All so often I have customers ask what would be a good tree for fall color, I always follow that with a question of what about the other 360 days of the year. Remember when planting to consider a good tree for the right location will be an asset for years to come. On the other side of the coin, a good tree in a bad location will one day be a liability, it’s just a matter of time. With that, some of my favorite trees for fall color is a Shumard Red Oak, a Red Maple, a Sweet gum, a Flaming Sumac, a Chinese Pistachio, these are just to name a few. Also remember to consider the long term ramifications when planting. Chances are that the tree you plant today will be here long after you are not.

Need help, check out www.texastreeplanting.tamu.edu for a tree planting guide and tree planting tips. This is a great website to help you make the right decision on what to plant. If you need more help, give us a call and we can come out and consult with you as to what to plant and where, or we can plant it for you. Just let us know.

November through February is the best time to plant those trees that have been on your to-do list. Remember a good tree in a good location will be an asset for years to come. Check out the Texas Tree Planting website for advice on the right tree to plant; and then here is a link to the Arbor-Day website that has some videos with some great advice for doing it properly. Tree Planting Tips

Are you interested in your tree’s over all health? Here is what recommend to help out:
I prescribe PHC for Trees along with BIO Pack. That is a really good mixture of nutrients, humates and minerals. I recommend that be done as a deep root injection twice a year. For a tree that is really struggling, I will recommend Ocean Harvest and Mycorrhizae Spores. This is a very good mixture, but can be pricey, especially on a large tree. For a topical application, I recommend Micro-Life. This is a slow release blend with Fish, Kelp, Molasses, Emery Humates, Bat Guano, Rock Phosphate, Wheat Middling’s, Soy Meal, Cottonseed Meal, Alfalfa, Corn Meal, Kmag, Potassium Sulfate, Iron Sulfate, Bone Meal, 18 select Amino Acids, Folic Acid, Vitamins plus the MicroGro Supreme Bio-Inoculant which contains billions of beneficial microorganisms including Endo & Ecto Mycorrhizal fungi. This is good stuff. More information on this product line can be found at http://www.microlifefertilizer.com . If property owners and managers would quit using fertilizers like weed and feed, as well as turf builder, basically one in the same, they would see a lot less problems with all of their plants, including their turf.
We are seeing quite a bit of pine beetle action, although I’m surprised it’s not more. We are in year 5 of a drought, with year three being of historic proportion. The most important thing that property owners can do is water properly. I realize that is sometimes difficult with watering restrictions on in most residential areas. Although, if people would water more thoroughly and less frequently, their plants would be far better for it. It’s a matter of overcoming the mind set of watering everyday for 5 minutes and embedding the mindset of watering the way that plants were intended to be, less frequently, more thoroughly. Just like a good rainfall.

As you know when the ground gets dry, it gets hard, so doing vertical mulching is very advantageous for allowing air and water penetration into the ground. I wish we could do more of that. It’s something that should be done at least once a year, especially in clay based soils.

As of today, we are renaming the tree care division of Grandiflora Services to ArborWorks by Grandiflora Services. Our primary purpose of being in business is to provide superior care for the most expensive plants in your landscape, your trees. We begin our focus on well trained employees. A well trained employee will provide safe services, be it tree removal, pruning, planting, cabling and bracing, fertilization or insect control. Our goal is to provide a 100% safety rating, through guaranteed accurate estimates, and ending with immaculate cleanup. Your satisfaction is our guarantee, and we take that seriously.

For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up yo the present time.

It’s almost planting season in Southeast Texas, but it’s never to early to start planning what you are going to plant. Citrus trees don’t take a tremendous amount of space, and are relatively easy to care for. You can even start them in large pots. Be sure to put them in full sun. There are plenty of varieties to plant in our area, lemon, lime, and grapefruit, just to name a few. I love fresh lime in my tea, how about you?

When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of weeds that are going to take over my yard.

What my kids see are flowers for Mom and blowing white fluff you can wish on.

When I look at an old drunk and he smiles at me, I see a smelly, dirty person who probably wants money and I look away.

What my kids see is someone smiling at them and they smile back.

When I hear music I love, I know I can’t carry a tune, so I sit self-consciously and listen.

What my kids hear is the beat and move to it. They sing the words and if they don’t know them, they make up their own.

When I feel wind on my face, I brace myself against it. I feel it messing up my hair and pulling me back when I walk.

What my kids feel is they close their eyes, spread their arms and fly with it, until they fall to the ground laughing.

When I pray, I say thee and thou and grant me this, give me that.

What my kids pray is “Hi God! Thanks for my toys and my friends.”

When I see a mud puddle I step around it. I see muddy shoes and dirty carpets.

What my kids see are dams to build, rivers to cross, and worms to play with.

I wonder if we are given kids to teach or to learn from?

Every year trees cause incredible damage to people and property. In the most tragic of situations, trees even cause death. This occurred when a tree fell into a house and killed a woman. What makes this incident particularly sad is that it could have been prevented. Authorities believe the tree fell due to decay at the base of the tree. Apparently a large portion of the tree broke off during previous years, leaving an exposed gap at the bottom of the trunk, which led to rot. When a storm blew through the area, the base gave way and the tree collapsed. Had the deterioration been identified earlier, and had the tree been removed under controlled circumstances, this tragedy could have been prevented.
In order to prevent tree-related damage, it is essential that you identify potential problems early, before they turn into actual problems. As a homeowner or as somebody who oversees property where trees are present, it is very important that you regularly assess the health of your trees. As much as we all love and appreciate trees, they can be dangerous. Here are a few issues to watch out for:

• Are there dead trees on your property? For dead trees, it is a matter of “when” they will fall, not “if.” Dead trees are especially dangerous if located near a home, office complex, or area where people are often present.
• Are there trees with dead branches? Dead branches will eventually fall, and when they do, they have the potential to punch holes in roofs, dent cars, break sheds, or hurt people.
• Are there any branches hanging in trees? In our industry, we have a special term for hanging branches: “widowmakers” You get the idea.
• Are there trees with holes or rot at the base? If so, there is a good chance that the base of the tree is weak, which means it has the potential to fall and cause damage at any time.
• Are mushrooms, cracks, splits, or any other indicators of a dead or dying tree present along the base of the trunk? If so, this is a tree that should be removed.
• Do you have a tree where branches regularly fall? Not only are the falling branches themselves a hazard, but this could be an indicator of a larger problem.
• Do you have trees that lean strongly in one direction? In conjunction with the lean, are there roots lifting out of the ground on the back side of the tree? If so, this tree should be carefully assessed, particularly if it is leaning towards a house, office, garage, sidewalk, etc. Are there large branches with open, old, or rotting wounds? A branch like this has a high likelihood of falling.

These are just a few of the many potential problems to look for as you assess your trees. If you do not feel comfortable doing this yourself, or if you simply do not have the time, call Grandiflora Services and ask us to give your property an evaluation.

Do you have a tree that looks like this? It’s called a girdled root and it can be a serious problem for the tree and ultimately for you as well. Have no fear-we can help. Give us a call to discuss the options.