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How To Save A Dying Tree: A Closer Look At Tree Health

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
how to save a dying tree

Homeowners with mature trees typically love them for their shade, majestic beauty and the enhanced curb appeal and property value they provide. But if you have a tree that seems to be ailing, you may wonder how to save a dying tree. Many homeowners also wonder how to recognize the symptoms of a tree that is diseased or otherwise in need of help, so they can provide care before it’s too late.

There are a number of different diseases that can infect a tree’s branches, roots or foliage. So many, in fact, that you may need the help of a professional who specializes in trees to give you an accurate assessment of your tree’s health. The good news is, most tree diseases cause a range of visible symptoms that can serve as warning signs, enabling homeowners to intervene on behalf of the tree’s health. The not-so-good … Read Full Post »

Benefits Of Pruning For Healthy Plant Growth

. Posted by in • San Antonio
Benefits of pruning

Trees might be the oldest, largest living organisms on Earth, but they’re not invincible. For a tree to live a long, healthy life in an urban environment, these plants need some human assistance.

Outside of their natural growing environment in the wild, trees often require pruning for them to improve clearance, develop a durable structure and maintain their aesthetics.

Pruning helps a plant exhibit its most desirable attributes. Many plants—including spring-flowering plants like spirea, viburnums, weigela and strawberry bush, as well as summer-flowering plants like roses, hibiscus and crape myrtle—stand to benefit greatly from proper pruning.

How so?

Pruning promotes health by enabling you to get rid of sickly or diseased plant parts. Trimming also helps with insect management. Lastly, removing dead or dying branches or stems enhances the beauty of your plants.

Here’s the bad news: improper pruning could potentially cause severe damage that can, in the most severe cases, contribute to the death … Read Full Post »

Fast Growing Trees: Which Types Best Fit Your Needs?

. Posted by in • San Antonio
Fast growing trees

When you moved into your home, you realized that you had a lot of room to grow—quite literally—in the tree department. You probably expected that over time, your trees would provide you with much-needed shade on a hot summer day, a reduction in your utility bills and an improvement to your curb appeal.

So, what if that wasn’t the case? What if you now want to make up lost time so that you can enjoy the benefits of having trees on your property?

Below, we will explore which fast-growing trees tend to grow the best in southern states—USDA Zones 6-10—and divide them up by type. We’ll also provide you with important information about what conditions create optimal growth so that you can add these valuable plants to your landscape.

Fast-Growing Trees For Privacy

One of the biggest reasons people graduate from apartments to houses is to get more privacy. While a fence is nice, … Read Full Post »

Tree Crowning: Is It Good Idea Or A Mistake?

. Posted by in • Austin
Tree crowning

One of the things that drew you to your home was the beautiful trees. Perhaps you’ve never really had much of a green thumb, so you left the trees to their own devices. So far, that hasn’t been a problem.

Recently, though, you’ve noticed that those gorgeous trees have gotten a bit out of control. Where once they were uniform and well-manicured, now there are random branches jutting out here and there, giving your trees a ragged, lop-sided appearance.

You’ve considered dragging yourself up on your ladder to cut the offending branches. You’ve heard there is a technique called “tree crowning”, but you’re not really sure exactly how to do it—or even whether it would be a good thing to do.

The most important thing we can convey is that tree crowning is very rarely recommended by reputable lawn care experts. Although it may achieve your aesthetic goals, tree crowning will often damage … Read Full Post »

Best Trees For Central Texas: A Homeowner’s Guide

. Posted by in , • Austin
Best trees for Central Texas

If you live in Austin, San Antonio or any of the surrounding cities, towns and rural spaces that make up the vast and beautiful Central Texas region, you already know something about Central Texas trees: In order not just to survive but to thrive, they have to be able to withstand periods of high heat and drought as well as occasional frigid snaps and deluges of water when the rainy season hits in spring and fall. That’s right—Central Texas trees have to be as tough, hardy and resilient as the people who live here. The best trees for Central Texas landscapes include varieties that can withstand all of the above, along with a variety of soil compositions, including plenty of rocks and limestone. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the best trees for Central Texas gardeners and the outdoor spaces they love.

Texas Ash Tree: A Classic Choice For … Read Full Post »

Texas Native Trees: Species That Thrive In Our Climate

. Posted by in , • Austin
Texas Native Trees

Trees add to the aesthetics of your property, help reduce energy costs and improve your home’s value. But which trees are, in fact, best suited for the extreme heat and dry conditions we often experience here in Texas?

Many homeowners aren’t sure which types of trees have adapted to our climate. They may also not realize that planting these species on your property can reduce your water bills, decrease the time you spend on maintenance and lower the risk of a tree’s limbs falling because of stress from drought. Keep reading to learn more about Texas native trees, the fastest growing shade trees in Texas, Texas evergreen trees, Texas flowering trees and the most common trees in Texas.

Texas Native Trees: Low Maintenance Additions To Your Landscape

A recent study reported that about 90% of the trees found in Austin are native. The survey put the final tally of the number of trees … Read Full Post »

Composting Oak Leaves: A Complete Guide

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
Composting oak leaves

Newcomers to Texas and other parts of the country where oaks are prevalent are surprised to learn that these stately trees lose their leaves in the spring rather than during the fall. While oaks give us wonderful shade from the intense sun, they do give us lots of other things during the year: leaves.

No matter how long you’ve had oak trees, if you’re like a lot of people, you’re probably not a huge fan of having dead leaves cover that beautiful lawn you’ve spent so much time on. Moreover, you might have heard that oak leaves are acidic and worry they will damage your grass or soil if you don’t get rid of them quickly.

In the past, you may have simply raked up the leaves and put them in bags. Is there a better solution?

In fact, there is not only a better solution, but several options. Most of them come down … Read Full Post »

The Best Time To Prune Trees in Texas

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
best time to prune trees in Texas

There are many reasons why trees, especially mature trees, raise the property value of your home. Trees provide majestic beauty and undeniable curb appeal, along with much-needed shade in the Texas heat. They enable us to stay out of the sun as we relax outdoors, and they also provide both shelter and food for many varieties of animals and insects.

Trees that aren’t well maintained, however, can become not only an eyesore, but also an actual liability. Homeowners who don’t maintain their trees risk injury and property damage due to fallen limbs, termites, tree diseases and other hazards. That’s why pruning your trees—trimming away dead or overgrown branches—is essential to maintaining the trees’ longevity, beauty and value.

Pruning trees isn’t only for purposes of increased safety, health or value, either. While pruning branches helps to prevent the overgrowth of tree limbs, it also improves the overall health of the tree by encouraging … Read Full Post »

What You Need to Know About Shade Trees in Texas

. Posted by in , , • San Antonio
shade trees texas

You opted for the house with the big yard. Only there’s a problem. It’s kind of hard to go outside–at all–in a yard without any trees to shield you from the blistering Texas summer sun. So now you’re wondering: should I get a shade tree? More than one? What are the most common trees in Texas? How long do they take to grow? What exactly do you need to do to care for them?

What You Need to Know About Shade Trees in Texas

You can start to answer your own questions by looking around and doing some “Texas tree identification” on your own. In other words, the best place to start is with the shade trees that you see growing in your own neighborhood.

From there, though, you’re probably going to need a bit of help. You’ll need to learn what it takes to get the shade tree that’s right for you and … Read Full Post »

San Antonio Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017

. Posted by in , , , , , , • San Antonio
San Antonio Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017

 

Spring is a great time of year to turn your focus as a homeowner to how to improve your living and outdoor spaces. The return of nicer weather is also a great excuse to get out, enjoying all San Antonio has to offer.

San Antonio Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017

ABC Home & Commercial Services has been making life easier for homeowners for over 60 years. Our San Antonio Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017 is full of resources and helpful information to continue on that tradition.

The 9-page Guide includes:

  • Ten Things to Do in San Antonio This Spring
  • Spring Home Maintenance Checklist
  • Spring Cleaning List of Where to Donate or Dispose of Common Household Items Locally
  • Advice on How to Mosquito-Proof Your Yard
  • Spring Gardening Tips
  • 6 Signs You May Need to Repair Your AC
  • What You Need to Know About Oak Wilt
  • Easy Home Improvement Projects

Download the guide here. Read on for a taste of the information you’ll find … Read Full Post »