One of the most common questions we get at the nursery is about plants dying. Each situation is unique, as the conditions each plant is grown in is unique. But what happens when you plant several plants and only one or two dies? To be more specific, “Why did one plant die and all the others that I planted at the same time and treated the same way are fine?” I hope to be able to guide you through the diagnostic process and give you some things to think about [...]
Tree Planting Instructions Pick a species of tree that will do the best in your soil type and zone. Be sure to buy a locally grown tree as they will adapt best to the soil and water types of your area. Be sure to choose a quality container grown tree species that does not have girdling roots. Keep in mind how big your tree will grow! Pick the correct spot to plant your tree. Choose a spot away from power lines and clear of buildings. Stay away from septic [...]
Let’s face it. Central Texas has HOT summers. There is no denying it. It is stressful for us, and it is stressful for our plants. If you have planted a shrub or a tree in the last two years, and you begin to see yellow or brown leaves in the summer, it is time to evaluate your watering program. Immediately. There are a few things to be aware of that happen in Central Texas summers that will help you make decisions on managing water in your landscape. FIRST: If the [...]
Many times, the first time you see a tree “leaking” will be when insects such as Green June Beetles or Hackberry Butterflies are attracted to the fluid seeping out of the trunk and draw your attention to it. Bacterial Wetwood, also known as Slime Flux, is a bacterial disease that can affect a variety of tree species, such as oak, elm, mesquite, maples, and others. Bacterial Wetwood occurs when bacteria infect the wood of a tree, usually through a wound in the trunk, limb, or [...]
Once again, the Yellow bellied Sapsuckers are causing major damage to some of our established shade trees. The Sapsucker feeds on sap obtained by drilling shallow holes in a ring around a tree. Many times the trees they target are under some kind of stress already. When a tree is under stress, the sugars concentrate to provide nutrients to help fight wounds and repair injuries. Sapsuckers can apparently detect that change and target those trees. Sapsuckers overwinter in Central America and Southern North America, and summer in Canada and the [...]
Hopefully you have followed our watering guidelines to establish your tree in the landscape for the FIRST YEAR . Now it is time to talk about how to encourage the root system to spread out and grow to its full potential in SUBSEQUENT YEARS. I have talked to many people who continue to water their trees, year after year, right up next to the trunk of the tree. Unfortunately, that is not where the majority of the roots SHOULD be, nor where you should encourage them to be. It is [...]
Establishing a tree in Central Texas is a labor of love. Given proper care your tree will thrive for many years to come. Please remember that rain and irrigation is not adequate for establishing newly planted trees. It can take up to one year for each inch of trunk caliper to fully establish a tree. Missing just one day of watering, especially on a hot or windy day, can mean root death for the tree from which it may not recover. Keep up the good work and you will be [...]
For the third year in a row, Bradford Pears have been blooming during a rain event! Why does that matter, you ask? Because a very bad guy, a bacterium called Erwinia amylovora, or Fire Blight, enters the plant through the flower via splashing water. The first symptom to appear, shortly after bloom, is a blossom blight. The flower will appear water-soaked, then turn black. The most obvious symptom of this disease is the shoot blight phase, in which the tip of the shoot turns brown or black and bend over [...]
After the Mexican Plums, Texas Mountain Laurels and Redbuds have finished blooming, the Anacacho Orchid tree graces us with its pure white blooms, which can last almost a month. I am particularly fond of this Texas native, as it is very versatile in the landscape. Tolerating both full sun as well as part shade in an understory location, it is also quite tolerant of thin limestone soils. Good drainage is one of its few requirements. The Anacacho Orchid is native to three counties in south Texas and northeastern Mexico, including [...]
Most of you have heard the process of pruning Crape Myrtles back to “nubs” referred to as “Crape Murder”. But you may not know how this practice originated. I’d like to offer my "take" on the subject and some reasonable solutions to a practice that deforms and subjects these beautiful trees to unnecessary stress. Many years ago, we did not have the variety of Crape Myrtles available that breeders now offer. Until the first breeding programs began in the 1960’s, we had only Lagerstroemia indica and Lagerstroemia fauriei, both tall-growing [...]
Those of you who have heard the adage “February through June DO NOT PRUNE” probably know that it is in reference to the spread of Oak Wilt in relation to the timing of pruning of susceptible trees. With Oak Wilt appearing in so many locations in Central Texas, it is safer to complete pruning by February 1st, before the temperatures become milder and the Nitidulid Beetle begins to become active after the winter. This beetle is responsible for transmitting the Oak Wilt Fungus from fungal mats on Red Oaks to [...]
Nutrient deficiency: Iron deficiency is common in areas with calcareous soils and alkaline water. The iron may be present in the soil, but it is in a form that is unavailable to the plant when grown in alkaline conditions. Deficiency occurs on young leaves, and the veins remain green while the rest of the leaf is yellow. This condition can cause dieback of limbs and small fruit. Iron deficiency is also associated with excessively wet soils or prolonged wet conditions, as this depletes the root system and uptake of nutrients [...]
