Archives 2021

How Does an Arborist Know What’s Wrong With My Sick Tree?

by Texas Tree Surgeons Arborist Services, Resources, Tree Health Care

For all the different health issues that can affect trees, there are a small number of outward symptoms. Browning, limb drop, leaf spotting, and bark loss, for example, could be signs of many different problems, some of which require immediate attention, and some of which will resolve on their own. Being able to properly assess a tree is key to providing the best care to keep the tree healthy. Luckily, “tree doctors” and their colleagues are equipped with a variety of tools to evaluate, diagnose, and care for a wide range of tree health issues.

Inspection, Evaluation, and History

While many symptoms of tree health issues are obvious, it takes education and experience to be able to understand what a tree’s symptoms mean, make a proper diagnosis, and arrange for the best treatment. ISA Certified Arborists are specially-trained individuals who care for trees. Certified arborists understand the different factors that contribute to the health of a tree, such as:

  • Tree species and variety
    • Different species of tree are more susceptible to different health issues
      • What is normal to see in one tree might be a serious concern in another
    • Standard growth patterns and seasonal changes vary by species
    • Many pests target one species or group of species only
    • Imported species have different needs than native ones
  • Location specifics
    • Soil type, sun exposure, proximity to other plants or buildings
    • Weather patterns in the area
      • Weather events many years in the past can have ongoing effects on trees
    • Environmental contaminants
      • Chemical exposure, herbicides (such as weed ‘n’ feed), airborne pollutants
    • History
      • Over- or under-watering, herbicide use, nearby construction
  • Structural abnormalities
    • Multiple trunks
    • Burls
    • Wounds (old or new)
    • Broken limbs
    • Previous trimming or damage
    • Evidence of insect or animal activity (woodpecker holes, borer holes)
  • Leaf and canopy characteristics
    • Individual leaves
      • Size, color, thickness
      • Presence of spots/growths
    • Canopy in general
      • Density, color, uniformity
      • Locations of new leaf growth
      • Evidence of animal activity (squirrel or bird nests)
  • Trunk, branch, and twig growth
    • Location and size of recent growth
    • Presence/absence of watersprouts/suckers
    • Browning or dieback near tips
  • Root collar (root flare) issues
    • Deep or shallow planting
    • Fungus activity
    • Sucker growth
    • Surface roots
    • Girdling roots

It is important to always hire a local certified arborist. Familiarity with native and imported species and local climate history is key to understanding what is abnormal in a particular tree. Weather events, like the freeze in February 2021, can have lasting effects, and a local arborist is your best resource to understand how the freezing weather affected different types of trees. Furthermore, there may be particular diseases or pests in your area that warrant special attention. For example, the epidemic of oak wilt in Texas has led to the creation of the Texas Oak WIlt Qualification (TOWQ), administered by the Texas Chapter of the ISA. Certified arborists with this credential have received special training in identifying and managing oak wilt. If there is oak wilt in your area, you should contact a TOWQ arborist to make sure that your oaks are properly cared for.

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! We are proud to be DFW-born and bred, and we pride ourselves on continuing education to remain at the forefront of our field. We employ TRAQ and TOWQ ISA Certified Arborists and ISA Board Certified Master Arborists. All of our trimming is performed to the highest industry standards and we offer comprehensive plant health care programs to treat pests and diseases on plants of all types. We provide soil and plant tissue sample submission services, as well as advice on how to prepare and submit samples yourself. We are in regular communication with researchers in plant biology, horticulture, entomology, and related fields, so we are equipped to diagnose any plant health issue, common or rare. Have a question about the health of your trees or about how our certified arborists work? Let us know!

When Is the Best Time to Trim Your Trees? Now!

by Texas Tree Surgeons Resources, Tree Trimming

As the weather turns cooler, trees begin to grow dormant. This period is characterized by a slowing of food production and the browning and dropping of leaves. When the leaves begin to fall, it is the perfect time to trim your trees! Even trees that keep their leaves in the winter (live oaks, cedars, pines, etc.) do enter a dormant period that is best for trimming.

Why Are Fall and Winter the Best Times to Trim Trees?

Throughout the summer, trees make food through photosynthesis and store this energy in the form of sugars in the branches, trunks, and roots. In the late winter and early spring, trees begin using their stored energy to grow new branches and leaves. In the fall and winter, when North Texas trees are dormant, their energy stores can be used to recover from the wounds caused by tree pruning.

The Farmers’ Almanac is predicting another frigid winter for early 2022. While we hope for a reprieve, even a mild winter can bring with it increased storm activity. Snow, sleet, ice, and freezing rain all contribute to increased weight on tree limbs and can sometimes push them to the breaking point — literally!

During the winter there is less stress in general to trees in our area. Decreased insect activity during the cooler months leads to less damage to trees. This is also the same for fungal and bacterial pests, which are less active and less likely to infect a tree this time of year. In North Texas especially, our generally mild winters are a welcome break from the intense (and possibly damaging) heat of summer for trees and people as well!

Why Is Fall Better Than Summer for Trimming Trees?

Trees, like people, are stressed in the summer due to heat and lack of water. When trees are heat-stressed, they are more likely to be negatively affected by additional stressors like diseases, insects, and pruning. Trimming the trees during the fall and winter reduces environmental stressors and gives trees time to heal trimming wounds, helping prevent infestation, rot, and dieback.

Why Should I Trim My Trees Before Winter Storms?

In February 2021, we had historic freezing temperatures and snowfall, and a similar freeze is predicted for Winter 2021-2022. Removing dead and broken branches reduces the chance of debris falling from your trees and causing damage. Making sure that trees are now too weighty on the ends of branches or stressed at weak joints can help prevent breakage. Having an ISA Certified Arborist inspect your trees can help you know about potential root issues or other stability problems that may cause total failure. While no one can be absolutely certain about what a season will bring, being a proactive and responsible tree owner can protect you and your property.

How Can You Tell If a Branch Is Dead Or Dying in the Fall and Winter?

Even if a tree does not have leaves, there are many ways to identify dead or dying sections. Dead and dying branches will quickly start to lose bark, showing smooth wood underneath. Insects and rot are attracted to dead wood, and can be identified by the presence of discoloration or holes underneath falling bark. Fungus activity, especially visible fungal conks (mushrooms) on limbs or the trunk of a tree means that there is dead wood in that area. If a tree or branch is visibly hollow, it has lost interior support wood, and could break at any time.

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! While losing limbs is part of a tree’s natural life cycle, trees in our urban forest can pose a serious hazard to people and property when their branches fall. The extreme weather events we have had in the past few years have taken a great toll on our North Texas trees, but with a little preparation we can help preserve the trees we have. Contact us today to have an arborist out to evaluate your trees and prepare them for winter weather!

Tree inside of container with a person in the background digging a hole.

[UPDATED] Free Trees in North Texas 2021!

by Texas Tree Surgeons Events

With the devastating weather events we have had in recent years, trees in North Texas are struggling. Here are a few opportunities to get a free tree for your yard and help our urban forest recover!

The City of Dallas is running its Branch Out Dallas program again this year! Dallas residents can register for one of six different tree species during September for pickup in early November.

The free trees available for 2021 are:

  • Bur Oak
  • Chinquapin Oak
  • Sycamore
  • American Elm
  • Mexican Plum
  • Baldcypress

Visit the Branch Out Dallas page to sign up!

The Texas Trees Foundation is committed to the planting of trees in areas that need them the most. As part of their work, the Foundation is creating green spaces at North Texas school campuses and the neighborhoods around them.

Currently, the Texas Trees Foundation is offering free trees to residents of the areas around four Dallas elementary schools:

If you live within a one-mile radius of any of these campuses, you can sign up to receive one or two free trees to plant in the right-of-way between the sidewalk and street in front of your house!

For more information about the trees being offered and to sign up, visit the Texas Trees Foundation Neighborwoods page.

If you need some ideas on trees to look for, check out our list of the Top Ornamental Trees for North Texas!

Why Is My Tree Turning Yellow?

by Texas Tree Surgeons Ask Texas Tree Surgeons, Resources, Tree Health Care

One hallmark of summer is the dense, green foliage on broadleaf trees, but less-than-ideal circumstances can cause the rich green of healthy leaves to become pale, yellowish, and translucent. This loss of color is caused by a deficiency in chlorophyll, which is an essential part of a tree’s nutrient-gathering process. While yellowing leaves can be a sign of several different conditions, in North Texas, yellow leaves on a tree that is usually green are most often a sign of iron deficiency (“iron chlorosis”). Since the historic freeze in February 2021, we have seen a higher number of trees exhibiting iron chlorosis, as they are still recovering from freeze damage and related stress, and their ability to get essential nutrients has been compromised. Luckily, most cases of chlorosis can be remedied by soil amendments and correct, targeted fertilization.

Why Are My Tree’s Leaves Yellow?

While it is expected to see pale green or yellowish new leaves on a tree during spring, the color of these young leaves should darken as they mature. By summer, most healthy deciduous trees should exhibit rich, green leaves. (There are some species of tree with naturally red, purple, or other-colored leaves, but these are less common in North Texas.) If a tree never “greens out,” or turns green but starts to fade well before autumn, there is a systemic health issue at play. Dead or dying leaves can turn yellow, but quickly become dark grey or brown. If a tree’s leaves become pale green or yellow, and stay that way, something is preventing the tree from generating enough chlorophyll.

Chlorophyll is a naturally-occurring chemical in most plants, and performs an important function in leaves. Chlorophyll is responsible for absorbing sunlight and converting it into usable energy for the plant. Chlorophyll is adapted to absorb as much of the correct type of light as possible, and that chemical makeup causes its green appearance. While other chemicals in the leaves can appear as other colors, in most plants, chlorophyll is present in a higher concentration than other pigments, and so it is the one we most clearly see. For a majority of plants and trees, vivid green leaves are a sign of good health and proper nutrition. When leaves begin to decline and die, as in the fall, the chlorophyll fades and other colors can be seen, which is why we see a leaf color change. Similarly, health issues and stress can make plants’ leaves change colors, as the necessary chemicals become imbalanced.

What Can I Do About Chlorosis (Leaf Yellowing)?

While the underlying cause of leaf yellowing (chlorosis) is chlorophyll deficiency, that deficiency may be caused by a number of factors:

  • Mineral/nutrient deficiency
  • Soil acidity/alkalinity
  • Poor drainage/overwatering
  • Root damage/compaction
  • Herbicide exposure
  • Bacterial/fungal infection

Management of the cause of chlorosis is the key to bringing a tree back to health. While some factors, such as soil pH or previous chemical exposure, may not be easily remedied, drainage issues and nutrient deficiencies can often be successfully resolved. Identification of the exact cause of chlorosis can be tricky, and there may be more than one contributing factor. For a comprehensive assessment, contact an ISA Certified Arborist who can examine not only the tree itself, but the surrounding environment, and can ask the right questions to properly understand the tree’s history. Local certified arborists also have access to plant pathologists and other experts, and may be aware of a widespread issue that is affecting your tree.

A NOTE ABOUT WATERING AND FERTILIZATION

A common knee-jerk reaction to a tree or plant not doing well is to immediately increase watering and start applying fertilizer. If the chlorosis is caused by excess soil moisture, however, more watering can cause even quicker tree decline. Similarly, applying a standard, high-nitrogen fertilizer may bring temporary improvement, but can cause further chemical imbalance in a nutrient-deficient tree and stimulate quick growth that is unsustainable. It is important to understand and address the specific cause of leaf yellowing before taking action. Contact an ISA Certified Arborist for assessment and recommendations, and consider sending a sample to a plant diagnosis lab for the most accurate information.

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! We are seeing post-freeze chlorosis on many trees in North Texas, and are working with the International Society of Arboriculture Texas Chapter as well as experts at Texas A&M University and in the tree care profession to provide the best care for freeze-stressed trees. If you have questions about your trees, freeze-related or not, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

How Much Does It Cost to Remove a Tree?

by Texas Tree Surgeons Resources, Tree Removal

With the extensive freeze damage seen in February 2021, many North Texas trees were not able to recover. As a result, with the arrival of Summer 2021, we began recommending removal for many trees that were on the “wait and see” list. A perennial question, “how much does it cost to remove a tree?” became one we started hearing multiple times a day.

Like with many other tree care services, removal costs can vary greatly, as every tree is different. It is practically impossible to give an accurate removal quote from a photo or description of a tree, as the factors that contribute to removal cost are many. In order to give an accurate price quote for complete tree removal, a visit to the site is always necessary.

What are the Factors Determine Tree Removal Cost?

Tree removals can cost anywhere from $10 to $10,000, depending on a number of specific factors:

  • Tree Species

    • Some trees have especially hard wood or are prone to weak joints, affecting the time and precautions taken in removal.
    • Trees with thorns are more difficult to remove.
    • The type of bark a tree has (smooth or rough, thin or thick) affects the ability to secure climbing, safety, and hoisting ropes and other hardware.
    • Palm “trees” (technically more closely related to grasses) are structurally different from other trees and require different removal techniques.

  • Tree Health

    • Dead trees are inherently more dangerous to remove than living ones.
      • As the wood dies and dries out, it can become unpredictably brittle and breakable.
    • The presence of rot, fungus, or other infections can lead to tree weakness and breakage.
    • Instability at the base of a tree can make climbing it impossible, necessitating the use of a crane or bucket truck, which can greatly increase removal price.
    • Palms can be more easily affected by rot-related instabilities, leading to bending or drooping and making removal difficult.

  • Location and Drop Zones

    • Where a tree is located on a property (proximity to structures/wires, accessibility) determines how long a removal can take.
      • The need to move debris a long way greatly increases job duration.
    • The immediate area around the base of the tree (the “drop zone”) is critical to a safe removal.
      • If a tree is crowded by other plants or close to structures, drop zones can be greatly restricted.
    • As with structural instabilities, tree location can dictate whether climbing is possible or whether heavy equipment and other machinery must be used for removal.

  • Debris Haul-Off

    • If debris from the tree removal is able to be left on-site for municipal removal or other use, removal cost can be significantly less.
    • Private tree companies must either recycle wood debris themselves or pay to dump wood waste at a landfill or recycling facility.
      • Depending on the particulars of the removed tree, the wood may be useful for firewood or other recycling or may be afflicted with rot or other defects, making it unusable.

While many of these factors, such as location and health issues, may be outside of the immediate control of the tree owner, stability issues always increase over time. Waiting to remove a dead or diseased tree increases not only the risk of injury and property damage, but also the cost to remove it. If you have a tree you think might need to be removed, contact a local ISA Certified Arborist as soon as possible to have the tree evaluated.

The cost of tree removal can range into the tens of thousands of dollars, and is no small expense. Before contracting a company to remove your tree, be sure to ask for an explanation of their removal methods and safety precautions. If you are concerned about property damage or other issues, ask for a certificate of liability insurance to make sure that you will not be held responsible for any unforeseen costs. Finally, be wary of tree removal companies that ask for payment up front. Don’t make a down payment without a written contract and avoid companies who are not bonded or who refuse to disclose their insurance information.

A NOTE ABOUT STUMP GRINDING

Even after the above ground material of a tree is removed, an extensive underground stump and root system can remain. When soliciting bids for complete tree removal, be sure to ask about options for dealing with the stump and roots.

One common method for reducing underground tree material is stump grinding. Stump grinding can level the former site of a tree to allow for sod installation or planting beds. However, even with stump grinding, re-planting another tree in the same location is not recommended. For more info on stump grinding, visit this page.

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! While we do what we can to preserve our urban forest, we know that removal is sometimes necessary. We offer a transparent quote process and written estimates for every job; your arborist is always available to answer any questions you have about tree removal procedures, precautions, and costs. We use highly-skilled and trained climbers who are able to remove just about any tree, large or small, without the use of cranes or other heavy equipment. We quote removal cost and stump grinding separately so that our customers can prioritize what is important to them. Depending on location and time of year, we may be able to offer a discount for debris stacking or alternate haul-off options. Have a tree that might need to come down? Don’t wait! Schedule a visit from one of our ISA Certified Arborists today!

It’s Time for Action on Freeze-Damaged Trees!

by Texas Tree Surgeons Events, Extreme Weather, Resources, Tree Health Care, Tree Removal

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees, and we hate to be the bearers of bad news, but if your tree has not recovered from the recent freeze, action needs to be taken soon. After the freeze in February 2021, many North Texas plants and trees were frost-damaged and unrecoverable. At the time, we recommended waiting until the summer to make a decision on removal, to give the damaged trees a chance to recover.

By this point in the year, if your trees have not leafed out, or leafed out and have since turned brown, and if your palms and other plants show no new green growth, it is time to re-evaluate them for removal. Time is of the essence when removing trees, as they can become more dangerous, difficult, and expensive to remove the longer they are left standing. Also, the chance of limb breakage and major structural failure greatly increases as dead trees are left in the ground, leading to a higher risk of injury to person or damage to property. As the spring rains give way to the summer heat, dead trees will start to dry out, reducing structural stability.

If on the other hand, your trees have at least 50% of their canopies, they may still recover. It is important to start soil amendments and proper watering to give these stressed trees a better chance of making it through the summer heat. NOTE: standard (high-nitrogen) fertilizer, such as lawn fertilizer, over-the-counter products, or weed and feed products are NOT recommended for freeze-stressed trees. Stressed trees need particular soil amendments and nutrients. Contact us today to find out what your trees need!

Trees with at least half of the canopy remaining should be treated with soil amendments and proper watering.

Read More About Proper Fertilization

Read More About Watering

What To Do

Why Were Some Trees Hit Harder Than Others?

  • Underlying issues and stressors
  • Age
  • Tree location with respect to the storm front
    • Shelter from buildings or other trees

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees, and while we hate to have to remove them, we are committed to sustainability and recycle our wood waste through our sister company Burn This Firewood. We also offset our tree removals by partnering with local and international organizations dedicated to replanting and reforestation.