Give Your Trees Some TLC

Temperatures are hitting the 80s, the fruit trees are beginning to bloom and the bees are buzzing. Spring is upon us! Finally.

With intense spring storms surely on the horizon, now’s the time to give your trees a bit of post-winter TLC. If you haven’t had your trees inspected by a certified arborist in a while, do so now, before wind or hail storms make it into the forecast. Often, hazards that aren’t obvious to you can be lurking in your large shade trees. Damage caused by physical injury, ice or decay can quickly split large branches or fell entire trees once a strong gust of wind comes along.

Poor tree pruning runs rampant in Dallas. If the person you have hired to prune your trees shows up with a step ladder and a pole pruner, I’d highly suggest you cancel the appointment and run. Always ask for proof of ISA Certification and make sure your tree care company is insured and bonded. Pruning trees is a science and it takes knowledge and experience to do it right. One bad pruning job can ruin your precious tree and leave it more susceptible to storm damage, pests and diseases.

Large girdling roots were removed from this live oak and the root flares properly exposed.

Oak wilt disease is already on the move in our trees in Dallas and Fort Worth. This destructive disease can kill large oak trees within a matter of weeks. It also spreads from tree to tree through roots that connect the trees underground. If you have oak trees in high risk areas, you may want to have preventative treatments administered to your trees now. Oak wilt disease starts spreading actively around the end of February in Texas and continues through mid- to late-June. It’s best not to have oak trees pruned during this time, unless a certified, qualified tree care specialist has recommended specific pruning and knows how to handle disease prevention.

I’ve noticed a lot of trees around town right now with girdling roots. These are roots that wrap around the base of the trunk and the large structural roots and they can cut off the supply of water and nutrients, not to mention restrict growth. Girdling roots should be professionally pruned away before they cause big problems.

I’ve also seen mistletoe coming on strong in many trees around town. Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that sucks water and nutrients out of your tree. Mistletoe is more easily removed before your tree has leafed out, so there’s still some time to have this work performed.