Judi Dench, Queen guitarist Brian May and model Twiggy in backing the BBC One programme's two-year initiative, called Plant Britain.

Viewers will be encouraged to help grow trees at various sites across the UK – one for each child starting primary school this year.

In Sunday's special launch episode, Prince Charles says: “Planting a tree means leaving a lasting legacy, one that my and your children and grandchildren will be able to enjoy long after I am gone.

“I know that so many people during this terribly difficult year have had their appreciation of trees and other green spaces around them deepened, and therefore it is our duty, given how long it takes for a tree to mature, to plant trees now for future generations to enjoy and for the immense benefits, particularly in towns and cities, from their shade, in an ever more overheated climate.

“There are so many opportunities for us all to plant more trees, to protect green spaces.

“As someone with a passion for planting trees, I can only encourage you all to get planting for Plant Britain.”

Hear Hear! Although I think we already did our bit with planting in our garden. We did lose one of the new Mountain Ash trees, no idea what happened there but it wasn’t Ash Dieback disease because the Mountain Ash tree is in fact a Rowan.

The most damaging tree disease since Dutch Elm

Ash is the third most common broadleaved tree in Britain. There are an estimated 60 million ash trees outside woodlands in the UK. Ash dieback disease was first officially recorded in the UK in 2012 and has spread rapidly, with only a small fraction of trees proving resistant. Since the arrival of ash dieback, The Tree Council has led research into the early responses and coping strategies of public landowners to this new disease.

But there is some hope

Scientists say there is new hope in the fight against a disease that is devastating ash trees.

A study has identified the genes that give trees resistance to ash dieback, which arrived in the UK in 2012 and has now spread to almost every part of the country.

The discovery suggests that trees could now be bred that are unaffected by the epidemic.

The research is published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.

Prof Richard Buggs, from the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, said: "I hope this work will lead to us safeguarding ash populations for future generations."

Ash dieback is caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, which originated in Asia.

In its native range, it causes little damage to trees, but when the fungus was introduced to Europe about 30 years ago, it caused widespread destruction.

Recent estimates suggest that the disease can kill up to 70% of ash trees.

In the UK, this means 70 million trees could be lost, which would cost the economy £15bn, according to an analysis published this year.

In a bid to halt this seemingly unstoppable disease, scientists have been studying the DNA of hundreds of ash trees.

A small number of trees are showing some natural resistance to ash dieback - and the researchers have identified the parts of their genome that are helping this fightback.

"We've discovered about 3,000 locations in the DNA of these ash trees that are contributing to the resistance," explained Prof Buggs.

Knowing this will help the team to monitor how quickly ash trees are evolving a tolerance to the fungus in the natural environment, but is also crucial for any future breeding programmes.

Prof Buggs said: "We hope to bring together all of the genetic differences that are contributing to resistance into a single population of ash trees that will have higher resistance than any of the ash trees that we currently have."

He added that this will not save the trees that are currently dying, but if this project is successful, it could mean they could eventually be replaced and ash could live on in the countryside.

But ash is not the only tree that is in trouble.

So alongside this study, a team from Kew has also been collecting seeds of 70 woodland species.

Since 2013, some 15 million seeds have been amassed as part of the UK National Tree Seed Project. They are now stored at -20C at the Millennium Seed Bank in Wakehurst.

Dr Alice Hudson said: "We don't know what's around the corner for our woodlands. There are threats from climate change, from plant health, from pests and diseases, and from land-use change… but banking the seeds here, we have them out of the environment, they are away from the threats - and they are a back-up."

BBC

We’ve been to Wakehurst Place (which, as it happens, is reportedly home to the country’s tallest living Christmas Tree ) and gone inside the publicly accessible part of the Millennium Seed Bank. As you would expect, it’s very clinical and futuristic looking and what a project it is.

Our garden is surrounded by trees

This afternoon’s wildlife spottings were a Buzzard, a large one, on top of a tall telegraph pole right at the edge of the road and a large number of Deer in a field. They were a great spot because wearing their winter colourings now, they were quite well camouflaged. Sorry no photos, but I did get a pic of the said telegraph pole on the way back! ha ha. Take my word for it.

It was a horrible day again. We woke up to fog and it was reminiscent of last night’s football at some of the smaller grounds competing in the FA Cup, where it was hard to know how they were following the ball. By the time we were on our way home it was dropping again.

We’d only gone out as Crow had to have some dental treatment and I accompanied him just in case he wanted me to drive home. I was thinking he might feel a bit rough, but actually he said it was absolutely fine and how techniques have improved. To be honest, I haven’t had anything done at the Dentist for about 30 years (good, strong hair, teeth and nails you see/Purrs) so I am way back in the last century when it comes to modern dentistry.

I had to wait in the car of course, due to the Covid restrictions, but I was very well wrapped up, including a thermal T shirt under my jumper, walking socks, scarf, a beanie hat and some fingerless mittens. On the off-chance anyone is feeling clever, yes, I did also have trousers, boots and my ‘big coat’ too - it wasn’t like appropriate-only-above-the-waist-Zoom-call fashion. Not taking any chances I also took two hot water bottles and a blanket just to be on the safe side and that worked out well because it was a long treatment, but I was perfectly snug despite the weather.

There wasn’t much to look at and it started raining. What a glum Monday, but the High Street was being brought to life for the ending of Lockdown on Wednesday (I say the ending of Lockdown, but it’s the start of the new Tier System) and look what we have here. I don’t think it’ll rival the Wakefield Place one, but it’s going to be very pretty in the dark nights.

I normally ban any mention of the festive season until the month’s changed over, but I’ll make an exception this year because it did make me smile. Usually it’s

Explanation for the Uninitiated

That was Monday then, now we’re in, snug, the world’s shut out and it’s going to be supper time soon. Fishcakes with a big bowl of salad and because he’s been a brave boy, we’re having chips tonight (Ms NW tE will like that) ♥

Football Update:

The FA Cup draw has called Villa at home -v- Liverpool.

You know what this means? Household TENSION and <gnashes teeth> A score to be settled!

The last Remembrance Poppy for November

(not my photo)

#nature photography gardens trees love where you live

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absolutetreecareservices · 5 years

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When Should You Prune Your Tree?

As you might already know, pruning your tree is essential to its growth. Pruning not only helps remove dead, diseased or insect-infested branches, it also improves the structure of your trees and the fruits it yields and reduces the risk of those overgrown branches from falling off and hitting a random passer by.

For the most part, you can do light pruning and removal of dead branches at any point during the year. However, depending on individual tree species, there are more ideal times of the year to prune trees. In this post, we will share with you when those times are.

Winter

Winter is absolutely one of the best times to prune trees. For one thing, the tree’s structure is more visible with the absence of leaves. When trees are pruned during winter, new growth doesn’t happen until spring when the tree has better access to moisture, sunlight and the nutrients it needs to grow healthy. Another reason for this is that tree diseases, fungus, and insects are usually dormant or at least slowed down during the cold months, so the tree is less likely to be attacked while still recovering from the pruning that has been done.

Pruning in winter also helps arborists do their job effectively. For us here at Absolute Tree Care Arborists in Abbotsford, Vancouver, the frozen ground during winter helps us to bring our heavy equipment without damaging your landscape. This is especially helpful for large tree pruning jobs.

Summer

Another good time to prune trees is during the summer. With how quickly trees and shrubs grow during spring, tree owners would usually have to deal with overgrown branches by summer if they failed to prune during winter. Pruning during this season will also help you to direct the growth of your tree; preventing some branches from growing too much. This also helps to get the much-needed sunlight to growing fruit.

An important guideline for pruning in summer is not to prune too many leaves. Leaves are in charge of producing food for the trees and without them, your tree will lack the nourishment it needs to grow. It’s also important to note that some trees, like oaks and American elm trees, should not be pruned during summer. The pruning “wounds” in such species can attract insect pests that carry oak wilt, or Dutch elm disease.

When you want to enhance the flowering of your trees

Another good time to prune trees is when you want to encourage or trigger more flowering growth in your fruit trees. Trees that bloom in spring should be pruned when their flowers fade. For those that bloom in mid to late summer, it’s recommended to prune in winter or early spring.

Are you looking for professional tree care services in Burnaby, BC? Give us a call today at Absolute Tree Care Arborists and get a quote for a wide array of services, from tree removals to crown thinning and shrub pruning. We have capable professionals who can handle your tree-related work for you.

Reference:

https://www.treesaregood.org/portals/0/docs/treecare/Mature_TreeCare.pdf

https://www.arborday.org/trees/tips/

https://arbor-experts.com/winter-tree-pruning/

https://www.creativelc.com/blog/winter-tree-pruning

http://www.hoppetreeservice.com/index.php/en/tree-care-info/pruning-tree-work/65-summer-time-pruning-the-dos-and-donts

#tree removal #tree cutting #tree trimming #storm clean up

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cameronf24 · 6 years

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Diseases of Pine Trees

Planting a tree is an action full of hope. We hope that our tree will grow and flourish, living out its life – which will certainly be decades, and perhaps even a hundred years or more – free of problems that threaten it. This is usually true, trees are remarkably tough, and most grow and survive without problems. But some don’t. Sometimes it is a major outbreak, like Dutch Elm Disease, that decimates a much-loved tree. Most often it is a lower-level disease that picks away at a particular type of tree, like the Verticillium Wilt that is spreading through maple trees these days. Other diseases look dramatic but do very little harm. So for gardeners, it helps to have some knowledge of diseases, to encourage the good, and separate the bad from the merely ugly. An earlier blog on Diseases of Maples has been a popular resource for our readers, so to continue giving that basic information, this time we are going to look at the diseases that pine trees may suffer from, which one’s matter, and what to do about them.

Hey, That Doesn’t Look Good!

Pine trees only have so many ways to tell us they are not doing well, and there are several things we might spot that are indicators of diseases. The main things you might see are:

Resin running down the trunk – If the bark is injured by diseases sticky resin often escapes and flows down the bark. This can even collect at the bottom of the tree, on the ground. As it dries it turns white and flakey around the edges of the flow, or it may dry completely into white or grey flakes on the bark.

Dead shoots or branches – these might be anywhere in the tree – foresters often call them ‘flags’. Notice if they are on new shoots only, before the needles have had time to develop fully, or if a whole branch of mature shoots has died.

Yellow needles – sometimes needles turn yellow, sooner than they normally would. Later they will turn brown, either completely or in bands. This shouldn’t be confused with the normal, season browning and falling of older needles. These will always be the last needles before the bare part of the stem. If they are, nothing is wrong, but if it is younger needles that are yellow, you could have a problem.

Round swellings and growths on the stems – these are called ‘galls’, and although unsightly they are rarely dangerous to the tree. Several different organisms can cause them.

Know Your Tree

You can see there are not a lot of different things that will show you there is a problem, so knowing what the problem actually is depends a lot on what kind of pine tree you have. If you don’t know, ask around your neighbors, often they will know, or take a branch – with some cones if possible – to a local garden center and they may be able to help. There are good resources on the internet too. You need to know how many needles there are in the bundles on the stems, and having a mature cone helps a lot. Deciding on what disease is affecting your tree is a combination of what signs you see and what type of pine it is, since many diseases are specific to one or a few different species.

Some Common Pine Diseases

There are a number of diseases that can be seen on different pines, but these are the most common of the serious ones, that can cause major damage or death.

White Pine Blister Rust

If you live in the north-east, you might have a white pine tree. These lovely native trees are usually easy to grow, but there is one serious disease that can attack them. This fungus attacks side branches, which die – creating ‘flags’ – and then spreads along the branch until it meets the trunk. There a canker forms, and sap runs down the bark. Once the disease reaches the trunk there is nothing that can be done. Over a few years all of the tree above that spot will die. If it happens high in the tree it will in time create a picturesque dead top, for birds of prey to use as lookouts, but if it is lower down most of the tree will be killed – it’s the luck of the draw.

To prevent this disease, keep a close watch on your white pine. If you see small dead branches, remove them, cutting at least a foot further down, into healthy parts. The fungus spreads ahead of the dead sections. If you can make it more than a foot, even better. This will keep the disease away from the trunk, and you will only get minor branch loss.

Diplodia Tip Blight

If you see new shoots dying on your pine tree in spring, and sap oozing from the area where those new shoots develop from, then think about what kind of pine this is. If it is Austrian pine, or Ponderosa Pine, this is probably Diplodia Tip Blight (also known as Sphaeropsis). Give the dead needles a gentle tug, and if they come out easily, that confirms it. Over time more tips will die, killing whole branches, usually lower down on the tree. A badly-infected tree will not have much life left in it. This disease can be controlled by spraying with suitable fungicides (copper sulfate is a suitable organic spray, and propaconazole or thiophanate-methyl are also effective) over a limited period in spring, when the buds are swelling, and again before the needles fully expand. For a larger tree you will probably need to bring in an arborist.

Pine Wilt

This is certainly the most serious pine disease around, because it strikes and kills so quickly that little can be done. This disease is also unusual because it is caused by a microscopic organism called a nematode, and it is carried from tree to tree by beetles. The first sign is a greying of the green color of all or most of the needles, followed by yellowing and then browning. You may see the signs in spring, and by late summer or fall the tree will be completely dead. If you see browning, but the tree stays alive for months or years, it probably isn’t Pine Wilt. The nematodes have blocked all the water-transport system of the tree, and it dies from lack of water. However, watering it will do no good, because the blockage is inside the tree. There is no cure for this disease, and dead trees should be removed and burned or chipped straight away. It takes a plant laboratory test to confirm this disease, and these are available – check your local university or college. Austrian, Scots, and Japanese Red Pine are the pines most usually affected. Don’t replant pine as a replacement – choose a spruce, fir, or hemlock instead.

There are numerous other pine diseases, but they are mostly just unsightly, rather than lethal. Good management, such as not changing soil levels and covering the roots with fresh soil, can go a long way to keeping your pine trees healthy.

Diseases of Pine Trees posted first on https://www.thetreecenter.com

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tweetadvise · 7 years

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Developing a Website Taxonomy to Benefit SEO

If you are currently gaining a brand name new site then now is the ideal time to intend its framework. Getting an internet site's taxonomy correct before it's constructed will certainly conserve a great deal of time and money, also landing web pages will be in area to bring in search engine website traffic or to be used promptly for paid advertising.

Breaking Topics Down right into Sub-Topics

There's no right or incorrect manner in which to damage subjects down on a website, you could separate website by group, trouble kind, place, price, etc. One of the most essential factor is to have different websites for each and every topic as well as sub-topics on the website.

Let's say you have an internet site providing a 'tree reducing' service for instance, producing a mind map of all the subjects will look something such as this:

Breaking all the subjects down into sub-topics provides a suitable taxonomy of just how the new websites must be set out and categorised.

Let's search in deepness at one of the branches and each step along the way which stands for a new internet page:

Homepage - The first website for the tree cutters site consisting of connect to all the main categories

Homepage > Tree Guides - A main classification 'center' page for all the tree reducing overviews, this page will bring in individuals curious about the basic topic

Homepage > Tree Guides > Tree Illness - A sub-category page consisting of generic information regarding tree illness to look out for, an additional topic people look for

Homepage > Tree Guides > Tree Illness > Dutch Elm Disease - An information page particularly about Dutch Elm Disease for trees, this will certainly draw in people making use of extremely certain searches connected to this topic

Let's check out a various branch which represents the services supplied by the tree cutters:

Homepage > Tree Reducing Company - A major classification 'hub' web page for all the tree cutting services, this page is one of the most useful page on the website as it connects to all the main services offered

Homepage > Tree Reducing Company > Hedges - A specific company page, this is optimized for people seeking a particular solution provided and also is highly likely to produce leads

Different Kinds of Web Pages and also Exactly how They Aid SEO

You may be questioning why a site providing a tree cutting service, such as in the example over would trouble writing regarding tree illness which is unrelated to the business. Below are various kinds of internet pages that will certainly occur when breaking subjects down as well as just how they can aid to Search Engine Optimization:

Information Pages can concentrate on particular niche search terms as well as can be really helpful for visitors which may draw in exterior backlinks. These web pages could additionally sell a product or service after giving out the information as well as inside connect to essential category web pages handing down even more Search Engine Optimization worth in the direction of them. There's typically no limit to the number of info web pages which can be created but when thinking about a site taxonomy it is necessary to categorise them all so there isn't really a huge listing of pages within the navigation food selection. Whilst beneficial in drawing in web traffic as well as web links these web pages are not useful for paid advertising and marketing as the site visitors are not likely to transform into customers.

Category Pages pages usually concentrate on common keyword phrases and also could generate beneficial traffic to a website. Group web pages lead to an associated group of service or products or often much more precise 'sub-category' web pages. These pages ought to be the primary emphasis for link building and must routinely have inner web links aiming towards them whenever the subject is pointed out on a new page or blog post, this way they will certainly be the most likely web page to be selected and advertised by online search engine for the subject they cover. Being a dreamland for individuals to get in the website on they function as key touchdown web pages as well as can be utilized for paid advertising.

Product/Service Pages should concentrate on a solitary item or company provided as well as draw in very particular niche or long tail key phrases. Having all services or products just provided on the group web pages implies that there is no particular web page concerning a particular product or solution significance that online search engine are far much less likely to rank it highly in the results. Making use of one-of-a-kind material on product/service web pages permits you to include certain details such as locations, colours, dimensions, types, reviews, and so on so when individuals look for uber-specific services or products after that you are most likely to show up in the results. A basic guideline of thumb for paid advertising is to include products right into buying systems such as Google Purchasing and to utilize standard message, banner or video ads in the direction of company pages.

Blog/News Pages are pages which could provide information, advertise products/services or simply showcase any kind of news about the business. Having freedom away from the primary website's navigation menus, allows blog sites or newspaper article to concentrate on any type of subject, regardless of exactly how niche or unconnected. Blogging can aid draw in niche website traffic, bring in external backlinks, include extra content to the site as well as bind perfectly with social networks marketing efforts.

Different Levels of Intent

People could be looking for generic details on a subject, quick guides on a topic or an actual services or product pertaining to a topic. If you think concerning all the various levels of intent regarding a certain subject it will offer a few distinct website which all help to building SEO.

For example allowed's emphasis on the topic 'Hedges', different levels of intent consist of:

What are hedges? (information page)

How do you grow hedges? (information page)

How do you trim hedges? ( info web page with connect to solutions)

How do you remove hedges? ( info page with links to companies)

Hedge size problems ( information web page with connect to companies)

Hedge trimming service (key service page)

Hedge removal service (key service page)

This provides another branch of sub-topics and also a brand-new range of touchdown pages:

These pages should all lead eventually to the key service web pages and also it is very important to keep in mind that people may enter the internet site landing on any type of page along the route.

It's simple to go a little over the top with the variety of sub-topics, as an example the sub-topic 'Exactly how do you trim hedges?' is similar to the subjects 'Just how do you cut bushes?', 'Bush maintenance', 'Bush cutting overview' etc. The most preferred key words ought to be utilized to group really comparable topics, having several similar web pages is bad for functionality and could have a negative effect on Search Engine Optimization. Google's Keyword Planner is a wonderful device for finding one of the most popular key phrases used.

Putting Together the Website Taxonomy

You could demonstrate to internet developers your ideal taxonomy utilizing free mind map software such as Coggle ( made use of in the instances over) or utilizing a 2-D structured style on a spreadsheet.

#business #marketing #marketing agency #search engine marketing #seo #social media #social media news

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allcleartreeservice · 7 years

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Insects And Trees: Not Always A Good Match

We live in a world that is home to a wide variety of species that inhabits the land, air, and water. And because we share the same space most of the time, we must learn to coexist, albeit not always peacefully. Survival of the fittest and struggle for existence had always been the mantra in the wild.

Most insects live on and around trees. You can see it everywhere when you go out and commune with nature. However, there are also relationships that aren’t as talked about but are plenty in nature. Some may be symbiotic while most are parasitic in nature. For instance, insects living in trees and feeding on it can mean death for the latter. Fungi also can be dangerous.

A sparse forest is a common sight for this time of year. But in Mendon, the woods are looking more skeletal than usual.

"This tree died two years ago," Rutland City Forester Dave Schneider noted.

The tree is a red pine. And despite its name, it's a little more rustic red than usual. Schneider says the color and lack of limbs are a sign of a devastating disease.

"The branches turn orange, the needles turn orange and then die," Schneider said.

The trees are being attacked by an invasive insect called a red pine scale.

"The insect doesn't actually harm the tree that badly but it carries a fungus very similar to the Dutch elm disease," said Jeffrey Wennberg, commissioner of Rutland City Public Works.

About 100,000 trees are expected to be removed but the disease doesn't make them unprofitable. Schneider says almost all the trees will be sold.

"These trees aren't the most valuable in the forest but they do have certain markets for, particularly with the utility pole market," Schneider said.

(Via: http://www.wcax.com/story/35322430/hundreds-of-vermont-trees-lost-to-insect-infestation)

It is disheartening to see big trees like pines go down because of a mere insect infestation especially when you have to cut them in their prime. However, when the infestation has been too much and several trees have been affected, cutting it down must be done to prevent the infestation from spreading, albeit with a heavy heart. These trees should also be treated to kill the insects before they get the chance to move to the next nearby tree.

A deadly insect that has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees across the East, a scourge that makes the cankerworm look pleasant, is edging toward Charlotte.

The emerald ash borer is an Asian beetle that was first spotted in North Carolina in 2013, in three counties near the Virginia line. The bug has invaded most eastern states, including Virginia and Tennessee, since it was first detected in the U.S. in 2002.

Experts compare the beetle’s lethal potential to the blight that wiped out chestnut trees a century ago and to the insect that is now steadily killing hemlocks across the Southern Appalachian mountains.

(Via: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article144984434.html)

All over the world, trees are always threatened by insect infestation. While we don’t usually hear it over the news, countless trees succumb to these little critters day in and day out. Some trees actually have some sort of defense system in place against insects like sap or releases toxins that are hard for the insects to digest. But despite the tree’s best effort, insects are still out to get them.

If you’re an ash tree, here’s some friendly advice.

Get out of town. Fast.

An Asian beetle is munching its way across the Northeast and it’s only a matter of time before it stops in Morristown for a bite, town Forester Richard Wolowicz told the town council on Tuesday.

The Emerald Ash Borer spells certain doom for ash trees: Nearly all of America’s estimated 7.5 billion ash trees will die as this pest advances, according to Wolowicz. Already, an estimated 50 million of these trees have been killed in the Northeast.

By comparison, Dutch Elm Disease took an estimated 75- to 100 million elm trees in the U.S.

Humans can be harmed, too — by branches falling from ash trees that become brittle after the Emerald Ash Borer kills them, the forester said.

(Via: https://morristowngreen.com/2017/04/26/morristown-braces-for-bark-boring-bugs-ash-trees-should-run-for-cover/comment-page-1/)

Trees are an essential part of our natural ecosystem, so are insects. And the majority of insects happen to be herbivores. Unfortunately, insect infestations can not only damage trees but eventually kill them despite their innate natural defenses. We need trees for fresh air but insects also do play a part in life. Whenever possible, always be on the watch out for the presence of insects in your area especially if you have trees at home. A sudden growth in the insect population can mean the end for certain tree species.

For diseased trees that have been overpowered by insects, the only recourse for them is to have them cut down by professional tree removal services. http://www.allcleartree.com/trimming can help you spruce up these trees and be assured that it will be done professionally. While some homeowners would rather tackle this task themselves to save money, you’d realize it would have been easier, safer and more practical to hire a pro to do this than do it yourself because of the risks involved, especially in the presence of infesting insects that can spread to other plants and trees if not taken cared of properly.

The blog post Insects And Trees: Not Always A Good Match was initially seen on ACTS Blog

from http://www.allcleartree.com/trimming/insects-trees-not-always-good-match

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