How might a homeowner identify problems with their trees?
We say a tree inspection should be done on a yearly basis. It probably should be done around the same month every year. ... [During an inspection], I’m looking at foliage, the canopy of the tree. Do we have any loose bark? Are there any insect issues? What is the general health of the tree? What do they look like? How’s the landscaping? Do we have volcano mulching? Do we have over-irrigation? How is the yard? How’s the grass? Is there compaction in the ground?
What are some common mistakes people make that cause damage to their trees?
Probably over-mulching, or volcano mulching, where you cover the roots and you put a lot of mulch like a volcano around the tree so the tree looks like a telephone pole. We have real big trees too close to homes. Over-irrigation and irrigating the ground every day is a huge issue—when we see an increase in rainfall, they can cut back on irrigation.
People are having their landscapers do the trees and they’re butchering it. ... They are making a big mistake by not calling companies with an [International Society of Arboriculture]-certified arborist on staff.
Another big thing is the homeowners don’t really have a management program for the trees. Don’t call us after the fact. [If] a tree fails, call us today. Get on a good tree maintenance program so you can have everything planned out.
What are the best trees to plant in the northwest Houston area?
I would stay away from planting blueberries, bottlebrush trees. Look for palm trees that thrive in the Houston area. The oak trees are real good for our area, generally speaking—red oaks, live oaks. There’s all types of trees, but you just have to match the type of tree for the spot. Too large of a tree in a little bitty space [doesn’t work]. You have to match the tree for the space it has to grow in.
