According to a statement from the city, there are several reasons why trimming trees in the summer is beneficial. Beetles that help propagate oak wilt, a destructive disease affecting live oaks and red oaks in Central Texas, slow their activity between July and January. Oak wilt is caused by a fungus, which is easily spread when beetles carrying the fungal spores from infected red oaks to fresh, open wounds on healthy oaks.
The city discourages residents from trimming oak trees between Feb. 1 and June 30, when the beetles are particularly active. Additionally, the city encourages fresh tree wounds to be sealed with a tree wound dressing or latex paint and for tree pruning tools to be cleaned with a 10 percent bleach solution or Lysol at all times of the year.
According to the National Arbor Day Foundation website, summer pruning can also help direct the growth of a tree by slowing unwanted branches and trimming away dead limbs.
Cedar Park work crews are also taking advantage of this time of year to trim trees, bushes and other vegetation along streets and sidewalks to relieve vehicle and pedestrian obstruction, which is a safety hazard. According to city ordinance, tree branches should hang:
- No less than 8 feet above the sidewalk, and
- At least 14 feet over the street
Cedar Park city ordinances require trees near streets to have certain dimensions.[/caption]City officials encourage residents to do their own tree trimming so that trees appear even and meet owners’ aesthetic standards. If trees are not trimmed according to required dimensions, the city may remove encroaching tree branches in order to prevent vehicle obstruction.
To report non-compliant trees to the city, people can use the CPConnect mobile application or by logging onto the city’s Report a Problem web page at www.cedarparktexas.gov/reportaproblem.
