FAQ: Do you weed?

Tldr; Sometimes, maybe, ask me.

Longer answer: I think that the climate crisis (among other factors) will force/is forcing us to reevaluate our concepts of beauty, utility, and justice in the residential landscape. In addition, I'm first and foremost an arborist in service of the trees (and to some extent shrubs). So if your whole job is weeding, then you want someone else.

BUT if you've hired me to take care of your trees or shrubs, and if you ask me to pull up a beneficial native plant, like say jewelweed, I'll probably ask you if you're sure. If you're sure, and you understand the value and meaning that the plant could have for you and that it does have for the ecosystem, but you're sure you don't want it in that spot, then yes, I'll probably weed for you. If it's an invasive species like barberry, I will weed with pleasure approaching glee. If it's poison ivy, then definitely only if there's trees I can take care of too.

(This is similar to my approach to planting herbaceous perennials. If you want me to plant daffodils around your fruit trees to deter the voles, and I'm also pruning the trees, then happily. If you want a flower bed installed nowhere in the vicinity of trees, then I'm probably not the right person.)

To ramble a little bit, I think the climate crisis demands that we both do a lot more and a lot less; that we do things a LOT differently. Our labor needs to transition away from luxury forms of landscaping and towards ecosystem remediation and health. That doesn't mean that there won't be time or room for aesthetics and beauty, but it does mean that we have an obligation to limit our energy and eliminate our fossil fuel usage that's going towards JUST aesthetic aims (which have been culturally shaped by harmful imperialist and colonial histories, but that will be for a different post.)

As always, though, feel free to ask!

Addendum as of 12/11/22: I do want to note that my thinking has evolved with respect to the use and concept of the word "invasive". I'm choosing to leave the above unedited, but the reasons why are outlined in this episode of the treehugger podcast available here: https://www.treehuggerpod.com/episodes/invasive-resistance