Landscape and Irrigation is read by decision makers throughout the landscape and irrigation markets — including contractors, landscape architects, professional grounds managers, and irrigation and water mgmt companies and reaches the entire spetrum.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/714108
28 September 2016 Landscape and Irrigation www.landscapeirrigation.com TREE CARE backyard, and perform the necessary limb removals without the need for a team of climbers and/or a crane. No other piece of equipment could have allowed this. This technology presented not only safer working conditions for our technical arborists, but the time and labor reduction significantly reduced the final cost to client. 4. Modular truck mounts Spray application equipment was formerly attached to heavy trucks that could only be used for the purpose of spraying. New versions are mounted on removable bracket systems that allow you to use a pickup truck as a spray rig when needed, or remove it and have another truck available when it is not. Modifiable systems such as these are popular with tree service companies for good reason — they are less expensive and more flexible, which, in the end, makes them more profitable as well. Several different manufactures are producing their versions of this concept; and with tanks ranging from 40 gallons to 500 gallons you can start small and go bigger as your plant health care business grows. The entry cost for modifying a pickup truck into a spray truck is anywhere from $500 to $2,000. Compared to the price of a dedicated spray tank truck — which ranges from about $20,000 for a used vehicle to $60,000 for a new model — the modular truck-mounted system is allowing many more companies to expand their operations. 5. Tree health care technology Modern tree health care is built around the diagnosis of issues and the pre- scription of their treatments. To many, the idea of using any type of chemical treatment for tree health rings of the "spray and pray" era when chemicals were utilized in an irresponsible man- ner. The past decade has seen significant advancements in the treatments used, with new products for some of the most challenging pest issues arborists face. Up until 15 years ago, the treatments available for tree health care were products developed for other industries such as agriculture and golf. Rates for tree care were often added to the label with no scientific backing. Today, advancements in chemical technologies are formulations developed specifically for arboriculture, focusing on the pest they are targeting, the method by which they will be applied, and the safety of the person applying them. For example, not more than five years ago, scale insects and caterpillar pests were only accept- ably controlled by spray applications, but the operational and public relation chal- lenges of spray treatments saw more and more arborists moving away from them all together. New research led to systemic treatments becoming available, allowing a technician to apply a treatment to the base of the tree and control damaging insects 100 feet up in the canopy. These technological advances improved the tree's health; made the tree care compa- ny's job easier and more profitable; and offered the tree's owner the same beauti- ful, healthy tree they desired. The technological advancement of chemical formulations has been evolving hand in hand with the equipment used to apply them. It wasn't that long ago when all tree health care application devices looked like they were cobbled together from hardware store surplus. More application devices are available today for tree care than ever before, and are being designed better all the time. The early generations of tree injection equipment were focused on getting the treatments into the tree and that's about it. Devices today are being designed with a focus on ergonomics, ease of use, and safety of the applicator from start to finish — including how easily they are cleaned back at the shop. As you can see, technology for tree care comes in many forms. Technology is not just computers and phones, but the tools we use every day get to the trees and perform our work. The most important advancement in tree care is not a single device, tool, or application we use, but our knowledge of how and when to use it. Although there are undoubtedly more tools and knowledge available to tree care professionals now than at any point in history, arboriculture is still an evolving science. What technology will we be talking about the next 10 years? Only time will tell. Brandon M. Gallagher Watson is creative director at Rainbow Treecare Scientific Advancements. Mobile technology has made GIS data significantly cheaper and easier to collect. This tracked lift was able to access the tree from a small location, saving the customer thousands on the removal, and providing a safer workspace for the technical arborist.