Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Foristell?
- 2 Does the City of Foristell Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
- 3 Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Foristell?
- 4 How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Foristell?
- 5 Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Foristell?
- 6 What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Foristell?
- 7 How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Foristell?
What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Foristell?
Trees are a great way to add curb appeal and character to your yard. In the Foristell area, we see various trees, and some are native to the area while others aren’t. Here are some of the trees that we see most commonly in the area:
- Silver Maple
- Ash
- Bradford Pear
- American Elm
- White Pine
- Flowering Dogwood
- Eastern Redbud
- White Oak
The oak and maple trees can grow to massive sizes, while the pine trees can tower over your home, offering plenty of shade in the summer months. This makes it hard for many Foristell homeowners to understand what happened to the tree that needs to be removed. Here are some of the most common tree issues in the area:
Damage From Storms
When the temperatures begin to change, Foristell sees some violent storms. A thunderstorm brings lightning and high winds with it, and this can damage your trees.
A thunderstorm can damage or kill a tree in your yard, from high winds that knock off branches to lightning strikes. A direct lightning strike can instantly kill a tree or even split it in half.
Anytime there’s a thunderstorm, there’s the possibility of a tornado. Between 1960 and 2010, the Foristell area has seen 55 tornadoes of a category 2 or higher. Tornadoes can tear a tree out of your yard, or debris can damage it.
A tornado funnel can bring wind speeds of up to 200 miles an hour, and it’s pulling items into it. Even when your Foristell home and yard aren’t in the direct path of a tornado, debris can damage your trees and home.
A tornado can have a debris field that stretches 50 miles behind it and up to a mile on either side of the funnel. Depending on the category, a tornado can cause massive damage where it touches down.
Damage From Winter Storms
While it isn’t exactly a winter wonderland, Foristell does get a little over 15 inches of snow each year. The average daytime temperatures are a little over the freezing mark, but at night, the temperatures plunge into the low-20s.
Temperatures this low create a hard freeze. It’s so cold and sustained for so long that the moisture and nutrients in the soil freeze too. Your trees need that moisture and nutrients to survive the winter.
When spring arrives, your evergreen trees have probably survived the harsh temperatures without a problem unless it’s a young tree. However, some other species might not fare so well, especially if it was a particularly long hard freeze.
Sometimes, we get calls from Foristell homeowners about a tree that seemed to start growing again in the spring and then suddenly stopped. When this happens, it’s typically a case where part of the tree was damaged during the hard freeze.
The damaged portion couldn’t process nutrients anymore. As time passed, the damage spread, eventually killing the entire tree.
If you think a tree in your Foristell yard has been damaged or died, our team can evaluate its condition and recommend treatment or removal.
Does the City of Foristell Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
In the city of Foristell, the town will remove any trees that are on public land. This includes an area of an easement that’s in your yard. The city will also take care of pruning and planting new trees in the public area. However, most of the trees in your yard are on private property, so that the city won’t provide any assistance in their removal.
Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Foristell?
Our team gets many calls from the residents of Foristell with a fallen tree. Most of them want to know who is responsible for its removal. We hear a few situations more often than others, so we created this section to clarify who the responsible party is for removing a tree in various scenarios.
If you’re a homeowner?
When you’re the Foristell homeowner, you can expect to be the one responsible for removing a fallen tree from your yard because your yard is considered private property.
Sometimes, there’s an area of an easement, where the city or a utility company retains the right to use this parcel of land in your yard. When the fallen tree is on an easement, you can get the city or appropriate utility company to remove it since the easement is considered public land or owned by the utility company.
If you’re a renter?
When you’re renting a Foristell home, you might be taking care of the yard work. However, the homeowner is still responsible for removing a fallen tree from the yard. You do need to let the homeowner know if you see a damaged or dead tree, so they can remove it before it falls.
If you’re a landlord?
When you’re a landlord, you’re almost always the Foristell homeowner. This means that you’re responsible for removing any fallen trees on the property, even if someone else lives in the home.
If you’re a neighbor?
Sometimes, a tall tree falls and lands in more than one yard. If your neighbor’s tree has fallen into your yard, too, it’s up to you to remove the portion of the tree that’s on your private property.
In some rare cases, the neighbor knew the tree needed to be removed and failed to do it. This leaves your Foristell neighbor negligent in their care of the tree and liable for its removal, even the portion in your yard.
If you know your neighbor, it’s always a good idea to talk to them before trying to take any sort of legal action. If the two of you can work it out, it’s easier to remain friendly in the future.
How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Foristell?
The most common soil type that we see in Foristell is Menfro soil. This is a great soil type for growing strong and healthy trees. With this soil, rainwater is quickly absorbed, providing moisture and nutrients, and it also drains effectively, so you don’t need to worry about root rot, a fungal disease that kills trees.
Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Foristell?
The weather in Foristell can definitely affect the health of your trees. The freezing temperatures in the winter months create a hard freeze – a type of freeze that can kill a tree or damage it beyond its ability to grow again in the spring.
The violent storms that pass through the area can affect your trees with a direct lightning strike or damage from high winds. Also, there’s the possibility of a tornado that can decimate your home and all the trees in your yard.
What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Foristell?
We cannot stress this point enough. Power lines and dead trees are a dangerous combination. If you see a dead tree lying on a power line, you need to leave the area and call emergency services when you’re safely away.
A dead tree near a power line needs to be removed by a professional service. If you attempt to remove it yourself, you might end up with a dead tree lying on a power line.
When a dead tree is near a power line, it may be on an easement owned by the utility company. The power company is responsible for removing a dead tree in this area. Otherwise, the dead tree is on your private property in Foristell, and you’re responsible for its removal.
How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Foristell?
As a Foristell homeowner, you have a household budget, and tree removal is an expense that you need to add to your budget. Our team can’t give you an exact price until we see the tree.
The cost of tree removal in the area ranges between $555 and $750, with an average cost of around $650. Some factors go into your final cost:
Size of the Tree
A taller or wider tree takes more time to remove safely. We want to cut it down without damaging your home and yard. If a tree is tall enough, we may need additional equipment.
Condition of the Tree
Sometimes, a tree begins to decay before it dies. When removing a partially decayed tree, we need to ensure it doesn’t collapse in on itself, creating an uncontrolled fall.
Additional Service
Some Foristell homeowners request additional services during tree removal, such as removing the stump or running the tree through a wood chipper. You can use the wood chips as mulch.
