Houston Tree Planting
One of the most eclectic and unique services that Exterior Worlds offers to residents of Houston is tree planting services.
It is by no means an inexpensive service, but it is well worth the investment if one is looking to add to resale value on a newer custom home, or create a lifetime of home entertainment ambiance that can only be achieved under the shelter of overhanging branches and shade.
Any size tree can be added to a property in any location. The methods of transporting and planting them, of course, vary according to size. In most instances, trees range from 15 gallon to 300 gallon plus. Smaller trees are hand transported and planted. Large, full-grown trees are brought in on trucks, with the roots and adequate soil and moisture carefully wrapped around them to ensure their vitality during transport. Cranes and special harnesses are used to handle the actual lifting and planting portion of the installation.
Because Houston has such a hot and humid climate, a wide range of tree species will readily take root here and flourish for years. One tree located along Westheimer, for example, is over 400 years old. Some of the most popular tree species for planting include live oak, red oak, water oak, pine, magnolia, cedar, and holly. One of the best things about this service is that it has very few restrictions on installation. Trees can be placed anywhere where they will work with the greater landscaping theme in general. The only restrictions are that we do not want them planted right under larger trees that will block sunlight, or too near the house where the roots and branches will be impeded in their growth. Also, expanding root systems can cause foundation problems, which can undermine home stability and affect home value.
Tree planting is something that you definitely need a landscape design firm to handle for you.
It is not something you want to attempt yourself, or have an amateur lawn services company attempt. Many people will try to do this with saplings (particularly on or around Arbor Day), thinking that a sapling is small enough to plant on their own with some basic digging tools. In most cases, homeowners and lawn services miscalculated the appropriate depth for planting and end up putting the sapling too deep underground, where it cannot properly fan out roots or develop a strong and healthy trunk base.
Additionally, there are many hazards to trees that amateurs are not prepared to deal with. Insects can strip branches of bark and destroy leaves very quickly, but knowing which pesticides are safe to use on which species is something that a trained botanist is better left to determine. Drowning is another problem in a low-lying terrain such as we have here in Houston. Just as planting a tree too deep can impede its growth, planting it in too shallow soil, or in a part of the yard that is improperly drained, can literally flood the roots and kill the tree.
Maintaining tree health after planting is best done under alandscape maintenance contract. Deep root fertilization should be done once a year by an expert who knows how to dig around roots without cutting them. Special insect treatments should be done for scale, bores, beetles, and other pests based upon the time of year and the species of tree being cared for.
Houston residents interested in the service should think about what type of return they are looking to get on their investment. Smaller trees that can be hand moved represent more affordable plantings than trees that have to be trucked and craned in. Residents who have just purchased a home and plan on staying there for many years can affordably invest $300.00 to $2,000.00 in hand moved trees and enjoy watching them grow over the years to come.
Homeowners who have already decided to sell the home they are in and cash in on home sale profits may want to consider the bold and daring investment of larger, crane-planted larger trees at a cost ranging from $2,000.00 + $25.000.00 The determining factor, at the end of the day, is a highly subjective one, and a decision our consulting staff is more than happy to dollar cost average both in terms of landscape phasing and anticipated aesthetic and financial return on investment.
