What Causes Pine Trees to Lose Their Needles?

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Have you discovered one or more pine trees shedding needles in your landscape?

Being that pine trees are evergreen – not deciduous – conventional wisdom should lead you to believe that this isn’t normal. After all, evergreens are characterized by their ability to retain leaves year-round.

So, if you discover a pile of pine needles blanketing your landscape, you may assume that one of your pine trees is sick or dying.

While this may be true, though, it’s usually just a normal phenomenon that doesn’t jeopardize the health or longevity of the affected pine tree.

Pine Trees Shed Their Needles Once Every Few Years

You might be surprised to learn that pine trees shed their needles once every few years.

There are roughly three dozen species of pine native to the United States. Some pine species shed their needles as frequently as once every two years, whereas other pine species shed their needles just once every five or six years. Regardless, all pine trees shed their needles.

Pine trees shed their needles to make room for new needles. Unbeknownst to many homeowners, pine trees grow new needles each year.

As these needles emerge, they’ll push out old needles, causing them to fall to the ground. Known as “needle drop,” it’s all part of a pine tree’s natural life cycle. If pine trees didn’t shed their old needles, they wouldn’t be able to grow new needles.

Lack of Water Can Cause Pine Trees to Shed Their Needles

Most instances of needle shedding in pine trees is a natural phenomenon, but this isn’t always the case.

If a pine tree is severely dehydrated, it may shed some or all of its needles in an attempt to survive. The fewer needles a pine tree has, the less water it needs.

Normally, you’ll discover the needles turning brown on a dehydrated pine tree first. Assuming the pine tree doesn’t get an adequate amount of water, the brown needles will die and fall off.

Fungal Disease Can Also Cause Pine Trees to Shed Their Needles

A fungal infection can cause pine trees to shed their needles as well.

Dothistroma, for example, is a fungus responsible for needle blight. When the needle blight-causing fungus infects a pine tree, the needles will die and fall off the tree.

You can usually diagnose needle blight in pine trees by looking for common symptoms like yellowing of the needles, the formation of a reddish-colored band around the needles and general discoloration of the pine tree’s foliage.

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

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6 Essential Late Summer Landscaping Tips

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Towards the end of summer, many homeowners and property owners neglect their landscape. They assume that regular maintenance is no longer needed since the fall and winter months are right around the corner.

Unfortunately, the end result is an over-stressed landscape that’s more susceptible to cold and weather-related damage.

To prevent this from happening to your landscape, consider the six following late-summer landscaping tips.

#1) Add Mulch to Flowerbeds

Assuming you have flowerbeds in your landscape, add a layer of mulch during late summer to encourage water retention.

Even if it’s just 0.5 inches thick, a layer of organic mulch will trap moisture to protect your flowerbeds against dehydration.

#2) Fertilize Grass

Another tip to encourage a healthy landscape during the latter half of summer is to fertilize the grass.

Grass often enters a partially dormant state during the hot summer months. As a result, it needs a helping hand during the fall and winter months – something with which fertilizer can help.

#3) Kill or Remove Weeds

Don’t forget to kill or remove weeds when maintaining your lawn during the late summer months.

Weeds often emerge during the spring and summer, and if you don’t kill or remove them, they’ll likely stay throughout the rest of the year.

Therefore, you should either kill or remove all visible weeds in your landscape.

#4) Mow at a Taller Height

If you haven’t done so already, go ahead and raise the blade on your lawnmower by about 1 inch.

If you cut the grass too short, it will likely stress your landscape while contributing to brown and dead patches in the process.

Whether you use a riding lawnmower or a walk-behind lawnmower, raising the blade by 1 inch will protect your lawn from stress while encouraging healthy growth and development during the fall months.

#5) Inspect for Fungal Disease

When surveying your landscape, look for signs of fungal disease.

The presence of a white powder, for example, typically indicates fungal disease. The good news is that you can treat most common fungal diseases – but only if you spot them early.

#6) Prune Overgrown Plants and Shrubs

Finally, late summer is the perfect time to prune overgrown plants and shrubs in your landscape.

If left unchecked, plants and shrubs can quickly grow out of control. This is particularly true during the fall season when the temperature begins to drop and heat-related stress is no longer a concern.

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 Prevent Grass Seed From Washing Away

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There’s no better way to fill bare patches in your lawn than by seeding it. Grass typically spreads on its own, but in some instances, it may require a little extra work.

If you have a bare patch in your lawn where little or no grass is growing, you should consider seeding it.

By applying the right variety of grass seed, you’ll create a more attractive and cohesive landscape.

Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for grass seed to wash away. It takes an average of five to 30 days for grass seed to germinate.

Until this happens, the seeds will remain on the surface of the grass, which could result in them washing away during rainstorms.

As a homeowner, though, you can prevent grass seed from washing away by following a few simple steps.

Seed During Spring or Early Summer

Wait until the spring or early summer months to seed your lawn.

If you seed your lawn during fall or winter, it will take longer for the seeds to germinate. As a result, the seeds may wash away when it rains.

Assuming you’re planting a warm-weather variety of grass, you should wait until spring or early summer to seed your lawn.

Aerate Before Seeding

You can also prevent grass seed from washing away by aerating your lawn beforehand. Aeration creates small holes in the soil that will hold the seeds.

You don’t need a commercial-grade aerator. Rather, a basic walk-behind spike aerator will suffice.

Just roll the spike aerator over the surface of your lawn where you intend to plant new grass.

Apply Straw Over the Grass Seed

The most effective way to prevent grass seed from washing away is to apply straw over it.

After aerating and seeding your lawn, sprinkle a light layer of straw over it. The presence of straw will naturally protect the seeds from washing away.

At the same time, it will also protect the underlying soil from erosion, which is a common problem faced by countless homeowners.

Reseed If Needed

There’s nothing wrong with seeding your lawn two or even three times.

If the first application of seed washes away, go back and reseed it. Even if you follow these tips, some seeds may wash away – but that’s okay.

As long as you reseed your lawn, some of the seeds will make their way into your soil where they germinate to create healthy green grass.

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 Easy Ways to Control Thistle in Your Landscape

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Is your lawn being overrun with thistle? Also known as Cirsium vulgare, thistle is an invasive plant that’s common throughout Texas as well as other Southern states.

It’s a relatively small plant, with the flowering stem reaching a height of just 1 to 1.5 meters. Like other invasive plants, though, it can quickly take over your landscape if not addressed.

By following these five tips, you can eliminate and prevent thistle in your landscape.

#1) Add Mulch

You can use mulch to prevent thistle from growing in your landscape.

Whether it’s organic or store-bought, mulch allows the soil to retain more moisture. At the same time, it will blanket the soil on which it’s applied to inhibit the growth of invasive plants, including thistle.

If you’re struggling with thistle in a flowerbed or next to a tree, try applying a layer of mulch.

#2) Reseed Bare Patches of Grass

Another way to gain the upper hand on thistle is to reseed bare patches of grass.

If one or more areas of your lawn is bare, thistle may emerge. By filling these bare patches with grass seed, you’ll encourage grass to grow there rather than thistle.

#3) Pull Up and Remove Thistle

Some homeowners assume that the best way to control thistle is to simply run it over with the lawnmower. While this may work temporarily, it’s not a viable long-term solution.

If you only mow thistle, you’ll inadvertently scatter the seeds across your lawn, which could make the problem even worse.

Therefore, you should consider pulling up and removing the entire thistle plant – taproot and all.

#4) Spot Treat With Vinegar

Vinegar is highly effective at killing thistle.

Its acidic properties can kill thistle on contact, making it an excellent solution for homeowners struggling with thistle. Simply fill a bottle with one part vinegar and one part water, after which you can spray it directly on thistle plants.

Just remember to use caution when applying vinegar so that you don’t accidentally hit your grass or other healthy plants.

#5) Go Easy on Fertilizer

Use caution to avoid over-fertilizing your lawn.

Fertilizing your lawn can balance the soil’s pH level while providing your grass with essential nutrients in the process. Unfortunately, it also encourages weeds like thistle to grow faster and taller.

You can still fertilize your lawn, but don’t do it too frequently. Once or twice a year should suffice for most lawns and landscapes.

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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