“Keys to Giant Asian Dodder”We haven’t talked about invasive species much, but there is one in the Houston area that is fascinating. Many invasives are pioneer species that sprout readily in disturbed areas, others just outgrow native species

Keys to Growing From Seed

Sep 15th, 2016 12m 25s

Keys to Growing From SeedWhat does it mean when the pecans are ripening and acorns begin to fall? It’s time to think about growing trees from seed. Even though we often argue about the best size of tree to plant, it is possible that starting

Hormones Are Key

1 Sep 8th, 2016 11m 5s

Summer is coming to an end and fall is just around the corner. One of the pleasures of fall is the changing colors of our leaves and their eventual fall to the ground. What makes leaves fall from our deciduous trees?Someone cuts the top off a

Ancient Trees Are Key

Feb 12th, 2016 14m 21s

People are fascinated with big, old trees and they, often desperately, want to know how old they are. Listen this week to learn several techniques to estimate the age of your trees and learn the keys to caring for them.Species spotlight: Quak

Structural Pruning is Key

Nov 13th, 2015 9m 54s

We lose trees after every storm. A few pruning cuts can make all the difference in how long your tree lives. Join us this week to find out why structural pruning is key and how to get started.Mexican white oak is our tree of the week — find o

The Key to Healthier and Happier Trees

May 26th, 2015 11m 56s

We are often asked, "What is one thing I can do to help my trees?" The answer is pretty simple and better yet it is often free. Listen to this week’s episode to find out what’s the key to healthier and happier trees.Tree of the week – Waugh C

Phenology Is Key

Mar 29th, 2018 13m 44s

Phenology Is KeyRecently, we talked about spring tree care and mentioned a term you may not be familiar with. Phenology is the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena. When do ash trees start to leaf out, when are the cherry blossoms a

Fire Is Key

Mar 22nd, 2018 12m 25s

Fire Is KeyDestructive wildfires get lots of attention, rightfully so, but fire is a natural and important component in many ecosystems. Join us this week as we explore how “Fire is Key”.Species SpotlightListen to this week's #TreesAreKey t

Keys to Spring Tree Care

Mar 14th, 2018 9m 50s

Keys to Spring Tree CareThe redbuds and plums are in bloom and that means that spring has sprung across much of Texas. It’s your last chance to plant during prime planting season, mulch may need to be renewed and there are some trees that you

Keys to Salt Managment

Feb 1st, 2018 12m 29s

Keys to Salt ManagementLast week we talked about how Winter Care is Key for our trees and covered a little bit about salts from de-icers, but they aren’t the only way that salts can cause issues. Over-fertilization, oil and gas exploration and

Keys to Restoration Pruning

Jan 25th, 2018 10m 20s

Keys to Restoration PruningWith colder temperatures can come snow and ice. Both of these can cause damage to our trees. So can wind and errant chainsaws. Luckily, that doesn’t necessarily mean your tree has to be removed. Join us this week as

Winter Tree Care Is Key

Jan 18th, 2018 8m 9s

Winter Tree Care is KeyWinter can be a key time for our trees. Planting, transplanting, pruning and fertilization is just a few common activities this time of year. Join us next week as we talk about how Winter Tree Care is Key.Species Spotl

Keys to Freeze Damage

Jan 11th, 2018 11m 25s

Wow, it finally got cold and will continue to be cold across much of the US. Join us as we discuss the Keys to Freeze Damage. I’ve been moving this topic to the bottom of our topic list waiting for it to be timely. It’s not just how cold it get

Soil pH is Key

Nov 30th, 2017 11m 58s

pH is Key to TreesJoin us this week as we focus in on an important aspect of soil. That’s right – soil pH is key to the success of our trees. We will talk about what pH is, how it affects our trees and what, if anything, we can do to change i

Keys to Transplanting Trees

Nov 21st, 2017 13m 27s

We are in prime planting season and we are approaching prime transplanting season. Many people want to save a tree from destruction or just want to move it to a better location in the yard. It’s not easy, but it is possible. Join us this week a

Keys to Compost

Nov 16th, 2017 11m 50s

It’s that time of year when we tend to have lots of raw materials to make our own mulch, leaf mold, and compost.We’ve talked about mulch extensively in previous episodes and we’ve talked about how to make and use leaf mold (an alternative to

Keys to Root Manangement

Nov 2nd, 2017 15m 2s

Roots are active this time of year across Texas. That makes it a good time to plant trees and fertilize established trees if needed. Root management is often overlooked even though they are the foundation of the tree. Tune in this this week a

Keys to How Many Trees

Oct 26th, 2017 12m 37s

We’ve talked a lot about choosing the right species, picking the best tree at the nursery, and how to properly plant a tree but we haven’t talked about how many trees we should plant. Join us this week as we start a conversation about the Keys

Keys to Fall Tree Care

Oct 19th, 2017 11m

Keys to Fall Tree CareIt has started cooling off in Texas and that means Fall has arrived. Join us this week to learn more about what you should be doing for your trees this season. Species SpotlightBrazilian Bluewood, Condalia hookeri, i

Are Leans Key?

1 Sep 14th, 2017 10m 1s

Are Leans Key?Trees can be affected by hurricanes in many ways – defoliation, broken branches, complete failure and suffocation by flooding. One thing we haven’t talked about much are trees whose structural integrity may be compromised, but ha

Keys to Fighting Heat Islands

Aug 24th, 2017 11m 25s

Keys to Fighting Heat IslandsIt is reported that heat kills more people than all other natural disasters. This week, we discuss how trees are key to combating heat islands in our cities. Tune in as we explore a new report from Texas Tree Found

Slenderness Ratio is Key

1 Jun 29th, 2017 10m 4s

Slenderness Ratio is Key Pruning is very much an art and science. We seem to get a little bit more research each year, yet we have a hard time affecting change to reduce the incidence of topping and the insidious lion’s tailing.

Is Age Key?

Jun 1st, 2017 12m 49s

Is Age Key?One of the toughest questions we’re asked is, “how old do you think this tree is?” I don’t think many of the questioners want to cut down their tree to counts its rings, nor do they want to pay for carbon dating.Join us this week

Keys to Tree Appraisal

Mar 9th, 2017 12m 25s

Keys to Tree AppraisalWe’ve talked a lot about how trees are key to healthier, happier, safer, smarter communities. Many people know that trees are important, but how many know how much a single tree is worth? Join us as we talk about Keys to

Biomechanics Are Key

Feb 23rd, 2017 12m 27s

Biomechanics Are KeyTrees are fascinating organisms. With the ability to capture radiant energy and turn it into a chemical energy and to create something solid out of thin air, trees are truly amazing. Join us for this episode of #TreesAreKey