Category Archives: News & Information

 

Why Mature Trees Provide More Benefits Than Young Trees

At Fannin Tree Farm, we recommend that homeowners purchase mature trees rather than young ones. Adding mature trees to your home landscape can provide many benefits without requiring much upkeep or pruning. Young trees require a considerable amount of pruning and training, and they don’t provide as many benefits to your home and neighborhood as mature trees do.

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1. Never forget to water during the Fall and Winter months.

• • It is a common misconception, that there is no need for watering in the Fall/Winter months. However, trees require water always throughout the year; we recommend to water as needed to keep the soil moisture at an adequate level always during the colder months.
  • To properly prepare for freezing temperatures in the Fall and Winter, make sure to water the trees an adequate amount the day/night before a freeze to maintain the soil temperature and decrease the chance of plant decline.
  • Visit our website to find our post-planting tree care guide and watering instructions.

 

2. Rely on mulch. 
   • Put mulch under your tree in the fall or early winter to help retain water and reduce temperature extremes in the soil.
   • A thin layer of mulch will act like a blanket and give the tree’s roots a little extra protection. Never put more than 1 to 1.5” of mulch over the root ball.
   • If you have a Fannin Tree with a tree well, now id the time to refresh your tree well by turning over the mulch and refreshing the tree well.

3. Prune your trees.

• • Late fall is a good time to prune your trees. Not only are trees dormant in the colder months, but it is also easier to see a tree’s structure when there are no leaves on the branches.
  • Proper pruning is vital to the health of trees and plants, in part because it helps relieve stress on trees and keeps them growing. Just be aware that each tree is different and pruning at the wrong time or the wrong way can injure a tree making it more susceptible.”
  • Fannin does not recommend pruning trees for 2 to 3 years after the tree was planted. This allows the tree to recover from planting stress. It is ok to prune dead branches from a newly planted tree.

 

4. Plant more! 
   • Since autumn is the time of year for colorful, falling leaves, many people do not realize that it is also a prime time to plant new trees.
   • After cooler weather has set in, conditions are perfect for stimulating root growth in new trees. Once roots are established throughout the fall and dormancy of winter, spring showers and summer warmth encourage new top growth.

 

If you have any questions about your trees, planting trees, need a quote for pruning or tree well clean up and mulch, feel free to contact the professionals at Fannin Tree Farm.  Our number is 972-747-9233 and we have a team of tree experts ready to serve.

Some of this content provided by the International Society of Arboriculture, a non-profit organization dedicated to tree-care research and education. Fannin Tree Farm is a member in good standing with ISA.

 

 

 

 

 

As autumn approaches, be sure to take full advantage of the season. It is widely spoken that fall is the best time to plant trees and shrubs. Here are a few things to consider when planting trees at your home.

 

1st: Planting trees in the fall

• Planting trees in the fall is the best time of the year for plant growth, because of the cooler temperatures and most deciduous trees are dormant allowing less stress and damage to the tree.

2nd: Planting deciduous trees

• Many deciduous trees provide beautiful foliage and if planted in the correct spot, they can help reduce your energy bill. Consider planting a deciduous tree like a Red Oak, Cedar Elm, Bur Oak, or Lacebark Elm on the northwest side of your home. This will cool your home in the summer and allow sunlight to heat your home in the winter.

3rd: Planting trees along the North and South side

• If you are looking to plant a screen for vegetable gardens or screen from harsh winter winds, consider planting a row of trees, like Eastern Red Cedars, Magnolias, hollies, junipers, or other full to the ground growth type trees to protect from the cold northern winds.

• Planting tree rows along the south side of your property will provide a good wind break as they mature.

4th: Do not plant large stature shade trees close to the foundation.

• Most large-stature trees, like Red Oaks, Live Oaks, Magnolias, Cedar Elms, and Bald Cypress, need room to grow. Their roots grow outward to stabilize them as they mature. They require water and can reduce moisture near the foundation. It is important to not plant a tree within 25-ft of a foundation. These large tree species can have roots that grow out 3-5 times the width of their canopy.

5th: Do not plant large shade trees beneath utility lines.

• Selecting the right tree for the right location is very important. Never plant a large stature tree beneath a power line or within 25-35 ft of an overhead line. As these trees mature, they will grow into utility lines and require invasive pruning.

 

If you have any questions about your trees, feel free to contact the professionals at Fannin Tree Farm. Our number is (972) 747-9233 and we have a team of experts ready to serve.

 

During severe heat, with temperatures regularly reaching over 100-degree Fahrenheit, don’t forget that your trees need water and can show signs of heat stress during this drought-inducing weather. Trees signal drought stress with several symptoms, starting with foliage turning from dark green to light green, then browning at the leaf margins, wilting, and eventually prematurely dropping its leaves. During high temperatures, healthy trees can drop a significant portion of its leaves to conserve moisture. This usually doesn’t kill the tree, but can hold them back for a while until they recover.

What about my Evergreen?

Evergreen is a bit of a misleading term because even evergreen plants have to shed older leaves and needles, the same way you have hair on your head all the time, but still lose hair every day. Healthy trees can regularly drop up to 10% of their existing leaves during a drought as a way to conserve moisture and maintain health. If they didn’t drop these leaves, they would lose too much moisture through transpiration, effectively a breathing process that takes place in the leaves.

Continue to follow our watering guidelines for newly planted trees and remember your established trees, as well.  They need some extra relief from the heat. Download our guide HERE.

 

 

Fannin also recommends you start spraying the entire tree canopy a few times a week for 30 minutes either in the early morning or the late evening during 100-degrees weather to help the tree get a break from the heat. It will also knock off any dead leaves or small limbs and reduce the stress.  An oscillating sprinkler with an adjustable spray that goes back and forth to cover the entire tree canopy will be helpful in this endeavor. Stay on track with your fertilizing schedule and increase your SUPERthrive treatment to every other week if your tree shows signs of stress for at least two months.

Signs of Drought Stress in Trees

Signs of drought will be most visible in the foliage of trees. Look for the following symptoms in times of short-term drought.

• Temporary Wilting: Wilting and drooping leaves will occur during the day. Leaves will recover and appear normal by morning.
• Permanent Wilting: As droughts progress, leaves will remain wilted even in the early morning.
• Yellowing Leaves: Before dropping foliage, leaves will turn yellow and exhibit fall color (Figure 1).
• Leaf Scorch: Leaf margins will have a brown or burned appearance (Figure 2).
• Defoliating Trees: Trees will generally begin to lose their leaves from the top and branch ends (Figure 3).
• Bark Cracks: During prolonged droughts, trees might develop longitudinal cracks in the bark, especially in thin-barked species like maples (Figure 4).

 

 

It’s August – time to fertilize your trees!

Fannin Tree Farm is excited to announce we are replacing our Osmocote recommendation for newly planted tree after-care to our “slow release” Fannin Tree Farm Professional Tree Fertilizer. Our new fertilizer is designed specifically for trees and is recommended to be used in April and August. In May, Fannin started planting our trees with the Fannin Tree Farm Professional Tree Fertilizer along with a preventative treatment for environmental insect issues such as bores and aphids as an added benefit for our customers at no charge.

Review more information about why you should use our fertilizer below!

 

Why Fannin’s Professional Tree Fertilizer?

In most of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the soil is very high in calcium and magnesium is limited. Fannin’s Professional Tree Fertilizer aids in balancing nutrition and improves uptake of other nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and iron. It also plays a role in developing plant cells and the chlorophyll molecule (which is responsible for photosynthesis).

 

Where can I get Fannin’s Professional Tree Fertilizer?

We have our Fannin Tree Farm Professional Tree Fertilizer in our retail center in Frisco, Texas.  You can buy it with your tree purchase and come in any time and buy a new bottle as needed.

 

What if I still have Osmocote to use for the August fertilizer treatment?

You can still use the Osmocote to finish out what you have, but when getting ready to re-stock we highly recommend you do so with Fannin’s Professional Tree Fertilizer.

 

Can I use Fannin’s Professional Tree Fertilizer on all of my trees?

Yes, you can. While newly planted trees definitely need the fertilizer in April and August, you can use it on all your trees regardless of age.

 

Have additional questions? Please give us a call at 972-747-9233 or come on by the farm!  

World Honey Bee Day is celebrated every third Saturday in August which means it’s coming soon! This day celebrates the importance of honey bees and raises awareness about the challenges they face in our ecosystem. At Fannin Tree Farm we value the impact these flying insects make on some of our favorite flowering trees and can’t wait to share more about honey bees with you.

For centuries, honey has been used to sweeten various foods and the practice of beekeeping began spreading during early Egyptian civilization. World Honey Bee Day, which was first held in 2009, promotes conservation efforts, sustainable practices, beekeeping, and planting bee-friendly trees to support pollinators. With over 20,000 different species of bees around the world, honey bees offer incredible contributions to our environment and food supply. Bees and other pollinators rank at the top of the list of pollinators, helping produce many important fruits and vegetables. However,  they face significant challenges, including habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, and diseases. These threats can negatively impact both bee populations and tree pollination. In many areas, parasites and a lack of forage are also threatening bee health and survival. 

Trees and flowers are a critical source of forage for bees, providing nutrient-rich pollen and nectar that bees use for food and to make honey. Flowering trees provide bees with ample and stable amounts of nectar and pollen, plus shade and shelter from the wind. Bees can even make a honey-like substance from the sap of non-flowering trees, including pine trees. Many species of wild bees live inside trees and in return, bees provide much-needed pollination services, especially for fruit trees. One of the many things you can do for these pollinators is to plant flowering trees around your home or business. 

Check out the list of pollinator-friendly trees Fannin has at our farm in Frisco, Texas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information on our trees please call us at 972-747-9233 or visit our website at www.FanninTreeFarm.com. For more information on World Honey Bee Day, check out these great websites below!

• https://nationaltoday.com/world-honey-bee-day/#history
• https://www.fao.org/world-bee-day/en/

 

In June 2023, Fannin Tree Farm was honored to work with Claritin, Downtown Dallas, and Fox Sports Journalist, Erin Andrews, on the DiversiTree Project in Dallas, Texas. Claritin’s DiversiTree Project helps balance out pollen levels by planting trees in public areas.

Fannin planted four Quercus Muehlenbergii, commonly known as Chinquapin Oak, on Commerce Street. Chinquapin Oak’s are drought-tolerant, deciduous trees that grow well in dry, rocky soils in a full sun environment. Flowers will bloom from April to early June and its wood is an integral part of the woodworking industry.

Next time you are in Downtown Dallas, check them out!

 

 

 

Earth Day is an annual event created to celebrate the planet’s environment and raise public awareness about pollution. The day, marked on April 22, is observed worldwide with rallies, conferences, outdoor activities, and service projects. Earth Day is a time of the year to reflect on how your life impacts the planet. On this day, people think about new ways to reduce their carbon imprint and improve water quality. They get together to get their hands dirty and make earnest strides towards making the Earth a better, and healthier, place to live. Earth Day is an important day for people to take the time out of their busy lives to consider the impact that humanity has on the environment and for taking steps to minimize these impacts. As a result, we all can live happier and healthier lives in tune with nature. While it would be nice if we all lived as if every day was Earth Day, this holiday serves as a friendly reminder each year, to respect the Earth and to show a little gratitude to Mother Nature.

Started as a grassroots movement, Earth Day created public support for the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and contributed to the passage of the Clean Air Act, the Water Quality Improvement Act, the Endangered Species Act, and several other environmental laws. The idea for Earth Day was proposed by then-Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, who died in 2005. The first Earth Day took place on April 22, 1970, a monumental day that is widely credited for launching the modern environmental movement. 20 million Americans from all walks of life participated in the very first Earth Day. Twenty years later, Earth Day went global, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting environmental issues onto the world stage.

Earth Day is a time to reflect and be thankful for everything the Earth does for us. It is also a time to strengthen our relationship with nature, to give back, and to think of ways we can work to better support the Earth for future generations.  This year the theme for Earth Day is Protect Our Species. Nature’s gifts to our planet are the millions of species that we know and love, and many more that remain to be discovered. Unfortunately, human beings have irrevocably upset the balance of nature and, as a result, the world is facing the greatest rate of extinction since we lost the dinosaurs more than 60 million years ago. But unlike the fate of the dinosaurs, the rapid extinction of species in our world today is the result of human activity.

 

How Trees Can Help

This year, Earth Day hits especially close to home for Fannin Tree Farm as it is focused on investing in our planet, climate change, and restoring our earth. Trees are a great investment in our planet, curbing climate change directly by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Through the process of photosynthesis, forests offset 10 to 20 percent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions each year. Additionally, trees help protect against climate impacts such as flooding, which is getting worse with more locally heavy precipitation. By catching rainwater, reducing erosion, and creating more permeable soils, trees help prevent nearly 400 billion gallons of runoff annually in the continental U.S., which is enough water to fill about 600,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Trees are equally crucial for water and air quality, as over half of Americans depend on forests to capture and filter their drinking water. Tree leaves also absorb airborne pollutants and intercept particulate matter, helping reduce the throat irritation, asthma, and even premature death that these pollutants may cause. By annually removing over 35 billion pounds of these pollutants in the continental U.S., trees prevent over half a million cases of acute respiratory symptoms each year.

Not surprisingly, areas with more trees provide more benefits, like in the Southeast and Pacific Northwest. However, some benefits are higher in urban areas, which often have higher air pollution and flood risks. Trees in urban areas can also reduce the urban heat island effect and lower air conditioning needs as much as 30 percent by providing a natural shade. Urban trees reduce U.S. energy bills by over $5 billion each year. And since lower energy consumption means fewer carbon dioxide emissions, planting trees can contribute to a healthier planet while improving our daily lives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Can We do

Here at Fannin, we are always looking for ways to lighten our carbon footprint. We re-use all of our plastic container buckets for growing trees. We stopped buying plastic water bottles for our staff and gave everyone a Fannin Tree Farm bottle. We installed a water cooler that purifies the tap water. We eliminated 100’s of plastic bottles a month. More great ideas about other things we can do on Earth Day and every day to support a healthy earth can be found here: https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/different-ways-to-celebrate-earth-day.php

 

Earth Day Activities for Kids

Kids are a lot of fun on Earth Day: they have a natural instinct for conservation and preservation, they like to get their hands dirty, and they love any kind of celebration. Planning Earth Day activities for kids is easy; you should start by asking kids what they would want to do to help the Earth. This brainstorming session will help you decide what sorts of things you and your kids can do to help the Earth. Here are some suggestions:

• Plant a tree or a group of trees to beautify your neighborhood, provide shelter and food for birds, and prevent soil erosion. In honor of Earth Day and Arbor Day, you can pick up a tree to plant at your home for 40% off.
• Have a recycling party where friends and neighbors gather recyclable materials and turn them in for prizes.
• Gather a group of kids and clean up garbage at a local park, beach, or other public areas.

 

Earth Day Books for Kids

If you read enough of my blogs, you know I love books and reading and love finding books for kids that teach about trees and saving the earth. I found a few cool book lists about Earth Day and wanted to share them with you.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/kids/8-inspiring-picture-books-earth-day/

https://www.weareteachers.com/best-earth-day-books-for-kids/