Texas, and Dallas especially, has a growing problem with Oak Wilt disease. There are pockets of Oak Wilt in far north Dallas, Plano and McKinney and it is rapidly spreading throughout the metroplex. There is a grave lack of awareness of how to care for your Oak trees.
Oak Wilt is a terminal disease that affects primarily Red Oaks and Live Oak trees. It is a fungus that is spread two ways; by insects carrying the spores into freshly cut openings on the trees and also below ground by interconnected roots. The best prevention is to avoid pruning Oak trees between February 15th and June 15th and to educate your neighbors of this best practice.
Signs of Oak Wilt Disease
The greatest fear for an experienced landscaper is when two adjacent neighbors prune their Oak trees in the middle of spring and their tree pruning company has never heard of Oak Wilt. Know your tree pruning professional and make sure they have the experience required to care for your investment!
Additionally, be careful of oak firewood that may come from infected areas, it can bring Oak Wilt to your existing trees. Use other types of firewood and make sure it has aged.
In the event of storm damage to an Oak tree or accidental pruning during the wrong season, cover all cuts with pruning paint. Beautiful Oak trees can represent a significant portion of your home's real estate, so they're worth protecting!
What Proper Pruning Looks Like
This is a well pruned Red Oak; suckers and crossing branches removed, internal thinning for sunlight to the grass, and a natural canopy.
Protecting Your Investment
Notice the even leaf growth and filtering sunlight to the grass of this Live Oak, proper pruning also protects the tree from wind damage by better allowing our strong spring winds to pass through the canopy.
If you'd like help with your pruning, or other landscape needs, we'd love to hear from you and provide a no-obligation consultation to meet your needs and budget.
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