Tag tree health care

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:

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.

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

Level 1:
Limited Assessment

Identify obvious defects with photo documentation

Level 2:
Basic Assessment

Detailed visual inspection which may include tools like a mallet or probe.

Level 3:
Advanced Assessment

Specialized equipment, data collection and analysis which may include lab testing or root inspection.

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.

Trees are living organisms and can get a weakened immune system similarly as an animal or plant would. Watering and mulching are easy first steps to ensuring your tree stays healthy. We have a few more tips to help your tree thrive

Watering

With our hot, dry summers, and tendency for drought conditions, proper watering is the best thing tree owners can do to help their trees.

Mulching

The importance of mulching is often overlooked, especially when trees are planted in an area covered with turf grass, but mulch is an easy way to manage soil moisture, temperature, and contribute nutrients to less-than-ideal soils.

Fertilization and Soil Amendments

Fertilization can be a touchy subject; most readily-available fertilizers are not designed to improve soil and feed trees in the long term. Some products, like “weed and feed” treatments, can actually harm trees. For sustainable, long-term improvement, a balanced mix of organic and inorganic fertilizers and soil additives yield the best results.

Trimming

• Timing
  • Depending on your goals for trimming, it may be better to trim during different times of the year.
•  Maintenance Trimming
  • Maintenance trimming is what most healthy trees need to maintain their health and balanced growth and is generally recommended every two years for mature trees.
• Specialized Trimming
  • Structural pruning is generally performed on young trees, structural pruning helps to establish balanced, healthy growth.
  • Restoration pruning is generally performed when a tree has been topped, or has sustained other physical damage, restoration pruning can be used to guide it back to a natural shape.
  • Retrenchment pruning is generally performed on older trees that have less vigor and ability to sustain new growth and can often benefit from directed trimming that reduces overall size and weight while maintaining health.

Tree Health Care

At all stages of life, trees can suffer from stress, damage, pests, and diseases. “Tree health care” refers to the use of organic and inorganic chemical application to address a health issue or bolster a tree’s ability to cope with a stressor. Plant health care needs are determined by a certified arborist and treatments are performed by specialized technicians.

Common types of plant health care include:

• Fertilization
• Soil Amendment
• Pesticide Application
• Disease Management
• Chemical Growth Regulation

Additional Resources

The International Society of Arboriculture has a guide on tree trimming and plant health care.

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! We hope this blog on tree care will encourage you to annually schedule an arborist assessment to maintain tree health. We have additional resources on our North Texas Tree Owner’s Guide. If you would like immediate assistance with your trees please contact us today.

North Texas Tree Owner’s Guide

• Tree Selection
• Tree Planting
• Tree Care
• Common Tree Issues
• Getting Help with Your Trees