Every region has its fair share of pests, but Japanese Beetles are probably one of the most devastating pests when it comes to grass and landscape plants in the eastern United States. While they are absolutely stunning to look at, with their shiny exoskeletons in metallic, copper and jade green hues, their insatiable appetite for ornamental landscape plants instantly detracts from any aesthetic beauty they might exude.

Back in December, we posted a blog titled, Tree Care Safety – First, Last and Always!, and we weren’t joking. When you are in our line of work, safety must be a top priority. Our daily tasks require us to be very high off the ground, we spend time working in diseased and/or pest-infested trees with brittle and unstable branches, we cut branches off old-growth trees that are larger than some full-grown trees. Our work is dangerous – and safety practices are an essential part of our every move to ensure we keep our clients, their homes and our staff safe and happy.

First, and most importantly, Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms out there. Like their birthdays, Mother’s Day provides the opportunity to reflect back in time – from each of your children’s births to the present.

Planting a tree is easy-breezy, right? Just dig a hole, stick the baby tree in it, cover it back up and – voila! Mission accomplished.

"Each generation takes the earth as trustees"  - J. Sterling Morton

Arbor Day is almost here. This year, it falls on April 29^th. If you’re as excited as we are here at Joshua Tree, you can visit Arbor Day’s official website and follow the official countdown…

Hang in there, everyone. Spring is about to be sprung! Can you believe it’s already time to set  those clocks an hour forward (Sunday, March 13^th, at 2:00 A.M., to be exact…)? While the members of our household aren’t huge fans of losing an hour of sleep, we are certainly fans of the returning sunlight. And, we aren’t the only ones who appreciate it.

Our crew is already taking note of the emerging leaf and flower buds, and some of you may already have a few blooms in the warmer, sunnier patches of your landscape. For those of us who make a living in the tree and lawn service business, the return of sunlight, buds and blooms are important cues, reminding us it’s time to get to work. 

We spend lots of time creating blog posts and newsletters about how to take care of your own trees. But, what’s the process when the problem – dead or dangling branches, diseases, or even pests – are emanating from a neighboring property?

Here at Joshua Tree, we’re getting ready to say, “Goodbye,” to 2015 and “Hello,” to 2016. While there may be some old habits or items you’re willing to say a permanent goodbye to, established trees and shrubs shouldn’t fall into that category. And, with the cold weather that accompanies this time of year, you risk doing just that if you aren’t careful.

Safety is the name of the game in the tree care industry – or at least, it should be. Just consider this recent article on the CDC website about another tree trimmer death in California. Tree trimming fatalities are not the norm, but they are certainly a risk.

What’s your favorite part of the winter and holiday season? Is it the gathering of family and friends? The traditions your family has passed down through generations? Maybe it’s the excuse to consume your favorite holiday foods and beverages carte blanche? We bet it’s a combination of all of the above.