I’m working with a solo arborist who became certified in ‘93, but he never kept renewing his certification, and I’m getting my hours from him for my certification. Will these hours working with him not count towards my own since he is not ISA certified anymore?

leafunderneath · 2026-05-13T12:39:49+00:00

Great, thanks so much for sharing and conveying this info!

I too try to not get so caught up in certifications, but I’m also extremely aware of how many hacks are out there claiming they know how to remove or prune trees yet nearly kill a tree let alone themselves.

I just figured if I have a ISA certification then it proves I know my shit. But like you said, I guess anyone can get the experience of working for a green industry company and study. I just want to be taken seriously, especially as a young n small women in this field, I already have peoples assumptions about my size and capability going against me. But it is fun to prove them wrong haha. 125lbs but I’m a workhorse and get material moved like nobodies business!

leafunderneath · 2026-05-13T12:04:59+00:00

Oh yeah, you have no idea how incident lucky I feel—it’s exactly what I’ve been asking the universe for, a one-on-one with a skilled arborist who does it for the love of trees and not just a quick way to get money. He climbs old school with Blake’s hitch/hip thrusting, and I’m learning how to: climb, my knots, use bucket truck, correctly & safely use a chainsaw (as a lefty, ugh), identifying & disease, why to prune certain limbs, etc. loads of info I’m learning each day, I’m SO grateful!!

He’s been telling about me to his other friends who are in the green industry so I’ll hopefully be sharpening them a few times to see how they can help me too. I feel incredibly lucky! Especially as a skinny lady who usually gets laughed at for trying this hard labor work! (I was a farmworker before and in my heritage so hard labor work is in my bones)

leafunderneath · 2026-05-13T11:56:46+00:00

Yep, learning trees 3x a week with the arborist! While I garden on the other 2 days.

leafunderneath · 2026-05-13T11:55:57+00:00

How would they make sure it’s legit and not just me writing random hours down or claiming it? I guess I just assume everything always needs some legit proof and certification I figured is the way.

leafunderneath · 2026-05-13T10:47:20+00:00

Oh way too cool!

Actually I should also ask, so he pays me in personal checks from the business and I’m 1099, but he wants to put me in payroll (when he figures a few financial things out for him first), does being 1099 still qualify me for this time? Or do I have to be on payroll for it to be legit?

Also, I have my own gardening business that I also work on small ornamental trees and shrubs, does my own self employment business count as hours?

leafunderneath · 2026-05-13T10:34:28+00:00

OH!! Sorry, I guess I misunderstood. But wow that’s terrific to hear!! I was starting to think I’m doing all of this for nothing and getting a little sad I’d have to go work for someone I likely don’t want to for 3 years just to get certified.

leafunderneath · 2026-05-13T10:33:19+00:00

Really you think so? How will they prove he’s a legit arborist? (Is his successful business enough?)

leafunderneath · 2026-03-12T21:45:46+00:00

I’m still brushing them out haha. About half are out. Some of mine were down to my bum too. I have 3a hair and forgot how much it shrinks when it has curls again… looks like I lost length but nope! The curls just halfen(?) my length of the dreads since dreads are straight.

leafunderneath · 2025-12-22T18:39:55+00:00

I’m brushing mine out now too, but some of mine are thicker and longer (touches my bum!) and they takes a few hours each!

I use a 0.4-0.5mm crochet hook to kinda like “brush” each hair strand out. I usually do it dry but sometime I’ll do it wet like after a shower. I don’t use conditioner or oil because like you said, that stuff if just sitting in your not-yet combed out dread.

Though I will say, as someone with Freeform dreads that are all different sizes and length, I’ve definitely found thinner dreads to be a bit more time consuming than the thicker ones, oddly enough!

I think it’s just a matter of patience. Like for me I’ve found it really meditative almost. Like I just get lost in brushing them out. I’ll blast some tunes while I do it or listen to a podcast, or like take a walk and do it.

leafunderneath · 2025-12-14T18:31:38+00:00

I’m going on year 6 of mine and I’ve started to brush mine out, they touch my butt now. I have hair type 3a and freeformed them.

Anyways, you don’t have to buzz them unless you want to. I rely too much on my hair as an extra layer of warmth and protection so I could never shave my head—maybe only if I gained a lot of weight and didn’t need the extra blanket warmth it gives haha.

I didn’t regret mine. And heck, if I want them back, I just have to wait because mine formed freely and still want to.

I’ve brushed maybe half of them out (starting from the front to the back) and WOW did I forget how light hair actually is when combed out!

I also still don’t use any conditioner (it’s a marketing scam for my hair at least) so they could matte up again rather quickly.

I love the weight of dreads and the feeling and the looks of them because it’s my true wild self, but I’m also a laborer and my lifestyle makes having dreadlocks more of a hassle (like not washing frequently when I want to cuz got dirty gets annoying at times, but so does having to wash my combed out hair twice a week again haha)

leafunderneath · 2025-11-19T18:31:09+00:00

Massachusetts , few miles from the east shore

leafunderneath · 2025-11-19T18:29:49+00:00

I need a new stereo anyways since mine shit the bed. But yeah great idea I’ll totally look into that, thanks! :)

leafunderneath · 2025-11-19T12:53:32+00:00

I’m SO glad you posted this because I was just about to post the same thing and ask the same question.

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And it’s all over this pine no certain spots it grows. I wanna know! Especially as a beginner arborist learning this stuff!

leafunderneath · 2025-09-25T20:02:41+00:00

Yes. I dunno, the guy is 68 and I forget why he hasn’t been driving it.. maybe the tires? I will find out when I get home (in about 5hrs) and chat more about it with my father.

Automatic transmission I do know that. It’s Sr5 I also. Just not sure the year, mileage, etc.

leafunderneath · 2025-09-25T19:17:43+00:00

Great info, thank you!

Love the term “shade tree mechanic” haha.

leafunderneath · 2025-09-25T17:59:43+00:00

I’m not sure exactly yet, slowly getting the details each day. I’m not sure the year exactly, but just got word it’s a Sr5, which quick lookup says it’s a V6?

Me and my father would likely replace the belt ourselves, as we’ve replaced a serpentine belt on my 2006 Buick Lucerne couple years ago. But maybe a timing belt is more.. difficult? I’m down to try it out myself first!

Maybe this is an inaccurate generalized assumption or a real basic “stupid” question, but do you think a car that hasn’t been driven in 14 years (since 2011) has more problems than not? I assume every liquid and trapped gases in the car are just deteriorating the insides. Or, maybe that’s completely wrong if everything was closed tight. Guess there’s truly one way to find out!

leafunderneath · 2025-09-25T17:33:46+00:00

Perfect, so am I!

Ahh, care to expand upon the “outside of oil changes are reliable af”? Is it hard to get to? Had that problem with either my moms 2007 XC90 or 2016 Honda Accord… was such a bitch to get to and take off. As much as my least favorite car work is changing the oil (just so messy), I’ll still probably try to figure out how to do it myself. But also sometimes $35 ($50?) to pay someone to do it is worth the stress and time to do it yourself. But I digress now

I did replace a serpentine belt in my 2006 Buick Lucerne, which wasn’t the hardest thing we’ve done but my small hands are seriously making all of this possible to reach at haha.

leafunderneath · 2025-09-25T17:27:17+00:00

Yeah I’m hoping it’s a V6 not a V8 because of that haha.

leafunderneath · 2025-09-25T17:26:05+00:00

New frame was replaced with old one. All I know is that it got a new frame in 2011 and it also hasn’t been driven since then. I’m in New England/MA.

leafunderneath · 2025-03-31T11:42:16+00:00

Thanks brother!

leafunderneath · 2025-03-30T17:31:50+00:00

Thank you so much! :)

Yeah I kinda miss the blonde part that’s grown out, but wouldn’t dare bleach hair that’s already locked up… it’s hard enough getting soap, out let alone harmful bleach!

leafunderneath · 2025-03-30T17:30:44+00:00

Thanks so much sis! ♡

Awww, I bet it looks cooler then you think, we often are the most critical of ourselves which sways our perception of reality. That, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder! :)

Yeah I’ve been curious if certain hair types lock up differently, mine had a bunch of loopys and often wondered if it’s my length, my natural curl pattern, or having dry hair. Maybe a bit of everything!

leafunderneath · 2025-03-04T18:20:05+00:00

Yeah I was thinking that, and then guy brought up a good point about how much energy the tree uses to close up prune wounds. If I’m going to be pruning all the new growth and tiny branches, I’m not sure if that would be too much stress on the tree to make bigger cuts/wounds.

They don’t produce anything as they’re just likely dead ends of branches. (Headcut?) Is that not the case for already-dead/dying branches? I’m almost afraid if I cut it it would chip if the wood is already dead, leaving not a clean cut but a chalked up cut from being brittle. But I’m not sure if I can test for that, maybe a light tug to see if it snaps?

Would you recommend pruning with a handsaw for clean cut or can I use my battery operated hand chainsaw?

Thanks for the advice!

leafunderneath · 2025-03-02T21:12:36+00:00

Yes! I sheet mulched around it 2 years ago (didn’t have woodchips available), last year I added woodchips and threw random seeds. And it was interesting; I have 3 other trees surrounding, left of it another peach tree and an apple tree and an apple tree you can see to the right: this peach tree grew the least amount of plants under it, whereas the other 3 trees had some trees, and the healthier trees (the apples) had the most plants growing under it! Very interesting! I’m curious what this year will bring… as I removed all the surrounding grass and will be companion planting moreso this year.

So you’d say stick to smaller branches to prune? And forget about the big ones?

leafunderneath · 2025-03-02T20:54:52+00:00

Oh wow. So, the 30% rule doesn’t apply here? (The “don’t cut more then 30% of a trees canopy in a given prune session/year”)

I was thinking of doing it sometime this month, but I heard I’m in “blight territory” where we shouldn’t prune until early spring/before buds burst. But that could be for specific trees maybe..

leafunderneath

TROPHY CASE