Arbor Doctor LLC

08/31/2026

August 30, 2026 Soil Moisture, Condition Monitoring and Drought Update
Near Normal conditions at Cheviot OH 3.4W.
Widespread dry and drought conditions in the western half of the US, the East Coast, Florida, and in parts of the Mississippi valley. (US Drought Monitor does not include rains since August 25, 2026).

Condition Monitoring Report   Station Number: OH-HM-24 Station Name: Cheviot 3.4 W Report Date: 8/30/2026 Submitted: 8/30/2026 7:34 PM Scale Bar: Near Normal Description: No measurable rain in well over a week and very little rain in the forecast, along with a heat wave. Rainfall since July 1 here ...

08/31/2026

After the Derecho: Structural Pruning, Risk Assessment, and the Trees We Can Still Save

After arriving home from my visit to the Upper Peninsula of that state up north, I was greeted with abundant evidence of the derecho that swept through my local area. Our industry has an obligation to play a role in mitigating the extent of future disasters. The woodland along the bike trail near me...

08/24/2026

August 23, 2026 Soil Moisture, Condition Monitoring and Drought Update
Mildly wet conditions at Cheviot OH 3.4W.
Widespread dry and drought conditions in the western half of the US, the East Coast, Florida, and in parts of the Mississippi and Tennessee valleys. (US Drought Monitor does not include rains since August 18, 2026).

Condition Monitoring Report   Station Number: OH-HM-24 Station Name: Cheviot 3.4 W Report Date: 8/24/2026 Submitted: 8/23/2026 9:32 PM Scale Bar: Mildly Wet Description: Some dryness and drought stress is normal in my area in late summer. There is none right now. We are a bit above normal for the m...

08/18/2026

One of our colleagues shared this, and it is worth re-sharing, because it is good. It is what we need to understand if we are to take care of trees effectively. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Hdd5AcH16/

08/07/2026

Arborist wood chips are one of the most beneficial mulches for trees and shrubs. Unlike finely shredded mulches, coarse wood chips allow better air and water movement into the soil while gradually breaking down to improve soil health.

Why we recommend arborist wood chips:
🌱 Improve soil structure and biology
💧 Help retain soil moisture
🍂 Recycle nutrients back into the landscape
🌿 Reduce competition from turf and weeds
🪱 Encourage beneficial soil organisms

For the best results:
-Maintain a mulch ring at least 3–5 feet around the tree whenever possible.
-Keep mulch a few inches away from the trunk—never create a "mulch volcano."
-Choose coarse, natural wood chips over finely ground or triple-shredded mulch.

Healthy trees start from the ground up. Giving roots the right environment is one of the simplest ways to support long-term tree health.

Looking for arborist wood chips? Services like ChipDrop https://getchipdrop.com can connect homeowners with locally generated arborist wood chips that would otherwise be recycled elsewhere.

08/03/2026

August 2, 2026 Soil Moisture, Condition Monitoring and Drought Update
Near Normal conditions at Cheviot OH 3.4W.
Widespread dry and drought conditions in the western half of the US, the East Coast, Florida, and in parts of the Mississippi and Tennessee valleys. (US Drought Monitor does not include rains since July 28, 2026).

Search condition monitoring reports for the entire US>>>     Interactive Condition Monitoring Static Watershed Maps   Snow Cover U.S. and Northern Hemisphere >>>   US Monthly Drought Outlook US Seasonal Drought Outlook (3 month) 7 day Rainfall (melted snow) Forecast:   3-4 Week Outlook: Weekly...

07/31/2026

Sweat bee? Hover fly? Flower fly? Syrphid fly?
That's a lot of names for such a small insect!

Despite being mistaken for bees, Syrphid flies (commonly called hover flies or flower flies) are actually harmless flies that mimic bees and wasps to discourage predators.

Even better? They're some of the hardest-working beneficial insects in your landscape.

Why Syrphid flies matter:
🌼 Adults are excellent pollinators, visiting countless flowers.
🐛 Their larvae are voracious predators, feeding on aphids and other soft-bodied pests.
🌿 They provide natural pest control, helping reduce the need for insecticides.

Learning to identify beneficial insects is just as important as recognizing pests. The more we understand the organisms in our landscapes, the better we can protect the healthy balance that keeps plants thriving.

Have you spotted one before; or did you feel it tickling your arm on a hot day?

07/29/2026

Trees add beauty, shade, and value to our properties, but like any living organism, their condition changes over time. Storm damage, decay, root issues, and structural defects aren't always visible from the ground.

At Arbor Doctor, our Certified Arborists are also Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ), providing professional evaluations based on industry standards to help you make informed decisions about your trees.

Our assessments include:
🔍 Level 1 – Limited Visual Assessment
A quick visual inspection, often used during estimates or to identify obvious concerns.
🌳 Level 2 – Comprehensive Visual Assessment
A 360° evaluation of the entire tree, including the canopy, trunk, root flare, visible roots, site conditions, and nearby targets. This is the standard level of professional tree risk assessment.
🛠️ Level 3 – Advanced Assessment (When Needed)
If additional information is required, we utilize advanced diagnostic equipment such as resistograph drilling, root crown examinations, to evaluate internal decay, structural integrity, and hidden defects that cannot be detected during a visual inspection alone.

Every tree is unique, and every assessment is a snapshot in time. Tree conditions can change with age, weather, construction activity, pests, and disease, making periodic evaluations an important part of responsible tree care.

Whether you're concerned about a tree near your home, planning a construction project, or simply want peace of mind, Arbor Doctor has the expertise and state-of-the-art diagnostic tools to help you make confident, informed decisions.

📞 Protect the trees you love - and the people and property beneath them. Schedule a professional Tree Risk Assessment with Arbor Doctor today.

07/28/2026

Don't let it's delicate beautiful wings fool you.. The Green Lacewing is one of nature's best pest managers. While the adults feed on nectar and pollen, the larvae are voracious predators that consume aphids, mites, scale insects, whiteflies, mealybugs, and other soft-bodied pests.

Watch the Green Lacewing's incredible life cycle in the video - from eggs suspended on tiny stalks, to the "trash bug" larva that disguises itself with insect remains and debris while hunting pests, to the delicate adult featured in the cover photo (Taken by Joe Boggs).
Why we love lacewings:
🐞 Natural pest control
🌼 Pollinator-friendly adults
🌿 Helps reduce the need for insecticides

Sometimes the best plant health care comes from nature itself.

07/27/2026

Not every insect in your landscape is a pest.

The Pipevine Swallowtail is one of our favorite native butterflies. While its caterpillars feed exclusively on pipevine (Aristolochia spp.), healthy vines can easily support them - and in return, you help conserve an incredible native species. We can all become better citizen scientists with a little more curiosity about our world.

Why they're important:
🌿 Native pollinators
🐛 Part of a healthy food web
🦋 A sign of a thriving landscape

The more we learn to identify beneficial insects, the more we realize that many of them are working with us—not against us.

Have you spotted a Pipevine Swallowtail in your garden this summer? We have!