Green Tree Co

After half of this Pecan tree failed, we inspected the tree and found noticeable decay in the standing portion as well. We recommended complete removal for the safety of this publicly accessible property.

Interestingly, there was much less living wood in the portion that still stood (circled green) than the part that fell (red x). While we work hard to preserve native living trees, sometimes the risk does outweigh the benefits of the tree.

Friends and clients:
I had a phone issue that is now resolved. If you have sent me a text in the last 24+ hours without response, please try again.
Thank you!
James
512-525-5677

A fallen tree saved!
This large Live Oak fell roughly 5-10 years ago. Amazingly, it survived and actually thrived after the fall.
The HOA instructed that the fallen tree must be removed for compliance.
After close inspection, we provided the HOA with information on the timeline of this condition as well as the current health of the tree. Thankfully, the HOA agreed that if the canopy could be lifted from the ground, the tree could stay and live on!

Hi all! We have been slacking on posts and pictures but busy with trees! (Interesting story below)
I wanted to remind those in restricted neighborhoods that official Oak trimming season begins Monday, July 1st! We still spray our cuts, but it is a safer time in regards to aerial transmission of Oak Wilt.

The pictured Live Oaks are very much alive, but have been completely defoliated by Katydids, the night shift of summer noises. This was the case in a 5-10 acre portion of a Burnet County ranch. The trees should get new leaves this season but undoubtedly will be stressed by this and may take another season to appear normal again.
A little research revealed that similar outbreaks were recorded in 2012 after the drought of 2011. Our varying weather patterns create these "booms" of different insects each year.

What is a tree snag, why do they matter? I'll tell you!

A snag is a standing dead tree, be it the entire tree, or just a trunk like you see here.
By taking the canopy off of a dead tree, we can greatly reduce any risk of partial or complete tree failure. By removing much of the weight and leverage, a trunk snag will stand for years more than an entire dead tree.

Pros:
-Foraging and nesting for woodpeckers, other birds, and other wildlife.
-Perch with a clear view for hawks, owls, flycatchers, etc.
-(Often) more cost effective for removing immediate risk associated with a dead tree.
-Stands much longer than an entire dead tree
-Creates room for new trees without concern of large limbs falling on young trees.

Cons:
-Generally only appropriate for backyard and extended yard areas.
-Re-assessment of trunk stability may be needed if near "targets" that could be damaged.

If you have contacted us in the last 48 hours via Text or Call, please try again. I'm working to get back to everyone that I can but cannot access those messages.
Thanks!
James Green

Hypoxylon everywhere, such an unpleasant trend this Spring.

A beautiful old Live Oak given preventative Oak Wilt injections this week.
"Lightning tree" is one of the owners' favorite trees and we have been monitoring Oak Wilt nearby to treat at the right time!

Meet the crew, day FIVE!
James!
(This is me, James, talking about myself and a little bit of our company history)
I'm the owner, founder, and Arborist at Green Tree Co.
As a kid I climbed every tree I could find and enjoyed propagating trees from seed in our own backyard. I never seemed to outgrow these things.
Well before I had a Driver's License I was doing tree and landscape related tasks for neighbors and family friends. I soon had a small company offering most outdoor services.
Just over 7 years ago, I decided to focus our services on my primary interest (trees!) and Green Tree Co was born!
I've since become a Certified Arborist, obtained my Oak Wilt qualification, and started a native tree nursery. I spend as much time as possible learning and working to improve my local tree knowledge as well as adding services to give our clients the best possible solutions for their tree problems.
Our progress and success is all thanks to wonderful clients, crew members, and family support!

Outside of work, I enjoy seed hunting trips, propagation, and time in nature with friends or my partner and two children. I enjoy bowling and reading when the weather is against my outdoor plans. Local ecology, reptiles, and natural history are also strong interests of mine.

Meet the crew, day FOUR!
George!
We met George a couple years ago at a tree class of all places. After talking trees for a couple years, we have taken the opportunity to add him to the team for a season! George has a special interest in soil health and PHC (plant healthcare). He comes with experience and is a pleasure to have helping in all parts of our operation!

George is a veteran, is nature and tech oriented, wrapping up a degree in environment science and working towards an Arborist certification. He has worked with disaster relief, wildland firefighting, tree service, and more.
George has a teen in robotics & wrestling at Liberty Hill. He and his wife are also raising two more little ones! To say he's a busy man would be a great understatement.

Meet the crew, day THREE!
Andee!
Andee has been working part-time in our native tree nursery for about two years. The nursery would not be what it is without her help. She assists in keeping over 2500 potted trees, weeded, fertilized, re-potted, tagged, and organized. She also helps maintain and modify their irrigation and occasionally helps with propagation. Trees were not a part of her career plan but her love and knowledge of them has and continues to grow!

Outside of work, she is constantly finding ways to live a simpler, healthier kind of life that creates less waste. Taking trash and turning it into something useful brings her joy. Andee likes to learn new skills-from gardening and sewing to fixing her own car. She is a new mother loving learning how to best raise her baby girl, Willow, and can't wait to start homeschooling. Andee is also an excellent Airbnb host and enjoys a good Texas brewed beer.

Meet the crew, day TWO!
Kaden!
Kaden has been involved with Green Tree Co since we began focusing on trees over 7 years ago. He worked part-time through Highschool and college, joining full-time over 3 years ago. Kaden is now a crew lead, our main tree feller, stump grinder, and does most of our pruning that can be done from the ground. He is studying to become our second Certified Arborist this year, and certainly has the required knowledge!

Interests outside of work:
Like most of our crew, Kaden's primary interests are outdoors. Kaden is especially knowledgeable regarding native birds, fish and grasses. He is a dedicated and ethical hunter and fisherman. Kaden also competes in disc golf all around the state, now competing with pros in the Open division. As a matter of fact, he's playing a tournament this weekend!

Meet the crew, day ONE!
Danny!
Danny's involvement with tree care goes back to about age 10 (see last pic) helping James from time to time all the way through high school, after which he became full-time.
After working as a groundsman for a few years, he has begun to work aloft in the trees and is now our second climber! Danny is quick to learn new skills and knows his way around all tree services.

Interests outside of work:
While Danny appreciates all wildlife, he has special interest in reptiles and amphibians. He spends much of his free time making short trips to film, photograph and document his findings. A taste of his photography below!

The bulk of our crew pictured in Burnet last week. We will be introducing the whole team, one at a time, over the next 5 days!

A couple small removals and stump grinding from today.
We think of Spring as removal season. It's a great time to remove invasive, hazardous, or dead trees before they cause issues. Give us a call if you would like to get on our schedule!

Mulch Madness! 🌳🏀

h/t Ohio Chapter ISA

Information on Hypoxylon Canker:
We are seeing a lot of Hypoxylon Canker right now, primarily on Texas Red Oak and Post Oak.
Unlike Oak Wilt, this fungus can only infect dehydrated and stressed trees. Our current increase of infection is undoubtedly due to our past couple dry/hot Summers.

Little can be done for a tree once the infection becomes visible on the trunk. It will kill the tree within a couple years if the tree is not already dead.

Preventative measures are simply keeping uninfected trees healthy and hydrated especially during drought. If you are unable to adequately water trees during drought, any measures to add organic matter such as compost, mulch, or wood chips to the root zone may be helpful. Additionally, anything to reduce compaction, such as reducing traffic over the root zone or loosening the soil with air and/or biological activity. All of these measures help the soil capture and hold more water when it does rain.

Of course for any tree questions or issues, we are here for you! This is one of the few diseases that can often be identified by pictures so feel free to send pictures if you are unsure.

5 Hybrid Poplar removed today. We had a tight drop zone but made it work! Unfortunately, a couple of these fast growing trees partially died and had begun causing damage with fallen portions hitting both homes.

This heart shaped piece of Oak is an example of "Ram's horn" formation of wound wood from a very old injury to the trunk.
These two old trees were dead and will be used for firewood by the homeowner.
Last picture shows our 36" bar chainsaw that has been with us for 7 years! The oldest piece of equipment on the truck, besides us. 😉

We aren't in the firewood business so we love a client that wants to keep it! These dead Live Oaks will be made into firewood by the ranch owner's grandson.

This Gorgeous old Live Oak had a rather large limb break in a Fall storm. We removed all major deadwood just to reduce excess weight in the canopy.
This tree measured 60" diameter at the "waist", making it an exceptional tree for our area.

Check out this beast of a Live Oak and these hard working men!
Danny (left) climber in training
Kaden (right) Arborist in training
Pictures never do trees like this one justice. It was a pleasure to work on.

Sometimes buildings and decks pop up too close to trees. 😉 These needed to go for this remodel to be completed. We worked carefully to avoid any damage to the brand new decking. The owners had an idea for the Cedar post so we gently set it on the deck for them to keep.

Continuing our education and staying up to date on tree science is very important to us! Stay tuned for a second ISA Certified Arborist on our team this year! 😊

January is a great month for trimming Live Oaks and Red Oaks!
We try to avoid major Oak pruning February-June to reduce the possibility of Oak Wilt infection. We spray fresh cuts on these species all year to be as cautious as possible.
Here are a couple Live Oaks we worked on today.

We don't often recommend eliminating all underbrush in your Live Oak motts, however it can be a way to manage fire hazard and aesthetics near your home.
Here is a little mott we cleaned out last week.

A HUGE THANK YOU to our clients that must have voted for us. (I believe Marble Falls area clients) This is our second time to receive this award and we cannot thank you enough for the support! 🌳

A little canopy lift and deadwood removal from today. This was a beautiful tree to work with.
January is a great month to trim Live Oaks and the last full month of the safer season regarding Oak Wilt.