by Steve Tanaka, ISA Certified Arborist, No. FL-5306A, Tree Division Manager

The homeowner was more mad at himself than anything else, having let Palmetto Weevils kill his prized pineapple palm. His words came out like an unintended eulogy: “It was such a nice-looking palm. I remember planting it myself and watching it grow into this beautiful specimen. It was the kind of tree that stood by you, you know what I mean?”

What the man failed to do was notice the early signs of full-blown Palmetto Weevil infestation, which include 1) decline of the younger fronds, and 2) drooping of the older fronds during initial infestation stages to where they eventually collapse.

And by collapse, I mean your affected pineapple palm will look like a melted-out candle.

So I offered words of comfort. “Let us install a new one for you, and this time, make sure you follow proper maintenance procedures, including trimming, fertilization, water management and preventive treatments. We can help you with that.” I knew the prized palm would be missed, but in the right time, the homeowner would have another one to admire and care for.  

If you own Pineapple or Bismarck palms, know that these species are susceptible to Palmetto Weevil damage and see that they get proper care. Treatment is difficult after initial symptoms have appeared, and the liklihood of tree death is almost inevitable.

 by Jennifer Lassen, CAD Technician/Project Coordinator

The female caller was talking so fast that I could barely make out what she was saying. She had never hired a professional landscape design company before, and in her excitement, words tumbled out like marbles from a vase: 

“… everything has to be blue … not a tree but not a shrub either … I’m thinking a succulent pond … what about a privacy wall created out of annuals … could you possibly bring in butterflies ...?”

OK, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but as ArtisTree’s project coordinator for landscape design projects, I have the pleasure of hearing all kinds of unique requests, and thanks to our talented design team, we exceed expectations time and again.  But scheduling is also a critical factor affecting the successful completion of your design project. If you’re a homeowner contemplating a small job or full-scale renovation, keep in mind the myriad minutia and milestones that must be met to bring your vision to life, including:

• Converting your exterior site plan to a computer-aided design (CAD) drawing; 

• Designing your landscape and presenting for approval;

• Ordering project materials, including plants, dirt, sod, water features, hardscapes and lighting;

• Preparing detailed plans for installation teams;

• Calling in “locates” of all utilities so wires aren’t cut;

• Rescheduling for rain delays;

• Coordinating who will be on your site during installation (this includes your dog and pet iguanas);

• More rescheduling for rain delays;

• Providing you with plenty of post-installation maintenance guidance.

There’s not a job that goes through where incidentals don’t turn out to be key drivers, so no matter which landscape company you decide to hire, be sure to ask about design AND scheduling capabilities. I’d elaborate more, but it’s raining and you know what that means!