Shari Eddington and Khrystopher Brown attending a class taught by Dr. Todd Watson, PhD of Texas A& M University — College Station.
From the Desk of Certified Arborist
Tyrone Brown, Sr.
At Brown’s Tree Care we believe that it is important to stay up to date and educated on current research in the Arboriculture Community. That’s why we regularly attend classes and seminars taught by some of the top researchers of Arboriculture in the nation.
Why Prune?
“Why should we prune our trees?” is a question we get asked often. When done correctly, pruning trees is healthy. Broken, dead, or diseased branches are pruned to prevent pathogenic organisms from penetrating into adjacent parts of the tree and to reduce spreading to other trees.
Pruning is an important control measure for fire blight, black knot, several twig blights, some cankers, and crown gall. Live branches are removed to permit penetration of sunlight and circulation of air through the canopy. An open canopy makes a less favorable site for fungus and bacteria.
Proper pruning of the tree crown can reduce wind resistance and help prevent breakage. Branches that form an acute angle of attachment are removed because they are especially prone to breakage.
When branches having narrow crotch angles enlarge stress on the crotch increases. Also, acutely angled braches often have bark embedded (we call this included bark) in the branch attachment, which causes a weak joint. These weak attachments are prone to splitting and breaking out during ice storms or high winds. Thus pruning can increase the structural stability of trees.
About Mistletoe?
Mistletoes are parasitic plants that grow on woody plants taking nutrients and moisture from their host. They infect many host. They infest many trees especially Hackberry, Ash and Maple in Texas. Mistletoes have green or gray-green stems and leaves. The leaves are oval shaped, thick and firm in texture.
After mistletoe plants are 2 years old, they begin to grow small white or pinkish berries that build up a pressure inside and explode shooting sticky spores sticking to other parts of the tree to reproduce. Humans and birds also spread Mistletoe. If not removed, Mistletoe can seriously weaken trees.
Special Note: Mistletoe plants are poisonous to humans.