Farming

For years, tree topping was considered the easiest and cheapest way to make mature trees safer and reduce their size. Today, tree researchers have proven that both of these assumptions are false. Many of these trees eventually die as a result of the damage. Others eventually become unsafe, leading to dangerous limb breakage or whole tree failure years after the topping was done.
The Tree Care Industry Association and the American National Standards Institute A300 pruning standards consider topping to be an unacceptable pruning practice.
Topping trees:

This time last year I had some healthy looking tomato plants, which was a delight because in 2009, I had some disease issues.  
Turned out that 2010 was a bust though because of all the crazy heat we had.
This year the garden and the tomatoes look promising, but I am always on the lookout for emerging problems. So far the 2011 day-time and night-time summer weather and temperature are absolutely perfect for tomatoes.      

Who among us is guilty of not noticing it until it’s too late?  
Yes, all of a sudden there is nothing left of your blue spruce or arborvitae.Bagworms have been munching on the needles for weeks and we wonder how it all happened.  
Well, they are at work right now so go outside and take inventory of your evergreens because that’s what the bagworm likes the most. Now is the time they do their damage unless we put a stop to it.
Ten years ago or so I saw the worst bagworm infestation I have ever seen in my life.

I can hardly wait for this year’s first harvest of summer squash.  
Last year was a bust because of the heat so I have high hopes for a bumper squash crop this year.
Mostly gardeners complain about losing their plants to the squash vine borer, but I have managed mostly to offset that pest pressure by delaying planting in order to miss peak egg-laying time.  
I have also used row covers, lifting them in the morning so bees can do their pollinating then covering them during the day when mama wasp of the vine borer does her work.