Big Darby Tree Services LLC

Be on the lookout for spotted lantern fly, one of the newest invasive pests. This image is of their egg masses. It happened to be around their favorite feeding tree, tree of heaven. But this isn't a tree of heaven branch. If you see egg masses, smush them! If you see spotted lantern flies, smush them!

For more info, check out:

https://bygl.osu.edu/index.php/node/2336

Having fun with the family on the holiday weekend.

Trying to recreate the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

Thanks to Adventure Films ltd. for these awesome in-canopy shots!

Had the chance to deadwood a large red oak along the Scioto river today. It was one of the last days to prune oaks in central Ohio until next winter.

Professional shots of this climb coming soon!

Why Prune Your Yard Trees?

Yard trees, often referred to as open grown, tend to have very good light availability which they take advantage of by growing additional branches with additional leaves to collect more sunlight. Forested trees compete with one another causing them to grow much straighter. A healthy forest grown tree will produce fewer branches and leaves as it’s inefficient to have leaves that aren't collecting light. The light is brightest at the top where other trees aren't blocking light. Some species groups like maple are adapted to lower light conditions and are considered shade tolerant.

Open grown trees, while aesthetically pleasing, tend to produce too many branches causing them to cross which given time will lead to rubbing branches. Rubbing produces wounds that stress the tree and attract pests and disease which stress the tree further. By pruning on regular intervals we can prevent many problems.
Training a tree when it’s younger is crucial for the tree to be healthy and live long. Techniques from young tree training will address multiple leaders, ladder branching, future clearance requirements and deadwood. As trees get older they will require less structural pruning, but more dead-wooding.

Time of year is crucial. Oaks should not be pruned in the summer. Fall is even pushing it. Winter is the best time to prune oaks to prevent the spread of oak wilt, a deadly disease. Dead-wooding is fine to perform any time of year. For most trees, it doesn’t matter when they are pruned. But fall/winter is ideal.

Interested in pruning your own trees? You can! But be careful, if you need a ladder to reach a branch, it’s best to hire a professional arborist. A Certified Arborist is recommended. Make sure they have insurance and follow best management practices. This includes not using spikes while pruning which damage trees and allow the introduction of disease. Spikes are fine for removals. Topping is a terrible practice and will only make the tree grow back taller than before. Find out more here:https://www.treesaregood.org/Portals/0/TreesAreGood_Why%20Topping%20Hurts_0321.pdf

Here is a quick guide for at home tree pruning:
https://www.treesaregood.org/treeowner/pruningyourtrees

Check out these photos of the tallest known tree in Ohio. This tree is a tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) found in Hueston Woods State Nature Preserve, measuring a whopping 176 feet tall!

To learn more about Champion Trees in Ohio, click here: https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-ODNR/forestry/champion-trees

Happy Arbor Day! 🌱🌳

Celebrate Arbor Day this year by planting a tree to help make this planet healthier for everyone. This year, the Arbor Day Foundation will plant a tree, up to 100,000 trees, when you post with on social media

To find an Arbor Day celebration near you, visit https://www.arborday.org/celebrate/

Last week marked the beginning of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere, which means it's prime tree planting season! Learn about the best location and the steps you need to take to plant and care for your new tree. http://ow.ly/G7qO50Nro5Y

The best thing you can do to woody invasives species like honeysuckle is get rid of them. This one was small enough it could be uprooted by hand. But most aren't that easy.

The next step is herbicide treatment like glyphosate. When used properly and with the correct PPE, treatment can be safe and effective. Woody invasive plants require chemical treatment due to their resprouting abilities.

But why kill plants like this? They're still plants that provide cover and produce fruits for wildlife, right??

That's exactly the problem. They are so good at seeding and spreading that they displace native shrubs and trees like spicebush and oak, species that are actually healthy for wildlife, and they're native! Spicebush has a significantly higher fat content than a honeysuckle fruit and honeysuckle lacks enough carotenoids required for birds to develop their beautiful colors.

So consider treating your invasive plants around your home this year. If you'd like to hire a professional, Big Darby Tree Services has the equipment and know-how to get the job done right.

Big Darby Tree offers a variety of tree services to preserve your trees, from pruning to plant health care and cabling to transplanting.

When saving the tree is no longer viable or practical, Big Darby Tree offers removal services and tree planting services to replace the lost tree.

Big Darby Tree is fully insured. The owner, Elliot Smith, is a graduate of Ohio State and Hocking College, is a Certified Arborist and carries an Ohio Commercial Pesticide Applicator License.

Elliot has been practicing modern day arboriculture since 2016.