Archives 2021

New to Texas? Buying a Home “For the Trees?” A Consulting Arborist Can Help!

by Texas Tree Surgeons Arborist Services, Ask Texas Tree Surgeons, Resources, Tree Recommendations

We regularly get calls from prospective homebuyers and real estate agents asking us to assess the trees at a property before it is purchased. Sadly, we also get many calls from new homeowners who, not long after moving in, discover issues with the health or safety of their trees and are forced to remove them. Other homeowners, not native to North Texas, may have questions about trees that they are unfamiliar with, and want to know how best to care for them.

We’ve discussed the differences between ISA Certified Arborists and other types of tree workers, but there is a third category that is less well-known: the consulting arborist.

WHAT IS A CONSULTING ARBORIST?

While any arborist, certified or not, may be able to give an opinion or “consultation,” consulting arborists are specially-trained and able to provide formal, written opinions and reports. Additionally, consulting arborists are often called upon to serve as expert witnesses in court cases or other proceedings. Consulting arborists may specialize in certain areas, as well, such as tree appraisal, tree inventories, or education. The organization that sets the standards for consulting arborists and provides training and certification is the American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA).

HOW DO YOU BECOME A CONSULTING ARBORIST?

As with any field, it takes experience, training, and education to become a source for reliable opinions. ASCA has established the Registered Consulting Arborist© (RCA) credential to indicate that an individual has achieved a demonstrable level of knowledge of proper tree care and assessment. There are many paths to RCA status, the two most common being formal postgraduate education in a tree-related field or achievement of the ISA Board Certified Master Arborist credential. In addition to this education and training, candidates for RCA status must complete ASCA’s own Consulting Academy and demonstrate their ability to assess, analyze, and communicate information related to tree health and safety by completing several written reports based on both hypothetical and actual situations. After achieving RCA status, the consulting arborist must maintain the credential through continuing education. Additionally, ASCA offers training in tree appraisal and many other specialized topics for RCA credential holders.

HOW CAN A CONSULTING ARBORIST HELP ME?

Depending on your situation, there are many services that a consulting arborist may offer that other tree care professionals may be unable to perform. One common area of expertise that RCAs offer is that of tree inventory and appraisal. In coordination with real estate professionals, and depending on the area, an RCA can assess and appraise the trees and other landscaping to determine a replacement or insurance value. Another area is the preparation of a report detailing the health or safety issues affecting a particular tree or trees. These reports are often used when damage has occurred as the result of construction or other human activity in order to establish liability for loss. In other cases, the consulting arborist’s report is presented to an HOA or similar governing organization in order to establish a need for remediation. One particularly helpful area of consulting arborist service is education of homeowners, homebuyers, and home builders. With the right information and safeguards, home builders can minimize the effects of construction on existing trees and landscape architects can better choose trees to add to a property. Similarly, homeowners and prospective homebuyers can better understand the needs of their trees and better anticipate any issues that may arise based on the species, age, and location of their trees. Consulting arborists can also help to draft tree preservation plans for construction sites and care and maintenance plans for tree owners.

HOW MUCH DOES AN ARBORIST CONSULTATION COST?

How much a consulting arborist charges for his or her services can vary greatly for region to region and service to service. For a detailed report, tree inventory, or tree appraisals, consulting arborists generally charge an hourly rate to cover site visit, research, analysis, and preparing the written report. Rates for consulting arborists vary, but generally range from $100 to $300 per hour. Be sure to ask for a price quote before contracting for services to avoid any surprises. Some services, such as a standard residential property review, may be available for a flat fee.

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! We are always looking for ways to expand and improve the services we offer our clients. Having an ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist on staff allows us to offer documentable expertise and opinions. Stay tuned as we develop and announce new service offerings, and contact us today if you have a question for any of our arborists!

In 2021, Hannah Edinburgh, BCMA, became a Registered Consulting Arborist (RCA #739) with ASCA

What To Do With Freeze-Damaged Ash and Elm Trees

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

The information in this article applies only to certain types of trees, such as elms, ashes, figs, crape myrtles, and even some other landscape plants like loropetalum. For information on what to do with your oaks or palm trees, see our other articles:

Oaks Looking Bad?

Will Palms Survive?

As with oaks, many species of trees, such as ash and elm, were severely damaged or killed by the freezing weather in February 2021. Even if your tree has not leafed out, or shown only sparse growth, there may be another option besides replacing it.

What Can You Do? Watch For New Sprouts!

  • Trees that have died from the ground up may still have living root systems.
    • If the tree cannot support the old growth, the energy in the roots may be directed to putting up new shoots around the base of the tree.
  • These new tree shoots have a great advantage over transplanted trees, as they are growing from a well-established root system.
    • While the new sprouts start out small, their growth will be supported by robust roots.
    • Local tree farm stocks are depleted after the storm, so it may be hard to find a suitable replacement.
    • Even with stump grinding, a transplanted tree should not be planted in the same place at the old tree.

Tree in North Texas showing extensive above-ground dieback and new growth from the roots.

Tree with extensive above-ground dieback showing new growth from the roots.

Remove The Dead Tree Carefully

  •  If you want to encourage the new sprouts into maturing into full trees, they must be protected from damage.
  • When removing the freeze-damaged tree, take care not to disturb any shoots growing around the base of the trunk.
    • Do not grind the stump, as this will destroy the established root system.
  • As the sprouts mature, begin to remove some of them, leaving one or two main shoots.
    • Once the main shoots are a year old, you can select one to continue cultivating and remove the others.
  • If you have a tree, such as an ash, that is threatened by insect or disease activity, consult an ISA Certified Arborist to ensure that preventative action is taken, if needed.

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! The freeze of February 2021, like storms and tornadoes before it, will alter our North Texas urban forest in many ways. As we continue to monitor the response of trees and plants, we will continue to keep our community and customers informed, so that they have all the information necessary to take the best care of their trees. We are always happy to answer any questions you have about your trees freeze-damaged or not, so contact an arborist today!

Are Your Oaks Looking Bad? They are Still Recovering from the Freeze!

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

The unprecedented winter weather in February 2021 will have a lasting effect on North Texas. Many trees and plants have already failed to come back from the freezing temperatures and had to be removed. Others may be showing signs of new growth, but are still struggling. The Texas A&M Forest Service and other experts have reiterated the need to care for freeze-damaged and stressed trees to give them the best chance of recovering.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? KEEP WAITING!

Freeze-stressed trees, especially oaks, may be putting out some new leaves, but are much less vigorous than in previous years.

  • Continue to monitor them, and do what you can to alleviate stress.
  • Water your stressed trees properly, and make sure not to flood the roots with overwatering.
  • Avoid preventative insecticide or fungicide treatments; treat only those pests that are currently active in the tree.

Texas live oak tree showing signs of freeze damage and related stress

Live oak showing signs of freeze-related stress

Texas red oak tree showing signs of freeze damage and related stress.

Red oak affected by the freeze in Februrary 2021

RECOVERY WILL TAKE A LONG TIME

Whatever the progress of your tree’s recovery, it will take months and possibly years to regain the health it had before the winter storms.

  • If a tree has shown no signs of new growth by July, it will likely never recover.
  • Trees with sparse growth may be able to leaf out normally in a year or two, so consider waiting to remove.
  • As always, contact an ISA Certified Arborist to evaluate your trees’ progress and make recommendations for care.

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! We are constantly in discussion with experts in the fields of arboriculture and horticulture throughout Texas as we try to manage the effects of February’s freeze. Our ISA Certified Arborists are happy to assess your trees and help you provide the best care during this period of residual stress. As we move into the heat of the summer, potential for heat-related stress increases, so contact an arborist today!

My Crape Myrtles Aren’t Blooming! Are They Dead?

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

Like other trees and shrubs, crape myrtles in North Texas are not adapted to hard freezes like we had in February 2021. However, crape myrtles are hardier than many other area plants, and should recover completely, although they may bloom a little late.

Don’t Give Up on Your Crape Myrtles: WAIT!

Like with live oaks, we will have to wait a few weeks to know how crape myrtles handled the freezing weather. Even though they survived the freeze, the cold temperatures were a shock to the trees’ systems, and recovery takes time.

  • We expect to see crape myrtles budding and leafing out 2 to 4 weeks later than usual.
    • May be less new growth and fewer buds
    • If the trees were healthy before the freeze, should recover completely.
  • We recommend leaving new sprouts growing from the base until the crape myrtle is blooming normally.
    • If there are dead trunks, these sprouts can grow to replace them.
  • Keep an eye out for common crape myrtles health issues as the trees recover from the freeze:
    • Aphids
    • Crape myrtle bark scale
    • Sooty mold
    • Powdery mildew
  • If crape myrtles have shown no new growth by the end of April:
    • Remove all dead wood down to the highest level of living tissue
    • May need to trim down to ground level and let sprouts replace all trunks
  • If your crape myrtles survived the frost, consider a plant health care program to keep them healthy
  • Finally, as always, DO NOT TOP CRAPE MYRTLES!

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! The freezing weather in February 2021 will continue to have effects on area trees for years to come. Frost-damaged trees will need extra care and attention. We offer conprehensive plant health care programs that help stressed trees get the nutrients they need and fight pests. Our staff of ISA Certified Arborists are available to assess your trees and see if they need immediate action, or if it is best to wait and see how they recover. For questions about crape myrtles or any other tree, get in touch!

Can Palm Trees Survive Freezing Weather?

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

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community. While we don’t want to sound negative or cause unnecessary concern, the recent freezing weather has likely damaged most palm trees in North Texas beyond hope of survival. 

  • If your palm fronds are totally brown and drooping, with no green visible, the palm is almost certainly dead and needs to be removed quickly before decay causes it to become a falling hazard. 
  • If your palm still has some green fronds, it may be salvageable, but will require long-term fertilization and care. Fronds that are already brown will, unfortunately, not recover, but new fronds can grow to replace them over time.

Contact us today to have an ISA Certified Arborist evaluate your palms.

Palms with completely brown or drooping fronds are most likely dead and need to be removed.

Palms that were sheltered by buildings may not have been completely frozen and could be salvageable.

Can Palm Trees Survive Being Frozen?

  • Unfortunately, once the center, or “heart,” of a palm tree has been frozen, nothing can be done to salvage it.
    • Unlike most trees, palms are not able to easily handle disease and damage or repair wounds.
  • If a freeze is only partial, some palm material may survive and be able to grow, but the damaged areas will never recover.
    • Brown, drooping fronds can be removed or left to fall on their own.
    • If a palm survives, new fronds will grow, but it will take time for them to grow to the size of the mature fronds.
  • If all of the fronds on a palm are brown, yellow, drooping, or fallen, the palm is not salvageable.

What Should I Do If My Palm Is Dead?

  • When dealing with frost-damaged palm trees, it is best to act quickly.
    • As the weather warms up, the dead tissue can quickly decay, causing structural instability.
    • If a palm has begun to lean from the middle of the trunk, or the top is bent, the decay has already started.
  • Removing dead palms quickly is essential to preventing damage that could be caused when they fall.
    • As a palm rots from the inside, it can become impossible to safely remove it.

Fluid leaking from areas of the main palm trunk is a sure sign of internal decay necessitating swift removal.

Do Any Palm Trees Grow Well in North Texas?

  • Palm “trees” (they are actually more closely-related to grass than trees) are not adapted to cold weather.
    • Areas where palms are native have mild winters and few, if any, freezes.
  • When palms are imported to other environments, like North Texas, they rarely thrive.
    • There are some varieties of palms that are more cold-hardy, but even those types of palm trees will suffer great losses after a hard freeze.
    • The soil type over much of DFW is not suitable for most palms.
      • To keep palms healthy, regular fertilization with specially-formulated palm food is essential.
    • Even when the environment is adapted to properly-nourish palms, the weather patterns are not palm-friendly.
      • While the summer heat in North Texas is no great threat to palms, problems arise during the colder, wetter periods.
      • Many palms can weather shorter periods of freezing temperatures, long, hard freezes, like we had in February 2021, can devastate palms large and small.
At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! Plants and trees all over North Texas were damaged in the recent freeze, and we hope to save as many as we can. Unfortunately for many, their palms will have to be removed because of the extent of the frost damage. Contact us today to have one of our ISA Certified Arborists evaluate your palms and arrange for their removal, before they decay and safe removal is impossible.

Will Live Oaks Survive Freezing Temperatures, Ice, and Snow?

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

Live oaks are a common sight in North Texas. These native trees are well-adapted to our soil and climate, but can still be stressed by extreme weather. Many, if not all, live oaks will show signs of frost damage after a hard freeze. Like other plants, the main symptom will be brown, dead, or wilted leaves. Live oaks may show browning in patches or over a whole tree. 

Luckily, we expect most live oaks to recover from the freeze! The usual live oak leaf exchange in the spring should replace the dead leaves and enable the trees to take up nutrients. New growth may be thin in the coming year, however, because of residual stress. Young live oaks or trees that are already stressed by disease or insect activity may have a harder time recovering. It is important to monitor live oaks as we move into spring and summer to assess their ability to come back. 

The live oak (Quercus virginiana) is a North Texas landscape staple. Hardy and evergreen, live oaks can range in size up to 50 feet tall and 100 feet wide. Live oaks do not drop leaves in the fall, but rather have a leaf exchange in the spring. Once prized for shipbuilding due to their naturally-curved limbs, live oaks are now appreciated as landscape trees and the wood is used for fires and cooking. Live oaks are susceptible to oak wilt, but are more resistant than other species of oak, such as red oaks.

Do brown leaves after a freeze mean a Live Oak is dead? No!

Even if its leaves brown after a freeze, the live oak will probably recover. Live oaks generally have a leaf exchange in the spring, and the leaves that were killed by frost should be replaced by new leaves when the tree starts budding. In some cases, the dead leaves may fall off before the new leaves emerge. 

If a live oak does not put out new leaves in the spring, it may have been damaged beyond recovery. Consult a local ISA Certified Arborist to evaluate your tree.

Can I do anything to help a freeze-damaged live oak recover? YES: WAIT!

With damage from freezing weather, it is often best to wait and see how the tree responds before deciding if the live oak is salvageable. In the meantime, however, taking proper care of the tree can increase its chances of making a recovery.

Live oaks that have lost their leaves cannot pull water and nutrients from the soil like they would normally, and need extra help. Once the ground has thawed after a freeze, water your live oaks by doing a root soak with a hose; don’t rely on sprinklers. Help replenish depleted soil nutrients by fertilizing and using soil amendments. Like other frost-damaged trees, live oaks will need extra care in the years to come, as the trees’ stored energy is depleted due to stress.

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! While the effects of freezing weather will vary depending on species, live oaks should be able to bounce back from the winter weather of February 2021. In the coming months and years, as the full effects of the freeze become apparent, contact us to have one of our ISA Certified Arborists out to look at your trees and give you the information you need to best care for them!