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Arborist inspecting the ground to assess a trees health

What is Tree Care?

by Texas Tree Surgeons Tree Owner's Guide

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
  •  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

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!

Will My Trees Survive Freezing Temps and Winter Weather?

by Texas Tree Surgeons Extreme Weather, Resources

The effects of the historic freezing temperatures in February 2021 are widespread. After the ice thawed and the snow melted, many people were left with frost-damaged or dead landscaping. While much of the damage from the rapidly-changing temperatures is obvious, trees and plants have also suffered internal damage, and will likely show signs for years to come.

Will the freezing temperatures and winter weather kill my trees?

Unfortunately, we can already see the signs of frost-killed plants: leaves and other plant tissue that appears wet, soft, brown/black, or dried up. This type of damage is prevalent in succulents, pittosporum, loropetalum, geraniums, and related plants. Palms will likely also suffer extensive frost damage, but it is best to wait until the summer to see if they put out new growth. 

Evergreens and more frost-resistant trees and shrubs should fare better. Common examples of this group of plants are yaupon hollies, wax myrtles, and crape myrtles. These species may brown in sections, but ultimately survive. Even if they survive, some of the brown sections will never recover. It is best to wait until summer for new growth to see the extent of the damage. 

Trees with thinner bark, such as fruit trees and Japanese maples, may leaf out in the spring and appear unharmed. Damage to the inner layers of the tree, however, can prevent proper movement of water and nutrients in the tree’s vascular system and can lead to stress symptoms in the summer, appearing as a sudden browning and wilting of the leaves. 

Larger native trees such as red oak and pecan may show dieback or brown sections, but should recover if cared for properly. Live oaks may show browning, but should recover and put out new leaves in spring.

Frost Cracks

Frost cracks are caused not by surface frost, but by fluctuating temperatures, and are most-often seen on the southern sides of trees, which get more direct sunlight. On a cold but sunny day, the sun warms the exposed areas of the tree, causing expansion. When temperatures drop rapidly at night, the bark cools and shrinks faster than the tissue underneath. As the bark shrinks, it splits vertically over areas where the underlying wood is still expanded. Splitting and cracking is most common in areas where there are wounds or other damage that has weakened the bark. Young trees and trees with thin bark are especially susceptible. Frost cracks are rarely fatal and will heal over time, but can be entryways for disease and insects. Stressed trees exhibiting cracks should be given special attention and should be properly fertilized and cared-for to help protect against diseases and insect activity.

CAN I DO ANYTHING TO HELP MY TREES RECOVER FROM THE FREEZING WEATHER?

 For freeze-damaged plants, it is important to provide proper care in the short and long term. 

 WHAT YOU SHOULD DO NOW: WAIT!

  • Watch for signs of damage.
    • Browning and widespread leaf drop will be common.
    • Wait until spring or summer before deciding if a plant is salvageable.
  • Water correctly.
    • Once the ground has thawed out, and temperatures are consistently above freezing, do a deep soak watering for the roots of trees.
      • Use a hose, not sprinklers.
    • Watering can help a tree with damaged leaves to take up nutrients. 

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IN THE SPRING

  • Have frost-damaged trees evaluated by an local ISA Certified Arborist.
    • Every tree species will react differently to the freeze.
    • Factors like location, soil conditions, and even the movement of the storm front will affect the trees’ ability to survive.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO OVER THE NEXT FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS

  • Fertilization and proper watering will be key to freeze-damaged trees.
    • Nutrient-rich soil with beneficial bacteria and fungi can speed a tree’s recovery.
  • Do not use herbicides around affected plants.
    • Never use a “weed and feed” product near your trees.
  • Continue proper maintenance trimming and care.
    • Remove dead wood and loose bark, thin for light and air.

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! The freezing weather in February 2021 caused damage not just to North Texas’s infrastructure, leaving many without power, water, and shelter, but also to our urban forest. Once the needs of our residents have been met, it’s a good time to think about how best to care for our frost-damaged trees and shrubs. We are here to help you evaluate the damage to your landscaping and make an informed decision about how to proceed. If your trees and shrubs don’t leaf out in the spring, or you have any other questions, let us know! We have a team of ISA Certified Arborists ready to help in any way we can!

Artificial Turf and Trees

by Texas Tree Surgeons Resources, Tree Health Care

It seems that artificial turf is becoming more and more popular each year. With less required maintenance and year-round color, artificial grass can seem like an easy way to have a lush, green lawn. One thing that synthetic turf cannot replicate, however, is the role of natural turf grass in the ecosystem of your yard. Replacing a living organism with a nonorganic ground cover can have unseen adverse effects on other landscape plants, especially trees.

Is Artificial Turf Good For Trees?

The short answer is “no.” To understand why, we need to understand the benefits that natural grass brings to the soil around a tree.

  • Synthetic grass reduces the water and air that can penetrate into the soil and be taken up by the roots.
    • While artificial turf is somewhat porous, natural turf is constantly aerating the soil with its roots and keeping the ground from becoming hard and compacted.
  • The environment created by synthetic turf is harmful to beneficial fungi and bacteria that naturally occur in the soil.
    • These microorganisms need the biomatter from organic lawn coverings to thrive.
    • Without these fungi and bacteria, the nutrients trees feed on will not be replenished and the soil will become inhospitable.
  • Artificial grass prevents above-ground nutrients from reaching tree roots.
    • Similarly to how it does not allow air and water to penetrate easily, artificial turf also prevents natural organic materials (leaf litter, insect castings, etc.) from easily reaching the soil and the tree’s root system.
    • When synthetic turf is rinsed off, much of the organic material on top of it is washed away and a major source of nutrients for the tree is lost.
  • If herbicide is used in conjunction with synthetic turf, trees can be poisoned.
    • Herbicides are often used to prepare an area for artificial turf installation.
      • These herbicides can be taken up by a tree’s roots and poison the tree, sometimes irreparably.

Will Artificial Grass Kill My Tree?

Short answer: “yes.” However, the decline of a tree because of artificial turf installation can be a long process and it may take several years to see the signs. Depending on the age and health of a tree, it may have enough reserves of energy to go three to five years without showing signs of stress. However, much like with construction stress, once a cycle of decline has begun, it is difficult to control and it can be impossible to prevent the death of the tree.

Does Synthetic Grass Cause Issues With Having My Trees Trimmed?

In addition to the deleterious health effects on the trees themselves, synthetic turf poses unique problems when considering having tree trimming, tree removal, or other tree work performed.

  • Debris from tree work, such as sawdust, can easily get caught in artificial turf, cause clumping, and be difficult and time-consuming to remove.
  • Heat and oil from tools and machinery can discolor or melt artificial grass, making repair or replacement necessary.
  • Even when care is taken, the weight and impact of falling limbs and trunks can cause divots, dents, and tears in synthetic turf, also necessitating repair or replacement.

How can I help a tree that has synthetic turf around it?

If you have an artificial turf lawn, don’t worry! There are several things you can do to help your trees survive.

  • Give your trees as much room as possible.
    • Leave a gap between the tree trunk and any non-organic ground cover (artificial grass, landscape fabric).
      • We recommend a buffer zone of at least four feet.
  • Consider installing ports in synthetic turf for fertilization.
    • When fertilizer is applied using a feeder rod, it is necessary to puncture synthetic grass to access the soil and root system.
    • Pre-installation of ports allows for easy access and minimizes repairs.
  • Fertilize your trees regularly with a product that contains organic matter that can enrich the soil.
    • Artificial turf kills beneficial bacteria and fungi, so these organisms need to be replenished.
  • Water your trees during dry periods.
    • Without the indicator of browning grass, it can be difficult to remember that living plants still need water.
    • Establish a good watering routine to keep your trees healthy during hot and dry seasons.
  • Before installing artificial grass, consult an ISA Certified Arborists  to evaluate your trees.
    • An arborist can make you aware of any pre-existing issues with your trees and provide advice on how best to prepare your trees for the stress of synthetic turf installation.
  • Make sure to use a company employing ISA Certified Arborists for any tree health or trimming needs.
    • Inform them that you have synthetic grass around the tree, so that your arborist can be prepared to look for signs of decline.

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! Artificial turf can make lawn care easy, but it’s important to be aware of the impact synthetic grass can have on trees and the living components of your landscape. If you are considering having artificial grass installed, or want to know what impact your synthetic turf is having on your trees, one of our certified arborists would be happy to come out and have a look. Contact us today!

After the Storm…

by Texas Tree Surgeons Extreme Weather, Tree Health Care

Trees that survived the severe storm damage are going to need special care over the next few years. The loss of canopy will reduce the trees’ ability to photosynthesize for food and to take up water. We are entering the hottest part of the year; after the rains have passed, increased watering and fertilization are key. It is up to tree owners to supplement the nutrients that trees need, but can no longer absorb from their environment. Your arborist can discuss fertilization options, including our comprehensive, year-round Plant Health Care programs. Contact us to make sure you are taking the best care of your damaged trees.

Extensive defoliation, or loss of leaves, is common after severe storms with heavy rain, wind, and hail. While the leaves should grow back, the tree’s ability to take up nutrients and water from the soil is greatly impaired

While fertilization goes a long way toward helping damaged trees recover, they are also more susceptible to disease and pest infestations. With the recent wet weather, fungal issues are increasingly common, but insect activity and environmental stress are also a danger. Over the coming months and years, we expect to see:

Tree Failure and Death in Some Cases

While trees have the ability to store energy to last them for years, as these stores are depleted due to damage and infestation, the trees will slowly die.

Oak Wilt

Already a major concern in North Texas, the oak wilt-carrying beetles are drawn to open wounds and damaged areas. Until we have temperatures consistently above 90 degrees, the beetles and the fungus they carry will remain active.

Sunburn and Sun Scald

With reduced leafy canopy, the branches and trunks of trees will be exposed to more direct sunlight, which can cause further damage. Red oaks are especially prone to sun-related damage.

More Broken Limbs and Tree Damage

Trees grow in response to their surrounding, especially other trees. When one tree in a group is damaged or removed, other trees are exposed to the environment in ways they have not been before. As future storms and wind move through the area, the newly-exposed trees may not be adapted to their exposed conditions, and may not be able to withstand the elements. Ask your arborist to see if tree cabling and bracing might be recommended to reinforce your trees.

As you are considering fertilization, also talk to your arborist about treatment for fungi, bacteria, and pests. While treatments have varying effectiveness, depending on the specific situation, your arborist can discuss options for your trees. Contact us to have an arborist come out for a post-storm assessment.

After such a loss, the best remedial measure is to plant new trees. The best time to plant trees is the winter, so use the intervening months to consider where and what kind of trees to plant. It may not be the best idea to replace a removed tree with the same species. Talk to your arborist about types of trees that would thrive in your particular conditions, and to discuss the best place in your yard to plant a tree. (Even if you have had a tree removed, we don’t recommend replanting in the same place, as underground root systems may hinder the new tree’s growth.) Choose native species that can better cope with our North Texas weather. If you don’t have room for more trees, consider supporting a community organization that is replanting for those who need them.

The storm on Sunday, June 9th, 2019, damaged thousands of trees in Dallas, Richardson, Carrollton, Irving, and the surrounding areas. For many, this was the quickest, most devastating storm in recent memory. According to WFAA-TV meteorologist Pete Delkus, the winds increased to 63 MPH in only 5 minutes, with peak gusts at 71 MPH a few minutes later.

When the storm hit, one of our arborists was trapped in her home due to fallen branches, two staff members had flooded cars, two arborists were out of town, and our operations manager was stuck at a gas station, out of gas, waiting for the power to come back on. Our office was without power for three days, and those of us with power worked from home, the rest on the road, despite spotty cell service. Still, we tried to respond as quickly as we could, and have been able to assess over 700 properties for damage and deal with storm damage at nearly 200 homes. Visit our Facebook page for some photos of the damage we have seen!

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees, and we hate to see such widespread damage. We are proud to call North Texas home, and we are grateful for the opportunity to care for your trees, and the continued support of our community. If you ever have any questions or concerns about your trees, please let us know!