The Truth About Tree Topping – Why It’s A Bad Idea

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If your landscape is being overrun with tall, fast-growing trees, you may feel compelled to cut off the top.

Known as tree topping, it’s become a common solution for homeowners and business owners struggling to control their landscape.

While tree topping may sound effective, you should think twice before proceeding with it.

Tree Topping vs Pruning: What’s the Difference?

Upon reading the definition of tree topping, many people assume that tree topping is the same as pruning. After all, both tree topping and pruning involve cutting trees to remove some of their branches.

But tree topping goes one step further by cutting the entire tree – typically at the top – rather than just a few branches.

Increased Risk of Infection

Tree topping increases the risk of bacterial and fungal infections by creating large wounds.

When you topple a tree, the top of the trunk will become exposed to the surrounding environment. Cutting off the top of a tree, for example, leaves behind a barkless surface through which infection-causing bacteria or fungus can enter the tree.

Of course, this is just one of several reasons why tree topping is a bad idea.

Less Sunlight

Another reason tree toppling is a bad idea is because it restricts the amount of sunlight trees receive.

Like all plants, trees convert sunlight into energy via a process known as photosynthesis. When sunlight strikes a tree’s leaves, it will convert the sunlight into energy.

Unfortunately, tree topping significantly reduces or even eliminates the amount of leaves on a tree. And without a healthy canopy of leaves, the tree will struggle to produce a sufficient amount of energy via photosynthesis.

Weak Branches

It’s also worth mentioning that tree topping can lead to weak branches.

Trees respond to toppling by quickly growing new branches in an effort to attract more sunlight. Unfortunately, these newly developed branches are typically smaller and weaker than before.

As a result, the branches are more likely to fall during severe weather, which could create a safety hazard for you and your family.

It May Not Regrow

Even if you leave 10 or more feet of the tree’s trunk, it may not regrow after being toppled.

Tree toppling causes significant stress, and when combined with a bacterial or fungal infection, trees often struggle to regrow after being cut from the top.

If you want to keep a tree in your landscape, consider pruning it rather than toppling it.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

Request a Quote / Schedule an Appointment

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5 Fertilizing Tips to Protect Against Lawn Burn

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Fertilizing your lawn on a regular basis – once or twice a year for most lawn grasses – will provide it with essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, all of which are needed for healthy grass.

It’s not uncommon, however, for fertilizer to have a negative impact on lawns. Certain types of fertilizer can dry out your lawn, a condition known as lawn burn.

You can still apply fertilizer to your lawn, but you should follow these tips to protect it against lawn burn.

#1) Avoid High-Nitrogen Fertilizers

Don’t use a fertilizer with a high ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus or potassium. Nearly all fertilizers are made of these three main ingredients.

Fertilizers with a high concentration of nitrogen, however, are more likely to cause lawn burn than their counterparts.

As the excess nitrogen soaks into the soil, it leaches moisture from the grass.

#2) Use Less Fertilizer

Another tip to protect against lawn burn is to use less fertilizer. A good rule of thumb is to use no more than 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet.

Of course, you’ll have to factor the nitrogen content of your fertilizer to determine exactly how much you should use. If your fertilizer has 20% nitrogen, for example, you should generally use about 5 pounds per 1,000 square feet of grass.

#3) Close the Spreader Hopper When Refilling

When using a spreader hopper to fertilize your lawn, make sure it’s closed when you refill it.

You’ll probably need to stop every 10 to 15 minutes to refill the spreader with additional fertilizer.

If the spreader hopper is open, excess fertilizer will spill out. And if you don’t clean it up, it may dry out your lawn, eventually leading to lawn burn.

#4) Water Your Lawn Regularly

Of course, watering your lawn regularly can help protect it from lawn burn.

During the summer, most lawn grasses need about 1 to 2 inches of water per week. If your lawn gets less water during the summer, it will be dehydrated.

Therefore, fertilizing it will only dry it out even further.

#5) Don’t Fertilize If Diseased or Stressed

If your lawn is diseased or stressed, don’t fertilize it.

Stressed lawns are more likely to suffer from fertilizer burn than healthy, unstressed lawns.

Rather than fertilizing your lawn when it’s stressed, identify the underlying cause of the stress and resolve it. Once your lawn has emerged from its stressed state, you can then fertilize it without harming it.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

Request a Quote / Schedule an Appointment

The post 5 Fertilizing Tips to Protect Against Lawn Burn appeared first on Woodsman Tree Service.

French Drain vs Trench Drain: Which Is Right for My Landscape?

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If your landscape suffers from poor or nonexistent drainage, you should consider building a drain.

When rainwater accumulates in your landscape, it can drown plants while eroding the soil in the process. By building a drain, you’ll encourage rainwater to flow down and away from your landscape, thereby preventing problems such as these.

There are two primary types of drainage systems, however: French drains and trench drains.

What Is a Trench Drain?

Also known as a slot drain or strip drain, a trench drain is a type of water-drainage system that’s characterized by the use of a narrow channel.

To construct a trench drain, you must first dig a narrow channel to divert rainwater away from your landscape. Of course, the channel must be dug at a downhill angle so that gravity will naturally guide the rainwater.

After digging the channel – about 3 to 5 inches deep should suffice – you’ll need to place a drain liner in it. The top of the drain liner should feature a perforated surface.

When it rains, water will seep past the liner’s perforated surface and into the trench drain, at which point it will flow away from your landscape.

What Is a French Drain?

Also known as a blind drain or rock drain, a French drain is a type of water-drainage system that’s characterized by the use of a gravel- or rock-filled channel in which a perforated pipe is placed.

French drains have been around for centuries, and in that time, little has changed regarding their design.

To construct a French drain, you’ll need to dig a channel, followed by placing a perforated pipe inside the newly dug channel.

You can then fill the channel and cover the perforated pipe with gravel or rocks. The gravel or rocks will act as a filter, ensuring that only rainwater makes its way into the perforated pipe.

Choosing Between a Trench Drain and French Drain

You can use either a trench drain or French drain to improve the runoff of your landscape. Of those two water-drainage systems, however, most homeowners prefer the French drain.

When compared to trench drains, French drains are easier to construct and, more importantly, are less likely to clog with debris.

Since the top of a French drain is covered with gravel or rocks, only rainwater will enter the pipe. As a result, you don’t have to worry about pine straw, leaves or other debris clogging it.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

Request a Quote / Schedule an Appointment

The post French Drain vs Trench Drain: Which Is Right for My Landscape? appeared first on Woodsman Tree Service.

How to Control Tree Suckers in Your Landscape

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Tree suckers are a nuisance for many homeowners and green thumbs. Also known as basal shoots, they consist of new shoots that emerge from the base of a tree’s trunk.

They are called “tree suckers” because they literally suck and consume valuable water and nutrients, restricting the main tree’s growth.

Once tree suckers begin growing, the tree will receive less water and fewer nutrients, resulting in increased stress and potentially death.

You can control tree suckers in your landscape, however, by following a few simple steps.

Don’t Harm the Tree’s Roots

When mowing your lawn and tending to your landscape, use caution not to harm the tree’s roots. Trees often grow suckers in response to root stress.

If you accidentally hit a tree’s exposed roots mowing the grass or tilling the soil, you may discover new suckers around the base of its trunk in the following weeks.

Thankfully, you can prevent this from happening by using caution not to strike or otherwise harm the tree’s roots.

Water Around the Tree’s Trunk

Some people believe that watering a tree will leave it susceptible to suckers, but this isn’t the case.

Watering a tree can actually deter suckers by encouraging healthy growth and development (of the tree, not the suckers). When trees are dehydrated, they’ll become stressed and, therefore, more likely to develop suckers.

To discourage suckers from growing on your trees, make sure they well-hydrated.

Prune New Tree Suckers

You won’t always be able to prevent tree suckers from emerging.

When you discover new suckers, though, you should prune them as soon as possible to keep them in check. The longer you wait to remove suckers, the more harm they’ll cause on the tree.

To remove tree suckers, use a pair of clean and sharp gardening shears.

You want to trim the suckers as close to the tree’s trunk as possible without cutting the trunk. Keep in mind that suckers may regrow, so you’ll need to check the tree in the following days and months.

Watch the Trunk When Grafting

If you’re planning on grafting a tree, you should closely monitor the trunk to ensure that no suckers emerge.

Of course, grafting involves splicing one tree’s roots onto the roots of another tree. When grafts fail, the over-stressed tree may sprout suckers.

But as previously mentioned, you can easily remove suckers by pruning them with a pair of gardening shears.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

Request a Quote / Schedule an Appointment

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How to Move and Transplant a Sapling

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Do you want to move a young tree to a new location in your landscape? Maybe it’s not getting sun, or perhaps it’s in a crowded area with lots of other trees nearby.

Regardless, transplanting your sapling can solve these and other problems – but only if you follow the necessary precautions.

During their early months and years, trees are highly sensitive to stress, and carelessly transplanting a sapling could result in disease or death. So, how do you transplant a sapling exactly?

Dig Up the Sapling

To get started, you’ll need to carefully dig up the sapling and its root ball.

Using a shovel, dig a wide ring around the sapling while taking note of the location and size of its root ball.

Next, carefully dig under the root ball and lift the sapling out of the ground. If there’s a lot of excess soil stuck to the root ball, gently shake it off.

With the sapling removed, wrap the root ball in burlap and proceed to the next step.

Choose a Location

You can’t move the sapling to just anywhere in your landscape and expect it to grow.

Different varieties of trees require different amounts of sunshine, water and nutrients – and all these factors are affected by the location in which a sapling grows.

When choosing a location for your sapling, consider how much sunshine, water and nutrients an area will offer.

Dig a Hole

After you’ve found the perfect location for your sapling, you can dig a hole in which to transplant it.

A good rule of thumb is to make the transplant about 10 times wider than the diameter of the sapling’s trunk. At this width, the sapling’s roots can spread out without the interference of other roots or underground structures.

In terms of depth, dig the hole so that the sapling’s entire root ball will be completely below ground.

Transplant the Sapling

Now it’s time to transplant the sapling into the recently dug hole.

Carefully place the sapling, with the root ball down first, into the hole. Next, unwrap and remove the burlap. While some people transplant saplings with the burlap intact, it’s recommended that you remove it so that it won’t restrict the tree’s roots from growing.

With the sapling now in the ground, go ahead and water it. All trees need water to grow, but water is even more important during transplants.

By watering your sapling, you’ll encourage its roots to dig into the soil, which in turn, means more nutrients and better overall health.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

Request a Quote / Schedule an Appointment

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