sloth

I'm not sure the dead dying dangerous exemption would work as it seemed to, with the introduction of the new BS 3998 2010. However, a dead branch is not necessarily a hazard for one thing. Another, is that in removing a dead branch with a target pruning cut, you shouldn't be cutting live wood anyway!

Yup, nice....

If honey, maybe its competing with the gano, causing the p fruiting? Just a thought. Please shoot me down and enlighten me! Edit. Just seen above, thanks

What would cause the deformity? Plenty of fodder for australe on beech I'd have thought?

Bizarre indeed. Defo a gano on the fallen limb, applanatum?

Some good posts keep em coming, nice to see others opinions and know I'm not the only tree hugger/cutter on arbtalk that's edging dangerously close to 'hippy'. Must the weight of my pony tail restricting blood flow to my brain!

Nice idea, but I for one am very doubtful of how much truth is in this story... I have heard it before, and seen similar tests done with unreproducable results. I think some of it probably has its roots in reality, but then Chinese whispers and exaggeration prevailed.

Is react to force/chemical reaction not what we do? A hot exhaust burns our skin - a chemical reaction takes place (nerve signal is fired) - it kicks off a series of further reactions which travel through our bodies - these reactions/signals are interpreted (in the form of further chemical reactions) - we then react/adapt our behaviour (pull away). In its most basic form what is our consciousness? Some magical/spiritual thing which resides in our brain? Or, imo, more realistically a very complex and little understood mass of elements and chemicals which interact and manifest or express themselves in a physical form, eg our living bodies, and their actions. Just a thought...

Kind of feel the same about cutting, I see the good in it as much as possible, and ignore the down sides! Keeps me happy

After a chat with my my wife (who won't cut a leaf off a house plant!) a few weeks ago I got thinking. Are trees sentient beings? In a similar way to animals? My initial response was don't be silly they have no nerves or brain. However, they do have a vascular system, can sense their surroundings, communicate through/control themselves (growth/function) with hormones, and have a 'desire' (call it what you want) to avoid damage to themselves in order to survive and reproduce. So, others views please....

Thank you

Can anyone help me? I am retaking this unit soon and was asked in the orals last year about an alternative, 'and better' standard for plant spec/nursery stock than the British Standard. Does anyone have any idea what the examiner was getting at, as I am at a loss!!! Thanks in advance

Thank you, thought it was a mycena. As for smell, I didn't notice, will stop next time I drive by

Sweet pics of awesome trees

Hope this is an appropiate thread, if not any mods feel free to move it. I noticed this oak on the roadside in winter with 'bleeding' from ground level up to maybe 20-30 feet. should maybe have got better pics of it wonder if it goes to high to Armillaria, but dont about Phytophthera in this area? It sits on the edge of a large predominantly oak woodland, seperated from the road by a grass verge, next to an old access gate. All the trees around it look healthy. Sorry, I forgot to take a context shot. The crown of this tree looks rather sparse, and has quite a lot of what I think is green oak tortrix low down. The attached pic is of FB's which were prevalent under this oak, but not the others nearby. I have looked through my Rogers, but sent Kiezers off to RobArb, and have an idea or two, but dont really know what it is. So, those in the know, care to shed any opinions/ideas? I could try and get more shots at a later date when passing if it helps

Lets hope this works... Couple of pics of a 2-3 foot diameter canker on a limb high in the crown, of an ash with Stazi ears at crown break. The tree is in a graveyard, and was recently reduced, not by me. Another pic of an ash in the same graveyard eating an old headstone (maybe this ones in the wrong thread?) And finally a favourite sycamore of mine, growing in a front garden raised up from the road, in front of a very, very old house a couple of doors down from my dads. Almost like it knew where the wall was and avoided it!

Aha, I may go for this over the book then, thank you

Thank you Gerrit, I was aware you had an updated cd Rom, but didn't know what was on it, and vaguely remember hearing it is not available in English? I meant no offence!

I know what you mean, I would love to donate more books, but I feel I still learn too much from them! (my previous offer of mushroom miscellany hasn't been forgot btw, will try and remember to post it when I send the vta book on)

The us loan service? Hamadryads international book club; got a nice ring to it

I can see what it will cost, where in us?

Yep, forgot to mention that too cheers again hama, well done for following through with this book club

So, this book is great. Simples. I don't actually think it does have as many species as Rogers, but as said before, it is easier to look through, and digest the text. I really like that mycorhizal species are highlighted. One of my favourite features is the photos, and that they are taken in situ, not in a studio. It helps to give a feel for their habitat. Also, the opening to the book is fantastic, very informative and well written, again, easy to absorb. I suppose if I must be critical, the only downfall for me was the lack of a couple of tree bound polypores! I think dryadeus and innonotus were absent; however no fungi book has them all, and this is still a must, which I shall be getting for the collection and aiding my id's. Well done Gerrit, top notch!

Bumpity bump... ....anyone?

Thanks, been a while since I looked through it, and really should with tech cert exam in october!