Tag arborist services

Oftentimes we think of trees as static things that just exist near us. It is a firm belief that trees have been here before us and will be here long after us. While this is true in native forest settings it is not true for the trees you see in your neighborhood. 

In urban places like North Texas trees are growing in stressful environments, which is very different from what you find in a forest. 

Trees aren’t static things, they are complex living organisms that science learns more about everyday.  Tree health care and science is often compared to human health care and medicine, because the complexities are similar.

There are basic tree care practices that homeowners can do that will greatly improve their trees overall health like watering regularly with a drip hose and applying mulch.

In addition to doing those things, having the same local certified arborist annually visit your tree is the best thing you can do. 

Why does having the same local arborist make a difference? 

A local certified arborist will understand the microenvironment, diseases that are prevalent for the region, soil type, and weather patterns that would have impacted the tree over the last decade. 

At Texas Tree Surgeons we keep our arborist’s, crew, and tree health care technicians on the same job so they can follow a tree’s progression year after year. This allows them to adjust care and notice differences you may not. In addition our team will document your tree’s health with photos and notes so they can review how your tree has changed over time. 

Our arborists are ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified and every time they do an estimate they will automatically do a level 1 assessment.

TRAQ Assessment Levels

Subtle signs of stress can be easily missed by tree owners who are unaware of what they should be looking for. Trees show stress long after the stressor has happened, which to a homeowner makes it seem their tree is in sudden decline despite there being signs for years.

Taking into account the history of the location, and surrounding events that could influence the tree’s health helps an arborists come up with a health care plan before damage is irreversible.

Signs of stress and decline that tree owners often miss:

• Drought and freeze stress
• Documented insects in the neighborhood like EAB
• Documented diseases in the neighborhood like oak wilt
• Changes in leaf color and size
• Structural issues like lateral cracks in the bark
• Fungal growth

 Annual check ups mitigate risk and will save you money in the long run. 

At Texas Tree Surgeons we love trees and we believe the best care is preventative care. Schedule annual visits with a certified arborist to keep your tree healthy and thriving. Know that we treat tree photos like pet photos.

At Texas Tree Surgeons we love trees. This is our top 10 list of tree trends that got to go in 2024!

• Topped Crape Myrtles
  • Just stop! It is a weird trend in North Texas that is based solely on aesthetics and doesn’t increase bloom production.
• Artificial Turf *
  • What’s worse than grass, artificial grass? It may look perfect, but it will kill your tree. 
• Decorative Rocks at the Base of Trees
  • 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.
• Lack of Tree Protection During Construction
  • Leading killer of urban trees is construction due to soil compaction. This could be easily prevented with consultation from a certified arborist.
• Improperly Pruned Trees
  • 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. 
• Use of Weed & Feed *
  • 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.
• Relying on Sprinkler Systems to Water Trees
  • 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.
• Root Disturbance
  • The roots of a tree need to be cared for as much, if not more than the canopy of tree. Best way to care for them? Leave them untouched.
• Incorrectly Planted Trees
  • Trees are an investment, taking the time to plant a tree correctly will ensure your tree will thrive and increase the value of your home.
• Waiting Till There are Signs of Stress to Contact an Arborist
  • 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.

An urban tree’s lifespan is significantly shorter than one found in a forest. Why? Short answer, humans. The thought that trees are fine without us is true. This is why trees in a forest are fine but trees in an urban environment aren’t. Once humans began planting them around us or moved into their space we started to kill them, of course not intentionally.

Unlike a tree in a forest, trees living amongst people in cities begin their life cycle under stress. 

Problems Trees in an Urban Environment Face:

These stressors impact the trees quality of life and because of this urban trees need extra assistance from humans to correct these man made problems they would not run into if they were in a forest.

Amazing Tree Facts:

• Methuselah, Bristlecone Pine  is considered the oldest living organism on earth and is thought to be over 4,789 years old
• Pando is believed to be the largest living organism ever found at 13 million pounds
• Plano Quadricentennial bur oak was the oldest living tree in DFW until it failed during a storm in 2023

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.

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.

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.

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!