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Winterizing and Fertilizing Drought-Weary Trees of Southeast Texas

There are about 500 different kinds of trees that are native to Texas soil, and all of these native Texas trees have been stressed to their heat and drought thresholds this year in the 2011 heat wave and drought, the worst ever recorded. Heading into the cold months all Texas trees are in urgent need of care so they may adequately recover and grow and thrive next year. If you have never fertilized your Southeast Texas trees for the winter in years past, this would be an important year to start. This article is to make sure you have basic information to do it correctly.

Most local Southeast Texas Trees, including the classic tall longleaf Loblolly pine of the piney woods area, the Sabal palm, and the expansive variety of oaks that grow here, thrive with large quantities of water, and this area of the country is known for elevated levels of rainfall. The drought has been particularly unkind to them. Many of those trees possess deep root systems, and this is necessary to know when considering the best way to supplement their soil and prepare them for the cold months.

So what can help to fortify and supplement your trees to help them revive and thrive next year? Here is the easy breakdown of the three most common varieties of trees local to Southeast Texas:

OAKS AND DEDCIDUOUS TREES

To winterize oaks is to fertilize oaks. Oaks require a mix of nutrients that promote root development and disease resistance, since oaks are particularly at the mercy of a vascular illness called oak wilt as well a few sorts of pest issues. Fertilize when the tree is well in the dormant period (Late January or early February). The nitrogen component of oak fertilizer needs to be a slow-releasing form since quick-release nitrogen can stimulate fast growth that is nutritionally void. A 19-5-9 fertilizer makeup would be a good mixture. One pound per inch diameter of tree trunk is the rule, spread evenly within the branch spread diameter of the tree. It is acceptable to use 3-6 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet underneath oaks. Incidentally, this advice is applicable to most varieties of deciduous trees, even the bald cypress. Refrain from using fertilizer stakes. While fertilizer stakes appear practical because they are inserted into the ground below the turf, allowing the roots of the trees to get the maximum access to the nutrient elements rather than it going to the grass, the releasing of the nutrient elements from stakes is too localized. Going with oak fertilizer by stakes might need well over 50 stakes for most mature oaks and deciduous trees, dotted uniformly throughout the root system underneath the tree, for the tree to get the nutrition applied similarly by granulated fertilizer. Water the tree weekly in periods of little rainfall.

PINE TREES

The longleaf Loblolly pines indigenous to Texas love acidic sandy soil and clay, and essentially thrive in the most nutrient-lacking soil conditions, but they aren't drought hardy. The most important course of action for this water-dependent longleaf pine is to keep the soil most but well drained.

SABAL PALM

For all of us who endured those intense cold snaps in February 2011, we saw that Sabal palms suffered seriously because their core temperature fell under their cold hardy threshold. When it eventually warmed back up for good, pretty much all the region's Sabal palm varieties either suffered tissue damage or died.

Never trim a Sabal palm tree right before the cold season. The frondy and fuller trees will have the best chance to endure the cold than the ones stripped of their protective fan of frond leaves. Smaller palms can be covered for the length of a cold snap.

To fertilize, employ a slow release fertilizer which has supplemental magnesium and calcium. Spread the fertilizer evenly on slightly wet soil, all the way around the trunk of the palm tree and work it into the soil, and do not forget to water it in. Be careful to not over-fertilize a Sabal palm.

Article Source: GardenGap.com

About the Author

Katherine Parker is the Southeast Texas trees specialist for Southeast Texas Trees LLC, providing native Texas tree lovers useful information about best winter oak fertilizer and how to properly winterize indigenous Texas trees after this harsh 2011 heat wave and drought.