"Babberney" wrote in message
news:01E4FC44D45C4292.D2A14FC70E7EC652.E283BDB6D9E ...


No, we don't have a problem with the beetles because we don't have any
pines to speak of. Austin soil sits on a bed of limestone and the
resulting alkalinity precludes their success. Bastrop is the closest
pine forest, but I don't know if they have beetles or not.

I'm glad to see there are actual arborists in Houston. In my in-laws'
neighborhood, hiring the lawn guys to strip out trees seems to be the
standard. When I let slip my prices, the Houstonians I talked to just
blinked and moved on.

For more info about the International Society of Arboriculture, please
visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.
For consumer info about tree care, visit
http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.../consumer.html
Welll, I'm not really certified arborist. Just studied it a bit. Try to do
minimalist shaping up of trees I work on and organic methods on ground. Of
course we cut some down too. When they have beetles there's not much choice.
Also been taking out a few over hanging ones that make home owners nervous.
Did one the other day est. 80 ft. tall. Grew up from back yard, bent over
house from about 25 ft. on up. some of top limbs reached past front edge of
roof. it was a lot of fun. We had to rope it down a piece at a time. I went
up at 9:25 am and didn't come down to ground till almost 4. By the time I
helped ground crew cut up and load what was left and we collected and left
it was almost 6. Went home and had a full Six Pack Attack and two big home
made cheese burgers. Whew, what a day. Well, next time you get to "get
high", have fun and be safe.
David H.