On New Year’s Day a friend said, “Doesn’t 2024 seem like a date you would see in a sci-fi movie?” I know what he means. What happened to 2023? Well, I have a number of things to say about 2023 and our trees, but first I want to visit with you about January 2024.
January is an important time for managing your trees. First of all, we are close to the end of the low risk pruning season for live oaks and red oaks. If you need to prune your live and red oaks, NOW is the time. Otherwise (unless people or property are at risk), you will need to wait until July and the new low risk pruning season for oaks.
January is also the time to finish planting new trees for the season. While you can plant trees any time of year, you generally want them to have time to begin to establish before the blazing heat of the summer. Now is the time to plant trees! (Late October/early November is the best time, but now is the second best!)
This is an excellent time of year to contribute to soil nutrition under the canopy of your trees. I recommend a 1/4″ top dressing of organic cow manure compost under the canopy of the tree. Generally speaking, anywhere you have canopy you likely have roots. Soil nutrition is an important way to contribute to tree health and recovery from the nasty weather of the last few years.
With regard to 2023, in many instances, our trees have begun to recover from the ice storm and summer heat and drought. Unfortunately, I’m still seeing many instances of zombie trees. This phenomenon has affected a wide range of tree species, including live oaks and red oaks. Zombie trees appear to have recovered from the original deep freeze but their canopies are actually showing signs of vascular damage and in many instances have large branches with a high likelihood of failure. Shameless plug #1: If you see bark popping off of branches or mushrooms (fungal fruiting bodies) growing on branches, call me for a health and risk assessment.
We are delighted to have begun offering a CEU accredited Tree Preservation Basics Course for realtors in 2023. We have gotten great feedback about the one-hour course. Call now to schedule!
We also gave many presentations to garden, naturalist, and pond societies and clubs as well as to neighborhood groups. They have also been very well received. Call now to schedule a presentation for your organization.
And finally, look for teaser mailers to follow over the next couple of months about our new Basic Tree Care Guide to be published and distributed late first quarter of this year. I’m very excited about the Guide!
Thank you for giving Austin Beautiful Trees so many opportunities to help you manage your trees in 2023 and we are excited about new opportunities in 2024!
Here is a thought for the new year from Joanne Raptis:
Be like a tree. Stay grounded. Connect with your roots. Turn over a new leaf. Bend before you break. Enjoy your unique natural beauty. Keep growing.
