Blog - Woodpecker Tree Care Ltd.

Common Tree Planting Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Tree care starts from the very beginning. When trees are young, everything from the shape of the nursery pot to the hole it’s planted in is extremely important. The conditions in which a sapling is kept and planted inform how the tree will grow throughout its whole life. Much like raising a child, it is easier to influence a tree’s “behaviour” when it’s young rather than wait until a problem arises decades down the line. That’s why it pays to consult an expert when choosing and planting young trees. It can reduce the chances of future issues, such as tree failure, which can in turn save you from heartbreak and unanticipated expenses.

Rory stands with his hands on his hips. He is looking at a mountain ash sapling staked in the ground.

Beech Leaf-Mining Weevil

Kevin was tasked with a scientific and creative project this past year, and the fruits of that labour have been published by the Acadian Entomological Society. Working together with zoologist John Klymko, Kevin collected specimens of the beech leaf-mining weevil for John’s studies. John wanted to determine the habits of the weevil in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, as this invasive pest is spreading quickly and doing quite a bit of damage to our beloved beech tree population.

Power Dynamics: How We Handle High Voltage

The first rule of Woodpecker Tree Care is that safety is always the number one priority. This applies to everything we do, from loading gear to felling 60 foot spruces. Something that can be a hazard for a climbing arborist is high voltage lines, which trees can interfere with. Here is how we handle power lines while on the job, and the steps you may encounter if your tree is near high voltage lines.

Over 50 Elms Inoculated This Spring

Everything seems to be blooming early this year, including lilacs (did anyone else’s rhubarb bolt before they managed to harvest?). It was a delightful surprise to stroll down the street with their floral scent wafting through the late-May breeze, but for Woodpecker Tree Care that meant it was time to spring into action. When the lilacs are blooming, it’s time for us to cruise around the countryside and inoculate valuable Maritime elm trees.

We Incorporated!

After months of hard desk work and organization, Woodpecker Tree Care has made the exciting transformation into Woodpecker Tree Care Ltd. We are officially an incorporated business, which is very exciting news at HQ. It has been a wonderful 20 years in the arboricultural business, and this next step is a big one for a small operation like ours.

Kevin Stearns-Anderson with Rory, Beck, and Dan

A Side-by-Side Adventure in to the Smith Lakes

A cracked and rotting spruce jam-packed between several structures (and other trees) at a property outside of Amherst, NS needed to come down as soon as possible. With two experienced climbers (Beck and Rory) on deck, it could be done in the afternoon if all went smoothly. What turned this lakeside spruce into an all-day adventure was its location: situated by a remote cabin only reachable by 2.5km of back-road terrain or by boat.

Woodshed Wonder 05: Hook, Line, or Neither?

It’s not unusual to see laundry hanging from a line strung from a tree trunk. Your linens love it, and so does the environment, but how do trees feel about a laundry line? It depends on how it’s attached.

Woodshed Wonder 04: Pest Invasion

Insects are an important part of our ecosystem, but they aren’t always a tree’s best friend. When splitting this black locust log, Kevin noticed that a pest made a system of tunnels within the trunk. The culprit in this case is likely the locust borer (Megacyllene robiniae).

A black locust log with signs of a locust borer infestation.

Woodshed Wonder 03: Codominant Elm

Woodpecker HQ is thrilled to encounter an elm log in the woodshed, but not everyone is as enthusiastic about burning elm. Elms hold moisture for a long time, and need to dry out in the right conditions before being thrown in the stove. It’s also more difficult to split with an axe, since its fibers interlock and resist being pulled apart. Thankfully, the Woodpeckers have access to a hydraulic log splitter that makes short work of a stubborn elm.

This log was about to go onto the fire when Kevin noticed some giveaway signs of one of the most common problems we see in urban trees.

Spring Season Approaches

Can you believe that spring is just around the corner? After shoveling ourselves out on a nearly weekly basis, it’s hard to imagine leaves on the trees again.

Woodpecker Tree Care is gearing up for the spring season, which begins on March 1st for us. It will be lovely to return to outdoor work among the branches in just a matter of weeks, and we are offering an “early bird” spring deal.

A pink locust flower in front of a Woodpecker Tree Care vehicle.