My hubby and I were there house hunting. We noticed a lot of dead trees on the side of the freeway on the way to the hotel in Houston. Many trees are alive and many more are dead. Did a disease kill them?
Katy members, question
Sally, I don't know about Houston but my son in Austin says that Oak Wilt is killing all the beautiful oaks in Austin. It is happening in our area, too. Supposedly, they can be given a shot individually but it doesn't seem to be helping. It is a serious problem in Texas I understand.
It all depends on the tree in question. Wilt affects the Red and pin oaks and Live Oaks get Live Oak Decline. It seems to affect the older trees most. Years ago I helper with the Live Oaks at the Fort Worth Japaneses Garden. We would drill holes going into the base of the roots and stick a plastic cup in, filled with mostly B-12.
My son works for the largest tree company in Austin.........they have been treating Live Oaks all over Austin. Or...........worse yet..........they have been cutting them down for a lot of people.
I can't argue as I don't know but my brother ( an old farmer) here in San Patricio county in south Texas said his best friend and retired Agricultural agent said we are losing Oak Trees all over south Texas.......his friend called it 'The Wilt'............so I don't know............
Thanks, how scary and sad. B12 helps the trees? Interesting.
All my son said is that treatment (the injection) doesn't always work............depends on how damaged the oak is...........you probably saw a lot of both pine and oak in Katy..........I bet the A&M site has something about it. They are the gurus of all plants.........
I see. I remember when a lot of oaks died in C. Station. So awful.
It also depends on what trees you're talking about. Out in the Katy area the dept of something or another planted a whole bunch of trees about 3-4 years ago, really close together, tied up, mulched - the whole thing. These were all kinds of trees, pine trees, crape myrtles, trees I don't know the names of - and everytime my DH and I drive into Katy we always gripe because they've not watered or taken care of these trees and most of them have died or are really bad shape. What the h___ were they thinking? They'd come back and dig up the "good" ones? I don't kow what they're doing, but that's also
an eyesore along the freeways in the Katy area, so that may be what you're seeing.
Just another point of view!
Deb
Deb,
That is so typical of people who have good intentions but know nothing about plants!!!
Yes, I noticed so many all together. I HOPE they learned a lesson. Hope they start over soon. I am moving to Cinco Ranch. Sure is pretty there.
Yes, that's definitely what you saw. It's what's out toward the Cinco Ranch exit. Isn't that a shame? Gessiegail, I can't even say what their intentions were! It never made a lick of
sense!
Thankfully Cinco Ranch looks wonderful. I love how the rules are strict and it is all so pretty. I have just been reading all of the rules. I have lots of rules in my gated community right now also. Keeps the properties so nice.
That's true. We just got tired of being so "closed in" and I couldn't do the gardens I wanted to do or have any kind of "farm" animals. We moved out to the country from Houston and never looked back! LOL!!! Congrats on your new place - I know you'll really like CR - everyone I know that lives there does.
You can use a LOT of plants, flowers, vines etc in front. Just not things that don't look good really. The list is long. In back, you can do what you want. No farm animals for sure. They keep the area quiet too, I love that. I live in a VERY quiet place. No cars on the street etc. Looks great that way. Property value goes up. In Cal. our home gained lots of value in an Association. We hope the home we are in does well too. I can't wait to get in the new house. The landscaping is already gorgeous, I will just tweek it to get it how I want it. There is a greenbelt on one side so it is so pretty and relaxing.
I guess you're moving from CA? Is it as hot and dry there as it is here?
No, we were in Bakersfield before we moved back to the Corpus Christi area. We are originally Texans from the Victoria area. DROUGHT city here. :(
Ahh, I see. I would really hate to move here from Bakersfield - aren't things nice and green there?
Bakersfield is very nice. They have to water a lot, not a lot of rain. Every year is different everywhere though. Corpus Christi had tons of rain the year we moved here. Sure hope rain comes this fall.
Younger trees all over the area are struggling because we've had so little rain this year. I think it's probably the drought that's affecting those. Even if they're watering regularly, young trees need lots of water until roots are well established.
Crow
I wouldn't look back if I could move out from my "master planned" community right. It is quiet and pretty safe.
I just can't get over the Stepford aspect. lol
May I expose my ignorance and ask what is the Stepford aspect? Never heard of that expression.
It's from a book called The Stepford Wives. To condense it down to one sentence. It was a virtue for everyone to be the same. Maybe it's an age thing. It was really a popular novel and movie. :o)
Thanks..............and the older we get, the more eccentric we become and just love ourselves as we are!!! At least that has been my experience in aging.
I love the Stepford rules. This is the 3rd neighborhood with an HOA we will be in. Other places I have seen have cars all over the placein some homes and some wonderful yards mixed with weedy yards and a car on blocks or home that is not kept up etc. Not a pleasant thing to see. Our new home in Cinco is perfect with trails very close and lots of trees. Guess everyone is different. I love having the homes pretty without some on the block that have been "let go", cars not in the street, trails and nice places to walk... Not all communities are the same also. Different rules etc.
The homes have never been the same where I have lived. Our gated community we are in right now has all custom homes. They are each very different.
Sally, come out to the farm and you can look out and see cows on both sides of a fence (not a iron one....but just cattle fencing). Look another way and you can find broken down pieces of equipment that someone just hasn't gotten around to fixing yet. Or.....you can look out my kitchen window and see an old car a young cousin is working on. Life is just made up of all of us with different needs and wants.
When I work on my house, I don't even have to pass the rules of the town of Taft.........don't have to get permits for anything or approval for anything I want to do.
Yes, there are homes for everyone for sure. Everyone is different.
As they say, different horses for different courses.
I'm lucky! I've got enough property around me that I don't see anything but trees, corn fields and my gardens. But I do know what you're talking about with the surrounding areas - My husband I and looked long and hard to find somewhere that we didn't have that and like I said - I'm lucky! If I want a pergola or a trellis - there it is! Is awesome for someone that's always wanted gardens instead of what I could do in a neighborhood. But there are days....the heat's been tough! That's why I'm focused on xeriscaping. My husband did run 800 feet of water lines for me so that I can get water where I need it, but I'm also very conscious of my water well!
I have trellises, a fountain, bird bathes and arch in the back yard. You can do what you want in back, just not in front. I will have a parkway full of trees by the new house so it will be wonderful. Resale is important if you will be moving so we think of that also.
Yep, this is the first house we've lived in and renovated that we did it just for what "we" wanted and didn't think about the resale value. The fact that we've done so much to it
I'm sure hasn't hurt anything, but I understand your reasoning. You backyard sounds really nice.
We always do things to the house. We had the hot tub and old concrete patio demolished and put in a huge flagstone patio in back and front walkway and porch, and landscaped and put in lighting in the plants. We will do the same to the new house. I like not having to worry about the neighborhood if we have to sell in the future.
