Have you been putting off work to your landscape because of the rain we have been getting over the last 2 months? If so, you are not alone. The good news is that we live in a sweet spot of the US that makes the fall and winter the perfect time to install trees and shrubs. The Old Farmer’s Almanac states that “This winter, we expect to see above-normal temperatures almost everywhere in the United States and our milder-than-normal forecast is due to the expected arrival of a weak El Niño.” This translates to fall/winter being an excellent time to plant your gardens, especially trees.
According to the folks at Texas Agrilife Extension Service at Texas A&M University, College Station, the fall months of September through December have distinct advantages for us Texans. A plant’s root system will grow anytime the soil temperature is 40 degrees or higher, which can occur on and off all winter in Central Texas. During the winter months, the root systems of the fall-planted specimens develop and become established. When spring arrives, this expanded root system can support and take advantage of the full surge of spring growth. Then, in the “super summer” your trees and shrubs have an established root system that, in the long run, will need/use less water.
So, if you want to get a jump on the Joneses, give us a call here at VHS to set up a consultation.
This massive live oak (see below) is believed to date back to 1700. This oak has been declared a “Famous Tree of Texas”. The sprawling oak, whose trunk exceeds 17 feet in circumference, took root near life-giving springs that for centuries have drawn travelers, provided sustenance and fueled the local economy, according to MySA.com. The images below show the tree in 1901 and again in present day.
