Károly

I ended up in the world of arboriculture in a completely different way. Back then, I stepped into adulthood with only a high school diploma and a sailor's license in my hand. I worked in various trades, trying myself out at a wide range of professions. Eventually, I spent years working alongside arborists as a ground crew member. They decided I had a sense for it and sent me up into the trees. That's when I realized I had finally found the right job for me and became eager to master all its tricks. 

I learned a great deal from my colleagues, but I also wasn't lazy to read about tree biology, tree care, and tree maintenance using climbing techniques. Slowly but surely, I retrained myself into an arborist, though I know this learning process will never really end. 

As a ground crew member, I gained a lot of knowledge about trees, but the real challenge was the climbing around in the canopy and the pruning. The first time, I climbed a linden tree with slightly shaky legs, I terribly slowly pruned every dead branch with a handsaw. I was extremely exhausted afterwards but really proud of myself. Then came taller and more challenging trees, but over time, I became more confident moving among the branches. 

As the years passed, I realized that neither heights nor complex tasks intimidated me anymore – in fact, I enjoyed when I faced some challenge. However, I still somehow end up with the ivy removal jobs, and despite the rumors, I don't particularly enjoy them. :D But someone has to do it, and the satisfying end result always makes up for it. Sometimes, we also have tree-planting projects, and I am usually the one to carry them out. 

A major milestone in my life was moving to the countryside with my family. We ended up with a sizable plot of land full of neglected fruit trees. There is plenty of literature on productive pruning, but in many cases – just as I see with our clients – producing is no longer the main reason for keeping a fruit tree. Nowadays, they often serve a decorative purpose rather than being maintained for maximum yield. Also, the changing climate is constantly rewriting our knowledge about these trees. 

I started experimenting in my own garden, observing how trees respond to pruning and trying to determine the most beneficial techniques for them. While there's no Demeter-style fruit tree pruning" just yet, I'm working with all my energy on it. 

One thing is certain: I am undoubtedly the handyman of the team. Whether it's pouring concrete for a support system or carefully removing old sealing material from cavity, I usually handle those tasks. And when it comes to building support structures, we tend to take the tools out of Bence's hands – it's best for everyone if he focuses on the trees while Pubi and I take care of everything else.