When is it worth moving a tree? There are several factors worth considering as part of the process.

Why do you want to move the tree? Was it a commemorative tree by a family member that has emotional attachment?Is it a rare tree, or the perfect Specimen? Are the soil conditions agreeable to a move? Does the plant cultivar in question have many moving issues? Spring or Fall dig, shallow or deep root tendencies?

My method of assessment regarding the decision to move is based on the 10 point scale, this involves all of the above with 8 being the number reached to really consider being worthy for a professional point of view.

Trees in locations where they are equipment inaccessible are what we specialize in. We hand dig the tree which allows us a first hand view of the quality of a dig based on root patterns, soil conditions & moisture. All of these points are issues and we can abort the digging and lifting with minimal cost to the customer. No two digs are ever the same and over the years we’ve had many interesting situations. This is what makes our business interesting and a joy in most cases. Digging during the winter, or cold wet Spring or Fall conditions are why you truly have to love what you do.

Hand dug root ball.

Tree ready to go.

Trees in the air

Ready to go to its new home.

Tree is now in the yard

A couple of weeks ago we had the opportunity to rescue a large Japanese Maple.  The homeowners were renovating and needed the space that the tree occupied.  I am happy to say that the rescue mission was a success.  The tree is presently sitting outside my office – happy as can be.  It always amazes me how we do this…

Arrival of the Tree to the yard

Moving the Tree

Final Position and Final Pruning

Drum Stringing the Root Ball

Before the Dig at its home in Burlington

My boss Paul is constantly asking me about the blog.  In this busy time of year it is hard to find a quiet time to write.  I said I needed to write another – so he opens the newspaper and rips out an article “write about this” – he says (he is bit of a history buff).  The article is by Catherine Porter in the Toronto Star (June 27).  Although the article is not about trees (which is what we are known for) it is about horticulture and that is our industry.  The article is about an 1860’s-era garden at Lambton Mills – near where Dundas Street crosses the Humber River and Agnes Fitzgibbon.  The article describes how tough it was back in the day and what you had to do to survive – especially for women.  Agnes would take her 6 children to Lambton Mills for picnics.  Her first child was christened and came down with a fever in two days and died.  Two of the youngest died.  So she came to this place to find solace amongst the wildflowers and nature.  When her husband died, he left her very little money.  So, she asked her aunt, who was Catharine Parr Traill, a famous writer who wrote “The Backwoods of Canada” to help her write a book about wildflowers.

This is the part I found interesting.  Triall would write the text and FtizGibbon would do the pictures – they both would make money.  There were no Canadian publishers at the time and the two had pre-sold 500 copies.  So in order to make the pictures Fitzgibbon had to learn how to make lithograph tablets.  This entailed drawing with wax on limestone plates.  When the pages were printed Fitzgibbon and her eldest daughter coloured in the 10 pictures in each book – remember 500 copies!  By candlelight!  The book “Canadian Wild Flowers” was published in 1868.

Well now there is a heritage garden featuring those flowers at Lambton Mills. The Toronto Field Naturalists gave a grant to build the garden.  Volunteers built the garden and when it is finished they will start doing tours there.  I think I just might go for a tour.

Cover of The Book

Cover Page

Some of the illustrations

Another illustration

Another example

Paul – the owner of the company ripped out an article from the paper the other day and placed it on my desk – “for the blog” – he says.  It is kind of interesting.  Without copying the whole article I will briefly reiterate what it said.  There is an older gentleman that hangs out with his pals near the bocce courts at the Eglington Flats Park, his name is Charles Nemeth.  He came here from Hungary in 1956.  There, he was a student leader and a freedom fighter.  In Canada he was in the restaurant business and is now retired.  He now spends his time in the park with his buddies and gardening in the park.  For the three months in the summer he tends to the gardens of the park – pulling weeds, sowing the soil and planting perennials.  He has planted lilies, mint and some bushes that produce berries for the birds.  He does it for the exercise and to help people.  He received a certificate from the former mayor Mel Lastman in recognition of his role in helping plant 1000 trees along the Humber River in 2001.  Last July 3 guys from the city came up to him while he was weeding and asked him for his permit.  He said he didn’t need a permit.  In response to this Charles was issued a ticket for his crime of weeding a garden.  The ticket was for $350.00 – which he still hasn’t paid.    Will keep you posted…

Check out the new videos in the ‘About Us’ section of our website.  One video is a tour of our new farm and the other one is a job that we recently finished.  Watch how we craned a large tree over the house into the backyard!!!