It official, 2011 was the driest year on record and the second hottest.  It is estimated that throughout Texas we lost as much as half a billion trees. That’s 500 million beautiful living trees people. Tough to imagine it getting hotter than last year or losing that amount of trees on a yearly basis. Estimates come in at roughly 2-10% loss of our 4.9 billion trees.

..”an estimated 100 million to 500 million trees with a diameter of 5 inches or larger on forestland were estimated to have succumbed to the drought. That range is equivalent to 2 to 10 percent of the state’s 4.9 billion trees.” Full release here

The drought is obviously the main culprit in these deaths as these numbers cover our forest, which do not benefit from irrigation. There has also been a great amount of residential tree death as is apparent during almost any stroll or drive around town. I believe many of the tree deaths in residential areas could have been avoided if the right species were chosen and irrigated properly.

I have seen a lot of death in trees with higher water requirements such as the Bald Cyprus, Cedars and Willows. In addition we lost a great many Palms from the winter cold, especially those that were not suited for this area. Windmill Palms and those protected from wind did the best last year.

High water trees suffered greatly but what about the other trees that have died. Native and adaptive varieties still have to be watered regularly for at least the first 2 seasons. The most common mistake is allowing new trees to go without the proper amount of water. Gatorbags (those green sacs you see at the base of trees in the medians) can be used to water the tree during restrictions.

I have assessed several properties for damages this year and from the information I have gathered many of those deaths are the result of improper irrigation. In some cases the inhabitants mainly tried to save money by not watering as much or not maintaining the sprinkler system. Sadly the end result is that in most cases it costs far more to replace the plant material then what the water or maintenance would have cost, especially if it’s a mature tree that can be upwards of 20,000. If this is you – Do Not expect to get that deposit back.

Links

Texas Forest Service: New video shows how and when to water drought-stricken trees. – Watering tips help you show your trees some love.

Is your tree dead or not? That depends. When most trees are stressed, especially after drought conditions, they go dormant and shed some or even all of their leaves. Typically when the leaves all stay on and turn brown – it’s a bad sign. You want to see the tree shed and go dormant as this is a sign that the tree is trying to reserve energy and stop growth by going dormant.

Most tree companies will give you a free estimate to have an arborist come out and take a look at your trees. That’s truly the only definitive way for knowing whether or not your tree is dead. You should not trim a tree you think is distressed as it will have to use energy to repair the wound and take away from its efforts to heal itself. In addition, you should not let dead or dying trees remain in place as they become a hazard not only to you but for anyone trying to remove it. Here are some general things to look for when a tree is dead.

Deadwood: This is harder to do in the winter on tall trees. For smaller ones you can feel if branches are dry by how light they are. It will snap off fairly easily without arching. It will also be brown and dry on the inside when performing a scratch test. If you have a high percentage of dry, brittle, trunks or branches with a brown core, there’s a very good chance that your tree has met its end.

Decay or Rot: Sometimes this can be very apparent. It may be an open wound, crumbling wood, soft spots etc. Other times it’s a lot harder and may require an expert. By looking at a tree it is hard to tell if it is structurally sound. Rot usually occurs from the inside out and makes it difficult to tell. The telltale signs of holes from insect are a good indicator that wood boring insects are present.

Cracks: Large cracks at the branch collar or center of the trunks are usually an indicator that a tree is structurally compromised. Mix in our heavy winds and dry contracting soils and you have a very dangerous mix.

You should never attempt to diagnosis and take down a tree on your own. Not all trees need to be removed. A dormant or diseased tree is not a dead tree. Call a certified arborist to get recommendations on how to proceed.  In addition it can be extremely dangerous to take down a structurally compromised tree as you have to climb the tree in order to cut the top.

In the summer my family spends most of our time out-of-doors. We work and play outdoors. We eat outdoors. Sometimes we even sleep outdoors. But when winter comes, our house is our haven.  My wife and I do everything we can to make our home comfortable and enjoyable for our children. We want our kids to want to stay at home and to bring their friends here, especially now that they are teenagers and have interests of their own.

Here’s what we do to get the house ready for family time in the winter.

Safe and Warm

We heat with wood, mostly. (We do have a gas furnace for the really cold days, or days when we are gone all day.) I cut and split wood all year round to make sure we have enough dry, seasoned wood for the winter. Well before winter comes the wood is neatly stacked and ready to be used.

I also keep a supply of kindling in a wooden storage bench. I make sure the bench and anything else that’s flammable is at least 18 inches from the wood stove.

The wood stove is the center of family life in winter. Before we use it I clean it all out and make sure it’s in perfect working order. We have a new stove, and it burns much cleaner than the older ones. I also make sure to check the fireplace damper to ensure it’s working properly.

I have a chimney sweep come in to make sure all’s okay in that department. Because we only burn seasoned hardwood, our chimney stays pretty clean, not much creosote buildup. Creosote, as you probably know, is a major cause of chimney fires.

I also put up winter drapes. We live in the country and don’t have near neighbors, so in summer we go curtain-less. But in winter we need the extra warmth. We had thermal-lined curtains made to order for the family room; they are quite attractive and they keep the cold out at night.

Unseen Safety Chores

I do a number of chores to keep my family safe that they don’t even know about. But, believe me, if I didn’t do them, we might all be very unhappy.

What I’m talking about are things like:

·      Replacing batteries in smoke alarms, flashlights, and carbon monoxide detectors;
·      Inspecting the fire extinguishers and replacing them if they are not in good working order;
·      Making sure we have a good supply of ice melt, and that it’s easy to get to;
·      Stocking up water in case we lose power. A gallon a day for each of us, including the dog, for three days;
·      Checking and refilling the emergency kit. We’ve never used it, but sometimes things get “borrowed” and not put back; and
·      Sealing foundation cracks and holes so rodents can’t get in. Rodents aren’t just annoying pests, they can chew the insulation off electrical wires and cause fires.

Winter Fun

We also stock up on the latest games that we can play as a family.  Last year we got a ping-pong table for the basement. Maybe we’ll get something smaller this year for the family room. That’s the kids’ job – to recommend games.

When it comes to games, the old standbys still come out on top. Monopoly, Clue, Scrabble, and card games are still popular with our teens and their friends.  This winter we’re all going to learn chess.

I hope you and yours enjoy your winter and stay safe.

Author Bio

Stan Horst lives and works in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. He and his family enjoy outdoor activities, including winter sports.  Stan is a former cabinetmaker. Now he shares his knowledge of fine carpentry on his website www.betterbenches.com, where he helps people choose the perfect bench. Stan’s personal favorite is the Kingsley Bate bench.

Sprinkler leaks,  Broken Heads,    How long does a sprinkler installation take?    Sprinkler leaks How to tell if you have a leak,   How much does a sprinkler system cost?     How do I know if my contractor is licensed? Texas water news

Our calendars are full: chauffeuring kids here and there, cooking, cleaning, commuting in bumper-to-bumper traffic, demanding bosses and of course, familial responsibilities. So why on earth add gardening to the mix?

No doubt about it, gardening is work. Yet for me, slipping on my gardening gloves releases rather than increases tension. Of course, if your neglected backyard looks like a wilderness—an overgrown field of never-ending weeds—the sight of it may not (yet!) inspire calm.

Imagination and planning can make your yard a garden: a place of harmony, beauty and inspiration. The best place to plan is the yard itself, preferably sitting on a bench. In garden furniture, benches are the most indispensable investment—begin with a sturdy, movable one in an adaptable style. In time you can invest in gardening tools and supplies, and a bench with storage built in might be a good choice.

Put your bench seat in the choicest spot—the right mix of warm and cool, sun and shade. Grab a pad and pencil, maybe a drink, and settle in. Notice what is in the yard now, and imagine what might be there—or might be gone—if you had your druthers. Note your needs, wants and must dos.

Common examples might be:

• Differentiating between an eating area, play area and ‘off by your lonesome to contemplate life’ or simply take a nap area
• Sections with year-round color (alternating bloom times)
• Areas that cannot be ignored, such as those weeds!

Now divide these areas into more manageable projects, for example:

Landscaping (Your needs)

1. Determine functional areas of your yard: e.g., playground, outdoor dining, sunning/relaxing, etc.
2. Create walkways to protect lawn and plantings, and to separate areas by use.
3. Define your design with crisp borders between paths, lawn and planting beds; refine it by balancing hard structures with softer plantings

Planting (Your wants)

1. For color, plant flowers appropriate to the season
2. Plant shrubs and perennials to provide landscape definition and texture during the off season
3. Use mulch on flower beds for weed suppression and weather protection; fertilize according to your plants, your soil and the season

Weeds and Grass (Your must dos)

1. Seek out and destroy those weeds!
2. Treat recurring weeds when they are small
3. Grass needs frequent fertilization

Do you have high traffic areas where grass routinely gets trampled on, even worn to bare dirt? Wood chips, gravel, brick, stone or concrete can spruce up these paths and give them durability. Walkways take time and effort to create, but once established, they reduce maintenance and can double as boundaries between functional or planting areas where other forms of borders are not practical.

You might be like a great many gardeners who prefer plastic or wood edging to distinguish between one area and another. By trimming lawn edges, I keep the lines between my lawn and beds clean naturally; I also push soil and mulch back into the beds. I prune overhanging bushes and shrubs and snip off (“dead-head”) flowers past their bloom to keep things tidy—that is, until the deer, rabbits and crows seek to undermine my efforts in their quest for food or just recreation.

Judicious planting can help mask some of these wildlife issues, while at the same time providing structure and color. A mix of low-lying ground cover plants help minimize weeds and cover those tattered edges. Then working from back to front, I plant bigger shrubs and perennials toward the rear to create a texture-rich backdrop. Between them and the border, I plant annuals, which I call one hit wonders. Here this year, gone the next to make room for another annual. I do this to fill in and provide color that varies throughout the year. You can start with a few appropriate to the current season, and then add more as you learn what blooms when. Your local nursery will know what zone works best in your area. And be mindful of how light hits different areas of your property, and what kind: shaded, filtered, or direct. You will notice that the more dense the planting, the fewer the weeds. For plants needing wider spacing, wood-chip or pine-straw mulch will keep weeds down.

Although it seems daunting, pulling weeds is less troublesome than maintaining a beautiful lawn. Weeds are not unlike rabbits – they multiply seemingly overnight. By keeping after grass, you can avoid it growing over three inches; fertilizing once a quarter will help suppress weeds. If being kind to Mother Earth is important to you, consider pulling them rather than using chemical weed killer. I realize there is a reason why many people use the quick fix. If you have a large plot of land, it is laborious. If you are tempted to use weed killers, research can inform you about the impact on the environment. A local gardening group may help you learn how to minimize them.

You might want to replace some of your lawn with a low-maintenance alternative. For an outdoor living space, could pavers or concrete be better for you than grass? Perhaps you need a play area for your children (sand?) or an exercise area for pets (gravel?). If you have trees or room to plant them, you can use mulch or ground cover around the base to reduce grass; fallen leaves from trees produce mulch themselves. You can widen paths, or extend them past obstacles. Or you can simply expand your borders. In time, you may want a shed for storage, a greenhouse for seed growing, even a cold frame for winter gardening. It is important to remember that a yard is an organic work in progress. Even when you’ve executed the perfect layout that gives you maximum function and pleasure, you’ll spot something that can be improved.

These nine important mini projects will take you a long way toward the tenth and most important job: Enjoying the fruits of your labors! With thoughtful planning, maintaining that beautiful backyard becomes less a chore but more of a therapeutic workout. When I need a getaway from the daily routine, I have my garden: a place to recreate without ever leaving home—a place to enjoy the pleasures of solitude and to share the beauties of nature (and of my own vision) with family and friends.

About Stan Horst

Stan Horst started out in life building cabinets and furniture, which gave him an eye for quality construction. These days you can find Stan enjoying himself entertaining folks from nearly every corner of the globe in his rental cabins in VA. He and his wife Deb, along with their two teenage kids and their dog live in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. When he’s not entertaining, Stan manages a website called Betterbenches.com, which serves as a source for people looking for quality benches and other wood furniture. He loves the outdoor life: his activities include camping, hiking and—naturally—spending time in his garden.

By Maria Bargellini of Dallas Curb Appeal Inc.

We are lucky here in Texas to have great fall weather and a nice long season. The perfect time for planting your annuals is right now. There are two common mistakes people make with planting fall annuals.

Planting too Late
Planting too Early

Most common reason why these mistakes are made

My begonias look fantastic
Landscapers just want to plant now
It doesn’t feel like fall yet

Choosing your Plants–Early Fall to Frost

Mums: Love Chrysanthemums, nothing says autumn like mums. Unfortunately the blooms do not last long so when you buy them don’t expect to see those gorgeous blooms for more than a few weeks.

Crotons: There are many varieties of Crotons available on the market. These beautiful plants have a long growing season here-lasting from spring till frost with care.  They are sold as annuals because they cannot handle our frost but they are actually evergreen or ever tropical and can be brought inside to over winter. The foliage colors on these plants scream autumn with golds, orange, red, and green leaves.

Peppers: Ornamental peppers come in many varieties. My favorite is the black pearl. With dark purple foliage and black fruit that ripes to red it is a striking plant. It will die down at frost but miraculously sometimes they will come back in the summer.

Fall to Winter

Pansies: Bigger flowers don’t necessarily mean more followers or better displays.  I know-I know–everything is bigger in Texas– In my experience I find that the mid to smaller size pansies flower more profusely, handle the freeze better and stay around a bit longer in the heat–no that that should stop you from planting summer plants but you can definitely use them in early spring when in some shade. The collasus or XXL Pansies are very pretty but are never really as full as their smaller cousins. Both are attractive and it’s your personal choice, you can always mix them too.

Ornamental Cabbage: This isn’t the kind that you eat but it’s much prettier. Cabbage also comes in a variety of colors. The most popular is red, which is more of a purple to pink color, and green which has a white center. They do well in our weather and look fantastic all season. In the early spring it will grow these tall yellow flowers. I cut them off because I don’t like how they look but you’re free to leave them if you like.

Flowering Kale: Ornamental Kale is a really pretty plant ans it is often confused with Cabbage. My Favorite is the Red Bore Kale. It’s taller and has a great purple color. Red or White Peacock Kale has scalloped edges and isn’t as common as the Kale normally seen. Some of these also flower at the end of the season and you can either keep or cut these also.

White & Red Peacock Kale                                          Ornamental Peppers

Red & White Cabbage                                               White & Red Borr

Dallas Curb Appeal Inc., also owns and operates DFW Christmas Lights and The Outdoor Lighting Expert.

It’s Fall and it’s Pansy planting time. Pansies come in a large variety in sizes and color. You’re guaranteed to find one in a color and size that you’ll love. You can find them in ready mixed colors or you can create your own mixes. My favorite is the Delta Cool Water mix which is a combination of blue, purple, and white.

Viola Pansy

This is my favorite Pansy. Yes it has smaller flowers but it flowers profusely. It’s typically loaded with happy little flowers all season lone. Johnny Jump Up is a common viola with tiny yellow and purple flowers.

Colossus Pansy

You’ll love these huge 3-4″ flowers with brilliant colors in Yellow, White, Purple, Blue, Red, Orange assorted Blotch colors and more. They don’t flower as much but they are gorgeous flowers.

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Crown Pansy

These are mid sized, solid colored pansies with flowers that are about 1.5-2″ big and look great in mixed colors.

Majestic Pansy / Majestic Giant Pansy

These are mid to large sized pansies with dual colored petals or Blotches of color in the centers.

Dallas Curb Appeal Inc. owns and operates DFW Christmas Lights and The Outdoor Lighting expert.com

Question: When do we Prune our Oak Trees in Texas

Answer: Winter is best. Avoid any pruning from February 1 through June 15th.

The best time to prune your oaks, especially Live Oaks and Red Oaks, is in late winter when they are dormant of less susceptible to insect and other forms of attacks. According to Texas Forest Service, the riskiest time to trim Oaks is from February 1st-June 15th. Pruning at the appropriate times will help you avoid the chance of your trees contracting Oak Wilt disease, which will not only kill your tree but has the potential to spread to neighboring Oaks and slowly kill them as well. Dead branches and branches under 2 inches in diameter are OK to trimmed throughout the year as necessary.

Question: Why Prune? Do I have to prune every year?

Answer: Only when necessary, and no, you do not.

There are a lot of things that have to be done in your landscape that require a schedule. Trees pruning and tree care are specific to your type and the conditions of your tree. Flowering types are not to be trimmed at the same time as evergreens as you will undoubtedly cut off all of next seasons blooms. Trees should be trimmed only when they need to be. What does that mean? Glad you asked. The pruning of branches create wounds in the tree that take years to heal. The bigger the cut or wound the more attractive the tree will be to insects as they see it as a sign of distress. One of the main reason Feb 1-June 15th is ideal is that it is when our insects aren’t in full force, searching for stressed trees.

You should only prune:

• Dead branches
• Branches that are over pedestrians or vehicles
• Limbs that are rubbing against each other
• Branches growing in the wrong direction

Dead branches: There’s no way of telling when a dead branch will fall or who it will fall on. It’s safe to say that at some point it will fall and it’s best for you to control the when and where.

Vehicles and Pedestrians: These are branches that hang too low and need to be cleared for the public right of way. And yes even if the trees is on the parkway, and technically owned by the city you are responsible for the trees maintenance as well as grass. Check with your local ordinances but for the most part you should have at least 8′ clearance over sidewalks and 10-15 over any vehicle crossing, such as a driveway or the street. There have been many a delivery or furniture truck that has met with the limbs of offending trees. By the way–the truck always wins that battle.

Rubbing: Limbs or branches that rub together whether naturally or from wind, will create a wound on 1 or both of the branches. This wounds emits a scent that allow insects to locate and attack it. Some limbs will actually even grow into each other to form one ugly branch.

Wrong direction: Branches that will are heading toward your gutters, windows, other trees, etc are best cut when they are young, under 2 inches. Smaller wounds are much easier are the tree and it is inevitable that they will be needing to be cut later so don’t procrastinate. It’s much better and even cheaper to do it early.

Dallas Curb Appeal also owns and operates DFW Christmas Lights and The Outdoor Lighting Expert. For more information on this or any other topic please feel free to comment below or visit our other sites for holiday and lighting topics.