Bob White

California Oakworm

The coast live oak is an important part of both the wild and urban landscape through most of coastal California. When these beloved trees are defoliated by our native oakworm it can be a dramatic sight for the home owners.  A healthy oak can withstand defoliation, but unhealthy trees can lose limbs or become susceptible …

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Tree Roots: Buried Root Systems Recovery Plan

Here in Santa Barbara we understand that the ground is far from sedentary. Whether it’s construction of new homes or mud sliding from recent storms, we are in a constant battle to save our trees from the dangers of moving soil. Everyone understands that a tree cannot survive without roots, but few people understand how …

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Armillaria: Common Killer of Trees and Shrubs

One of the most under-diagnosed causes of tree failure are root rot pathogens. Here in southern California we have a few rots that plague our trees and I want to talk about one of them in particular. Armillaria Root Rot is the name of the disorder caused by the fungal pathogen Armillaria. This disease presents …

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What’s an Arborist and do I need one?

To be an arborist one must establish a basic level of experience and comprehension in the field of tree care. The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) is the organization that certifies tree workers around the world and helps to expand the knowledge gained at universities and private research laboratories such as the F.A. Bartlett Tree …

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How the bottom half of your tree is affecting the top

I spend most days talking to people about tree issues. Easy ones are when I can point to a big, hairy bug or mushroom and say “there ya go – that’s the reason your tree is declining”. Unfortunately this is rarely the case and if there is something present it’s only been able to cause …

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