Arborist Scouting Visit 101:
What We Look For On Your Property
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Integrated Pest Management
Step #1:
Accurately
Identify Specimens
On an arborist visit, we must accurately identify each tree or shrub in order to properly identify what is affecting it and how we can treat it.
Step #2:
Identify Disease / Pest
We then take a closer look to see what is affecting each specimen, how it's affecting it and which solutions we can prescribe to resolve the problem.
Step #3:
Determine Treatment
We must determine what life stage the pest is in so we can properly treat it. Certain fungicides or pesticides only work on certain diseases or insects at a certain time.
"If you don't have an individual on your property who can complete these three steps, your integrated pest management program is going to be ineffective. Hire a licensed arborist for the best outcome and for a healthy, organic property!"
IPM:
The Sustainable Approach to Plant Healthcare
by Kate Odell, Licensed Arborist
You may have heard of it, but what does it stand for?
IPM, or Integrated Pest Management, is a method for managing pests that combines cultural, biological and chemical control tactics into a single management strategy.  
For any of this to make sense, let’s first look at a traditional Plant Healthcare program. These often rely entirely on chemical sprays to control insect and disease problems. This approach may be fine in simple landscapes with few abiotic stressors (non-living aspects of the environment that can cause plants stress) . But because most pests take advantage of stressed plants, it's essentially like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound.  Blindly spraying pesticides does nothing to solve the underlying situation that led to the stressed plant in the first place, which could be anything from unfavorable soil conditions, to drought stress, to an aging plant.  Do you see the predicament here?  Traditional Plant Healthcare programs can do a great job of eliminating pests but fall dismayingly short when it comes to overall landscape health and addressing the root of many plant stress problems. 
Schedule a Consultation
IPM is the sustainable choice to deal with the pest problems of the future.  If you are interested in seeing if this is the right type of program for you property, contact us to schedule a consultation.
Kate Says Goodbye
First and foremost, I would like to thank each and every one of you for the time you’ve spent working with me and Northeast Horticultural. You have placed trust in me and this company, and I hope every interaction and job completed has always exceeded expectations. With the option to take your business anywhere, you have put value in our knowledge, expertise, and skill, and I am so grateful. Your belief in me and this company has not gone unnoticed, and I am so thankful to have such a wonderful client base. You have made my work a pleasure.
 
It is with a very heavy heart that I must tell you that I will be leaving Northeast Horticultural Services this month. September 19 th will be my last day. This has been a very difficult note to write, and I apologize for the delay getting it out to you. As some of you may know, my partner, Clay, has been pursuing a five-year PhD at the University of New Hampshire, of which, he has three more years. The long distance has not been without its challenges, and after many long discussions, I have made the decision to move to New Hampshire to live with him. Although I am beyond happy to be taking this huge next step in our relationship, it breaks my heart to be leaving Northeast Horticultural Services. I have truly enjoyed working with each of you, and this is an extremely difficult and bittersweet transition for me.
 
All that being said, I want to reassure you that I am completely available leading up to my departure to field any concerns, solidity programs, or address any lingering issues. We have found my replacement, Sandra, who has been working with me, giving me the opportunity to train her and get her up to speed on all of your programs. She is extremely knowledgeable and we have full confidence that she will be able to provide you with the high level of services you would expect from any of us. Additionally, I will be retaining my email address so I will be able to aid Sandra and answer any questions you may have once I am gone.
 
Thank you again for making my time at Northeast Horticultural so enjoyable and fulfilling, and I wish the best for each of you.
 
Sincerely,
 
Kate Odell
Arborist #S-6396