October 2019 - Fannin Tree Farm

Texas Arbor Day 2019

Posted on October 15 2019 by Fannin Tree Farm

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. Not only is the weather cooling down and college football and tailgating is in full swing, but Texas Arbor Day is the first Friday of November in, which is prime time to buy and plant your favorite shade or ornamental trees. You might be thinking, “Isn’t Arbor Day in April?” Yes, if you live in most of the country. The first Arbor Day in the United States was celebrated April 10, 1872, in Nebraska, and the idea of an official day promoting and planting trees quickly spread throughout the country.

Why does Texas have it’s own Arbor Day?

One hundred years after its first celebration, a National Arbor Day was declared as the last Friday in April. The only problem with this is that many times (including this past National Arbor Day), North Texas can see temperatures well into the 80’s with heat indexes into the 90s during late April. Although Fannin Tree Farm has a year-round 98% success rate planting trees, fall is most often a better time to establish trees. Cooler temperatures create more favorable conditions for a successful transition into the tree’s permanent home. This is why in 2013, Texas established Texas State Arbor Day, which falls on the first Friday of November.

What are some ways to celebrate Texas Arbor Day?

There are lots of things that you can do to celebrate Texas Arbor Day. In Texas, the official state Arbor Day celebration is held in a different host city each year on the first Friday in November. On National Arbor Day, Texas A&M Forest Service announced that this year’s state celebration will be hosted in Plano, Texas. “The idea is for everyone in Texas to take one day – the same day – to truly appreciate trees and plant one,” said Paul Johnson Texas A&M Forest Service urban and community forestry program coordinator. “Planting a tree leaves a legacy for future generations while beautifying the spaces where we live, work and play today.”

Plant the Seeds for the Next Generation

Today, above all, Arbor Day is for children, parents, and grandparents to strengthen the bond between generations by planting trees together. It presents a tremendous opportunity to teach fundamental lessons about stewardship of our natural resources and caring for our environment. There is no more powerful demonstration than helping children plant and care for trees that their own children and grandchildren will enjoy.

Here are some things you can do with your family, school or community for Texas Arbor Day:

Celebrate by planting a tree
Take a class of students on a tree identification hike around campus or within your community
Plant trees on your school campus
Challenge schools within the local districts to create Tree Trails on their campuses
Have a contest for students to find the oldest trees in the community and research the history of the tree. For example, when the tree was 10 years old, what was going on in your community, the nation and/or the world
Hold an essay contest where students describe the importance of trees to their community
Select special trees to plant as a memorial or honorary trees (link to the celebration tree graphic with the tree types and meaning)
Invite a local arborist to give a tree-climbing demonstration
Ask an arborist or Tree Company to come out and give a talk on trees, how to maintain trees or other tree-related topics for your school, community group, church or scouts group.
Take a Family walk at a local park and talk about the trees and what trees provide to our world.

Fannin Tree Farm would love to spend part of your Arbor Day with you, come out the 1^st to the 3^rd for our Texas Arbor Day Sale. All of our trees will be on sale and select inventory up to 30% off. We will have Arbor Day Activity Books for the Kids, a food truck on Saturday and lots of great Texas Shade Tree’s to choose from.

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How-To Care for Your Trees This Fall

Posted on October 15 2019 by Fannin Tree Farm

Colder temperatures, football back in season, and the leaves are starting to change, which could only mean one thing… fall is here! While we as Texans enjoy our break from the sizzling hot summers, your tree needs a little extra help preparing for the colder months ahead. At Fannin Tree Farm, we recommend following these tips to properly prepare your tree for the colder weather ahead:

Start from the Ground Up With Mulch

Putting down a fresh layer of composted mulch under your tree is a great way for your tree to retain moisture and protect its roots from extreme temperatures. Fall is the perfect time of the year to do this since your tree has not been fully exposed to the extreme cold temperatures that lead to stress.

Hydrate Even in The Cooler Months

While the temperatures may be cooler, your tree can still suffer from drought. Much like a summer drought, occasional watering (especially with younger trees) in the fall and winter can be lifesaving.

Rule of “tree”: Only water when both the tree and its soil are cool but not frozen.

Protect Your Tree from Harmful Outdoor Elements

Ice and snow accumulation are one of the main causes for limb breakage or splitting during the cooler months, right along with gnawing and rubbing by animals. These two factors can be easily avoided by wrapping the tree at its base with a solid plastic guard or metal hardware cloth. These forms of protection are another means to also prevent temperature damage in the winter months.

Rule of “tree”: When spring arrives, be sure to remove the base cover to avoid any potential damage during tree growth.

Prime Pruning Season

Late into the fall season is a good time to prune trees. This is the time of the year when trees become dormant due to the colder weather. When in their dormant state, trees drop their leaves and make it easier to see the structure of the tree, allowing you to identify any signs of disease and insect problems. Pruning is a vital component to the health of your trees because it helps relieve any stress on trees and tender new growth.

Rule of “tree”: When your tree has dropped all of its leaves, that means your tree has become dormant and is ready for pruning. Pruning later into the fall season, the better, to prevent any chance of injuring your tree.

Fall Time is The Best Time to Plant Trees

Not only is fall the best time of the year, but it’s also the best time to plant trees! After the cooler temperatures have been around for a while, conditions are prime for stimulating root growth in new trees. Set you and your tree up for success this fall by following our Fall and Winter Tree Planting checklist.

If you’re needing more help on how to care for your trees this season, feel free to contact the professionals at Fannin Tree Farm at 972-747-9233. Our team of Tree Experts are ready to answer any questions you may have and work with you to find your next tree!
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