Abels Tree Service
Phone: (903) 266-9419

Allied Tree Service
Phone: (903) 566-8965

Arboreal Specialists Inc.
903-279-9934
http://www.tylerarborist.com

Allied Tree Service
Phone: (903) 571-0118

Arboreal Tree Service
Phone: (903) 881-2229

Artmires Urban Forestry LLC
Phone: (903) 581-4766

Aspen Tree Service
Phone: (903) 526-3212

Brendas Quality Tree Service
Phone: (903) 595-0199

Burns Environmental

james@burnsenvironmental.com

Carlos Tree Service
Phone: (903) 714-6709

Chavezs Tree Service
Phone: (903) 714-9385

East Texas Tree Service
Phone: (903) 561-9959

Emerald Tree Service
Phone: (903) 571-1515

Erasmo Tree Service
Phone: (903) 533-1182

Garcia Tree Service
Phone: (903) 533-0121

Glenns Tree Service
Phone: (903) 597-2804

Integrity Tree Care & Landscaping
Phone: (903) 581-5566

J & M Tree Service
Phone: (903) 316-7824

Johns Tree Service
Phone: (512) 395-9665

Jose Munoz Tree Service
Phone: (903) 566-1664

Longacre & Sons Tree Service
Phone: (903) 839-7131

M A Garcia Tree Service
Phone: (903) 595-5009

Pauls Tree Service
Phone: (903) 566-0077

Rays Stump Removal
Phone: (903) 593-9444

Romans Landscaping
Phone: (903) 714-6436

Shawnee Tree Transplanting Service
Phone: (800) 851-1672

Stump B Gone
Phone: (903) 780-8989

Torres Nicolas Tree Service
Phone: (903) 593-9185

Weems Tree L L C Incorporated
Phone: (903) 597-2118

Whites Tree Service
Phone: (903) 852-3530

Whitmire Utility Service
Phone: (903) 839-2905

Wise Tree Maintenance
Phone: (903) 894-3965

Yadur Tree Service
Phone: (903) 597-7351

Zemers Tree Maintenance & Stump Removal
Phone: (903) 882-6458

We all have personal pet peeves. One of mine, is bad tree pruning practices. It sometimes seems impossible to get this message across to people, especially when they cannot see the big picture, so I thought I would present it in a slightly different way:

Your mission for today? Destroy something that it took you and nature years of cooperation to produce! We will accomplish this by the following means:

• Take the top out of that tree. Great Idea! Let’s just whack of the top, wherever we like, and leave it open for disease, that will cause the limbs to die back to a healthy branch, and let water seep in, to rot it. Then there will be a new flush of young, poorly arranged, badly connected shoots, to invite in more disease and fungus.

• A slower death can be brought about by a more subtle approach: When thinning the limbs, don’t cut back to a lateral branch, just leave a few inches sticking out to rot and prevent healing. As this nub slowly rots away, we can invite more water, and disease into the main part of the adjoining limb, causing it to eventually rot, causing the next limb to rot………

• When we prune, make sure we allow the bark to be pulled away from the area around the cut. This will stop the flow of nutrients to the area, drying it out, and then allowing more water to settle in pockets inside the bark. This is another great way to invite in disease.

• If we happen to accidentally make a proper cut in the proper place, don’t worry, just spray on some petroleum based products, to keep it from healing or callousing over. The best product for this is a cleverly miss-named product known as pruning paint.

Well, I think you get the picture. I have worked in this industry for many years, and it still amazes me. I see it all the time, being done by “professionals” who should know better. The odd thing to me is that it is self evident, yet, people persist in doing it. All that needs to be done to prove my thesis, is to look at the results!

Thinking of topping a tree? Don’t do it! Just set the chainsaw and the pruners down, take a knee, and give me your attention for a few minutes. I know you want to make it perfect in shape and form, but what you are about to do will eliminate that possibility. Besides that, there is no reason you have to do it to get that just right shape for your tree.

Know your trees natural shape

Trees are genetically predisposed to certain shapes. finding your trees natural shape will give you a lot to go by. If it is naturally conical, it will continue to grow into that shape, no matter what you do. If the tree has a rounded habit, it will grow rounded.

Prune to a lateral branch

Now that you know the shape, if you need to thin the branches a little, that is no problem. Find the base of the unruly branch. You will notice some callous at the base of the connection. make your cut just outside of this. This area of your tree contains a lot of growth producing cells. When you remove the branch, the cells will kick in quickly to start the recovery process. This will be seen in the form of more callous.

Make a clean cut! Ragged edges slow healing and invite disease.

Never cut part of a branch off and leave the rest sticking out. If you do, this will allow the remaining part of the branch to die back, inviting disease and insects into the tree. eventually it will rot away, leaving a knot hole which will allow water inside to further degrade the infrastructure of the tree. Always cut back to a base or a lateral branch.

Support the Branches

As you prune, make sure the branch you are taking off is supported, so that it won’t peel away your trees bark. If it is to heavy, tie it off, or use a three cut method. That is, make your first cut several inches away from the lateral branch, so that the majority of the weight is removed before you make the final cut. You should also make a cut underneath and closer to the tree than the first, so that if it starts to peel bark, it will stop when it reaches this cut.

Just say no to paint!

Do not use pruning paint! I know you have always been told to, but don’t do it. The materials in the paint will not allow for the proper healing of the wound. the callous will only develop where the paint isn’t.

Reasons not to top

Why not top? If you top a tree, you will notice a sudden burst of young tender growth in the spring. Some people think this indicates a healthy tree. In actuality, it is the trees last ditch effort at survival. It is a mode similar to a human being gasping for air. The new growth will be poorly connected, and will be easy prey to insects, fungus, and disease.

Take a walk

Now, if you have any doubts about the truth of what I am saying, just walk around your neighborhood for a while with what I have said implanted in your mind. You will immediately see the truth of what I am saying. It is self evident.

Recap:

• Know your trees natural growth habit.

• When you prune, prune to a lateral branch.

• Make a clean cut.

• Cut just outside the callous of the limb or branch connection.

• Never leave stubs or nubs of branches.

• Support the branch being removed. Make three cuts if needed.

• Do not use pruning paint.

Now crank that saw, and have at it! Be sure to wear your protective gear, so you don’t saw off the wrong limb!

Tree Care | Planting Trees

It is a great investment in the value of your home, and a great investment in the future! What is it?
Planting trees!

Location

When deciding to plant a tree, think about the areas where you intend to plant. Look for such problems as overhead power lines. Will the tree eventually grow into the line? Check to make sure there are no underground obstacles like water, sewer, or power lines. Most utility companies can make sure the right people check this and mark the lines before you start to dig. Don’t plant a tree where it’s roots will invade your septic system, or crack the foundation of your home. Think about other trees and plants nearby, and how the new addition will effect them, both now and when it grows to maturity. Will the tree “shade out” your lawn as it grows? Will it shade out other plants, and if so, will this be acceptable? What type of soil do you have, and will you need to amend it? If so, you will need to have these things on hand. What type of tree will you plant? Make sure that it is appropriate for your area. Check with your counties extension agency if you are not sure. Now you have the preliminaries out of the way, dig a hole and chuck it in!!!!! NO, there is more to it than that!

Dig it

Now you know where you want to plant, you have made certain that there are are no overhead or underground obstacles or dangers, you have an appropriate tree for your area and all the amendments you will need. What are you waiting for? Dig that hole!

Plant it

Dig the hole quite a bit wider than the root ball, but no deeper. This is to prevent settling. Remove the tree from the pot, if it is really root bound, you may want to disturb the root ball a bit, by separating out some of the root a little or making a few slices. Don’t overdo it. Set the root ball in the hole very carefully, don’t strain your back, and watch out for that pesky limb that seems to want to slap you on the noggin.

Add amendments

Mix some soil and some mulch material together to fill in the sides. Make sure the tree is setting straight, that is, “plumb” in the hole. Back fill with the mix and tamp it firmly in. If you are using root stimulator, and I like to use it, follow the label directions for it’s use, build a small berm around the tree with the remaining soil, tamp it down, and water it in. Make sure you don’t have any air pockets, fill in where needed.

Staking

If your tree needs to be staked, to keep it from being blown over in the wind, put at least two stakes down, by driving them into the ground at opposite sides, and at an angle away from the tree. Don’t put much pressure on the tree when you tie it off. I usually use a short length of garden hose, slid over the rope, as a buffer between the tree and the rope. One thing you need to remember, especially if the tree isn’t always in plain sight, is, not to leave the rope on the tree so long that it grows into, or as we say, “girdles” the tree. Use the berm you built as a reservoir to water the tree as needed, then pat yourself on the back, and watch it grow!