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

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.

The eight months from October 2010 through May 2011 have been the driest eight-month period on record for Texas since 1895. Rainfall in Austin was 38 percent of normal. We enter the summer season in an “exceptional drought.” Homeowners need to be on the defensive when it comes to saving their trees.

Temperatures have hit triple digits earlier than usual this year, with three 100+-degree days in Austin in May. With little water coming in, the region's two water supply reservoirs, lakes Travis and Buchanan, together are about 60 percent full, with about 1.2 million acre-feet in combined storage.

Mulch can help protect the root systems of your trees by keeping water in the soil. Remember to water your trees whenever the soil is dry to the touch. Yes, water bills will go up but this can keep your tree alive through the dry season. I have many friends opting to abandon their plants and gardens during this time and choosing instead to water their trees. Where do you get more bang for your buck?

Because soil is parched, it will take about 5 to 6 inches of rain in the basin to begin to produce significant runoff. That amount of rain appears highly unlikely this summer, unless a tropical storm brings rainfall to the region. Odd that one region’s hurricane could be another’s hope for survival.

Stay cool, Austin families! This weekend, like most, you can find us at Deep Eddy Pool!

Source: http://www.lcra.org/water/drought/index.html