August Recap: One Last Push Before Spring

And just like that... we've made it through another Western Cape winter.

August gave us a little bit of everything. Big removals, careful pruning, storm-damaged trees, some pretty interesting preservation work, a bit of planting, plenty of kilometers on the road and, finally, a few hints that spring is on its way.

The jackets aren't packed away just yet, but we're getting there. 😅

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A bit of everything

If there's one thing August wasn't, it was repetitive.

The team moved between large-scale removals, full days of pruning and smaller, more technical jobs throughout the month. We worked on everything from Pines and Gums to Olives, Jacarandas, fruit trees and plenty in between.

There were a few particularly big removal projects that kept the team busy for days at a time, while other sites required a much lighter touch, thinning crowded canopies, correcting structure, removing deadwood and giving established trees the space they need heading into spring.

That's probably one of our favourite things about this work. Some days call for ropes, rigging and a whole lot of muscle. Others are all about knowing exactly what to remove, what to retain and how every cut will affect the tree going forward. Different kind of work, same level of care.

Sometimes, keeping the tree is the project

One of the more interesting jobs this month involved a mature tree that needed a little more than a standard prune.

Instead of removing it, we were able to combine corrective pruning and crown reduction with structural bracing, root pruning and the installation of a root barrier.

It's the kind of work that doesn't necessarily look as dramatic as watching a huge tree come down, but it's exactly the kind of arboriculture we love.

Removal isn't always the answer.

Sometimes the challenge is figuring out how we can safely manage a tree, its structure and its roots so that it can continue being part of the landscape.

Winter had one or two last tricks for us

We also dealt with the aftermath of winter weather this month, including storm-damaged and hazardous trees that needed attention.

The tricky thing about storm damage is that the problem isn't always lying on the ground waiting for you.

Heavy wind can leave behind cracked branches, weakened unions and changes in a tree's balance that aren't necessarily obvious from below. A tree can look perfectly fine after a storm while quietly holding onto a problem for later.

And trees do have an unfortunate habit of choosing the least convenient time to reveal those problems. 😅

A good post-storm inspection can make all the difference.

We put some back too! 🌱

With all this talk of removals, we should probably mention that August wasn't only about taking trees out of the ground.

We also had the opportunity to plant some beautiful new trees this month.

Proper planting involves much more than digging a hole and hoping for the best. Site preparation, correct planting depth, staking where needed, soil conditions and aftercare all play a role in whether that tree is still happily growing there years from now.

There's something pretty special about finishing a planting job knowing that, hopefully, someone will be sitting under the shade of those trees long after we've forgotten how cold August 2026 was.

Taking arboriculture back to school

August also gave André and Shelby the chance to swap the job site for the classroom when they visited Rûens College for a hands-on knot training session.

Knots might not sound particularly exciting to everyone, but in our world they're kind of important. When your office happens to be halfway up a tree, knowing which knot goes where is generally a good idea. 😅

Getting to share some of that practical knowledge with the learners, and introduce them to a little piece of the arboriculture world, was a really special experience.

And rumour has it, our visits might not end there...

A few new trees may just be heading their way through our Plant a Tree Project soon.

Spring, is that you? 👀

We're starting to see the first little signs of the season changing, and after a very busy winter, we're definitely ready for it.

Spring brings a completely different chapter for our trees. New growth starts pushing, gardens wake up again and those bare canopies we've been looking through all winter slowly start filling in.

It's also a good time to actually look at your trees.

How did they handle winter? Is there deadwood that never came back? Are branches rubbing or crossing? Has something started leaning that definitely wasn't leaning before?

You don't need to know exactly what's wrong, that's our job. Sometimes simply noticing that something looks a little different is enough.

That's a wrap on winter 🌿

August was busy, varied and a pretty fitting way to close out the season.

There were big trees, small trees, trees we removed, trees we worked hard to keep and a few brand-new ones starting their journey.

To everyone who trusted us with their trees this winter, thank you.

And to our crew, thank you for another season of cold mornings, wet boots, early starts, long drives and consistently getting the job done.

We've officially made it through winter.

Catch you in spring!