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KPCR Garden Report

Nothing is official yet. I am hopeful, though. I am currently in training to establish a new Garden Report on Pirate Cat Radio KPCR-LP 92.9 FM in Los Gatos, KMRT-LP 101.9 FM in Santa Cruz, KVBE-LP 91.1 in Portland, and online at KPCR.org. For me, it is daunting. However, those training me are confident of my ability. I have no problem talking about horticulture for an hour. My difficulty is operating the necessary electronics. It is not much, and actually looks quite simple. I am just not comfortable with it. I am intent on doing what I must, though. I miss my former Garden Report gardening shows on KSCO 1080 AM in Santa Cruz and KBCZ 89.3 FM in Boulder Creek. Ultimately, I would like to post recordings of the new Garden Report here on the blog, or at least post links to such recordings. I am told that is not difficult to do, if I record the shows, which is apparently standard procedure. I still need to find “intro” music for the beginning and end of each show, but I believe that I have a source for that. Goodness, although I know this should be easy, I am nervous!

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Arboriculture Is Very Specialized Horticulture

Arborists specialize in the big trees.

Horticulture is as diversified as horticultural professionals. Nurserymen grow horticultural commodities. Landscape designers plan installation of the commodities into landscapes. Landscapers construct the landscapes. Gardeners maintain them afterward. Florists use floral commodities. Arborists specialize in arboriculture, which is the horticulture of trees.

Arboriculture is necessary because trees are so substantial. Although most arborists can work with smaller trees, larger trees are their priority. Other horticultural professionals are neither qualified nor able to work with such trees. Similarly, arborists are too specialized to engage with landscape design or floristry. Arboriculture is truly an intensive discipline.

Many garden enthusiasts maintain their own trees while such trees are somewhat small. Some trees, such as dwarf citrus and Japanese maples, stay small. However, most trees eventually grow beyond reach from the ground. Even within gardens that lack gardeners, arborists might become necessary. This is certainly not something to be negligent about.

When pansies get tired in spring, gardeners can replace them with petunias for summer. Trees are completely different. They are the most substantial and persistent vegetation in their respective landscapes. Some can survive for a few centuries. The consequences of their neglect can be disastrous. Arboriculture is crucial to the safety of their environment.

The importance of arboriculture typically becomes more apparent during wintry weather. Rain destabilizes roots. Wind weakens the integrity of limbs and trunks. Generally, trees become messier and more hazardous than at other times of year. However, arboriculture is a concern throughout the year. Spontaneous limb failure is more likely during summer.

Besides, several procedures for certain trees are more appropriate during other seasons. Furthermore, mitigation of potential problems is easier before they become emergencies. Information about arboriculture is available from the International Society of Arboriculture or ISA. Their website, which also provides a list of certified arborists, is at isa-arbor.com.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 12 Comments

R & R

Rhody in Skooter’s Garden

Rhody is very proficient with Rest & Relaxation. He has been doing quite a bit of it since we left on vacation at midnight last Monday morning. He rode about eight hundred seventy miles mostly on the rear deck so that others on the road with us could observe him doing so. Since arrival in Western Washington, he has been snuggling with others whom he encounters while also engaging in similar activities. This illustrations demonstrates how expertly he engaged in rest & relaxation in Skooter’s Garden.

Although not as proficient as Rhody is, I also have been engaging in a significant rest & relaxation. This is why I have not written as much as I typically write about horticultural topics during the past several days. Although I am aware that I must compose my gardening column by Wednesday, I have deferred most other writing. If it seems otherwise, it is only because my gardening column posts in two sections on both Mondays and Tuesdays, and old articles are recycled for both Thursdays and Fridays. My negligence is more apparent only on Wednesdays and weekends. I should return from vacation on Thursday or Friday, so might resume more typical blogging before too many notice.

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Arboriculture Is Horticulture Of Trees

Many trees grow out of reach.

Recently wintry weather is a reminder that large trees require maintenance. Otherwise, some are likely to eventually drop limbs or blow over. Even some of the most stable and structurally sound trees benefit from maintenance. Otherwise, they can become shabby, overgrown or obtrusive. Such maintenance is what constitutes the basis of arboriculture.

Arboriculture is, most simply, the specialized horticulture of trees. Of course, it is not as simple as its definition. It is as complex as the diversity of the countless species of trees that it involves. In some gardens, particularly within rural regions, it may involve forestry. For small trees, such as citrus or Japanese maples, it may be comparable to gardening.

Garden enthusiasts are likely to maintain small trees within their gardens. Those who do not enjoy gardening may rely on maintenance gardeners to do so. Unfortunately though, very few maintenance gardeners are qualified for arboriculture. Many commonly damage or ruin trees by attempting to maintain them improperly. Arboriculture is very specialized!

Arborists are specialized horticulturists of trees who perform arboriculture. Most prefer to work with large trees that are beyond reach of garden enthusiasts. Many also work with small trees for those who do not enjoy gardening. Information about arborists is available at isa-arbor.com. This is the website of the International Society of Arboriculture, or ISA.

Garden enthusiasts who maintain their small trees may not be able to do so forever. Only a few of the smallest sorts of trees will never grow beyond their reach. Most trees that are manageable while young eventually mature. Taller types of palms grow too tall to groom within only a few years. It becomes more practical and much safer to rely on arborists.

Trees are the most substantial and permanent of vegetation within home gardens. They are not as temporary or disposable as annual bedding and vegetable plants. Some can survive for centuries. Within most municipalities nowadays, mature trees are protected by ordinance. Trees are commitments, which are certainly worthy of proper arboriculture.

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Horridculture – Sniveling

My colleagues are as totally excellent as my career is!

Horridculture is a collection of rants about horrid horticulture. Almost all of such rants are from my own experience and observation within the various horticultural industries. There are more than I can write about. I have been involved with so much more than just production of horticultural commodities on the farm. Horridculture is a bunch of sniveling about the worst of it.

Perhaps I should occasionally say a bit more about the best of it. If I thought it would be more interesting, I could write much more about the best than the worst. Except for the few experiences that I so frequently snivel about, my career has been awesomely RAD!

Therefore, for this week, I will briefly deviate from the typical Horridculture theme.

While we were in school, the professor who taught ‘Orientation to Horticulture’ told us, “If you want to make a lot of money in your career, change your major NOW!”. Of course, we did not. Brent and I both were naturally horticulturists, even if we were not good students. We studied exactly what we wanted to study. We made our careers of what we do naturally. Brent became one of the most renowned landscape designers of the Los Angeles region. I became a nurseryman.

Not only did I work for two legendary nurserymen within my primary career, but I also worked for at least four legendary arborists. I worked with the production of both citrus and rhododendrons with their companion crops. My gardening column was not planned, but has continued for a quarter of a century. Although not as well distributed locally as it had been, it is presently shared with a few publications between San Francisco and Beverly Hills in the Los Angeles region. These few publications sometimes share it with a few others elsewhere.

So, besides all the sniveling, I have been very pleased with my career. The worst of it may not have been as difficult as retirement might be. Fortunately, I do not necessarily need to retire completely, although I should quit sniveling.

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No More Reblogs

My blogging discontinued quite a while ago. Articles from my gardening column still post in two parts on Mondays and Tuesdays, with the primary topics on Mondays, and the featured species on Tuesdays. Older articles still post in the same format on Thursdays and Fridays. These articles are not actually blog posts though. They are gardening column articles.

Originally, my only blogging had been on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays. ‘Horridculture’ topics posted on Wednesdays. ‘Six on Saturday’ contributions posted on Saturday mornings. Random topics posted at noon on Saturdays and on Sunday mornings. Then, with the exception of ‘Six on Saturday’ contributions, all of these blog posts were recycled from earlier posts, so no longer qualified as actual blogging.

Now, as was inevitable, there are no more blog posts to recycle. Articles from my gardening column will continue to post on Mondays and Tuesdays. Older articles from the same column will continue to post on Thursdays and Fridays. I will likely continue to participate in the ‘Six on Saturday’ tradition on Saturday mornings. Otherwise, except for occasional random posts, regularly scheduled but recycled posts for Saturday afternoons, Sundays and Wednesdays will not continue.

In the future, recycled gardening articles may also be omitted, and new gardening articles may not be divided into two sections. If so, intact articles from my gardening column may post only weekly here. After all, the original purpose of this blog was to be another minor venue for the gardening column, . . . and obviously, pictures of Rhody.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 7 Comments

Horridculture – Arborists Are . . . Unique.

80221thumbThere are many different types of horticulturists. We are all unique, both individually as well as collectively within our respective professional group classifications. For some of us, individuality interferes with conformity to the collective generalizations that are so commonly associated with our collective groups. For some of us, the stereotypes are a perfect fit.
‘Primarily’, I am a nurseryman. We are the intellectual ones. Well, at least we get most of the credit for being the intellectual ones. Most of us really are quite intellectual. Most of us are rather humble about it.
My excuse for nonconformity to the latter is that I am ‘secondarily’ an arborist. Arboriculture is something that I have never been able to get away from. I did an internship with the most excellent arborists in the entire universe in the summer of 1988. After all these years of mostly growing horticultural commodities, I still sometimes conduct inspections and compile reports for trees that other arborists and their clients are concerned about.
You see, arborists are the passionate ones. One might say that we are enthusiastic, fanatical and zealous. Nurseryman might say that we lack restraint and cultural refinement. It is not such a simple task to distinguish between exuberant dedication and primitive efficiency. Regardless, most arborists do not like to write reports. It is easier to get a nurseryman to do it.
In fact, arborists do not like to write much of anything. There are several elaborate blogs that are written by nurserymen; but blogs written by arborists are rare, with brief and infrequently posted articles.
The irony of this is that it is more important for arborists to express professionalism with clients than it is for nurserymen. Arborists are out in the real world, working directly with clients. Nurserymen work on the farm, isolated from those who purchase the horticultural commodities that are grown there.
Arborists are horticulturists who specialize in the horticulture of trees. The best are just as educated and experienced as nurserymen are. In fact, much of my education was derived from arborists. Yet, arborists are so often regarded as mere gardeners who go up trees.
That is where I get offended. Yes, I am aware that there are hackers out there. I am also aware of what clearance pruning of utility cables entails. I also know how serious my arborist colleagues are about their profession. They are not to be compared to gardeners.
There are many gardeners who are just as educated, experienced and proficient with horticulture as arborists and nurserymen. However, the majority of gardeners are not. I will not elaborate on this presently. It will be the subject of other rants. I have written articles about my professional experience with gardeners already, and none of them go well. (I lack experience with good gardeners simply because they have no need for my expertise.)
The picture above is an example of a sycamore that is pollarded in the traditional English style. The work is exemplary, and is repeated annually every winter. It is no simple task. I certainly would not want to do it. I can not think of any other nurseryman who would know how to do it properly. It is the work of a very skilled and very experienced arborist.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 12 Comments

The Great Pumpkin

P81007The Third Day of Creation was when it all started. Plant life was created just two days after Heaven and Earth, and Night and Day. It must have been a pretty big deal. Humans were not created until three whole days later!
After all this time since Creation, the flora of the World is still just as important as it has always been. Vegans can survive without the consumption of animal products, but no one can survive without the consumption of plants, or the consumption of animals who were sustained by plants. We breath oxygen generated by plants. We live in homes made of wood. We wear clothes made of cotton. Until relatively recent history, wood was the primary fuel for cooking and warmth through winter. Even modern fossil fuels that have replaced wood are derived partly from fossilized plants. There seems to be no end to the long list of what plants do for us.
As if all that were not enough, plants provide pleasure. Some are dazzling desert wildflowers. Some are majestic forest trees. Most are something in between. Many are invited to inhabit our gardens, landscapes and even our homes and offices. Some are bred to do what they do even better than they did originally.
David Paul, in the picture above, made a career of cabinetry, which involved all sorts of fancy and exotic woods. Most of these woods were derived from genetically unimproved trees that would have been found growing in the wild. Most were from eastern North America. Some were from other continents. Some of the favorite maple burls were specifically from New England and the Pacific Northwest. David Paul was no horticulturist, but he knew quite a bit about the flora that produced the fancy woods that he worked with.
The pumpkin is another story. David Paul grew giant pumpkins for several years in Colorado Springs merely because he enjoyed doing so. It required serious dedication throughout the entire long growing season. Yet, the pumpkins were grown only for the fun of competition. As huge as they were, they were not to be eaten. That is the epitome of growing something merely for the fun of it. This is such an excellent picture of that epic pumpkin that it was the illustration for the obituary of David Paul.