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How to Trim a Tree

. Posted by in • San Antonio
how to trim a tree

The most valuable part of your home’s landscape is the trees. Healthy, mature shade trees significantly improve a home’s curb appeal and value, and often reduce energy costs.

How To Trim a Tree

In this article, we’ll look at how you can safely trim a tree without causing harm to the tree itself.

Why Should You Prune a Tree?

There are a number of reasons why a homeowner might want to trim trees on their property. Here are a few of the reasons why pruning a tree makes sense:

  • Removing dead limbs before they can cause damage to property, people or pets.
  • Allowing more sunlight into the yard.
  • Preventing rodents and other pests from using branches as a pathway to your roof.
  • Eliminating branches that interfere with fencing, structures or other landscaping.
  • Creating a better shape or removing erratic growth.
  • Removing suckers (new growth) at the base … Read Full Post »

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Fall is Tree Planting Season in Austin

. Posted by in , • Austin
tree planting tips

Tips and Tricks for Planting a Tree This Fall

Fall is one of our favorite times of the year. Between sipping apple cider, snacking on pumpkin muffins, and preemptively planning for this year’s Thanksgiving Dinner, there are just so many activities we look forward to.

And though you might be more interested in carving pumpkins or watching football, you might want to consider planting a few new trees around your home. Did you know that fall is the perfect time of year to plant new trees in Austin?

Below are a few of our tree planting tips.

Selecting Your Tree

Properly planting a new tree starts with your selection. The first step to choosing the right tree is deciding its purpose. For example, will it provide privacy or is it simply for aesthetics? Deciding how your tree will enhance your home will help you decide which tree you should look for.

What type of tree would … Read Full Post »

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Tree Pruning Tips for a Beautiful Home Landscape

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
tree pruning tips

Congratulations! You’ve finally settled into your new home, and there are only a few things left remaining on your to-do list. Hang the last of the paintings, purchase a new welcome rug for your entryway, and of course, tidy up your lawn. So if your weekend plans involve running to the nursery to pick up a few new plants, this post is for you.

If you’ve never had a backyard or even a patch of grass for that matter, the idea of maintaining your new lawn can be daunting. Which plants will flourish; how often should you trim your trees; where do you even begin? If you find yourself overwhelmed, fear not: our team at ABC San Antonio is here to help.

Here are a few tips and tricks on how to successfully trim and prune your new lawn.

Know the Pruning Basics

As a new homeowner, it’s important to know why we prune … Read Full Post »

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Watering Your Trees in the Dry Summer Heat

. Posted by in , , • Bryan-College Station
watering trees in summer

 

Summers in Bryan-College Station are hot and dry. Even in a year when we’re not in a drought, our trees, shrubbery and other landscaping plants will struggle to make it through our long summer days.

Established trees can withstand stretches of dry conditions during the summer, but if you planted any new trees or shrubs in the past year, they might be struggling by now. Lack of water causes stress that weakens plants, making them more susceptible to disease and fungus, and their root systems can become compromised.

Why is this an issue? Isn’t the drought over?

Even with all the rain we received this spring and early summer, the heat and intense sun will dry out the soil.

Each day, trees take in water through their roots and then transpire that moisture out through their leaves. Your majestic oaks have developed extensive root systems, including deep tap roots, which allow them to find … Read Full Post »

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Proper Tree Care Protocol

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station
trees can drink several gallons of water per day

We’ve had some crazy weather in College Station recently. Between the tornadoes and floods, Mother Nature has wreaked havoc on our neighborhood. And speaking of nature, our trees are also on the receiving end of these recent severe weather patterns.

Local workers have been busy cleaning up downed trees. Oversized limbs are too large to haul off, so they must be cut into smaller chunks. Some trees have so much damage that they need to be removed entirely. And unfortunately, these broken trees can cause injuries to our homes and power lines.

We can’t control the weather, but we can attempt to take better care of our trees to limit destruction of property after massive storms.

So what is the best way to maintain our trees?

First, identify the type of trees on your property and educate yourself about them. Trees commonly grown in the College Station area are oak, pecan, elm, cedar, and … Read Full Post »

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Celebrating the Big Tree in Goose Island Park

. Posted by in , • Corpus Christi
Big Tree Rockport Texas

 The Big Tree at Goose Island State Park north of Rockport, Texas. Photo Credit: Larry D. Moore

The Oldest Known Tree in Texas.

We’ve all marveled at different types of trees from around the world. From Redwoods in California to Banyan trees in India to Baobab trees in Madagascar, there are unique and incredibly old trees all over the world. Have you ever wondered what the oldest or most unique tree in Texas is?

The oldest tree on record in Texas is right in our neighborhood, a 1,000-year-old Coastal Live Oak nicknamed “The Big Tree”. Over its lifetime, the tree has withstood between 40 and 50 hurricanes and narrowly escaped destruction during the Civil War as Union troops set fire to the town of Lamar not far away.

Where did the Big Tree come from?

So, how did this tree, like a handful of other old trees around the world, manage to live so long? … Read Full Post »

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How to handle your neighbor’s overgrown trees

. Posted by in , , • Austin
tree trimming services

 

Large, established trees are a fixture in many older neighborhoods. Think about the new home developments you’ve visited, and they all likely have one thing in common: no established trees! These older trees provide shade on hot summer days, a home and food source for animals, play areas for children, and can even provide energy savings when blocking sunlight from entering a home.

With all of these benefits come several challenges. Property lines in neighborhoods exist in fixed areas, and tree growth of both roots and branches do not conform to any set location. Homeowners commonly run into situations where a tree sits on a property line, or a tree trunk grows in one yard with its branches hanging into another yard.

As a homeowner, what is the best way to deal with a shared tree that requires maintenance?

First, understand that this is a very common issue. The root systems of trees … Read Full Post »

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Texas Oak Tree Leaves And Varieties That Thrive In Our Climate

. Posted by in , , • San Antonio
oak tree leaves

Texas is famous for its oak trees. In fact, there are more than 50 varieties native to Texas. Oak trees are important for wildlife because they provide acorns for food, and the large trees provide shelter within their huge branches. Even after an oak tree dies in the wild, it provides shelter as it slowly decays. Some oak trees grow more quickly than others and make good trees for landscaping. These trees can also help decrease your utility bills, protect against erosion, add to your landscape’s aesthetic appeal, buffer your home from strong winds and add to the value of your home.

Oak Tree Leaves: Similarities And Differences

There are about 60 different types of oak trees which are native to North America. These trees fall into two primary categories: red oaks and white oaks. Oaks have what is called “alternate” leaves, which means that only one leaf emerges from the stem, … Read Full Post »

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