It official, 2011 was the driest year on record and the second hottest. It is estimated that throughout Texas we lost as much as half a billion trees. That’s 500 million beautiful living trees people. Tough to imagine it getting hotter than last year or losing that amount of trees on a yearly basis. Estimates come in at roughly 2-10% loss of our 4.9 billion trees.
..”an estimated 100 million to 500 million trees with a diameter of 5 inches or larger on forestland were estimated to have succumbed to the drought. That range is equivalent to 2 to 10 percent of the state’s 4.9 billion trees.” Full release here
The drought is obviously the main culprit in these deaths as these numbers cover our forest, which do not benefit from irrigation. There has also been a great amount of residential tree death as is apparent during almost any stroll or drive around town. I believe many of the tree deaths in residential areas could have been avoided if the right species were chosen and irrigated properly.
I have seen a lot of death in trees with higher water requirements such as the Bald Cyprus, Cedars and Willows. In addition we lost a great many Palms from the winter cold, especially those that were not suited for this area. Windmill Palms and those protected from wind did the best last year.
High water trees suffered greatly but what about the other trees that have died. Native and adaptive varieties still have to be watered regularly for at least the first 2 seasons. The most common mistake is allowing new trees to go without the proper amount of water. Gatorbags (those green sacs you see at the base of trees in the medians) can be used to water the tree during restrictions.
I have assessed several properties for damages this year and from the information I have gathered many of those deaths are the result of improper irrigation. In some cases the inhabitants mainly tried to save money by not watering as much or not maintaining the sprinkler system. Sadly the end result is that in most cases it costs far more to replace the plant material then what the water or maintenance would have cost, especially if it’s a mature tree that can be upwards of 20,000. If this is you – Do Not expect to get that deposit back.
Links
Texas Forest Service: New video shows how and when to water drought-stricken trees. – Watering tips help you show your trees some love.
How to know if your Trees are Dead
Is your tree dead or not? That depends. When most trees are stressed, especially after drought conditions, they go dormant and shed some or even all of their leaves. Typically when the leaves all stay on and turn brown – it’s a bad sign. You want to see the tree shed and go dormant as this is a sign that the tree is trying to reserve energy and stop growth by going dormant.
Most tree companies will give you a free estimate to have an arborist come out and take a look at your trees. That’s truly the only definitive way for knowing whether or not your tree is dead. You should not trim a tree you think is distressed as it will have to use energy to repair the wound and take away from its efforts to heal itself. In addition, you should not let dead or dying trees remain in place as they become a hazard not only to you but for anyone trying to remove it. Here are some general things to look for when a tree is dead.
Deadwood: This is harder to do in the winter on tall trees. For smaller ones you can feel if branches are dry by how light they are. It will snap off fairly easily without arching. It will also be brown and dry on the inside when performing a scratch test. If you have a high percentage of dry, brittle, trunks or branches with a brown core, there’s a very good chance that your tree has met its end.
Decay or Rot: Sometimes this can be very apparent. It may be an open wound, crumbling wood, soft spots etc. Other times it’s a lot harder and may require an expert. By looking at a tree it is hard to tell if it is structurally sound. Rot usually occurs from the inside out and makes it difficult to tell. The telltale signs of holes from insect are a good indicator that wood boring insects are present.
Cracks: Large cracks at the branch collar or center of the trunks are usually an indicator that a tree is structurally compromised. Mix in our heavy winds and dry contracting soils and you have a very dangerous mix.
You should never attempt to diagnosis and take down a tree on your own. Not all trees need to be removed. A dormant or diseased tree is not a dead tree. Call a certified arborist to get recommendations on how to proceed. In addition it can be extremely dangerous to take down a structurally compromised tree as you have to climb the tree in order to cut the top.
Pecan – The Iconic Tree of TX
The Pecan tree is the iconic tree of the Texas landscape. Its native range begins at the eastern state border and moves westward until reaching areas where the average yearly rainfall drops below 32 inches. There, it traces the banks and flood plains of rivers and creeks into the west, eventually covering two-thirds of Texas.
It was along the banks of the Clear Fork of the Brazos that I first discovered the significance of Pecan trees. On a crisp, fall Sunday afternoon, in the late 50′s, I joined my grandparents and the people of a small Jones county town, at their city park, shuffling through fallen pecan leaves picking up the small nuts of the native trees that lined the river and formed a forest of branches on that first terrace above the river bank. While this was my first exposure to this autumnal ritual, it began near fifty years prior; peaking during the Great Depression years when nothing went to waste. Most of the nuts were small, less than one-half the size of pecans I purchase at today’s farmer’s markets. Whole families turned out to reap nature’s bounty–which had been scarce the previous year. Most of the pickers cached their prize into burlap bags. I was furnished a worn cotton pillowcase, which was most appropriate for my size and attention span.
As the afternoon sun dropped below the clouds on the western horizon, families gathered and loaded their bags into pickup beds or in the car trunks, or “turtlebacks” as they were referred to at the time. Over the next few weeks, most of the nuts were shelled, some in halves, but most in pieces. They later appeared in Thanksgiving and Christmas pies and pastries. A select few, those with thin shells and of significant size, were planted in coffee cans in hopes of producing a spring seedling that could be planted in the yard. Maybe, in the years to come, it would produce a crop of like nuts.
The ritual of pecan gathering was not unique to this west Texas, mostly rural community. It was commonplace to all parts of Texas fortunate to be graced by the shade of native pecan trees. For the full article from Arborilogical ServicesInc., Please click here.
Landscape Ideas: Pruning Your Oak Trees
By Maria Bargellini of Dallas Curb Appeal
Question: When do we Prune our Oak Trees in Texas
Answer: Winter is best. Avoid any pruning from February 1 through June 15th.
The best time to prune your oaks, especially Live Oaks and Red Oaks, is in late winter when they are dormant of less susceptible to insect and other forms of attacks. According to Texas Forest Service, the riskiest time to trim Oaks is from February 1st-June 15th. Pruning at the appropriate times will help you avoid the chance of your trees contracting Oak Wilt disease, which will not only kill your tree but has the potential to spread to neighboring Oaks and slowly kill them as well. Dead branches and branches under 2 inches in diameter are OK to trimmed throughout the year as necessary.
Question: Why Prune? Do I have to prune every year?
Answer: Only when necessary, and no, you do not.
There are a lot of things that have to be done in your landscape that require a schedule. Trees pruning and tree care are specific to your type and the conditions of your tree. Flowering types are not to be trimmed at the same time as evergreens as you will undoubtedly cut off all of next seasons blooms. Trees should be trimmed only when they need to be. What does that mean? Glad you asked. The pruning of branches create wounds in the tree that take years to heal. The bigger the cut or wound the more attractive the tree will be to insects as they see it as a sign of distress. One of the main reason Feb 1-June 15th is ideal is that it is when our insects aren’t in full force, searching for stressed trees.
You should only prune:
- Dead branches
- Branches that are over pedestrians or vehicles
- Limbs that are rubbing against each other
- Branches growing in the wrong direction
Dead branches: There’s no way of telling when a dead branch will fall or who it will fall on. It’s safe to say that at some point it will fall and it’s best for you to control the when and where.
Vehicles and Pedestrians: These are branches that hang too low and need to be cleared for the public right of way. And yes even if the trees is on the parkway, and technically owned by the city you are responsible for the trees maintenance as well as grass. Check with your local ordinances but for the most part you should have at least 8′ clearance over sidewalks and 10-15 over any vehicle crossing, such as a driveway or the street. There have been many a delivery or furniture truck that has met with the limbs of offending trees. By the way–the truck always wins that battle.
Rubbing: Limbs or branches that rub together whether naturally or from wind, will create a wound on 1 or both of the branches. This wounds emits a scent that allow insects to locate and attack it. Some limbs will actually even grow into each other to form one ugly branch.
Wrong direction: Branches that will are heading toward your gutters, windows, other trees, etc are best cut when they are young, under 2 inches. Smaller wounds are much easier are the tree and it is inevitable that they will be needing to be cut later so don’t procrastinate. It’s much better and even cheaper to do it early.
Dallas Curb Appeal also owns and operates DFW Christmas Lights and The Outdoor Lighting Expert. For more information on this or any other topic please feel free to comment below or visit our other sites for holiday and lighting topics.ShareThis