Live Oaks are native North Texas trees which makes them well adapted to the variety of soil types found here. Despite being acclimated to the soil systems here, live oaks can still be stressed by extreme weather.
If it’s been more than 12-18 months since your last structural assessment by a certified arborist, now is the time to schedule. Preventative care is the best way to help protect your trees from limb failure from extreme weather.
Proper pruning minimizes the likelihood of limb breakage in moderate to heavy ice storms by improving the branching structure by properly distributing the added weight brought on by ice accumulating on the leaves and branches.
Live oaks are more prone to breakage during ice storms because they are evergreens which means they do not drop their leaves in the fall. Unlike other species, like pecan, they have more leaves on their branches and because of this the extra leaves provide more area coverage for water to collect and turn to ice (if cold enough) and create additional weight and stress, which can lead to limb breakage.
At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! The best care for your tree is preventative care. If its been more than 12-18 months since a certified arborist has done a structural assessment please contact us today.
Mulch is an important part of tree care that is often overlooked. Many trees are surrounded by turf grass or other plants, which can stifle their growth. Proper mulching can be the key to trees that not just survive, but thrive.
Amy Heath, Owner of Texas Tree Surgeons and ISA Board Certified Master Arborist® provides step by step instructions on how to use mulch.
Damage from construction projects is the most common cause of tree death in urban environments, and while the effects may not be immediately apparent, the tree can be in decline and die years after nearby construction has been completed.
Injury to a tree happens unintentionally from mechanical tree injury, root damage, loss of rooting space, changes in soil moisture, soil compaction and contamination.
Why? Lack of construction protection and lack of understanding what constitutes the critical root zone of a tree.
Construction is the most common cause of tree death in urban environments, and while the effects may not be immediately apparent, the tree can be in decline and die years after nearby construction has been completed. Erecting a barrier to protect the critical root zone during construction will safeguard them from damage.
The most common problems associated with construction:
Root loss is generally caused by stripped soil, sub-grade preparation for pavement and trenching for utilities. Severing one major root can cause the loss of 15 to 20% of a root system.
Mechanical wounds (to limbs or trunks) caused by machines, poor pruning, high-traffic, and people.
When the soil grade is lowered a large percentage of roots may be removed. When the grade is increased a tree can be smothered because 90% of absorbing roots are in the top few inches of soil.
Soil compaction smothers trees by reducing available oxygen and decreasing a tree’s ability to absorb nutrients and water. This causes the roots to be more exposed to the elements, as they struggle to absorb water and nutrients.
Spills or dumping of fluids (paint, oil, fuel, etc.) can cause quick and rapid death of a tree.
During the planning process
Decide which trees will be kept, which trees must be removed and which trees need to be protected. Consider tree location, tree size, tree heath, tree species, species diversity and tree age (younger trees usually withstand construction better than more mature trees). Then assess the potential impact to the trees and make modifications in plans when possible. Identify tree work that must be done (pruning and crown-raising where necessary, treatments, irrigation, fertilization, mulching, and pest management) under the supervision of a Certified Arborist.
Think about the amount of time it takes to complete a construction project from start to finish. The tree is enduring a heavy amount of pressure for a long period of time. We assume there is no damage since the tree wont show the effects of stress until years after the project is finished.
Before beginning construction
Tree Work This should be performed under a certified arborist’s supervision and should include the necessary pruning, removal of dead wood, and removal of trees. This is ideally done in the winter time while the trees are dormant and at least 8 months to a year before construction begins. This is the time to begin a deep root fertilization and Tree Health Care Program that will help strengthen and protect your tree.
Erect Barriers The barriers should be as far from the base of the trunk as possible or a minimum of the drip line. Within the Tree Protection Zone, mulch should be applied 2-4 inches deep around the base of the tree within the barrier.
Mulching Where barriers are not possible, avoid compaction by mulching 6 inches deep and laying plywood on top to disperse weight. For removal of mulch at the end of the project consult with an arborist.
Reduce Chance of Harm Limit access to site to avoid unnecessary soil compaction: Create one road in and one road out of site with barriers on either side. This route can later be used to trench for utilities, water lines, driveway, etc.
There are no protective barriers around the tree. Materials are being kept at the base of the tree and compacting the soil.
During construction
Water Water trees frequently with slow soak. If roots have been damaged or removed, then a tree will need more water than it did before because it has less ability to uptake necessary water.
Feed Trees should be fertilized at least three times a year. We suggest a deep root organic fertilizer to increase available nutrients.
Pest And Disease Control When trees become stressed from construction they are more vulnerable to pest infestations and other diseases.
Pruning During construction, we only want to remove what is necessary for the project to continue. This includes damaged limb, dead wood, or infected sections. No other pruning should be done if not necessary.
Post construction
To help enable survival of your trees, treat and seal crown and trunk injuries, cable and brace, repair irrigation and drainage issues harmful to trees; remove excess mulch and mulch for long-term health of tree, aerate soil that has been compacted, fertilize for the next few years. Have the trees inspected seasonally by a Certified Arborist.
Symptoms of tree stress from construction damage
Short annual shoot elongation, small yellow leaves, thin foliage, leaf wilting, early fall coloration or defoliation, epicormic shoots, twig dieback, branch dieback, irregular wounds, secondary pest problems, and decay at wound sites.
At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! Trees are a wise investment of funds because landscaped homes are more valuable than non-landscaped homes. If you are planning to remodel, or do construction we would love to help safeguard your trees.Contact us today!
Weather in Texas is a bit unpredictable, to the point we can predict it will be unpredictable.
With 2021 winter storm and freeze have made everyone more aware and concerned about how to protect trees from freeze and the stress of extreme weather.
What can you do to help protect your trees from freeze damage?
We say this a lot but the best way to protect your trees from the effects of freeze is to water and use mulch. In addition, do not over-prune your trees.
Sounds so simple yet it often gets overlooked.
During winter people tend to think we do not need to water our trees because it is no longer hot. This isn’t true. Yes, it is cooler but your trees still need water. We are still in a drought.
Mulch is always beneficial as long as it is done right. For best practices, you can find our blog here: How to Use Mulch
Why is watering and mulch so important?
Watering helps insulate the tree from freeze damage, I know it may sound counterintuitive but think of it this way. During a freeze, it is recommended to leave your faucets running to ensure they don’t freeze and burst. Same idea, it keeps the tree’s living system running and will help regulate your tree.
Drought-stressed plants are more at risk to cold damage.
Watering a couple of days prior to a freeze is beneficial for optimal plant uptake and utilization prior to a large drop in temperature.
Helps insulate both the tree and the soil. Out of the entire tree, roots are more susceptible to freezing if not adequately insulated by moist soil and mulch.
Mulch helps insulate the roots and provide additional nutrients. This makes a difference for urban trees because they are often in competition for resources with turf grass or surrounded by concrete. Trees in a forest are insulated by fallen leaves and tiny plants that serve as ground cover. Whatever we can do to help mimic what is found in a forest will always help the health of a tree.
This is especially helpful for young trees. Mulch helps retain moisture to insulate as well as protect from soil cracking that could encourage root dehydration.
Why is over-pruning your tree so harmful?
You are taking away its food source and essentially starving your tree. They have fewer leaves to help produce energy and will suffer more stress during harsh weather conditions.
Without the extra foliage, you are exposing the tree. Think of the internal branches as a sweater and the saying; there is no bad weather, but bad clothes. The leaves help regulate temperature in the interior canopy.
When there are leaves only on the tip of a branch and not down its entire length they are at higher risk of breaking due to wind. This is because it disrupts the load distribution of the branch. Evergreens are especially at risk of breaking due to ice if over-pruned.
Additional information about sudden temperature change:
Temperature change is the least controllable environmental factor in landscapes.
Trees are more susceptible to injury if the temperature drops quickly rather than slowly over several days.
Trees can be injured or killed by low temperatures almost any season of the year, but the most critical periods are:
Quick extreme temperature fluctuations
The coldest portion of winter
When minimum temperature occur after a warm winter period even though plants had been at a maximum hardiness earlier (this is typical North Texas weather).
Avoid high nitrogen fertilization.
The best way to protect your tree from freeze damage is to water regularly, apply mulch, and do not over-prune.
If you have questions about what to do post-freeze damage please read our previous blogs:
At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our customers, and we believe that the more people learn about their trees, the better we can serve our community. We hope this article has helped answer your questions about protecting trees from freeze damage. If you have any specific questions, let us know, and we’ll be happy to send an arborist out to evaluate your needs and offer our suggestions and expertise.
