Garden Q&A: Trees for Central Texas
Q I am buying a house near Gatesville without trees in the yard and I wonder what types of trees are best in this area. I’d like a tree that doesn’t take 50 years to get big and looks pretty in the fall. Also, do you have any suggestions on fruit trees? When is the best time to plant a tree in this part of Texas?
A Any shade tree that grows fast and gets big generally will not live more than 25-35 years. My best recommendations ares burr oak, shumard or Texas red oak, and cedar elm. Burr oak and red oak are moderate growers. If the tree does not need to be too big, Chinese pistachio is good. For fruit trees I would recommend peaches such as loring, red skin, harvester, red globe or sentinel; plums such as methly or Ozark premier; and pears like moonglow or keifer.
Fall through early spring are ideal times to plant, But water will be important for the trees survival for at least two to three years after installation and very critical the first summer. The trees also should have regular feeding each year.
Q My rose blossoms are smaller now than they were in the early spring though I have been feeding them regularly. Is there a special type of food they need?
A No, a good all-purpose rose and flowering plant food is fine. What is most likely going on is simply the time of year and the high temperatures in particular. Light grooming will help trim and shape the plant to keep it tidy and if you have a variety that develops the “hips” or fruit and you want to keep it on the plant, trim out the fruit.
Energy diverted to the fruit can slow flowering. Keep the plants healthy and water as needed. As the temperatures cool in the fall, the large blooms will return.
Q My fruitless mulberry tree has webs all over some of the branches and the leaves are being eaten. Is this some kind of spider and what can I do for it?
A Those are the webs of a caterpillar called web worms or tent caterpillars. They like mulberry trees and pecan trees in particular. Treat with a good general insect control spray or a biological spray containing BT or bacillus thurengensis. They are not a serious threat to the health of the tree.
Send questions about your lawns and gardens to ask.mastergardeners@gmail.com. McLennan County Master Gardeners will provide answers in this column every Friday.
You also can call Ask a Master Gardener Help Line at 254-757-5180, 1-4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
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Ask a Master Gardener Help Line
Spring gardening brings many questions, such as when should I fertilize my lawn, or which are the best vegetables for Waco? Get answers to these and other questions by calling the Ask a Master Gardener Help Line at 254-757-5180, 1-4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
