Caring For Austin Trees

Austin Tree Care Is A Unique Procedure

Austin tree service demands a working knowledge of the uniquie circumstances the trees face in this area. No two trees are exactly alike and no two places are exactly alike. This means that the trees in Austin, Texas are unique. To properly care for a tree the unique factors must be considered. Prescribing a treatment for a tree that does not consider all the factors involved is tantamount to malpractice.

Austin has its own soils and geologic formations. In Travis County there are four, maybe five, geological formations that come from the Mesozoic and Cenozoic periods. In ancient times (memory of which are beginning to fade for me) this area was actually under water, at two different times. That is why we see so many sea fossils around here. The area has uplifted and instead of soil we have rock. Some of this rock is crumbly and porous providing great drainage. Aside from the pockets where water bodies such as creeks, rivers, ponds, and lakes have left deposits of soil there is little to no soil in this area. What soil there is usually is so porous it holds little moisture, and property that had the ground modified often makes water retention even less likely. I love our hills and valleys, but they are not conducive to water retention in soil. The character of our soils and ground contours alone create unique circumstances our trees have adapted to over time.

Just about anyone from this area is familiar with the notion that if you don't like the weather, just blink. It seems to change that quickly. The speed with which the change takes place is hard enough on our trees, but the degree of change makes it even harder. The temperature can drop from 80 degrees to below 40 degrees in a matter of hours. We also have extremes of weather. It gets very hot in the summer and moderately cold in the winter (global warming not withstanding) even while the humidity remains high but can be low as well. Here is a quote from Patrick L. Abbot in his article "Edwards Health" I found on the internet: "The region annually receives from 15 to 30 inches of rain, but its distribution in time and space is highly irregular. Several years may see far less than the mean annual rainfall, but then the precipitation during one week may exceed the yearly average. Mean annual temperature is in the high 60's, but winter readings drop below freezing for short periods and summer values sometimes exceed 100 degrees. Winds dominantly come from the southeast from the Gulf of Mexico and evaporation rates are considerably in excess of precipitation." I like the way he said that and it makes it very clear that we have extremes. So, as you can see, weather is another unique factor that makes caring for trees in Austin more challenging.

Austin has many species of trees, a characteristic that makes the area attractive to humans and other life forms. The bio-diversity sustains the plants that grow here, especially the trees. Trees like to grow in more or less exclusive groups that the scientist referee to as "associations." As the word implies, some species of trees don't like some other species of trees and the dislike goes as far as what could be considered violence. By mechanisms that are better left for books, trees fight each other, even to the death. Time has left us with the results of the eons of battle in what I consider the survivors. These survivors are the descendants that managed to adapt to each other and to the unique environment that is Austin, Texas.

In this web site I am attempting to address issues involved with caring for the trees of Austin and the surrounding area. Round Rock, Oak Hill, West lake Hills, Rollingwood, Pflugerville, Cedar Park, Buda, Sunset Valley, San Leanna, Bee Cave, Dripping Springs, Lago Vista, Leander, Georgetown, Taylor, Manor, all have unique circumstances that The Tree Tender understands. We service all of Travis County and some parts of the surrounding counties. My hope is that in this web site you will be able to learn what is required to care for your trees in any of these areas. My best is the best I can do and I will continue to add to this body of information as time permits. There is a lot more I will add, like a list of the trees we have and the way they relate to our area. Stay tuned to this site for new information.

I am always eager to speak with you about your trees, so feel free to call or write if you find something not covered here or if you have a comment. My phone number is 512-280-1958 and my e-mail address is:
NICKEY@THETREETENDER.COM . Click this text and it will take you right to an email page: nickey@thetreetender.com

 

Thank you and enjoy.

Nickey Bishop