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Identifying & Preventing Oak Wilt Disease

an oak tree

Texas is known for beautiful oak trees that live for hundreds of years, so it’s important that homeowners care for their oak trees properly. A threat to oak trees is a disease called oak tree wilt, which can quickly deteriorate your tree’s health.

If oak tree wilt is a problem in your yard, contact an expert. Early detection is crucial to prevent the disease from spreading to more of your trees. 

Identifying and Preventing Oak Wilt Disease

Oak trees make for gorgeous assets in any lawn, and keeping them healthy is important. One common issue that homeowners encounter is called oak wilt disease. This is a fungal disease, caused by beetles or root grafts, that invades the tree’s internal water transport system and causes the tree to wilt. Identifying and managing infected trees is crucial to preventing the spread of oak wilt.

Fungal mats, which are patches of fungal growth, can form under the … Read Full Post »

How to Trim Your Tree Canopy the Right Way

a tree leaves

Trimming your tree canopy not only makes the yard look its best but also keeps your home protected from falling dead branches.

If you’re wondering how to trim your tree canopy the right way, we’ll walk you through the 3 C’s of pruning, tips and techniques you can follow and times of the year when it’s best to trim. Additionally, we’ll cover when it’s best to call in a tree care professional to ensure that your trees stay healthy.

Why Is Proper Trimming Important?

Trimming serves three main purposes: aesthetics, safety and tree health. Removing dead or diseased branches helps prevent pests and stops the disease from spreading. You’ll also prevent dead branches from falling unexpectedly, which could injure someone or cause property damage.

A trimmed canopy also allows more sunlight to reach the grass below, which can help your lawn get fuller and greener. If you decide to sell your house, strong-looking trees … Read Full Post »

The Best Time To Prune Trees in Texas

pruning a tree

Trees offer more than just visual appeal. They add value to your property, enhance curb appeal and provide shade during the Texas heat. They also create more comfortable outdoor spaces you can actually enjoy. Whether you’re maintaining established deciduous trees or nurturing fruit trees, regular care makes a big difference in the long-term health of your landscape.

However, when trees are neglected, they not only lose their appeal but can also cause property damage due to falling limbs, termites or disease. That’s why tree pruning, removing dead or overgrown branches, is essential to maintaining the trees’ beauty and value.

Pruning isn’t only for your home’s safety or the trees’ health. Pruning branches helps to prevent the overgrowth of tree limbs. It also improves overall health by encouraging new growth, but only when done correctly.

Even savvy homeowners sometimes don’t know the best time to prune trees and shrubs or the best techniques to … Read Full Post »

Native Trees for Your San Antonio Yard

cedar elm tree

San Antonio doesn’t just boast a rich heritage and enviably mild winters. The city is also alive with a variety of native trees that can make any visitor green with envy. San Antonio residents are spoiled with choice when it comes to trees they can plant in their yards, including hardy deciduous varieties, evergreens and flowering ornamentals.

If you want a luscious yard you’ll be proud to show off to your neighbors, here’s a guide to the most common native trees in the area. Arborists can help you find the best spots for them on your property. They can also create an optimal pruning schedule for your trees and ensure they grow strong and healthy.

These Native Trees in San Antonio Are Perfect for Your Yard

Given the wide variety in San Antonio, choosing trees for your yard can be overwhelming. To help you out, we’ve narrowed it down to the nine most … Read Full Post »

Best Season to Prune Trees

pruning trees

If you’re growing trees on your property, you’re probably eager to give them all the TLC they need to thrive. But before you head out to your garden and start pruning, knowing how to do this is important. Pruning trees is a misunderstood chore, leading homeowners to sometimes do more harm than good. Unfortunately, incorrect pruning can lead to poor or unnatural plant growth and low flower and fruit production.

If you want lush greenery in your garden, it helps to know the best season to prune trees. However, the timing depends on the type of tree and other factors.

Here’s an in-depth guide on when to schedule pruning and other helpful tips. For the best results, let a professional arborist take over. The arborist will give your trees the proper care they deserve. They can also tell you about the difference between tree pruning and trimming.

Best Season to Prune Trees: Factors … Read Full Post »

How To Prune Citrus Trees

a citrus tree

Imagine waking up to a refreshing glass of freshly squeezed fruit juice every morning. With citrus trees in your garden, you can enjoy this. But to get the reward, you have to put some work into your citrus trees.

If you’re wondering how to prune citrus trees, here’s a guide to take you through the process. For busy homeowners who don’t have time for gardening work, a professional arborist can keep your citrus trees healthy and beautiful. The arborist has the tools and skills to prune, water and fertilize citrus trees.

How To Prune Citrus Trees: Methods, Timing and Equipment

Most deciduous trees need regular pruning to stay healthy. Pruning invigorates the trees and reconfigures their branches, making them less prone to breaking under heavy crops. It also helps them produce better-tasting fruits.

If you have experience with deciduous trees, like oak trees, you might think citrus trees require the same care. However, citrus … Read Full Post »

Types of Magnolia Trees

southern magnolia tree

Did you know that there are more than 200 species of magnolia trees? In Central Texas, four main types thrive in our warm weather and sunlight: southern magnolia trees, little gem magnolia trees, saucer magnolia trees and star magnolia trees.

Each type of magnolia tree produces stunning flowers that make them the focal point of any lawn or garden. However, they have different care and maintenance needs, so it’s helpful for homeowners to understand the difference between each type.

Southern Magnolia

The southern magnolia tree, pictured above, is beloved for its large, velvety, dark green leaves. It grows larger than other types of magnolia trees, and some can reach up to 80 feet tall. Because of its noble size and appearance, this tree is also known as the “Grand Dame” of the magnolia tree family.

Southern magnolia trees produce beautiful and fragrant white flowers that grow as large as 12 inches in diameter. With … Read Full Post »

Tree Pruning Versus Trimming

a pro trimming a tree

As a homeowner, you know that proper tree maintenance is important to having a beautiful and healthy property. However, do you know the different techniques required to maintain your trees?

Many homeowners confuse or interchange the concepts of tree pruning and trimming. However, they are two different things with different purposes and outcomes.

Working with an arborist is the best way to maintain your trees’ beauty and vitality. They have the right tools and knowledge to trim or prune your trees without damaging them.

Tree Pruning Versus Trimming

Do you know the difference between tree pruning and trimming your trees? While both tree maintenance methods are similar, they have different purposes.

Trimming primarily refers to an immediate need to be addressed and is usually only in reference to one specific or a few branches. Examples of trimming include removing a broken branch, trimming low hanging branches over a sidewalk and trimming back the end of … Read Full Post »

Why Is My Crape Myrtle Not Blooming?

a crape myrtle tree

Crape myrtle is a gorgeous plant that boosts the curb appeal of any home. They produce a cloud of beautiful and colorful blooms in the summertime and rich-colored green leaves in the fall.

If your crape myrtle is not blooming, there could be many reasons, such as too much shade, insufficient water, improper pruning or a soil imbalance. Keep reading to learn how to correct these problems so that your crape myrtle will bloom its beautiful flowers again.

Next, the growth of black fungus can weaken crape myrtle plants and detract from their beauty. Seeing sooty mold means that your crape myrtle has an insect infestation you must deal with before it spreads further.

Lastly, crape myrtle aphids are the most common pest to infest crape myrtle trees and shrubs. They suck the sap from the leaves and leave a sugary substance that causes black mold to grow. Luckily, there are easy ways … Read Full Post »

Tree Pruning Tips

a homeowner trimming their trees

Pruning trees adds to the beauty and esthetic value of any property. When it’s done incorrectly though, it can reduce both the appeal and value of the surrounding landscaping and property. In fact, the general rule of thumb is that no pruning is better than bad pruning.

Tree trimming refers to when you have to remove a few branches to avoid branches scraping across your home or becoming a falling hazard during a storm. Tree pruning is the process of removing parts of a tree or plant, typically with the goal of improving the plant’s health, beauty or value. Here are a few reasons why you would prune trees:

  • “Training” the plant to grow in a specific shape or direction
  • Improving plant health by focusing nutrition on preferred areas
  • Encourage higher-quality growth of fruits or foliage
  • Restricting growth to maintain a preferred height or circumference

Basics of Tree Pruning

Pruning achieves its best results when cuts are made … Read Full Post »