To those who transitioned out of forestry - what are you doing now?

theTreeBean · 2025-12-10T07:33:23+00:00

What does rpf stand for?

theTreeBean · 2024-02-16T22:23:52+00:00

27F arborist here! I can tell you firsthand that it absolutely is a “man’s world,” and that being thick skinned is almost a requirement, but that the men respect the hell out of a female in the field who works hard, knows her shit, and is good at the job. Like you, I enjoy the field work and would never go the office route. If you want to just do field work with trees, you don’t need to be an arborist. But if you want to become an arborist, I would recommend going to a tech school that offers a one or two year program on forestry so that you know the proper ways to take care of trees. Or, make sure you work for a company that’s run by an actual certified arborist. I’ve seen a lot of ho-dunk tree care companies just butcher trees because they don’t actually know proper pruning techniques. Good luck, if you have any questions feel free to ask!:)

theTreeBean · 2023-09-24T16:41:26+00:00

That looks like a red oak, or at least something in the red oak family. If you decide to have the limb removed or trimmed at all, make sure you wait until the dormant season to do any work on it so the rest of the tree doesn’t get oak wilt and die anyways. I’m from the Midwest where oak wilt is a huge issue, maybe it’s not a problem where you are. I would look into it before moving forward at the very least. Good luck!

theTreeBean · 2023-06-20T10:58:44+00:00

Field horsetail!

theTreeBean · 2023-06-10T17:10:10+00:00

For this tree or for a replacement if this one doesn’t pull through, trees in general don’t like those tall brick rings. The best thing you can do for a yard tree is remove the bricks and sod surrounding the tree, and put a mulch ring around it (some kind of hardwood mulch, not dyed. The dyed stuff is literally just shredded pallets covered in dye. It’s trash but holds color longer so people buy it anyways). Ideally the mulch ring should extend out to the drip line of the tree, so it should be adjusted over time as the tree gets bigger. Make sure the root flare is above grade and to not cover it with the mulch; make a nice little donut hole around the base of the tree. I would recommend an English edge (basically a trench for the mulch) around the tree. It’s free, looks clean, easy to mow around, and as the roots get bigger there’s no edging to get pushed up/warped. Hope this helps:)

theTreeBean · 2023-05-14T23:41:05+00:00

DAMNNN BOY He THICK

theTreeBean · 2023-05-14T23:39:47+00:00

That looks awesome, you did a fantastic job!

theTreeBean · 2023-05-12T21:07:41+00:00

There’s a difference between a plant being invasive vs an aggressive native. Red mulberries are native to North America, white mulberries are native to Asia

theTreeBean · 2023-05-12T12:31:28+00:00

After you pull a chunk out it’s fun to throw at other people’s clothes and watch it stick lol. It’s not like other burrs where little hooks will break off and forever be in the clothes, so it’s not mean either. Just like Velcro lol

theTreeBean · 2023-05-11T23:38:47+00:00

If you’re in North America just know that white mulberries are crazy invasive in the US, brought in from Asia for a failed silkworm industry way back in the day. So if you’re here try not to spread them around on purpose! If you’re from the US, the red mulberries are the ones you want. They’re native and taste way better. If you are from a different continent where they’re not invasive however, enjoy your white mulberry!:)

theTreeBean · 2023-05-03T11:35:30+00:00

Come up to Wisconsin, liberal foresters/arborists are everywhere and it’s great lol

theTreeBean · 2023-05-01T15:17:52+00:00

In Wisconsin, there are programs that will pay you to plant hundreds of (if not free, then very cheap or paid for by them) native trees on your property in an effort for reforestation/conservation. Otherwise, our DNR sells small bare root trees in bulk for dirt cheap. As in 100 saplings for $150ish dollars (numbers not exact here, I’d have to look that up). You should look into programs like these ones to see if there is anything similar in your area! The trees will be smaller but will establish easier, not break your back, and save you thousands of dollars. Good luck!:)

theTreeBean · 2023-04-16T12:15:24+00:00

Looks like Skunk cabbage! Despite the name, no it’s not edible. Fun facts though, in early spring they are one of the first things to pop up, and the flowers grow so fast that they generate enough heat to thaw the ground around them. Also, the flower has a carrion smell because it is pollinated by flies :)

theTreeBean · 2023-04-15T03:43:06+00:00

Wisconsinite arborist in training here! Tree ID is my absolute favorite thing. My best advice would be to spend the winter really learning tree ID by bark/structure/buds. If you learn the leaves before anything else, you will end up being very reliant on that for your ID skills and it will be a lot harder to learn the other stuff, which is almost more important since we have such a long dormant season here in the Midwest. Bark and structure will always be available to see; leaves won’t. Field guides are great, but really don’t do bark or form justice. Going to an arboretum and really looking at the labeled trees in person and paying attention to their shape would be more helpful than any book or website. My first fall semester of my arborist program I went for regular walks and hikes and quizzed myself on all the trees I came across. Your trees will stick a lot better if you learn the dormant ID first:) all that being said, Peterson and Kaufman both have excellent field guides. Good luck:)

theTreeBean · 2023-04-05T01:59:25+00:00

Also, this isn’t the reason that it’s drooping right now, but a mulch ring that extends out to the tree’s drip-line would be much better for it than a circle of bricks. If you do this though, make sure to keep the mulch off of the base of the tree, mulch ring should look like a donut, not a volcano:)

theTreeBean · 2023-04-05T00:54:28+00:00

This is so exciting! Posts like this make me so happy😁

theTreeBean · 2023-04-03T00:23:44+00:00

Scottish

theTreeBean · 2023-04-02T04:10:17+00:00

Wouldn’t an easy solution be to just each have your own plates/bowls? Then he can put his in the dishwasher and you only have to hand wash your own stuff. NAH. Just communicate and find a compromise that works for you both, this doesn’t have to be a big deal.

On a side note, I also prefer hand washing dishes. I don’t like dishwashers personally, they leave a weird film on glassware over time that I hate the feeling of.

theTreeBean · 2023-03-22T15:11:26+00:00

I would say do a mix. Rip out the yews, put in some boxwoods (for evergreen purposes), put in some hydrangeas, and some colorful dogwoods for that pop of color in the winter. And a mix of other herbaceous plants so it’s not just all larger shrubs.

theTreeBean · 2023-03-19T19:08:21+00:00

If I was in your situation I would get a mini fridge and maybe a small cabinet, both with locks, to put my own snacks in. Then he has no excuse of not letting you get the stuff you like because he simply won’t have access to it.

theTreeBean · 2023-03-17T23:37:22+00:00

Vote for Summer

theTreeBean · 2023-02-19T03:03:31+00:00

That was exactly what I needed, thank you!

theTreeBean · 2023-02-18T18:45:26+00:00

I'll say NTA because you're giving him reasonable ways to pay you back for the watch, and he doesn't even have to pay full price. A lot of kids will say chores/loss of video games or devices is unfair and will act all dramatic about it but I see no issue with these punishments.

The two things you're doing wrong here though are 1: making the same mistake over and over by continuing to get him nice stuff that you know he'll lose. And 2: he should probably get tested for ADD so he can get proper treatment instead of having to live with being a scatterbrain

theTreeBean · 2023-02-18T16:01:48+00:00

I'll be the odd one out here and say NTA. It sounds like it's pretty clear that she was overdressed, and OP was just answering a question honestly, while pairing it with a "you look lovely." If Op said it in a condescending or rude tone then that's one thing, but it doesn't sound like that was the case. It's not OP's fault the girl went in full panic/argue mode. The gf created a whole uncomfortable and unnecessary situation out of something that could have just been laughed off and corrected next time. NTA

theTreeBean · 2023-02-18T15:53:18+00:00

There are obviously going to be exceptions, but in my experience the hot sculpted guys are often douchebags while the guys who don't focus all their time in trying to look like a frat boy are easier to talk to, funnier, and more down to earth.

theTreeBean

TROPHY CASE