Tree Maintenance Checklist for San Antonio Homeowners

Most people would not consider tree maintenance to be a priority.

Not until something gets their attention anyway.

A branch dips lower into the driveway. Leaves drop when they never have before. A

storm rips through San Antonio and the next morning the entire neighborhood is

wandering the street, staring up at their trees.

All the trees were fine the day before.

Well, they were fine until they weren't.

That's life.

You tend to the lawn because you are able to see the signs as soon as something is

wrong. You can see when the flower beds need care. Trees are a bit harder because a

fully-grown, mature tree tends to keep the same appearance from year to year.

That doesn't mean everything is fine, of course,

but

trees do require a level of maintenance that can be easy to overlook.

You don't have to inspect every single branch and you certainly don't need to be able to

identify which trees are which in order to provide proper upkeep. In most cases, a few

simple considerations are all that is needed.

Take a step back and observe

It almost sounds too simple, but that's why it's here. Every now and then, take a step

back and really observe. Look at your trees from a distance. Not five minutes before

you have to climb back in your car.

Study them.

Is the canopy appearing balanced? Does one side look tighter than the other? Are there

patches of bare spots? Does anything look notably lower than the rest?

You may find something that stands out immediately.

Perhaps one branch looks exceptionally dead while the rest of the tree is fine. Perhaps

it looks like the tree is leaning more than normal towards your house. Perhaps you see

that large, bare branch that you somehow never noticed until now, sitting atop your

roof.

Chances are, you'll notice tree abnormalities before anyone else. After all, you live

there. You're bound to see things change from week to week. You should know what

this place looks like on a day to day basis and when something is out of place, it will

likely be noticed.

Assess the Trunk

While most of us look up at a tree when we think of assessing it, there's also value in

looking at the trunk.

The trunk will likely have some scars or small imperfections as the tree lives in the real

world.

As the tree grows, it will experience things that bump up against it or run into it.

What you're looking for are new things in this assessment, rather than the usual old

scars the tree has had for years.

A deep groove should raise an eyebrow. Same with large pockets of missing bark,

rotting areas, or spots that look particularly damaged.

If you see something like this, give us a call. Fungal growth should also be brought to

our attention, although you shouldn't worry that the tree is dying right away. It could

mean decay underneath the bark, but we will want to get a closer look.

You aren't expected to be a tree expert.

You're just looking for things that seem new or different than what you've seen on a

regular basis.

The Base

Again, things that seem abnormal are what you're looking for when it comes to

examining the base of your tree.

There's a good chance that something in this area will seem out of place to you.

Look at the base of the trunk. Is everything appearing normal?

Has there been any exposed roots? Has the soil shifted or lifted? Are there cracks

forming in the dirt?

Cracks in the soil are something we tend to see frequently after a storm has passed

through the area. If the tree has leaned and shifted, the roots could have pulled free of

the dirt and cracked when attempting to stabilize themselves.

This can take some time to occur.

This isn't something to panic over right away. If a tree has shifted in a way that it is

leaning more than normal, it could mean that something has occurred beneath the

surface that caused the root system to move. That can take months to happen. A tree

can appear to be fine and perfectly healthy one year and then experience root damage.

It can even continue to look healthy, though it will likely be unable to stabilize itself well.

As long as a tree looks healthy and safe above the surface, it can still move and shift.

You don't have to be concerned with what is underneath unless something seems out

of place above ground.

Considerations After Severe Weather

San Antonio homeowners are generally familiar with the possibility of severe weather

rolling through the region.

It isn't uncommon to have a stretch of hot, dry days followed by a few days of rain and

high winds. Storms aren't as common, but they can still occur.

After the weather clears up, take some time to assess the trees on your property. You

don't have to worry about scheduling a full and professional inspection to look over

everything, but taking some time to look for obvious signs of damage is a good idea.

Again, you want to be looking for any changes from the status quo. Damaged and

dangling branches are things that should be taken care of, but you should also watch

for cracks. Large, heavy branches tend to crack where they connect to the trunk rather

than falling entirely. If any of the limbs on your tree appear to be hanging lower than

normal or have shifted, that can be a sign that something has occurred.

If the tree itself appears to be leaning now versus how it did before the storm, that's

something that should be looked into as well. It may not be immediate cause for alarm,

but it will want to be looked over by a professional in the near future.

Branches that were previously threatening a roof or driveway are one thing. A large

crack over the roof of your home is something else entirely.

If the storm damage is severe enough, it's always a good idea to call in professional

emergency tree service rather than risking your own safety when attempting to make

repairs.

Dead wood should not be permanent

There's a tree that everyone has seen before that is healthy in most places but has one

large, dead branch permanently attached to it. The same tree is usually ignored for

years because there hasn't been a problem until one day, that dead limb falls on a roof

or driveway.

The thing about dead wood is that it rarely lasts forever on a tree. It doesn't magically

become stronger or steadier the longer it remains, which is why it should be removed

before it becomes an issue.

The location of the dead wood is important too.

Dead wood that threatens an empty part of the yard is one thing, but it can also

become a danger when the branch or limb falls on a driveway or home structure.

That's where consistent tree trimming comes in handy.

It's far easier to eliminate the potential hazard when it's still small rather than waiting

until there's a problem.

Big Trees vs. Healthy Trees

It's surprisingly common for homeowners to mistake healthy, large trees as unhealthy

when it comes to tree trimming.

Big trees need to be trimmed just as badly as smaller trees, so it's important not to

overlook either due to preconceived notions.

If you're planning to trim, it's a good idea to understand why you need the trimming

done in the first place rather than just doing it for the sake of reduction

That way, you can ensure that you aren't making matters worse for the tree by

removing too much at once. Trees need their canopies to help them thrive and remove

too much at once and you will end up damaging the tree in the process. It will likely

result in unsightly growth patterns that you will have to deal with later.

Pay Particular Attention to Oaks

It's always a good idea to keep in mind when it comes to trees in San Antonio that oaks

tend to require a little extra attention.

Oak wilt is an awful disease that tends to affect Central Texas with a particular

frequency, and oak trimming is something that should always be planned a little further

ahead than the rest of the trees on your property. Freshly cut wounds can provide the

perfect means of transmission for the disease, so it's always a good idea to be careful

around oak trees.

On the other hand, it's still important that dead or dangerous branches are removed for

the safety of your property

If an oak branch is threatening your roof, it's always a good idea to get rid of it if

possible, just be mindful of when that occurs

Watering Trees is not the Same as Watering Grass

During a period of dry weather in San Antonio, it's easy to assume that the sprinkler

system is tending to all of your outdoor needs.

It's not always the case, unfortunately.

Grass has more shallow roots and is far more accustomed to periods of dry weather,

but mature trees require a bit more care.

The tree roots tend to stretch out further in order to receive water and nutrients,

meaning that a brief watering session won't be very effective. Deep, slow watering is

always more effective for mature trees during prolonged periods of dry weather.

It's always important to remember that more water isn't always better when it comes to

tree health, though

Saturated soil can be just as harmful to trees as insufficient water, so it's usually a good

idea to try and determine why the tree may be stressed before doing anything drastic.

Simply putting the tree in an area of constant water won't solve the problem if the root

system is struggling.

Root systems and Tree Health are Inextricably

Linked

Tree roots serve a dual purpose of providing nourishment and helping to keep the tree

upright and stable.

Unfortunately, it's easy to take the roots for granted since they're buried underground

It's always a good idea to give them some consideration, especially when it comes to

new construction.

Things like driveways, large buildings, and heavy machinery can put stress on roots, and

even frequent parking over the area can produce similar results.

It's always important to consider trees when it comes to construction, and it can be

even more important for mature trees with deep roots that stretch out far from the

trunk.

The issue with root damage is that it rarely manifests in noticeable ways from the trunk.

It can take a long time for the issue to rear its head since a tree can seem totally healthy

and normal despite struggling roots that fail to provide the nourishment and stability it

needs.

It's always best to avoid causing issues for the tree before you have to deal with

repairing root damage.

Pay Attention to Branches Around Residential

Structures

Trees on your property don't need to have an empty area of space surrounding them at

all times. It's actually normal for trees to lean into homes since they need a sturdy

support to grow towards. The problems tend to occur when the branch makes contact

with the roof, siding, or other structures.

It's always a good idea to take a look from the driveway and see if you can see any

branches that may be too close. It's easy to forget that branches have been slowly

creeping forward until you're looking from another angle and can see just how close

they've gotten. This is especially important for garages, sheds, and other buildings that

tend to be overlooked when it comes to tree maintenance.

You don't want to have to worry about the safety of a tree near your home. A little extra

room goes a long way in preventing issues with both trees and your home.

Don't Forget About Trees that Don't Require Much

Attention

It's perfectly normal for homeowners to be far more attentive towards one tree than

another. It's common to not notice the tree at the back of the yard near the fence as

much as the large one in the front.

This is understandable, but it's always important to keep in mind that trees near the

back of the yard and against the fence are equally important.

They're often ignored for the most part and it's easy to forget to trim them or even

inspect them at all. The most important consideration is to remember that the trees are

there and that a dead branch can fall regardless of where it is.

Trees along a fence are particularly important since it can be hard to say which yard a

stray branch truly belongs to

Trees Sometimes Tell You When Something is Wrong

There's nothing inherently scientific about this one. Trees can just seem...off.

It's hard to put into words, but most homeowners can understand what is meant by this.

The tree's leaves appear smaller. The tree looks less dense or healthy than the rest. One

section keeps dying back. Branches seem to fall off at an odd time or in odd places. The

tree just looks more unhealthy than the rest.

There's no need to panic if the tree looks more unhealthy than usual.

Hot, dry weather can certainly do that to a tree, but it's usually a good idea to keep an

eye on things in the future. If the issue persists or gets worse, it's always a good idea to

get it looked into.

A Seasonal Tree Maintenance Schedule is Usually

Enough

As a general rule of thumb, it's rarely necessary to do anything more than stick to a

seasonal maintenance schedule.

It's easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of tree maintenance considerations,

but it only takes a few minutes to do most of them. At the start of the season, look for

new growth and the branches that failed to make it through the winter. During the

summer, keep an eye on the tree for issues with drought and abnormal leaf loss. After

storms pass, take a look at any cracks that may have formed as well as the movement

of the tree. Finally, near the end of the year, it's a good idea to make sure that the tree

is structurally sound and consider tree trimming if necessary.

That's really all there is to it. It only takes a few minutes to take a look and determine if

everything looks normal. A few simple observations can go a long way towards tree

maintenance in the long run.

Tree Maintenance FAQs

How often should I schedule tree inspections?

It's hard to say on a case by case basis, but trees that are close to homes and other

structures tend to need a bit more upkeep. This goes double in the wake of a storm or if

anything seems to have changed in regards to the tree's condition.

Do San Antonio trees need regular trimming?

There are plenty of trees that require it, but it's rare to need it on a yearly basis.

Should I water mature trees during a San Antonio drought?

It's always a good idea to give them a drink if a drought has been particularly severe or

long-lasting. It's best to water slowly so the roots have time to reach the moisture rather

than rushing it and wasting it.

Should I be as concerned about a dead branch that has been on my

tree for years?

Unfortunately yes, because a dead branch will only become more of a liability as it

continues to remain on the tree.

Should I inspect my trees after every storm?

You don't need to schedule a professional inspection after every storm, but it's always a

good idea to take a look around at your own trees just in case.

You Don't Have to be a Tree Expert

That's really the main takeaway for all of this. You don't really have to know much at all

besides what's stated in this guide in order to perform adequate tree maintenance

around your San Antonio home.

If the tree that looked the same for ten years now looks different, take a look at it. If a

branch makes you feel uneasy every time the wind blows, have it looked at. If the tree

appears to be leaning more than normal, don't pretend like everything is fine.

There's a lot that goes into tree maintenance, but most of it boils down to taking a few

simple considerations.

24-7 Tree Services Texas provides quality tree trimming, tree removal, storm damage repair and more to San Antonio home owners. If your tree needs maintenance or removal, it's time to give us a call.