Roger 0:02

Talking Trees with Lily and Jad . Welcome to this week's recap on Talking Trees . We've covered everything from the basics of meristems and how trees grow to close up on managing pests like the oak processionary moth . Lily and Jad are here every day to take you through the wonders of arboriculture . So let's dive in and keep learning of arboriculture . So let's dive in and keep learning .

Jad 0:27

Welcome back to our deep dive this week into last week's Talking Trees podcast . Yeah , we're going to be focusing on what we , as professional arborists , can glean from these episodes .

Lilly 0:36

You know what really struck me Talking Trees does such a great job of well they bridge that gap between the actual Right and then how that translates into practical tree care .

Jad 0:47

Yeah , absolutely , I agree .

Lilly 0:48

It's a great reminder that you know if you're going to be out there taking care of trees . You really got to understand the biology first .

Jad 0:56

Totally , and they jumped right into that on Monday's episode . Okay , all about meristems .

Lilly 1:01

Yeah , Meristems , the tiny but mighty growth engines of trees . Uh-huh , they explain . You know the two main types . You've got your apical meristems .

Roger 1:10

Right .

Lilly 1:10

Responsible for that vertical growth reaching for the sky , and then your lateral meristems which drive that outward expansion .

Jad 1:19

So , so interesting and like , as arborists we know , All right . Knowing where those meristoms are is crucial right For pruning decisions , so so important . And then you know . If you're looking at a tree and you're trying to figure out , why is it stunted Right , why is it growing abnormally ? Meristoms can be like the key .

Lilly 1:39

Yeah , it's like having that secret decoder ring .

Jad 1:42

Yeah .

Lilly 1:42

To understand how a tree is behaving .

Jad 1:45

Exactly , exactly .

Lilly 1:47

And then Tuesday's episode . Things got a little more adventurous .

Jad 1:51

Ooh , tell me more .

Lilly 1:53

We're talking tree climbing techniques .

Jad 1:54

Okay .

Lilly 1:55

They covered moving rope technique MRT and stationary rope technique SRT .

Jad 1:59

They really broke it down well .

Lilly 2:01

I thought they did a really nice job explaining the differences between those two approaches .

Jad 2:06

Yeah , and I really liked that they compared MRT to climbing a ladder .

Lilly 2:11

Oh yeah , that was a good one .

Jad 2:12

You're moving the rope up as you climb .

Lilly 2:14

Right Gives you that flexibility to navigate all the branches .

Jad 2:18

Yes , all the branches .

Lilly 2:20

And then SRT . They said it's more like rappelling down a cliff .

Jad 2:24

Okay .

Lilly 2:24

You're relying on that fixed rope .

Jad 2:26

Right .

Lilly 2:26

Which can be really efficient for certain jobs , yeah , but it might not be as agile as MRT , right I see . So they really emphasized , you know , choosing the right technique for the situation .

Jad 2:39

Yeah .

Lilly 2:40

Thinking about what kind of tree . What you're trying to accomplish , yeah , what are you actually doing up there ?

Jad 2:45

And your experience level .

Lilly 2:46

Yeah , and of course safety first .

Jad 2:48

Always , always , always .

Lilly 2:49

Absolutely .

Jad 2:50

Wednesday , we came back down to earth .

Lilly 2:52

Back down to earth .

Jad 2:54

All about planting .

Lilly 2:55

Planting for success .

Jad 2:56

This is a good one .

Lilly 2:58

I took so many notes during this episode .

Jad 3:00

Me too , me too , me too .

Lilly 3:01

They covered two major things Okay , how to assess the quality of nursery stock and understanding those planting standards . Okay , yeah , really important stuff .

Jad 3:11

And they didn't shy away from the details . Oh no they got right into it . They got right into it .

Lilly 3:16

Like how to spot a healthy sapling . You're looking for a good , well-developed root system .

Jad 3:21

Trunk caliper .

Lilly 3:22

Yeah , they even gave some guidelines for measuring that .

Jad 3:24

Yeah , basically , you're measuring the diameter of the trunk .

Lilly 3:27

Uh-huh About six inches above the soil line . Make sure there's no pests or diseases lurking .

Jad 3:32

Right , right . Such important reminder that if you take the time to carefully select your nursery stock and follow the proper techniques , so many problems down the road .

Lilly 3:44

Oh , absolutely .

Jad 3:45

May be prevented .

Lilly 3:46

You think about those issues ? We see all the time with girdling roots , poor establishment . It often comes down to those initial planting choices .

Jad 3:56

So important Thursday things got a little bit more diagnostic .

Lilly 4:00

Oh yeah , Tree vitality .

Jad 4:01

Yes Tree vitality basically .

Lilly 4:03

Yeah .

Jad 4:03

A tree's ability to thrive and resist stress .

Lilly 4:06

That's it , and they walked us through some really useful visual assessment methods that we can all use .

Jad 4:12

Like in the field .

Lilly 4:14

Right out in the field , oh that's good . So you know , analyzing the crown structure can tell you a lot about a tree's overall health . Checking for dieback , looking for epicormic shoots yeah , the small , rapidly growing shoots that pop up .

Jad 4:32

From the trunk .

Lilly 4:33

Yeah , or branches , when a tree is stressed .

Jad 4:37

Yeah , yeah .

Lilly 4:37

And , of course , evaluating defoliation levels .

Jad 4:40

Right , a key indicator of pest or disease problems .

Lilly 4:42

Exactly , but they made a really important point about considering the context Uh-huh , like the tree's species , its age and the environment .

Jad 4:52

Yeah .

Lilly 4:53

You know , a young , newly planted tree might look a little different than a true tree of the same species , right , right and a tree struggling in a tough urban environment .

Jad 5:03

Yeah .

Lilly 5:04

Might show signs of stress .

Jad 5:06

Right .

Lilly 5:06

That you wouldn't see in a more ideal setting .

Jad 5:08

It's all about putting those visual cues into context .

Lilly 5:11

Exactly , you got to look at the whole picture . The whole picture , yeah .

Jad 5:14

And then Friday we shifted gears a little bit .

Lilly 5:16

Oh yeah , that's right .

Jad 5:17

To professional development . They talked about the European Tree Technician Program .

Lilly 5:22

Yeah , the ETT .

Jad 5:23

I was so impressed by how much that certification covers .

Lilly 5:28

Yeah , they really go in depth .

Jad 5:29

They go in depth on tree physiology , structure , soil science , species selection . Safety procedures .

Lilly 5:37

Even legislation and stakeholder communication .

Jad 5:41

I mean .

Lilly 5:41

It's a lot .

Jad 5:42

It's a lot .

Lilly 5:43

But it really shows you that being an arborist it's more than just climbing and cutting . Right , it's about being a well-rounded professional who understands all the complexities of tree care .

Jad 5:54

Absolutely and they really emphasize that the ETT promotes this holistic approach , that the ETT promotes this holistic approach . Especially in urban environments , thinking about sustainability , ecological impact making sure our urban forests are healthy for the long haul , I mean . For anyone considering professional development , that's a great reminder . Continuous learning is essential .

Lilly 6:17

Yeah , there's always more to learn . Yeah , always new challenges popping up .

Jad 6:20

Exactly Is essential . Yeah , there's always more to learn . Yeah , always new challenges popping up . Exactly , and speaking of new challenges , Saturday's episode brought us face to face with the oak processionary moth .

Lilly 6:29

Ugh those things .

Jad 6:31

Those things .

Lilly 6:32

Can do some serious damage .

Jad 6:34

Yeah , they shared some recent research .

Lilly 6:35

Oh yeah .

Jad 6:36

On how the moth impacts oak tree health .

Lilly 6:39

Okay .

Jad 6:40

And particularly how it reduces photosynthetic efficiency and overall vitality .

Lilly 6:45

Not good .

Jad 6:46

Not good at all .

Lilly 6:46

No .

Jad 6:47

But what I found really interesting was the study on using bacteria found on the moths as a potential biological control agent .

Lilly 6:57

Oh , wow , so like fighting fire with fire .

Jad 6:59

Yeah , I mean , I'm always fascinated by biocontrol .

Lilly 7:02

Yeah .

Jad 7:02

It just seems like a much more targeted and environmentally friendly approach .

Lilly 7:07

Right , instead of just dousing everything in pesticides .

Jad 7:10

Yeah , exactly , it's like using nature to fight nature ?

Lilly 7:13

Yeah , working with nature .

Jad 7:15

Which I guess you could say is really at the heart of good arboriculture .

Lilly 7:20

Totally .

Jad 7:20

I mean , we've covered a lot .

Lilly 7:21

Yeah , we've barely scratched the surface , though .

Jad 7:24

I think this gives us a good overview .

Lilly 7:26

It's a great reminder that even for seasoned arborists we can't get complacent .

Jad 7:31

Never stop learning .

Lilly 7:32

Never stop learning .

Jad 7:34

Exactly there's always new pests and diseases , new research , new best practices .

Lilly 7:38

We got to stay on top of it .

Jad 7:39

We got to stay on top of it .

Lilly 7:40

We got to stay on top of it To give the best possible care to our trees .

Jad 7:43

Absolutely .

Lilly 7:44

That's a lot to process , for sure .

Jad 7:46

Yeah , but I think what's really valuable about all of these episodes is that it really provides a framework for how to think Okay About tree care holistically .

Lilly 7:58

Right , it's not just about you know .

Jad 7:59

Yeah .

Lilly 8:00

Individual tasks or problems . It's about understanding how everything is interconnected . It's about seeing the forest for the trees , exactly and when we start connecting the dots , you know , thinking about how proper planting techniques , how those careful pruning decisions based on meristem activity , how all of that influences a tree's vitality and its ability to withstand stress , whether it's from pests or disease or just you know .

Jad 8:30

A tough urban environment . Yeah exactly and knowing how to accurately assess tree vitality , like they were talking about using those visual cues .

Lilly 8:40

Yeah , that's huge .

Jad 8:41

Is just crucial . Absolutely For making the right calls .

Lilly 8:45

It's like being a tree detective . Yes , you're using all those clues to figure out what's going on .

Jad 8:50

To diagnose .

Lilly 8:51

Yeah , and then come up with the best solutions .

Jad 8:54

And of course , we can't forget about .

Lilly 8:55

Right .

Jad 8:56

Staying current on the research .

Lilly 8:57

Oh yeah , always learning Best practice , like those biocontrol methods for the oak processionary moth .

Jad 9:04

You know it made me think when they were talking about the ETT certification and how it covers such a wide range of topics .

Lilly 9:12

It's pretty impressive .

Jad 9:13

It is , yeah , but it also made me wonder is there a risk of becoming too specialized ?

Lilly 9:19

Interesting question .

Jad 9:20

In our field .

Lilly 9:21

Yeah , I mean .

Jad 9:22

You know , some arborists focus on pruning .

Lilly 9:24

Right .

Jad 9:25

Some are really into tree risk assessment , pest management .

Lilly 9:28

Makes sense to develop a niche right .

Jad 9:30

Yeah , I mean , I think having deep knowledge in a specific area Uh-huh Is incredibly valuable .

Lilly 9:36

Oh , for sure .

Jad 9:37

But I also think it's important to have that foundational understanding .

Lilly 9:41

Right , you've got to have that base .

Jad 9:43

Of tree biology , growth patterns , soil science .

Lilly 9:47

All those core principles .

Jad 9:49

All the core principles .

Lilly 9:50

That underpin everything we do .

Jad 9:52

It's , like you know , a doctor specializing in cardiology .

Lilly 9:55

Okay , yeah .

Jad 9:56

They still need to understand the whole human body , the whole system .

Lilly 9:59

The yeah , they still need to understand the whole human body , the whole system . The whole system , yes , all connected .

Jad 10:02

It is all connected , and so I think specialization is great , of course , but it shouldn't come Right At the expense of that broader knowledge base .

Lilly 10:11

Yeah , that big picture perspective .

Jad 10:13

And I think that's what's so great about talking trees .

Lilly 10:15

Yeah , they do a good job of .

Jad 10:28

They bring together so many different perspectives and then they weave them into this narrative that bridges the gap .

RAP 10:33

It's like bridge Between the science and the practical application and it's all about taking care of our tree .

RAP 10:37

Talking trees Monday to sun . Lily and Jad learning's begun . Tips and tricks , every day's new , from roots to bugs , all just for you . Monday's here meristems grow , roots and shoots start their show . Cells divide , reach for height , hormones guide them to the light . Tuesday climbs ropes set tight Anchors , placed a soaring flight , mrt , srt , safe . We stand , arbor bound in leafy land . Talking trees Monday to sun , lily and Jad . Learning's begun . Tips and tricks , every day's new , from roots to bugs , all just for you . Wednesday Planting Stocks we check Strong roots here . Trees set to deck .

RAP 11:28

Quality , high Health , assured Future growth , fully secured . Thursday brings a vitality scan , crowns and roots , the health we plan , old or young , vigour we test . Keeping trees in their prime best . Friday's ETT in play Tree care laws , safety each day . Urban trees we stand and tend Arborists on whom they depend . Saturday's moths , oak trees fight Caterpillars , dimming light , Bio-control steps in line keeping oak strong , fine as pine . Talking trees Monday to sun . Lily and Jad learning's begun . Tips and tricks , every day's new , from roots to bugs , all just for you . Thanks for listening . The week's been bright , from roots to leaves . It's pure delight . Join us daily For Trees . We Stand Talking trees With Lily and Jab . Join us daily for Trees . We Stand Talking Trees with Lily and Jan . Thanks for listening . The week's been bright From roots to leaves . It's pure delight . Join us daily for Trees . We Stand Talking Trees with Lily and Jad . Talking Trees with Lily and Jad .

Jad 13:16

Thinking about all we've learned how does this week's deep dive into talking trees resonate with your own experiences and observations as an arborist ?

Lilly 13:28

Have you noticed ?

Jad 13:29

any of the issues they discussed . Like those oak processionary moths or signs of declining tree vitality .

Lilly 13:37

In your local area .

Jad 13:38

Yeah , and how do you think these insights ? From the experts might influence your approach .

Lilly 13:43

Yeah , how are you going to apply this knowledge ?

Jad 13:45

To tree care . Maybe this has inspired . You to take a closer look .

Lilly 13:49

At the nursery stock .

Jad 13:50

At the nursery stock .

Lilly 13:51

Yeah .

Jad 13:52

Or reevaluate your pruning techniques .

Lilly 13:55

Thinking about meristems .

Jad 13:57

Yeah , or maybe even to think more critically about the environment .

Lilly 14:01

Right , all those factors .

Jad 14:02

Those are impacting the trees .

Lilly 14:03

That are affecting those trees .

Jad 14:05

And how we can help them thrive in the face of all these challenges .

Lilly 14:09

Yeah , we're in this together .

Jad 14:10

We are .

Lilly 14:12

Trees and arborists .

Jad 14:14

The key takeaway . What's the big takeaway Is that tree care is a continuous journey .

Lilly 14:20

It's a journey .

Jad 14:21

Of learning and adaptation . Yeah , it's about understanding how everything's connected .

Lilly 14:26

All those factors .

Jad 14:27

Yeah , from planting to pruning , to pests , to climate change .

Lilly 14:33

We have to be thinking about the big picture .

Jad 14:35

The big picture , yeah .

Lilly 14:36

Anticipating those challenges .

Jad 14:37

And adapting .

Lilly 14:38

Yeah , so we can ensure those trees are healthy for years to come .

Jad 14:42

So there you have it , another deep dive into talking trees .

Lilly 14:45

Lots of great information .

Jad 14:47

Lots of great information and inspiration .

Lilly 14:49

For all the arborists out there .

Jad 14:51

For all the arborists out there .

Lilly 14:52

Hopefully this recap's been helpful .

Jad 14:54

And maybe sparked some new ideas .

Lilly 14:55

Given you some new perspectives .

Jad 14:57

For your own work .

Lilly 14:58

Keep those harnesses adjusted .

Jad 14:59

Those pruning saws sharp .

Lilly 15:01

And those minds open to new knowledge and new possibilities .

Jad 15:07

Until next time , happy tree care .

Roger 15:13

And that's a wrap for this week's Talking Trees Recap . Thanks for tuning in and exploring the world of arboriculture with us , from tree growth and health to the practical skills of climbing and pest control . We're thrilled to bring you new insights every day . If you enjoyed this week's journey , support us at heroheroco . Slash talkingtrees so we can keep bringing you the best in tree care knowledge . Until next time , stay rooted , stay curious and keep talking trees with Lillian Jad .