Southeast Texas Tree Care Blog https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog.html The Loblolly Pine: From Finding Tree Planters to Locating a Tree Removal Service https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2013/1/The-Loblolly-Pine-From-Finding-Tree-Planters-to-Locating-a-Tree-Removal-Service <p style="margin-left: 40px;">Over 300 million trees perished in the Texas drought of 2011. According the surveys completed by the Texas A&M Forest Service, the area comprising Harris County (greater Houston), Montgomery County (The Woodlands, Magnolia and Conroe), and Walker County (Huntsville), lost 18.8 million. That is a significant number considering that a large portion of this area is urban, and the suburban areas are also highly populated and highly developed.</p> <h2 style="margin-left: 40px;">Loblolly Tree Removal and Replenishing a Community Effort</h2> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">Local residents have wasted no time in replanting efforts, with townships like The Woodlands committing to plant “at least two times the number of trees that we remove” through what they have termed their “hazard tree removal...</p> Mon, 14 Jan 2013 15:03:00 GMT The Chinkapin Oak: Locating a Tree Expert and a Tree Service Company for Installation https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2013/1/The-Chinkapin-Oak-Locating-a-Tree-Expert-and-a-Tree-Service-Company-for-Installation <p> </p> <p>The Chinkapin Oak is a variety of oak that may not be immediately familiar to you, but it is in the white oak family and is an especially good tree specimen to consider planting in your yard if you are looking for a beautiful shade tree with lots of benefits. </p> <p>So named for the Algonquian tribe's word for the acorn nut <i>chinquapin</i> produced by this tree, the Chinquapin, or more commonly, the Chinkapin, is a beautiful shade tree specimen of medium size (around 40 feet tall) that has not been given the exposure it is due here in southeast Texas. It provides a suprising splash of color in the spring, with its foliage first emerging a reddish color and then deepening to a rich, dark green as it continues ...</p> Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:02:00 GMT Tree Removal Service Addresses Leaf Litter: Composting and Mulching Service https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/12/Tree-Removal-Service-Addresses-Leaf-Litter-Composting-and-Mulching-Service <h1 style="margin-left: 80px;">As an Arbor Care Service and a Tree Removal Service, we feel it is our priviledge to address Leaf Litter:</h1> <p style="margin-left: 80px;"><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Turning tree trash into compost, or for use as mulch,<br /> is a service for your trees & shrubs.</strong></span></p> <p style="margin-left: 80px;"><strong><span style="font-size:16px;">And, you can do it yourself in four easy steps.</span></strong></p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">Here in Southeast Texas, the annual task of putting up Christmas lights is accompanied by the task of raking the yard. Winter comes late and leaves early in these parts, and while raking leaves is an early November chore in most of the USA, it is delayed until Christmas around here.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">As an arbor tree service and tree removal service in The Woodlands area of Texas, most of our deciduous trees are oak trees, and they can make for great compost. The trick with oak leaves, however, is that they ...</p> Fri, 07 Dec 2012 10:36:00 GMT To Save or Remove the Tree: Tree Cutting Service, Tree Removal Companies, and a Tree Pruning Service https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/11/To-Save-or-Remove-the-Tree-Tree-Cutting-Service-Tree-Removal-Companies-and-a-Tree-Pruning-Service <p> </p> <p>When it comes to a tree’s life, its beauty can withstand many decades, or be “cut” short too soon due to accidents from poor weather. It’s important to know the signs of when a tree can be salvaged and helped, and if it is truly time to call the tree cutting service.</p> <p>The tree is definitely a keeper if it is only losing a major limb, but be sure to check for deeper wounds in the months to follow that may show excess damage or decay. If a tree has minor damage where the stronger limbs have survived, the tree can be salvaged.</p> <p>There are three key instances when it is time to say goodbye to the tree. When a healthy tree loses its leafy head and leaves the trunk broken and exposed, it will never be able to regain...</p> Thu, 15 Nov 2012 01:59:00 GMT Best Trees to Plant in Montgomery County: Contacting a Tree Specialist and Planting Service https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/11/Best-Trees-to-Plant-in-Montgomery-County-Contacting-a-Tree-Specialist-and-Planting-Service <p> </p> <p>Why wait until Earth Day to plant a tree when you could pick and choose the best trees for Montgomery County today? When it comes to looking at the best trees to plant near the Woodlands, Texas, it’s important to decide which type of tree you want to plant first.</p> <p>If you’re looking for a big shade tree that will one day hold tire swings in the back yard, or provide a natural cover during the blazing hot months in June and July, oak trees are the way to go. Live Oak trees are Texas natives that have evergreen leaves, have a rapid growth rate, and offer seeds or fruit that wildlife can eat. Make sure to allow plenty of room to grow though because Live Oaks can develop surface roots. White Oaks are also native to Texas and ...</p> Thu, 08 Nov 2012 01:57:00 GMT Global Warming Issues: How to Prevent Air Pollution and Looking at the Atmospheric Layers https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/10/Global-Warming-Issues-How-to-Prevent-Air-Pollution-and-Looking-at-the-Atmospheric-Layers <p> </p> <div class="ui-editor-content" contenteditable="true" style="min-height: 12px; "> <p>The layers of the atmosphere are <span class="spun" spin-data="["made from","composed from","composed of"]">composed of</span> <span class="spun" spin-data="["usually","often","mostly"]">mostly</span> nitrogen and oxygen, and act as a security blanket <span class="spun incomplete" spin-data="["around the","round the"]">round the</span> earth. The <span class="spun" spin-data="["ratio","proportion","percentage"]">percentage</span> of nitrogen to oxygen is the <span class="spun incomplete" spin-data="["firmly","tightly"]">tightly</span> woven fabric of the blanket. The atmosphere traps <span class="spun incomplete" spin-data="["glowing","radiant"]">radiant</span> <span class="spun incomplete" spin-data="["heat","warmth"]">warmth</span> from <span class="spun" spin-data="["the sun&#39;s rays","the sun's rays","solar beams"]">solar beams</span> and keeps the temperature of the planet stable: warm enough to support <span class="spun" spin-data="["plant and animal","animal and plant","animal and vegetative"]">animal and vegetative</span> life, and cool enough to maintain the water in the <span class="spun incomplete" spin-data="["oceans","seas"]">seas</span>.</p> <p>As <span class="spun incomplete" spin-data="["everyone knows,","we all know,"]">we all know,</span> air pollution destroys the atmosphere, and, <span class="spun" spin-data="["by doing this,","by doing so,","in doing so ,"]">in doing so ,</span> <span class="spun" spin-data="["risks","threatens","endangers"]">endangers</span> our island earth home. Many everday activities produce air emissions that pollute our <span class="spun" spin-data="["environment","surroundings","world"]">world</span>. <span class="spun" spin-data="["Power usage,","Energy usage,","Energy consumption,"]">Energy consumption,</span> which <span class="spun" spin-data="["involves","comprises","includes"]">includes</span> the burning of fuels <span class="spun incomplete" spin-data="["like","such as"]">such as</span> coal, <span class="spun" spin-data="["gas,","gasoline,","petrol,"]">petrol,</span> and diesel, removes oxygen to burn and replaces it with <span class="spun incomplete" spin-data="["pollutants","contaminants"]">contaminants</span> that ...</p>...</div> Sun, 28 Oct 2012 13:44:00 GMT Avoid a Deer Tick Bite: Know the Effects of Lyme Disease and the Signs of Lyme Disease https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/10/Avoid-a-Deer-Tick-Bite-Know-the-Effects-of-Lyme-Disease-and-the-Signs-of-Lyme-Disease <p> </p> <p><span class="spun incomplete" spin-data="["People","Folks"]">Folks</span> in the northeastern U.S. Should <span class="spun" spin-data="["take precautions","take care","make preparations"]">make preparations</span> to avoid a deer tick bite when heading <span class="spun" spin-data="["out of doors","outdoors","outside"]">outside</span> this spring <span class="spun" spin-data="["because of","thanks to","due to"]">due to</span> the stifling effects of lyme disease. Ecologists at the Cary Institute of <span class="spun" spin-data="["Eco-system","Ecosystem","Ecology"]">Ecology</span> Studies in <span class="spun" spin-data="["NY","New York","N. Y"]">N. Y</span> <span class="spun" spin-data="["foretell","predict","envision"]">envision</span> <span class="spun incomplete" spin-data="["that this","this"]">this</span> will be a record year for Lyme <span class="spun incomplete" spin-data="["disease","illness"]">illness</span> transmission, thanks to <span class="spun" spin-data="["an abundance","a sufficiency","a surplus"]">a surplus</span> of <span class="spun incomplete" spin-data="["barbarous","bloodthirsty"]">bloodthirsty</span> deer tick <span class="spun incomplete" spin-data="["sprites","nymphs"]">nymphs</span> <span class="spun incomplete" spin-data="["that&#39;ll","that will"]">that will</span> be active in May and June. The <span class="spun incomplete" spin-data="["bumper","fender"]">fender</span> <span class="spun" spin-data="["batch","cluster","crop"]">crop</span> of ticks has <span class="spun" spin-data="["nada","zilch","nothing"]">nothing</span> to do with the <span class="spun" spin-data="["nice","warm","mild"]">mild</span> weather though. <span class="spun" spin-data="["It is actually","It&#39;s","It's all"]">It's all</span> about the acorns!</p> <p>In 2010, oak trees <span class="spun incomplete" spin-data="["across","throughout"]">throughout</span> the northeast produced a <span class="spun" spin-data="["massive","big","huge"]">huge</span> number of acorns. Where there are acorns, there will <span class="spun incomplete" spin-data="["certainly","surely"]">surely</span> be rodents. In 2011, populations of white-footed mice and eastern chipmunks increased <span class="spun" spin-data="["thanks to","because of","due to"]">due to</span> the <span class="spun" spin-data="["wealth","abundance","selection"]">selection</span> of acorns. So last year, we had <span class="spun" spin-data="["plenty","lots","a lot"]">a...</span>...</p> Sun, 21 Oct 2012 13:48:00 GMT Dangers of Tree Topping: Determining a Good Tree Cutting Service to Avoid Tree Damage https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/10/Dangers_of_Tree_Topping_Determining_a_Good_Tree_Cutting_Service_to_Avoid_Tree_Damage <p> </p> <p>"Topping trees" is a term used in arboriculture--it means cutting older trees down almost to the top of their trunk. Topping trees is sometimes used as a less expensive alternative to their full removal, and for large trees, this process can be quite costly. Usually tree topping is done because the homeowner is in a pinch, and it's not always best because it causes serious tree damage. </p> <p>There are some types of trees that die as a result of tree topping, and it comes at little expense to the owner who did not want the tree in the first place. This is why it is vital to know the types of trees in your yard and make careful decisions based on the tree's health instead of what looks nice for landscaping.</p> <p>The ...</p> Sun, 14 Oct 2012 15:42:00 GMT Buy Mulch! Understanding Damage to Trees During the Frost Hardy Seasons https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/10/Buy_Mulch_Understanding_Damage_to_Trees_During_the_Frost_Hardy_Seasons <p> </p> <p>Damage to trees can happen in the winter due to a number of cold-weather related Problems. The tree damage doesn't necessarily happen thanks to the cold itself, but more so from the intense temperature fluctuations and when the cold weather conditions arrives during the trees ' asleep or growing periods. Other tree damages include the following: frost check, sunscaid, chemical injury from deicing salt, late spring freezes, and frozen roots. Fortunately, there are many ways to deal with these winter tree quandaries.</p> <p>Frost injury occurs when the tree continues to grow when the winter arrives early in the fall or stays late in the spring. The frost can kill the tree tissue and presumably constrict tree expansion for good. Be ...</p> Thu, 04 Oct 2012 15:50:00 GMT Ornamental Tree Care: Magnolia Care, and Identifying Problems on Magnolia Flower s and Leaves https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/9/Ornamental_Tree_Care_Magnolia_Care_and_Identifying_Problems_on_Magnolia_Flower_s_and_Leaves <p style="margin-left: 40px;">There is an abundance of Magnolia varieties hardy to our Southeast Texas region. To know how to best care for your Magnolia, it is important that you first know the species that you have.  Some Magnolias are deciduous, and some are evergreen. Winter is approaching fast, and many ask what would be appropriate pre-winter Magnolia care. Here is a good list to use as a guide for most Magnolia varieties:</p> <h2 style="margin-left: 40px;">Magnolia Care for Root Systems</h2> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">Magnolias tend to have shallow root structures. If you are anticipating a cold spell, it is good to have a nice blanket of mulch or leaf litter to protect Magnolia root structures.</p> <h2 style="margin-left: 40px;">What Happens if Magnolia Flowers and Leaves Get Frostbite?</h2> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">Magnolia trees popular here in Southeast Texas, like the ...</p> Fri, 21 Sep 2012 22:26:00 GMT Botany Project for Aspiring Amateur Arborists: Forest Farming and Tree Farming https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/9/Botany_Project_for_Aspiring_Amateur_Arborists_Forest_Farming_and_Tree_Farming <p style="margin-left: 40px;">The dense and lush forests of our Southeast Texas region inspires in us a great appreciation for how intricate and comprehensive nature is at providing for itself and taking care of its own. But more than that, it is an ecological system worthy of being explored and studied. Even so, he health and vitality of our woodlands are in great measure the responsibility of private land owners. The woodlands growing on private property are a huge and vital part of our ecosystem, and you may be surprised to know how many landowners take on this responsibility as a great privilege. If you have never been introduced to the concept before, let us be the first: Welcome to the wonderful world of forest farming.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">Forest farming is simply the cultivation of...</p> Fri, 14 Sep 2012 18:19:00 GMT Homespun Reforestation Programs: "Tree Planting Project" or "Tree Planting Day" Neighborhood Efforts https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/9/Homespun_Reforestation_Programs_Tree_Planting_Project_Tree_Planting_Day <p style="margin-left: 40px;">Here in Southeast Texas we have enjoyed a year that has been full of rain, a welcome change from the devastating 2011 drought last year. It is easy to spot, however, all the victims of the drought, dead trees that are still standing and in need of removal. So many trees died, in fact, that in spite of ongoing efforts, not all dead trees have yet been able to be safely cut down and removed.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">Property owner associations and townships have been diligently working on the problem, and eventually those dead oaks and pines will be gone. Already there are gaping holes in our forests along the highways, roads, parks and greenbelts  -- areas where dead trees have been removed, areas begging to be replenished with that which was lost.  But ...</p> Fri, 07 Sep 2012 18:21:00 GMT Remove Tree Hazards in Advance, and be Ready for Post-Storm Removal of Hurricane Damaged Trees https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/6/Remove_Tree_Hazards_in_Advance_and_be_Ready_for_Post_Storm_Debris_Removal_of_Hurricane_Damaged_Trees <p style="margin-left: 40px;">On your typical hurricane preparedness checklist you will find the obvious: Keep batteries in supply. Get a radio. Stock non-perishable food items and water. Have a response procedure for your family to keep them safe while the storm winds blow. That checklist will also include steps for securing your property. It will often recommend that you trim your trees for dead or hazardous branches, and remove trees that are at risk of falling on your home should they be blown down. However, here in the piney woods region of Texas, it is entirely impossible to be completely free of the risk of one’s home being damaged as a result of a damaged tree. Even when a homeowner removes every stick of wood from his property, a neighbor’s tree can...</p> Thu, 14 Jun 2012 20:21:00 GMT Native Texas Trees Post-Drought: The Effects of Drought on Trees According to Texas Drought History https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/6/Native_Texas_Trees_Post_Drought_The_Effects_of_Drought_on_Trees_According_to_Texas_Drought_History <p>Noticing shriveled leaves on your oaks? Finding yellow and brown maple leaves well before the autumn months? These are signs that your trees are probably dehydrated or, more commonly speaking, experiencing the effects of drought.<br /> <br /> Not unlike humans, trees need a high amount of water to survive. Typically this means a 120%-200% moisture content in the tree’s soil. Since trees cannot pick up and move to Seattle for more rainfall, they will stand silent and thirsty during a drought and become more susceptible to drought effects. The effects of drought on trees include disease, wilting leaves, and narrower growth rings in the tree trunk. A few common native Texas trees, such as the pine tree, will show more subtle effects. Pine needles ...</p> Thu, 07 Jun 2012 22:49:00 GMT Hiring the Stump Remover Service is Worth the Stump Removal Cost https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/4/Hiring_the_Stump_Remover_Service_is_Worth_the_Stump_Removal_Cost <p> After the tree is gone, the stump remains. Remains, of course, only if you did not have the tree removal company also take care of the stump removal, too.</p> <p> Often times, especially during down economies like the one we are currently weathering, homeowners will see clear to spending the money involved in having a bonded and insured tree removal service come to safely take down a dead or otherwise hazardous tree. Yet they will consider saving the money involved in the stump removal cost. Stump removal is only an aesthetic concern, the conventional wisdom goes, and that is not of practical importance. Save the money and keep the stump.</p> <p> But there are many reasons why stump removal may be just as critical to a homeowner as it was to ...</p> Sat, 07 Apr 2012 22:25:00 GMT Using a Tree Cutting Service to Make Your Trees Hurricane Ready https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/3/Using_a_Tree_Cutting_Service_to_Make_Your_Trees_Hurricane_Ready <h1> Are Your Trees Ready for the Next Hurricane?</h1> <p> The summer of 2005, with Katrina and Rita, and then the summer of 2008 with Ike, may now be a distant memory. But if we are prompted, most of us along the coastal states can remember the devastation. Countless fleets of linemen trucks from all across the country descending on us in the aftermath of those storms, helping us to restore power to our homes, our local grocery store, our filling stations. Most of our lost power was not due to hurricane winds blowing down our power lines. They were due to winds knocking down trees that in turn knocked down our power lines. Trees and their branches are, in fact, the most prevalent hazardous flying objects that get blown around at hurricane time.</p> Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:11:00 GMT Hiring a Tree Planting Service: Why Use Professional Tree Planters https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/3/Hiring_a_Tree_Planting_Service_Why_Use_Professional_Tree_Planters <p> Planting a tree can’t be all that hard, can it? Every year on Arbor Day and Earth Day we see public service announcements admonishing everyone to plant a tree, so why the need for a professional tree planting service?<br /> <br /> Professional tree planters are usually hired to plant larger trees. Planting larger trees is an attractive option  to customers looking to give their landscape an instantly-finished, established look. But tree planting service professionals assist with much more than just digging a hole and setting the tree into the ground. Let’s look at some of the aspects of professional tree installation:</p> <h3> Tree Selection and Placement</h3> <p> The tree planting service company will work with the customer to survey the...</p> Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:21:00 GMT Beware Tree Removal Companies That Give Ultra Cheap Tree Removal Cost Quotes https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/3/Beware_Tree_Removal_Companies_That_Give_Ultra_Cheap_Tree_Removal_Cost_Quotes <p> Here today and gone tomorrow, the fly-by-night tree removal companies roll out every time there is a disaster. Here in Texas, they were out in full force after Hurricane Ike, and now they are out to make a few quick dollars in the wake of the 2011 drought that hit Texas and several other Southern states.</p> <p> Is the tree removal service you interview giving you tree removal cost quotes that sound amazingly cheap? They can quote these too-good-to-be-true cheap prices because they have not invested in important elements that are vital to safety-minded and security-minded tree removal companies. Here are the indications that you are dealing with a disreputable service:</p> <h3>     <b> Not Bonded or Insured</b></h3> <p> Fly-by-night tree ...</p> Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:06:00 GMT Tree and Mulch Houston Arborist Service Shares How to Make a Composter for Best Texas Compost https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/3/Tree_and_Mulch_Houston_Arborist_Service_Shares_How_to_Make_a_Composter_for_Best_Texas_Compost <h3> <img alt="Texas mulch Houston Make a Composter for Texas Compost" src="/i/BlogImages/Compost_Pile.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 300px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: right; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid;" /></h3> <p> Southeast Texas Trees, LLC, as a Houston area tree arborist with tree, land clearing and mulch Houston metro service, likes to see more weekend gardeners get greener. Because composting is a green project that anyone can undertake, here the arborist shares the fundamentals on how make a composter that will help you produce the best Texas compost available, simply from the green debris of your kitchen and back yard.</p> <h3> How to construct a compost pile.</h3> <p> How to make a composter is super simple. A compost pile should be built on good soil and</p> <p> a drainage system made from a layer of limbs. At the center situate a PVC pipe with lots of holes drilled up and down it. This will be useful for aeration as the compost pile grows.</p> <h3> ...</h3> Wed, 07 Mar 2012 05:28:00 GMT Texas Tree Service Houston Tree Arborist Explains How to Recognize a Tree Hazard https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/2/Texas_Tree_Service_Houston_Tree_Arborist_Explains_How_to_Recognize_a_Tree_Hazard <p> With hurricane season being the annual weather wild card, which we never know until a week or two out if it is a trump to be played from year to year, it is a Houston-area necessity to look after our trees and to make sure that they have the best chance to endure a category 4 or 5 hurricane, should one hit. Like Southeast Texas Trees, LLC, the tree service Houston area expert is always going to have a tree arborist whose primary job is to evaluate trees for their health, and identify any hazards they may pose.</p> <h3> Disease Lurking Under the Green?</h3> <p> Just because a tree looks strong and healthy does not mean it may not be a hazard.  In most cases, a tree becomes a hazard concern because it develops health issues. But these health ...</p> Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:17:00 GMT Construction Brush Clearing Services: Texas Land Clearing Company with Arborists on Staff https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/2/Construction_Brush_Clearing_Services_Texas_Land_Clearing_Company_with_Arborists_on_Staff <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> When it comes to new construction sites here in Houston and Southeast Texas, often the objective is to execute brush clearing while keeping several trees on the property, so that the new home or building can benefit from the shade and adornment of our beautiful mature oak trees, pines, ash trees, and magnolias indigenous to this area. It is likewise important to plan the site so that trees are not only saved but are kept in a state for their ongoing growth and that protects existing root structure. Good Texas land clearing companies that have arborists on staff, like Southeast Texas Trees LLC, are able to work with construction companies to coordinate this effort, for to preserve trees means they must be protected both above ground and ...</p> Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:20:00 GMT Tree Pruning Houston: Find a Reliable Tree Pruning Service, Typical Tree Trimming Cost https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/2/Tree_Pruning_Houston_Find_a_Reliable_Tree_Pruning_Service_Typical_Tree_Trimming_Cost <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> If you take the time to have your shade trees pruned while they are young, they will grow into magnificent specimens in the years to come.</p> <h3 style="margin-left: 40px;"> Pruning at Planting.</h3> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> If the shade tree has just been planted, the service should have taken care of removing any broken branches at the time of installation. If not, do remove broken branches yourself, and remove any branch that is competing with the lead branch. Prune it to the trunk. Most newly planted trees are small enough where this can be done without hiring a service.</p> <h3 style="margin-left: 40px;"> Pruning at 3-4 years from planting.</h3> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> By now the root growth should be well on its way.  A reliable tree pruning service will cut off root suckers at the base of the tree, and cut off sprouts from the crown that...</p> Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:53:00 GMT Texas Native Trees Beautify Neighborhoods: Best Fruit Trees and Texas Flowering Trees for Houston https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/2/Texas_Native_Trees_Beautify_Neighborhoods_Best_Fruit_Trees_and_Texas_Flowering_Trees_for_Houston <p> <img alt="Texas flowering Trees Dogwood" src="/i/BlogImages/texasfloweringtreesdogwood.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 244px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: right;" />We are admonished all the time about the need to plant trees, due to urban development. In some cities as many as 4 trees die or are removed for every tree that is planted.  According to the houstontx.gov website, the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (Houston CMSA) which consists of eight counties (Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller) is a network of urban sprawl that is 8,778 square miles, an area larger than the entire state of New Jersey. All this development has meant quite a bit of deforestation of the Piney Woods region of Southeast Texas, and anything we can do to raise the ratio of Texas native trees planted for Texas native trees cut down is ...</p> Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:55:00 GMT Southeast Texas Trees Offers Tree Planting Service of Native Texas Trees https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/1/Southeast_Texas_Trees_Offers_Tree_Planting_Service_of_Native_Texas_Trees <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> Here in Southeast Texas we have seen the 2011 drought kill off far too many of our native Texas trees. Many of our customers are looking to replace to trees that they lost, and want pointers on which are the best Texas tree varieties for hardiness, quick growth, and most of all, to have a future as a welcome addition to their landscape.</p> <h2> How to select  the best Texas tree for your yard.</h2> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> Trees are for a lifetime, so think about the purpose of your new tree as you prepare to plant. A planting service can assist you with this process. There are many native Texas trees perfect for use as shade trees, others more ornamental, and so forth. Planting requires knowledge of the tree to be planted and the specific needs of the tree.&...</p> Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:36:00 GMT Damaged Tree Dilemma: Will windstorm tree damage see recovery if given time, or time to remove tree? https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/1/Damaged_Tree_Dilemma_Will_windstorm_tree_damage_see_recovery_or_time_to_remove_tree <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> <img alt="hurricane damaged tree, tree damage that results in remove tree" src="/i/BlogImages/Hurrican_damaged_tree.JPG" style="width: 300px; height: 300px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: right;" />The tree’s natural born enemy is the wind storm. When a hurricane blows, or tornado touches down, some of your trees will become casualties. To what extent they are salvageable depends on the tree damage done. Some tree damage is minor and the tree will bounce back right away.  Some is major, and is tree damage that leads to certain tree death.</p> <h2> Minor Tree Damage – And Definitely Recoverable</h2> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> If the damaged tree merely loses a few minor branches, then all will be well. You may need to clean up the break points if there are torn limbs, but otherwise the tree will bounce back given a little time. Even a mature shade tree can withstand the loss of a major limb. Prune the broken limb back to the trunk. Monitor for ...</p> Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:31:00 GMT Just Say No To Topping Trees! Professional Tree Services Refuse to Commit Tree Topping Butchery https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/1/Just_Say_No_To_Topping_Trees_Professional_Tree_Services_Refuse_to_Commit_Tree_Topping_Butchery <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> <img alt="" src="/i/BlogImages/Say_No_To_Tree_Topping.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 184px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: right;" />Professional tree services have been rather vocal against the practice of topping trees. Many may wonder what is tree topping, and why is it so bad?<br /> <br /> Tree topping is the practice of severely pruning back the limbs of the tree back to the largest branches and effectively removing nearly all – if not all – of the leaf-producing twigs and stems.<br /> <br /> The practice of tree-topping  is a rather old school practice – it was very common in the 50’s and 60’s. More current research about the biological effects of the tree topping method of pruning proves that it is horribly traumatic to the tree. Topping trees ultimately results in trees that are more dangerous and less aesthetically pleasing.<br /> <br /> The ...</p> Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:17:00 GMT Brush Clearing Services Are Worth The Land Clearing Cost https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2012/1/Brush_Clearing_Services_Are_Worth_The_Land_Clearing_Cost <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> Green debris cleanup and brush clearing services is the removal of unwanted undergrowth, cleanup of fallen trees after a hurricane or tornado, or the clearing of property that has been left unattended for a number of years and is in need of being reclaimed. While we tend to think of green debris as being completely natural and that it will very effectively break down in the organic process of time, the fact is that green debris can be very unsightly, and  indeed harmful to its surroundings.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">  Whenever a hurricane blows through or a tornado touches down trees hit the ground. This is no problem if the tree is in the middle of a state forest. Nature certainly takes care of things with repurcussions that are acceptable out in ...</p> Sun, 08 Jan 2012 03:28:00 GMT Good Firewood BTU: Oak Firewood is the Best https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2011/12/Good_Firewood_BTU_Oak_Firewood_is_the_Best <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> The Southeast Texas 2011 summer drought has brought about the doom of so many of our beautiful trees, both of our loblolly pines and our many varieties of oak trees. We have been so busy lately helping our customers safely remove dead trees in their neighborhoods and properties. And our customers, typically being conservation-conscious, ask about putting the dead wood to good use as firewood. Many ask, what is the best wood to use for firewood? That question can be answered in two phases: what type of wood makes for good firewood, and what process must be done to ensure that good firewood burns well.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> Generally speaking, hard woods are the best type of wood for firewood. Hard wood is a denser wood, and this means that hard wood ...</p> Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:07:00 GMT Let?s Mulch! Knowing Mulch Types and How Much Mulch to Use https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2011/12/Let_s_Mulch_Knowing_Mulch_Types_and_How_Much_Mulch_to_Use <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> Mulching is an important part of tree care, and many people do not know the vast array of reasons why this is true.  Here is a top-five list of most important reasons why you should mulch:</p> <ul> <li style="margin-left: 40px;"> Mulch improves soil aeration and drainage for the tree</li> <li style="margin-left: 40px;"> Mulch is a temperature barrier that shields roots from extreme heat in summer and extreme cold in winter</li> <li style="margin-left: 40px;"> Mulch conserves moisture for the tree</li> <li style="margin-left: 40px;"> Mulch impedes the growth of nutrient-hogging weeds</li> <li style="margin-left: 40px;"> Mulch prevents soil erosion by impeding water runoff</li> </ul> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> Knowing why one should mulch is the first step. The next two steps are to know what mulch types to consider, and how to apply mulch effectively.</p> <h3> Mulch Types</h3> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> There are a myriad of mulch types out on the ...</p> Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:43:00 GMT About Land Clearing: Land Clearing Cost and Land Clearing Equipment https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2011/12/About_Land_Clearing_Land_Clearing_Cost_and_Land_Clearing_Equipment <p style="margin-left: 30pt;"> Land Clearing can prepare a lot for new construction and will increase the value of the property.  There are many options when clearing a lot of brush.  Whether you are clearing a marked area for a home or for a pool to be installed, or clearing easements and/or lot lines, land clearing is essential for all sorts of property and construction needs. If you need to get rid of a large amount of underbrush to make way for a new home or a business, you may want to know what is involved in professional land clearing cost, or the investment involved in renting land clearing equipment. </p> <h3> Land Clearing Equipment</h3> <p style="margin-left: 30pt;"> Tractors fitted with cutter heads, and additional mulching attachments, are necessary land clearing equipment ...</p> Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:52:00 GMT Tree Trimming: A Tree Pruning Guide To DIY And Professional Tree Trimming Cost https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2011/12/Tree_Trimming_A_Tree_Pruning_Guide_To_DIY_And_Professional_Tree_Trimming_Cost <p style="margin-left: 30pt;"> Tree trimming is a vital part of a tree’s health.  Why is this so? Because a healthy tree needs proper air and sunlight to grow, not to mention that untended branches can grow in directions that are less than ideal in the long run, resulting in branches that are weak and fail to thrive.  Heavy winds, flooding and ice are more likely to cause un-trimmed trees to fall or be uprooted. Proper tree trimming also adds to the overall beauty of the tree, keeping it looking majestic and strong as it continues to grow and mature. But trimming a tree is not as easy at trimming a hedge, and knowing which branches to cut, and how to cut them safely, is a task that often involves help of the professional kind.</p> <h3> Trim A Tree Do-It-...</h3> Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:55:00 GMT Tree Stump Removal: Opt For Stump Grinder Hire https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2011/11/Tree_Stump_Removal_Opt_For_Stump_Grinder_Hire <p> <img alt="" src="/i/StumpGrinding/SoutheastTexasTreesStumpGrinding.jpg" style="width: 250px; height: 167px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: right;" /></p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> So the tree is cut down and only the stump remains, and now you are ready for your lawn to take over the place of that stump. There are a host of methods out on the internet offering do-it-yourself how-to-remove-a-stump instructions, none of them quick or easy (and most of these articles will tell you so, if they are honest). From digging them out to chopping them up, drilling stumps for chemical applications, and removal by burning, all of these take lots of time, energy, and patience. Hiring an arborist equipped with a mechanical stump grinder is the only way for the task to be rendered quick and easy. In a matter of a few minutes, large stumps are ground away, leaving a nice hole for topsoil and a couple of squares of sod, and ...</p> Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:32:00 GMT How to Fell a Tree: How to Cut Down a Large Tree Without Hurting Yourself or Your Property https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2011/11/How_to_Fell_a_Tree_How_to_Cut_Down_a_Large_Tree_Without_Hurting_Yourself_or_Your_Property <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> A tree can be a dangerous thing, especially when it is dead and standing right next to your house. Cutting down a dead or diseased tree is one of those things in life that fits under the category of undesired necessities, and many people are inclined to try to save money by doing it themselves. This is not recommended: cutting down a tree without bringing damage to person or property involves skill and experience. However, if you are determined to learn how to cut down a large tree and attempt it on your own, here are the things in which you need to arm yourself to execute the job safely and successfully.</p> <h3 style="margin-left: 40px;"> Safety Gear</h3> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> Before explaining how to cut big trees, first we must present the list of safety gear and precautions.  Wear ...</p> Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:08:00 GMT Oak Disease Alert: Hypoxylon Canker is Among Prevalent Oak Diseases in Drought https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2011/11/Oak_Disease_Alert_Hypoxylon_Canker_is_Among_Prevalent_Oak_Diseases_in_Drought <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> The Texas drought of 2011 may be remembered nationally for the widespread wildfires our state endured and the news media attention it garnered. Here in the Piney Woods region of the southeast quadrant of the state, we escaped most of the wildfires, but we are plagued with another great problem: dead and dying trees. </p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> Our dense forests, along with our front- and backyards, are populated with  60+ tall oaks and loblolly pine trees, all indigenous to this region precisely because of the typically abundant amount of rainfall this region has. But not this year, and the wide varieties of oak trees here are at risk of another lethal condition. If the drought has not killed an oak outright yet, the tree might be at risk of dying ...</p> Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:28:00 GMT Azalea Bushes: Caring for Azaleas in Winter https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2011/11/Azalea_Bushes_Caring_for_Azaleas_in_Winter <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> Getting your landscaping ready for winter?</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> Taking care of your azalea beds to protect them from frost will help foster those big shows of profuse azalea blooms in spring. It also helps to know what not to do with azaleas. An overzealous azalea gardener can cheat themselves out of an azalea spring if uneducated about care of azaleas in winter.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> Whether you live near our territory here in Southeast Texas, or even if you should live in one of those north-of-Southeast-Texas states, here is an easy 3-step instruction on how to prepare your azaleas for winter, in whatever zone your azalea bushes may grow.</p> <h3 style="margin-left: 40px;"> Things you will need:</h3> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> •    Mulch<br /> •    Ruler<br /> •    Anti-...</p> Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:38:00 GMT What We Do: Tree Doctor and Tree Cutting Service https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2011/10/What_We_Do_Tree_Doctor_and_Tree_Cutting_Service <p> Southeast Texas Trees, LLC specializes in tree removal, tree installation, stump grinding, tree cutting service by trimming, land clearing, mulching, firewood and clean-up services in all areas of southeast Texas. Our company prides itself in outstanding customer service and superior workmanship.<br /> <br /> We strongly recommend that our clients consult a professional before deciding to remove a tree. We only recommend removing a tree when it is dead, dying, diseased, growing too close to a home or to allow for new construction. We have highly trained professional consultants and a certified arborist on staff that can advise and make recommendations to our customers for their arbor care needs. We provide these professional services to the ...</p> Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:04:00 GMT Pruning Oak Trees In Texas Prevents Texas Oak Wilt https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2011/10/Pruning_Oak_Trees_In_Texas_Prevents_Texas_Oak_Wilt <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> <img alt="" src="/i/BlogImages/PruningOakTreesInTexasPreventsTexasOakWilt.jpg" style="width: 250px; height: 311px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: right;" />Stately. Majestic. Powerfully Elegant.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> These are just some of the descriptors that come to mind when traveling down some of the streets of Houston that are covered under the canopy of broad-limbed live oaks that line them, or pass by a home that is adorned with picture perfect pin oaks framing it, or walking among the red oak and water oak beauties in the parks that are deliciously dripping with moss from each limb. Oaks are naturally beautiful indeed, but the oaks that are most stunning, like the ones you see adorning public places or gracing the landscaping of fine homes, are the oak trees in Texas that are tended with regular pruning.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> More than that, pruning oak trees is important. Many oak trees prevalent in southeast Texas, ...</p> Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:48:00 GMT Winterizing and Pruning Crepe Myrtle Trees https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2011/10/Winterizing_and_Pruning_Crepe_Myrtle_Trees <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> Southeast Texas winters are known for being mild  (our four seasons are Summer, Summer, Summer, and Christmas), but the dreaded cold snap is a yearly concern and rare is the winter that passes without at least one frost threatening our warm weather loving trees and shrubs. So this will be our second in a series covering the winterization and frost protection for plants and trees of Zones 8 and 9. This article we will focus on the frost protection and pruning of one of the South’s most beloved ornamentals, the care of crepe myrtle trees in winter.</p> <h2> Frost Protection of the Crepe Myrtle</h2> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> Frost protection is very simple with the crepe myrtle. As hardy as it is beautiful, this acid-soil-loving, drought-hardy, sun-loving tree ...</p> Tue, 11 Oct 2011 02:36:00 GMT Winterizing Native Texas Trees And Best Oak Fertilizer for Winter https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2011/10/Winterizing_Native_Texas_Trees <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> There are approximately 500 different species of trees indigenous to Texas soil, and every single one of these native Texas trees has been stressed to their limits this year in the 2011 heat wave and drought – the worst ever recorded. Heading into the winter months all Texas trees are in desperate need of care so they can adequately recover and continue to grow and thrive next year. If you have never fertilized your Southeast Texas trees for the winter, this would be a good year to start. This article is to make sure you do it right.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> Most native Texas trees of the Southeast Texas region, including the iconic tall longleaf Loblolly pine of the piney woods region, the Sabal palm, and the wide variety of oaks that grow here, are ...</p> Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:34:00 GMT Tree Fertilizer Schedule: Fertilize Tree And Watch It Flouish https://www.setexastrees.com/southeast_texas_tree_care_blog/2011/9/Tree_Fertilizer_Schedule_Fertilize_Tree_And_Watch_It_Flouish <p style="margin-left: 40px;"> <img alt="Southeast Texas Tree Canopy" src="/i/tree3.JPG" style="width: 200px; height: 300px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: right;" />     Many tree owners are a bit mystified about the best way to care for trees or maybe what trees need beyond sun and rain. Different types of trees need different types of care but most all kinds flourish with correct fertilization. So how is fertilization done correctly?</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">       Fertilization for a tree is similar to a vitamin boost for a human. It enhances overall health. Fertilization helps the tree ward off disease it helps it to guard againt pests and it gives it added strength in times when sunshine or rain is not at optimal levels. Trees in nature usually get the fertilization they need naturally. But trees planted in yards and kept as per your common HOA neighborhood rules probably...</p> Wed, 21 Sep 2011 18:19:00 GMT