Watersprouts? Suckers?

The proper name for these small-diameter shoots along the trunk and major limbs of a tree is epicormic growth. We are often asked to prune these off for aesthetic reasons, and we will generally try to convince you otherwise, at least in the short term. Due to the recent drought, we are seeing exceptional quantities of epicormic growth.

Epicormic growth occurs in response to various stressors such as soil compaction, root damage, drought, or dramatic canopy loss from severe weather or over-pruning. Dormant buds in the trunk and limbs are activated by hormonal processes, and the resultant growth is typically rapid and vigorous, but weakly attached to the primary limb. If they are allowed to grow to a large size, epicorms can become hazardous due to this weak branch attachment.

On the other hand, epicorms serve an important function by quickly creating additional photosynthetic capacity and energy to the tree under stress.

We suggest identifying a tree's stressors and determining what can be done to mitigate them before removing epicormic growth. For example, a tree suffering from drought stress and showing a thin upper canopy will often produce abundant epicorms along the lower trunk and limbs. If drought conditions can be mitigated by providing adequate water and nutrients, the upper canopy may be restored. Once it is back to health, removal of epicorms may be reevaluated.

Stage 3 Water Restrictions?

Hi, folks!

I wanted to make everyone aware of the important conversations that are beginning to occur in our industry and in our city surrounding the next stage of water restrictions. I'll be posting more about this in the upcoming months, but suffice it to say that the effects of Stage 3 water restrictions could alter our landscape for many, many years to come.

In case you are of the "oh, that will never happen" mindset, be aware that discussions are already being held within the city offices to determine what the next level of water restrictions will look like. They might not call it "Stage 3" - it might be "Stage 2-A", or Stage 2-B" - but it will most assuredly involve further restrictions on outdoor watering. At some point, we may no longer be permitted to water our landscapes at all.

Here is a link to a Facebook group dedicated to this discussion, if you'd like to follow:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/austinstage3/

More to come on this subject, trust me!
- K

Yard-Staging for Home Sellers

If your home is still on the market, like many Austin homes, maybe the problem is curb appeal. Yard-staging is an important component of getting a home off the market. Real Estate agents suggest pruning trees, applying mulch and babying your lawn. We can help.

Remember, many HOAs have minimum front yard tree requirements. Trees help a property look beautiful, and they also decrease air conditioning costs as they provide much needed shade (not to mention privacy between neighbors and streets.)

Just Trees knows what it takes to baby your heritage trees and younger plants. We can work with you through a free consultation to help design a care plan that is affordable and will help your home sell. MSN Real Estate wrote an article about affordable ideas to up the appeal of your yard. It can be as easy as pruning your trees and adding a hammock to make your home feel like an oasis to potential buyers. Happy staging!

How to Water and Make it Count in a Drought

This drought is shaping up to be one of the worst in our areas history. We need your intervention to save our area trees. Please contact us if we can assist you at your property.

I know we are all sensitive about Austin's water supply so we don't want to water our trees unless we make it count! Here is some important information about watering your trees, provided by the Houston Chronicle. That's right, even damp and humid is Houston is lacking rain this year:

A watering schedule that maintains a lawn in a drought won't adequately maintain trees, foresters say.

Water slowly and deeply to avoid runoff and evaporation. How much depends on the tree:

Give a small, 1-year-old tree 28 gallons of water a week, a 2-year-old tree 56 gallons a week, and a 3-year-old about 112 gallons a week.

For larger trees, it's easier to use the general formula of 10 gallons per inch of trunk diameter (measured at knee height) each week during drought.

"Older, established trees have more extensive root systems, but still might not find enough water in the soil during a drought to stay in good health," said Mickey Merritt of the Texas Forest Service.

The key, he said, is a long, slow soaking, so water can penetrate deeply into the root zone. Options include:

• Turn the hose on at a trickle, and let water soak into the ground under the drip line or canopy until that area is saturated about 18 inches deep. After about two hours, move the hose to another area and repeat.

• Coil a soaker hose around the tree, as near the drip line as possible. Let it run several hours to slowly soak the soil.

• Poke three small holes in the bottom of 5-gallon buckets and place them beneath trees, then fill the buckets so the water slowly seeps into the soil.

• Purchase slow-release systems such as Ooze Tube and Treegator, which Merritt said are beneficial in watering young trees.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/gardening/features/7645889.html#ixzz1TPiY0dDH

Get to watering, ya'll! And call us if we can help you curb the damage of the season by pruning, fertilizing or removing.

Community

Anyone who knows us on a personal level (which I like to think most are clients feel), knows that the Just Trees family is BIG on community. We live out on a dirt road with 4 houses of neighbors and we take part in important milestones and even more important family dinners and chores with one another. Two sets of neighbors even stayed up all night to create Kristina's big girl room for her birthday surprise.

This summer has offered us even more opportunity to get together. Last weekend was my (muffle muffle)th birthday and neighbors and friends turned out in full force! My birthday is the 4th of July. Little K participated in a parade early in the morning that she was sure as all for me. It's so sweet that my little one felt all of Austin was out with balloons and fanfare to celebrate her momma.

Later in the day, we were joined by many to BBQ and enjoy our new "redneck" pool, my birthday gift. Even without the usual Austin fireworks the festivities banged on into the late evening. It feels wonderful to be so supported by our adopted family.

Neighbors are truly an asset to a family. I hope you will be encouraged to get out and meet those who live near you. It's more than a borrowed cup of sugar (or in our case, someone to pick up milk for Little K on their way home). Neighbors form a foundation and keep you in line, making sure your actions match your beliefs.

As a favorite classic movie, The Matchmaker, tells us, "A man can survive without his wallet, but not without his friends."

There are many more gems in this movie, and I encourage you to add it to your Netflix que. Here's one I'd like to dedicate to our office assistant, Katie, for her upcoming 25th birthday,

"The very young are almost as smart as the very old, Cornelius. It's in the middle that you get in all the trouble."

Sprayer

We have several water sprayers like this around the back yard. Some we fill with water for our potted plants and garden. Others we use to spray for bugs (like scorpions) around the parameter of the patio and the house.

What’s great about these little babies is that by pumping the pressure valve at the top, the sprayer will send a continuous mist of water or liquid where you need it. You know how tired your hands can get with a hose sprayer. We love it because little K can get involved!

My neighbors even used one to scotch guard a new rug. Apparently, squeezing the bottle nozzle over and over for the entire area of a living room rug got old.

The sprayers don’t have to be expensive, but putting in a little more cash can keep you from constant replacements. Find them at your local hardware store like Lowe’s, Home Depot or our own local Breed and Co. I hope it helps you combat the drought and keep your plants blooming and your tomatoes tasty!

Here's a link to a video about a fantastic project going on down at Deep Eddy. In reality, it's been in the works for a long time. We're especially excited about it because Kristina and I and some friends have been helping to make the tiles! We're going to have to head down there and look for the ones we signed....

Check out the new mural at http://austin.ynn.com/content/top_stories/279022/local-wonders--deep-eddy-mural-project

See you at the swimming hole!