We know, people have told you it is fine. We know, the marketing tells you it is fine. We know, you have done it for years and your tree looks fine.
Weed & Feed is bad for trees.
Weed and feed products are designed to be a simple single product that is home owner friendly, however weeding and feeding are two very different actions.
One action is to kill plants (that are not sod) and the other action is to improve the health of soil (in theory).
The herbicide in most weed and feeds is a “woody stem killer” and trees are woody stemmed plants.
There is no safe distance for application in an urban setting as the chemicals will leech/move through the soil in water. Even if your neighbor uses it, your tree will be affected.
While the dose may be low enough not to immediately kill your tree, it will cause it stress and combined stress is what kills trees.
The signs of stress caused by weed and feed appear months after application, often late summer:
reduce vigor
lead burn
wrinkled leaves
damages outer layer of leaf
limp droopy leaves
At Texas Tree Surgeons we love trees and we want trees and lawns to live symbiotically together, not at odds of one another. If you notice any signs of stress on your tree, or would like help in managing a healthy balance of needs in your yard please schedule an assessment with one of our certified arborists.
Who decided heavy rocks at the base of trees is more attractive than mulch? It adds weight and during the summer extra heat to cook your tree roots. If you want to hide your roots, we suggest mulch. It looks great, and benefits the health of your tree.
Improperly pruned trees, like lion tailing, ruins the structural ability of the tree which causes damage to its overall health. Avoid this risk by only hiring an ISA Certified Arborist for tree services.
The chemicals used on consumer products like weed & feed misrepresent its effects on trees. By nature weed & feed is designed to kill woody stemmed plants. Trees are woody stemmed plants.
A common mistake people make is assuming that their sprinkler systems will adequately water their trees. Sprinkler systems were designed with lawns in mind and not trees. Trees need to be watered with a soaker hose or garden hose on slow, low pressure.
Preventive care is the best care. Having a certified arborist that regularly assesses and understands the local environment in relation to your specific tree will ensure it will remain healthy in the long term. Waiting until there are signs of stress in a tree’s canopy incurs more cost and harm.
* (these articles will be released in the near future, check back to read)
At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! What are your top ten harmful tree trends that need to go? We would love to know.
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.
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!
The urban forest in North Texas has taken quite a beating over the past few years. From high winds and tornadoes in 2019 to freezes in 2021 and 2022, to varying drought conditions throughout, many trees have been damaged beyond saving. Now is the perfect time to start reforesting our community by planting hardy, long-lived trees that can thrive in our environment. Choosing the right tree to plant can be challenging, though. Many of the trees planted in recent decades are not well-suited or ideal for North Texas, and have had issues with diseases or pests, or have simply not lived as long as was hoped. Luckily, there are several types of trees in a range of sizes that can thrive here and provide years of beauty and enjoyment.
Small and Ornamental Trees
Smaller, decorative species may not be what first comes to mind when one thinks of trees, but there are several tree species that can do well in smaller yards or as part of more developed landscaping. Whether native or nativized, the trees on this list generally do not get bigger than about 25 feet and are a perfect choice when there is not a lot of room to spare. To see our previous list of top ten ornamental trees, visit this post.
If you have a little more room, but don’t want to plant a full-size canopy tree, there are several medium-sized options that can provide more shade and structure than smaller trees while still staying manageable when mature.
Sometimes seen as manicured hedges, the yaupon can naturally grow into a single- or multi-stemmed tree.
Large Trees
When most people think of a tree, this is what they picture. Growing to several stories high with a large canopy, full-size trees provide the most shade and structure and, if properly cared for, can live for decades. Large trees need a lot of room to grow, and are perfect for open yards.
The pecan is the state tree of Texas and thrives in our area. If you want to consume the nuts, be sure to keep an eye out for pecan phylloxera.
Oak
While live oaks and red oaks are the most common species in North Texas, varieties like the bur oak and chinkapin are easy to find and can do very well in urban environments.
While tulip trees are not as common in Texas as other magnolias, they are heat- and soli-tolerant as well as pest-resistant.
Trees to Avoid in North Texas
Not all species of tree are well-suited to our local environment. While some of the trees listed below were popular in the past, they are not recommended if you are looking for a new tree to plant.
Palm
Common in the southern and coastal parts of Texas, palms are not suited to North Texas soil or temperature swings.
River birch
The river birch is not drought-tolerant, and most urban areas do not have high enough soil moisture for river birches to thrive.
Bradford pear
The Bradford pear was once a very common landscape tree in North Texas, but many Bradford pears in the area are reaching the end of their 30-year life span, and starting to fail. Additionally, Bradford pears are prone to poor, overcrowded limb structure, which makes them more likely to split.
Whatever trees you choose, it is critical to plant at the right time and in the right way. The winter and early spring are the best times to plant, as the stress of summer heat can hit new trees hard. Proper watering is key to helping a newly-planted tree get established. Using mulch around the root zone is the best way to control soil moisture and temperature and provide organic material for soil health. In some cases, fertilization and soil amendments can be beneficial, but it is important to avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers that can stimulate unsustainable new growth.
At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! While we don’t sell or plant trees ourselves, our ISA Certified Arborists and ISA Board Certified Master Arborists are happy to provide consultations for tree selection, placement, planting and care, and even to accompany you to a nursery to find the best stock! Contact us today to find out more!
In late winter and early spring, it is common to see crape myrtles in North Texas with all of their canopies and upper branches removed, leaving only standing trunks. Understandably called “topping,” as the top of the tree is removed, this practice leads to twiggy new growth from the ends of the trunks. A year later, the new growth is removed again, and the process repeats itself. While crape myrtles are the most common victims of topping, larger trees can be topped as well. Any trees that survive topping exhibit similar growth patterns of uneven, thin branches growing from larger trunks. The practice of topping trees often comes from an uninformed and misguided attempt to avoid limb breakage, stimulate new growth, and control the size and shape of trees, but topping trees is bad for the trees and causes more problems than it solves.
Why Do People Top Trees?
There are several reasons that people may want to top their crape myrtles or other trees:
Aesthetics
Some people want to reduce the size of a tree for visibility
Safety
It may be thought that removing all of a tree’s branches eliminates risk
Simplicity
It can be much easier just to remove the top of a tree entirely, rather than use proper pruning techniques
Habit
In communities where the practice is common, tree topping can become the accepted norm
Convenience
Without large, spreading limbs, trees do not drop as many leaves, flowers, or seeds
Turf grass
Removing a tree’s canopy greatly reduces the shadow of a tree that may affect turf growth
Growth Stimulation
It is a common misconception that topping a flowering tree causes increased bloom production
Whatever the motivation, however, tree topping is never the best method to achieve the desired outcome, and is actually counterproductive in most cases.
What are Alternatives to Topping Trees?
Depending on your goal, there are different proper pruning techniques that can help shape your trees.
Reducing size
Raising the canopy and removing upper or outer branches can go a long way toward reducing the overall size of a tree
While limb stubbing is not recommended, in certain cases, limbs can be trimmed back from the ends
Consider replacing oversized trees with species that are better suited to the location and don’t require drastic reshaping
Reducing risk
Removing all the branches of a tree is not the best way to reduce risk
Removing the canopy exposes the trunk to more light and heat, which can cause sunburn and sun scald, both of which can lead to decay and tree deathIn most cases, removing dead, dying, or broken limbs and thinning the canopy’s interior growth is sufficient to prepare the tree for high winds or severe storms
Topping a tree stimulates rapid, uneven growth which leads to more trimming
Natural, proper trimming allows a tree to stay balanced, and go longer without needing maintenance
Canopy cleaning reduces interior growth to help control excess leaf, flower, or seed drop
Light transmission
Proper thinning of a canopy can greatly increase the amount of light that reaches the ground while keeping a tree healthy
Consider planting shade-friendly understory plants and ground cover that can live in harmony with trees
Flower production
While it is true that trees such as crape myrtles flower on each year’s new growth, natural trimming allows branches to mature and develop more budding sites
Mature growth is hardier and less susceptible to sap-sucking insects like aphids, reducing the risk of common crape myrtle diseases
Don’t They Top Trees in Europe?
In some areas, mature topped trees with long, twiggy new growth are common. This practice is called pollarding. Pollarding is one of a few techniques that is used to produce specific sizes of wood for specific uses. Wood from pollarded trees is often used for firewood, basket weaving, and fence making. A related practice known as coppicing involves removing almost the entirety of a tree’s above-ground growth to create a small group of young stems. In these cases, the new growth is allowed to mature for a number of years until it reaches a desired size and can be harvested.
What is the Best Way to Trim a Crape Myrtle?
Whether you are looking for beautiful flowers, a particular canopy shape, or less maintenance effort, crape myrtles, just like all trees, can thrive with proper, natural pruning. While it may take some time to rehabilitate a crape myrtle or other tree that has been topped, even mature trees can be brought back to their natural beauty and health. Consult an ISA Certified Arborist for guidance on your trees’ specific needs.
At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees (even the topped ones!) and we love our community! While it may be common in North Texas to top crape myrtles each year, proper, natural trimming is the right choice in any situation. Contact us today to have one of our arborists take a look at your crape myrtles or other trees that may have been topped in the past so that we can help you bring them back to their natural beauty!
