Talking Trees with Davey Tree
Your trees and landscapes require year-round care, and The Davey Tree Expert Company is here to help provide you with expert advice. Join our professional Davey arborists and gardening-expert host Doug Oster to learn all about caring for your properties. We'll talk about introduced pests, seasonal tree care, tree diseases, arborists' favorite trees, how to help your trees thrive and everything in between. Tune in every Thursday because here at the Talking Trees Podcast, we know trees are the answer.
Talking Trees with Davey Tree
Storm Season Prep: What Every Homeowner Should Know
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Madison Law from Davey’s South Houston office joins us to talk about storm season preparation, including what to look out for, taking care of your trees before storm season hits and why working with a certified arborist makes all the difference.
To find your local Davey office, check out our find a local office page to search by zip code.
To learn more about storm season and how it can affect your trees, please read our blogs How to Reduce Wind and Storm Damage on Trees, What to Do if a Storm Damaged My Tree? and Hidden Storm Damage in Trees: Long-Term Risks & Preventative Care Tips.
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Connect with Doug Oster at www.dougoster.com.
Have topics you'd like us to cover on the podcast? Email us at podcasts@davey.com. We want to hear from you!
Welcome to the Davey Tree Expert Company's podcast, Talking Trees. I'm your host, Doug Oester. Each week, our expert arborists share advice on seasonal tree care, how to make your trees thrive, arborists' favorite trees, and much, much more. Tune in every Thursday to learn more because here at the Talking Trees Podcast, we know trees are the answer. I'm joined again this week by Madison Law. She's a sales arborist for the Davy Tree Expert Company in the South Houston, Texas office. Today we're talking all about planning for storms, storm preparation. How are you, Madison? Good to talk to you again.
SPEAKER_00I'm doing great, Doug. Thank you. I'm so happy to be back and talking about such an important topic like storm prep.
SPEAKER_01Well, for somebody who I always say I live in this oak forest, when things are windy and the storm is coming, I'm always worried. Even though I've got an arborist who comes here every six months, I'm telling you, it's been it's been really windy the last few years here. I don't know what you guys are experiencing there in Texas.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no, that's
Wind passing through tree canopies
SPEAKER_00totally important. Um, the wind factor is huge when you're talking about storm prep for trees, because when you look at a tree, it's basically a large, uh, I would say, I like to compare it to like a ship sail, right? So it's a dense, thick portion of the tree that the wind needs to pass through safely. So I like to tell clients when we're pruning for storm safety, you have currently a wind sail, but we want more of a cheese grater. You know, it's still nice and shaded, but there's air pockets for that air to travel safely through so that you retain your shade, the canopy stays balanced, and there's less wind resistance in the canopy.
SPEAKER_01So, what's the best advice for a homeowner this time of the year?
Have an arborist assess your trees before leaves flush
SPEAKER_01We've we've got work to do. Uh, what should we do when we're thinking about uh what's coming up weather-wise? Should we get our arborist out to take a look before the season starts in full?
SPEAKER_00Oh, absolutely. So down here in Houston right now, we're going through our bud break season. So that's when all of our new leaves are popping, when everything looks lovely and fresh and green, and it doesn't look so desolate like it does in the winter, right? And of course, you have other trees like our live oaks that retain a lot of their foliage during the winter season. Uh, but they also reflush with that new stuff. And typically it gets really crazy. So having your arborists come out before the leaves fully flush or just as they're flushing, we can make the determination. Yes, you need to do some pruning, either raising above the home, thinning it out on the inside, or you'll probably be okay for this winter or for this storm season.
SPEAKER_01The other thing I want to talk about is looking down
Strong root structures
SPEAKER_01at the tree, uh, like what those roots are doing, and uh are they gonna hold that tree in place? Besides the oaks, I've got plenty of pines too, and we know how shallow-rooted they are always scary for storms, especially windy storms.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, pine trees are pretty scary. Um, they're not bad trees. They they are pretty tall, so they can look a little imposing. So always having a strong root structure for pines, oaks, any kind of species is uh a great asset to have. So that's another thing that your arborists could evaluate when they come out on the property. They can check to make sure there's proper rooting, there are no mushrooms around the base, which could lead to believing, you know, that it could have a root rot. And if there's a root rot, there's most likely some kind of um structural deficit underground for that root structure, and that's where the strength of the tree is. It's holding itself to the ground as those winds whip through, as the rain pelts it. And so if the roots aren't strong, then the tree isn't as strong as it can be. So proper fertilization is also super important to make sure that your trees stay as healthy as possible so that they can withstand those natural disasters.
SPEAKER_01So, since we can't see the
Diagnosing root issues
SPEAKER_01roots, how do you diagnose that? Is it just from what you can see or are there other ways to do it?
SPEAKER_00That's a great question. So, whenever you're looking at a canopy of a tree, if it's like a big straw, right? So the roots have where all the nutrients and water and oxygen is, and they're sucking it up basically into the full canopy of the tree and spreading it out. That's what its job is, to disperse it amongst the canopy. And if there's a root issue, usually you'll see some dieback on the very tips starting as it works its way inward, because there's not enough root strength to push all those nutrients and all that water out to the tips. So that's a really great indicator that possibly you've got some sort of rooting issue. And of course, when you're looking out across any form of yard, you know, you have to think of trees in little pocket islands, right? They've this one may be in a wide open area, it might have way more nutrients available to it versus a sidewalk tree, right? That's in a little five by five section of grass. And so you have to think, what could be there? What could I reintroduce? Because another thing with storms is they blow away a lot of that topsoil, that organic matter. Rain water will leach the soil of nutrients that the tree needs to stay healthy. And when you have all these mixed ingredients together, that's when you can run into trouble.
SPEAKER_01Let's uh talk about fertilization.
Fertilization
SPEAKER_01You mentioned it, and I think it's it's one of the main things that homeowners just don't consider when they're starting their season off, and it is really important to that tree's growing healthy.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely. I like to recommend fertilizing um at all points. You know, we can do it at any time of year here in Houston. We don't have any blackouts like they do down in Florida. We can do it at any point of the year, and because Arbor Green is so good about being a slow release fertilizer and with a lower salt content, we're not risking burning roots. And the tree will use the fertilizer as it needs the fertilizer. Um, and the fertilizer is just a tool for the tree to one, reintroduce nutrients back into the soil that it needs, and for the tree to try and stay as healthy as possible by itself.
SPEAKER_01And you mentioned during storms, especially windy storms, we're losing some of that topsoil on top of the tree. And so uh I'm going to guess that means mulching. And whenever we mention mulching medicine, and it's almost every show.
Mulching the right way
SPEAKER_01So uh we know what needs to be done. It needs to be mulched the right way. But is that an important thing as far as you're concerned?
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. So, again, with the mulching, like you said, it comes up every time. Everyone should know the term volcano mulching. I literally just came from a client's house. He had, I I kid you not, he had a foot of mulch right around the tree, just a solid plateau plate. And I was like, I'm so sorry, you've got to pull this back. Because one, mulching can be good, but if it's not done right, it can be a problem down the road. Um, so with that mulching, it can help protect that top layer of soil for those trees as well as moisture retention. Say if you go through a drought or if you get a lot of windy seasons, uh, the wind can dry out the leaves. The moisture retention is super important there.
SPEAKER_01How often do you have to have the talk with homeowners and how does it go over?
SPEAKER_00Usually it's pretty good. In most cases, they don't know. You know, I would say nine out of 10 cases, homeowners just don't know. And that's where your knowledge and your expertise as a certified arborist comes into play. And so, you know, any landscaper will say, Oh, well, I can mulch your trees, no problem. And then they throw five bags on a three-inch oak tree, you know. But if you have a certified arborist, somebody who's studied and learned and practiced, they know how it should be done. And that's what is so great about Davy is we have the best people to do that.
SPEAKER_01Well, I can't say enough about a certified
Certified arborists get the job done
SPEAKER_01arborist. Uh and I guess for me, it's probably in the last 15 years that I've discovered the importance of having uh a good certified arborist and not just coming when there's a problem. Like right now, we're we're getting into storm season and taking a look at what's happening both down and up and in between is important before the weather turns bad.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely. I'm doing a lot of storm prep work with my clients right now. They're calling me out and I'm assessing the trees. And it's hard during the winter season when a lot of our trees lose their leaves and their foliage. Um, especially probably
Dead and hanging limbs
SPEAKER_00what I would consider one of the most dangerous things is dead limbs in trees or hanging limbs. So when it's the winter season, it's hard to see them. But once things start flushing out, it's a lot easier to spot. So a lot of homeowners don't know they have it until you point it out and say, well, this limb over here is completely dead and it's overhanging your 10-year-old roof you just replaced. You know, I think we should definitely get rid of that before the storm season comes upon us.
SPEAKER_01What is your storm season? Is
Texas' storm season
SPEAKER_01it the entire spring, summer, fall, or or is is it is a specific time? Because for us in in Pittsburgh and the East Coast, storm season begins now and goes all the way through August.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and we're we're pretty similar down here. You know, we're prepping for storm season right now. So April is usually about our beginning season, all the way through August into September. Uh, we just get those hurricanes that can come up. We get a lot of heavy rainfall. I know in more west Texas or even towards Dallas, they also have problems with tornadoes. Um, Austin and San Antonio had a really bad ice storm. And some, and you can prepare as much as you can, but these are living things. You know, your trees are living things, and each one is completely unique from the other one. So you can prep as much as you can, but we can only do what we can do, you know.
SPEAKER_01I mean, that's just the way it is. You you can do all this pre preventative work, but again, you don't the storm is is also so unpredictable. And you know, I ask this question a lot of arborists
How do arborists watch for weather?
SPEAKER_01about watching the weather. Like in your case, when there's a hurricane on the way, are are you looking at that like saying, oh boy, here you know, and see where it's gonna land, what it's gonna hit, and like get ready, guys. Uh you know, the team is gonna be busy for the next uh who knows how long.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely. I when a hurricane is imminent, we are constantly on call, ready to remove branches that fall across people's driveway, fall across a street, you know, clearing the way for emergency services to reach people who need it. Um our guys are very well trained and they've gone through a few storms with us. So they know proper procedure. And of course, safety is always paramount. Safety first, foremost, first, second, third, you know, everything. So um, and storms can be very dangerous because when you have a storm come through, it can mix a lot of things up. Things are not the typical nature. And you may have a tree that you think looks fantastic, it looks amazing. It makes my whole house look incredible, and that's great. But if you don't maintain it, you don't properly prune it, fertilize, have someone come out to check it, it could be your nightmare.
SPEAKER_01Take me through it when you go to a client's
Talking through a client's assessment
SPEAKER_01house. And we've we've kind of uh run through it here, but what's the first thing you look for when you get on a property?
SPEAKER_00Usually the first thing I look for is uh mushrooms at the base of trees, because that's a really great indicator, first off and foremost, of if there's something wrong. The second thing I look for is uh major dead limbs. And, you know, I try not to park under those if I can help it. And I um I also look for that that die back that we were talking about earlier, where it starts to die at the tips and works its way inward. And then I look for open cavities and other indicators that would show, you know, what is going on with this tree. And I think one of the things that homeowners don't think about is if you put in a new driveway and you've got this 50-year-old oak tree, how is that gonna respond to that? So then I get called out a lot for those. Well, my my tree was doing just fine, but you know, it was breaking up my driveway. So we cut all these roots, or we just put in this new sidewalk. And I was like, well, you're changing the environment of that tree. You're breaking up that root system that's what holds it into the soil, you know? So there's there's always those kinds of talks, and sometimes people want their driveway more than they want their tree, unfortunately.
SPEAKER_01Oh, Madison, I was walking in the city yesterday, and I saw someone had just put in a Dawn Redwood, like three feet from the sidewalk. Oh that's exactly what I did, Madison. And I just thought I just thought to myself, this tree's never gonna reach its maturity, and it's already pushing up the sidewalk. And what what what what a crime. Since we are at uh the start of
Right tree for the right place
SPEAKER_01another planting season, right tree for the right place is also part of storm prep, right?
SPEAKER_00Oh, 100%. I actually just went and saw a client the other day, and he had his gardener do it, right? He had asked his gardener about it, and they had planted a little olive tree right next to the garage. And he was telling me, I want instant shade, and I want this, and I don't want to see my neighbor. And I'm like, well, that probably wasn't the right tree for that spot. You know, right tree, right place is critical. So, like with your Don Redwood situation, um, some places in Houston have bald cypresses planted right along the sidewalk, and they're super pretty trees, they're lovely. It's just why would you plant that there when you're gonna have to deal with the knees and all the leaves? It's there's better choices for better spots. And that's another portion of having a certified arborist come out because we know what species will do the best. We know how they'll react for the most part, right? Um, and so again, critical in having that planning step is having that arborist there.
SPEAKER_01Tell me a little bit about your relationship with clients
Madison's relationship with clients
SPEAKER_01and your ability to keep these trees healthy and thriving.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely. So it's it helps, you know, in Houston, we've been here for so long. Some clients have been grandfathered in over time, which is awesome. Um, and then with newer clients, sometimes you get what I like to call like the fresh faces. So people who are interested in their trees, they want to know more, they're ready to do it. And then you have other people that come in with a docket, right? They say, Oh, well, I came from so-and-so, and our trees used to do this, but my trees aren't doing that here. Why is that? And so you run into that situation of, well, your trees over there may not be the same as what you have over here. And these trees are not the same trees, right? They're every tree is individual. And that's a constant thing I have with clients, is they have, for example, two live oaks on their property. And they say, Well, why is this one flourishing and why is this one not doing so well? And I say, Well, if you have two siblings, why is one taller and the other one's not taller? You know, or why is the other one more athletic and the other one's more book smart? It's they're completely individuals. They could come from the same parent, but totally different. Plus, where they're at, even if it's in the same yard, the nutrient availability shifts so swiftly between an inch of soil here and an inch of soil here. So it's really hard to compare them because every time it's apples to oranges.
SPEAKER_01We've talked about it before, but before I let you go, tell me what you get out of your job.
Why Madison loves her job
SPEAKER_01Why is it right for you?
SPEAKER_00I love meeting new people. I love being able to teach people about their trees. And I especially love being able to bring it all together, right? So I truly enjoy seeing people get excited about their trees and learning something new. And then I also enjoy learning new things. And with this kind of position, you get to see so many incredible ideas of how people want their trees to look that are good, right? And the types of environments that they can grow in. Trees are just incredible. It's it's really cool to see that light, that spark in someone's eye when they figure out and they're like, that's really awesome. So that's probably my favorite part and why I love to do this.
SPEAKER_01Well, Madison, I'm gonna leave it right there. That's great stuff. Uh, it was great to talk to you again and uh just wonderful information. And we will talk again soon, I'm sure.
SPEAKER_00Perfect. Thank you so much, Doug, and I hope you have a great season.
SPEAKER_01You too. Thanks. That was fun. I hope you thought so too. Now, tune in every Thursday to the Talking Trees Podcast from the Davy Tree Expert Company. I'm your host, Doug Oester. I would like you to subscribe to the podcast so you won't miss a show. And what should we be covering? What should we be talking about? There's a couple of different ways to tell us. You can send an email to podcasts at dayby.com. That's P-O-D, C-A-S-T-S at d-a-v-e-y.com. You can also click the link at the end of our show notes to text us a fan mail message. Your ideas could be on a future show. We'd love to hear from you. And as always, we'd like to remind you on the Talking Trees podcast. You know it. Trees are the answer.