Talking Trees with Davey Tree

Latest Episodes:

Trees and Nature in Scary Movies! Oct 30, 2025

Show notes

Michael Cassidy, sales arborist at Davey's West Columbus office, shares his list of scary movies featuring spooky trees, eerie forests and creepy plants just in time for Halloween.

In this episode we cover:

Doug's favorite horror movie (1:22)
Doug and Michael's Halloween traditions (2:40)
Scary movies with scary trees and plants
- Pumpkinhead (4:34)
- The Wicker Man (5:01)
- Ernest Scares Stupid (6:02)
- Blair Witch Project (7:26)
- Invasion of the Body Snatchers (8:13)
- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (11:39)
- Color Out of Space (12:06)
- Moonstruck (12:38)
- Midsommar (13:14)
- Jumanji (14:02)
- Predator (15:01)
- Alien (15:44)
- Wrong Turn (16:41)
- The Watchers (17:02)
- The Evil Dead series (17:35)
- Gaia (19:57)
- The Wizard of Oz (20:27)

To find your local Davey office, check out our find a local office page to search by zip code.

To learn more about scary trees and plants, read Davey's blog, Zombie Trees: What You Need to Know.

Connect with Davey Tree on social media:
Twitter: @DaveyTree
Facebook: @DaveyTree
Instagram: @daveytree
YouTube: The Davey Tree Expert Company
LinkedIn: The Davey Tree Expert Company

Connect with Doug Oster at www.dougoster.com.

Have topics you'd like us to cover on the podcast? Email us at podcasts@davey.com. We want to hear from you!

Have feedback, questions or a topic you want covered? Click here to send Talking Trees a message OR email podcasts@davey.com.

Urban Forestry: Native Species & Climate Change Oct 23, 2025

Show notes

Sam Heywood, area manager for Davey Resource Group (DRG), talks about urban forestry and answers listener questions about planting native species in urban environments and how climate change is affecting the species we plant.

In this episode we cover:

What is DRG? (0:48)
Tree inventories (2:01)
How did Sam start working at Davey? (3:55)
Why should we have trees in cities? (4:45)
DRG's impact on urban forestry (7:17)
Listener questions
- Ecological benefits of native trees in urban environments (9:08)
- Tree that provide ecological benefits in urban environments (15:42)
- How do Davey arborists plan to keep the benefits of urban forestry alive throughout the years? (17:53)
- Lifespan of urban trees (21:20)
DRG's work to help cities with their trees (22:35)
Sam's favorite trees (24:17)

To find your local Davey office, check out our find a local office page to search by zip code.

To learn more about DRG's work with urban forestry, visit our webpage, Urban & Community Foresty Services.

Connect with Davey Tree on social media:
Twitter: @DaveyTree
Facebook: @DaveyTree
Instagram: @daveytree
YouTube: The Davey Tree Expert Company
LinkedIn: The Davey Tree Expert Company

Connect with Doug Oster at www.dougoster.com.

Have topics you'd like us to cover on the podcast? Email us at podcasts@davey.com. We want to hear from you!

Have feedback, questions or a topic you want covered? Click here to send Talking Trees a message OR email podcasts@davey.com.

Winter Wonders: Trees and Plants with Winter Interest Oct 16, 2025

Show notes

Adam Passo, district manager of Davey's Milwaukee office, talks about all kinds of trees and plants with winter interest, explaining how their berries, bark and foliage stand out during colder months.

In this episode we cover:

Evergreens (0:44) (8:42)
Trees with four-season interest (1:27)
- Three-flowered maple (2:09)
- Paperbark maple (3:39)
Do trees with winter interest shine in other seasons? (5:14)
London plane vs. Sycamore (5:55)
Concolor fir (7:41)
Sunkissed arborvitae (7:47) (10:01)
Blue juniper (8:01)
How do arborists recommend unknown trees? (9:09)
Japanese white pine (10:20)
Winter interest trees' berries (11:05)
What was Wisconsin's summer season like? (12:42)
Shagbark hickory (13:11)
Stewartia (14:35)
Red twig dogwoods (15:13)
Peach hydrangeas (15:57)
Adam's experience and travels as an arborist (16:44)

To find your local Davey office, check out our find a local office page to search by zip code.

To learn more about trees and plants with winter interest, read our blog, Best Trees to Plant for Winter Color.

To read our blogs about tree care in the winter, read our blogs, Can You Plant Trees, Shrubs or Evergreens in the Winter? and Winter Watering Tips for Evergreens.

Connect with Davey Tree on social media:
Twitter: @DaveyTree
Facebook: @DaveyTree
Instagram: @daveytree
YouTube: The Davey Tree Expert Company
LinkedIn: The Davey Tree Expert Company

Connect with Doug Oster at www.dougoster.com.

Have topics you'd like us to cover on the podcast? Email us at podcasts@davey.com. We want to hear from you!

Have feedback, questions or a topic you want covered? Click here to send Talking Trees a message OR email podcasts@davey.com.

Branch Out with These Unique Trees for a More Diverse Landscape Oct 09, 2025

Show notes

Craig Stone, assistant district manager at Davey's South Pittsburgh office, talks about unique trees that can increase landscape diversity, along with key characteristics homeowners should consider when selecting the right tree for their yard.

In this episode we cover:

Silverbell trees (0:55)
Diversity in our landscape (1:53)
Client responses to unique species recommendations (2:25)
- Characteristics for homeowners to consider (3:18)
Magnolias (5:32)
- Where should you plant a magnolia tree? (9:01)
- Can Southern magnolias survive in Pittsburgh's climate? (10:21)
Stewartia trees (11:20)
Dogwood trees (12:14)
- Where should you plant a dogwood tree? (14:03)
Sentimental value of trees (14:36)
How did Craig become an arborist? (15:38)
Black gum trees (16:49)

To find your local Davey office, check out our find a local office page to search by zip code.

To learn more about unique tree species, read our Tree Selection Guide blogs.

Connect with Davey Tree on social media:
Twitter: @DaveyTree
Facebook: @DaveyTree
Instagram: @daveytree
YouTube: The Davey Tree Expert Company
LinkedIn: The Davey Tree Expert Company

Connect with Doug Oster at www.dougoster.com.

Have topics you'd like us to cover on the podcast? Email us at podcasts@davey.com. We want to hear from you!

Have feedback, questions or a topic you want covered? Click here to send Talking Trees a message OR email podcasts@davey.com.

Is Your Lawn Ready for Fall? - Seasonal Tips for a Healthy Landscape Oct 02, 2025

Show notes

Zane Raudenbush, manager of research operations at the Davey Institute, shares expert tips on managing your lawn during the fall season, including turf health, grass types, sodding and more.

In this episode we cover:

Zane's role at Davey (0:32)
How the Eastern U.S. drought is affecting turf health (1:17)
Can dead turfgrass recover? (3:44)
Turfgrass seeds (4:35)
Watering (6:38)
Sod (8:04)
Fall weed control (12:11)
- Nutsedge (12:17)
- Now (early fall) is the best time for fall weed control (14:00)
Fall fertilization (15:11)
Can you overseed your lawn to make it look healthier? (17:31)
- Buy high-quality seeds (18:00)
How Zane keeps his lawn green (21:30) (27:19)
When and how to cut your grass in fall (24:10)
Stoloniferous and rhizomatous grass (26:05)
Bring a professional in to look at your grass (29:00)
Should you leave fall leaves on your grass? (29:28)

To find your local Davey office, check out our find a local office page to search by zip code.

To learn more about keeping your landscape healthy this season, read our Lawncare & Maintenance blogs.

Connect with Davey Tree on social media:
Twitter: @DaveyTree
Facebook: @DaveyTree
Instagram: @daveytree
YouTube: The Davey Tree Expert Company
LinkedIn: The Davey Tree Expert Company

Connect with Doug Oster at www.dougoster.com.

Have topics you'd like us to cover on the podcast? Email us at podcasts@davey.com. We want to hear from you!

Have feedback, questions or a topic you want covered? Click here to send Talking Trees a message OR email podcasts@davey.com.

Leaf it Alone! - How to Use Fallen Leaves in Your Garden & Landscape Sep 25, 2025

Show notes

Michael Holleran, assistant district manager from Davey's Wilmington, DE office, talks about the many uses and benefits of leaves, including nutrients, composting, mulching and more.

In this episode we cover:

How to repurpose leaves on your property (0:51) (14:34)
What to do with thick patches of leaves (1:40)
Leaves for mulching (4:03)
Testing your soil's pH levels (5:34)
Removing leaves is removing a source of nutrients (7:04)
Leaves for compost (8:29)
Why should we compost? (9:53)
What are the easiest leaves to deal with? (13:24)
Other uses for leaves (15:24)
Locust leaves (17:04)
Soil conditions during and after a drought (18:00)
Wildlife looking for water during drought (19:33)

To find your local Davey office, check out our find a local office page to search by zip code.

To learn more about leaves and all their uses and benefits, read our blogs, Managing Fallen Leaves In Your Yard and Compost Shredded, Dry Leaves for Leaf Compost Benefits.

Connect with Davey Tree on social media:
Twitter: @DaveyTree
Facebook: @DaveyTree
Instagram: @daveytree
YouTube: The Davey Tree Expert Company
LinkedIn: The Davey Tree Expert Company

Connect with Doug Oster at www.dougoster.com.

Have topics you'd like us to cover on the podcast? Email us at podcasts@davey.com. We want to hear from you!

Have feedback, questions or a topic you want covered? Click here to send Talking Trees a message OR email podcasts@davey.com.

Breaking Down Tree Removal: Costs, Considerations and Benefits of Working with Davey Sep 18, 2025

Show notes

David Horvath, sales arborist from Davey's Lake Bluff office, talks about the many factors of tree removal on client properties, such as costs, site assessments, best practices and the importance of communication.

In this episode we cover:

When preservation isn't possible, removal is the only option (0:58)
Factors of tree removal that arborists consider (1:25)
Stag trees and left over wood (3:40)
Don't wait until your tree is dead to schedule a removal (6:58)
Tree removal methods and cost (8:58)
Benefits of working with professional arborists (11:40)
Davey's tree removal price comes with unmatched safety, care and trust (12:37)
Removal costs to consider for homeowners (16:34)
Arborist-to-client communication is key (19:47)
Concrete-filled trees (22:00)

To find your local Davey office, check out our find a local office page to search by zip code.

To learn more about tree removal and making sure it's done the right way, read our blogs, How Much is the Cost of Tree Removal?, Is Tree Stump Removal Necessary, Or Is It Better To Grind A Stump?, and 6 Signs It Might Be Time to Remove Your Tree.

Connect with Davey Tree on social media:
Twitter: @DaveyTree
Facebook: @DaveyTree
Instagram: @daveytree
YouTube: The Davey Tree Expert Company
LinkedIn: The Davey Tree Expert Company

Connect with Doug Oster at www.dougoster.com.

Have topics you'd like us to cover on the podcast? Email us at podcasts@davey.com. We want to hear from you!

Have feedback, questions or a topic you want covered? Click here to send Talking Trees a message OR email podcasts@davey.com.

Fall Foliage Already? - Why Leaves May Turn Early This Year Sep 11, 2025

Show notes

Michael Sundberg, district manager of Davey's West Denver office, talks about early fall color on trees, as well as why it occurs, problems to look out for and how to treat stressed-out trees.

In this episode we cover:

What were Denver's spring and summer seasons like this year? (0:50)
Denver trees' response to a wet spring (1:40)
What homeowners should know about leaf discoloration (2:14)
Long-term affect of drought stress on trees (3:44)
How to treat drought-stressed trees (4:38)
Mulching for water retention (5:50)
Michael's preferred mulch (7:02)
Soil compaction (10:22)
Air spading (13:20)
Foot traffic can stress trees out, too (14:54)
Linden trees (15:45)
Does early color change always mean something bad? (16:47)
Growing trees in Denver (18:33)

To find your local Davey office, check out our find a local office page to search by zip code.

To learn more about why tree leaves may change color and lose leaves early, read our blogs, Why Are Trees Losing Leaves in June, August or Early Fall? and Reasons For Early Or Dull Fall Color.

Connect with Davey Tree on social media:
Twitter: @DaveyTree
Facebook: @DaveyTree
Instagram: @daveytree
YouTube: The Davey Tree Expert Company
LinkedIn: The Davey Tree Expert Company

Connect with Doug Oster at www.dougoster.com.

Have topics you'd like us to cover on the podcast? Email us at podcasts@davey.com. We want to hear from you!

Have feedback, questions or a topic you want covered? Click here to send Talking Trees a message OR email podcasts@davey.com.

Arborist Answers Your Questions PART 2 Aug 28, 2025

Show notes

We sent in your questions, so in this part two episode, Davey arborist Lou Meyer answers them! To submit a question for a future episode, email us at podcasts@davey.com.

In this episode we cover:

Planting trees in wet areas (0:40)
Replanting where a tree used to be (5:04)
What is the best treatment for moss in your yard? (9:23)
Japanese stiltgrass (13:29)
Why you shouldn't plant a mulberry tree (16:48)

To find your local Davey office, check out our find a local office page to search by zip code.

Connect with Davey Tree on social media:
Twitter: @DaveyTree
Facebook: @DaveyTree
Instagram: @daveytree
YouTube: The Davey Tree Expert Company
LinkedIn: The Davey Tree Expert Company

Connect with Doug Oster at www.dougoster.com.

Have topics you'd like us to cover on the podcast? Email us at podcasts@davey.com. We want to hear from you!

Have feedback, questions or a topic you want covered? Click here to send Talking Trees a message OR email podcasts@davey.com.

Arborist Answers Your Questions PART 1 Aug 21, 2025

Show notes

We sent in your questions, so in this part one episode, Davey arborist Lou Meyer answers them! To submit a question for a future episode, email us at podcasts@davey.com.

In this episode we cover: