The perfect living Christmas Tree - Southern Red Cedar

It's Christmas time! In Florida, that doesn't mean much, as far as the weather goes, but it does get a little cooler. The classic Christmas trees like the Fraser Fir may not grow well in Florida, so if you want a living Christmas tree in your yard, you will likely need to think of some alternatives.

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Herman, D.E. et al. 1996. North Dakota tree handbook. USDA NRCS ND State Soil Conservation Committee; NDSU Extension and Western Area Power Admin., Bismarck, ND., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The southern red cedar, actually a type of juniper, is low-maintenance and makes an stunning statement in Mid Florida Landscapes. 

Red Cedars have a natural symmetry that helps them look manicured with little to no effort.

Sometimes called Florida Red Cedar, it is the perfect outdoor Christmas tree, with it's pyramidal shape and it can grow wider as it matures. The beautiful emerald-green foliage matches well with the Christmas Theme. 

You'll want a spacious landscape for planting this tree. Red cedars can be used alone, or planted in rows as a living privacy fence. They also make ideal windbreaks

 Specs:

• Evergreen
• Height: about 40 Feet
• Growth Rate: Moderate
• Sun: full to part
• Soil: Well Drained 
• Salt Tolerance: Mildly Salt tolerant.
• Cold Hardy
• Does well anywhere in Mid Florida.

If you'd like more information about caring for this, or any other tree in Florida, I suggest you contact the Tree Care Professionals at Mid Florida Tree Service. They've been in the business for literally decades, and have certified arborists on staff to ensure all your trees receive the best care possible.

Common Tree Care Errors

Obviously, you'd never intentionally harm your own trees, but there are things to consider to ensure their long term health isn't compromised by human actions.

Let's take a look at some common tree care errors.

 

Laying mulch too close a trunk

• Mulch balances the temperature of your soil and helps retain moisture and adds nutrients back into the soil. So, adding mulch around the tree is a good thing, right? Well, it's important that the mulch is not piled up around the base of the tree where too much moisture may cause the bark to rot and lead to serious health issues for your tree. It's easy enough to prevent though, just leave around 3 inches between  your tree and the mulch.

Crowded Trees

• Trees need personal space! When planted too close together, tree root systems obstruct each other and they have to compete for nutrients and water. It’s safest to contact a professional to help you determine the right amount of space needed for your tree landscaping, considering the immediate case and allowing for the future growth of your trees.

Girdling 

• Girdling may be done on fruit trees intentionally, to prompt them to yield more fruit. It is done by removing a thin ring of bark from around the tree. Girdling can work  and may be necessary in some cases, but it is also a potential killer. Cutting the bark blocks the flow of nutrients from the leaves to the roots. Malnourished roots can lead to an unhealthy, unstable tree and possibly even the death of the tree. Accidental girdling can happen due to fences, pet tie-outs or forgotten guy wires. It is important to remove anything that is tied around a tree trunk before it gets overgrown, and to get help from a professional when girdling for fruit productions.

The use of fasteners like screws and nails on a tree

• Mature, healthy trees can usually withstand a few staples, light drilling or having something nailed to them. Young trees, thin barked trees or trees that are weakened should not be subjected to nail,screws, staples or anything else that penetrates the bark. If you have any doubt as to whether your tree can handle these things, stop and find another way to hang your item.

Covering roots

• Consider anything that might cover your trees' roots. If that's new construction near an existing tree, or planting a tree near existing or planned construction, concrete is a real concern. Tree roots are designed to grow into whatever direction is required to find water and nutrients. Their slow but steady power will heave and crack concrete. Root pruning may become necessary and must be performed by a knowledgeable tree service professional. Obviously, root pruning of this nature should be minimized or avoided if possible. 
  
  
• If you need to mask visible roots, consult a tree service professional for options that won't harm the tree or cause trouble for you in the future.

Mid Florida Tree Service can help you remove the guesswork from the decisions about caring for your trees. They have a team of expert professionals, including Certified Arborists, to help you make the right choices for your trees.

What happens if my tree is struck by lightning?

What should you do if your tree has been struck by lightning?

Taking quick action is most important to save your tree.  With or without human intervention, most trees will continue to thrive after being struck by lightning but there are some things you can do that will minimize the stress on the tree.

Within the first 8 to 24 hours after the lightning strike you can help the tree begin its healing process by ensuring it has plenty of water. Loss of moisture is one of the most stressful parts of a strike for Mid Florida varieties of trees.

Resist the temptation to treat the wound yourself. It’s natural to want to trim away the damaged area or attempt to “bandage” the wound. Studies have shown however that these types of actions can often do more damage than help. Trees are astonishingly resilient. Your tree knows what to do. It will quickly send chemicals to the damaged area to try to confine the injury. Just provide extra water and fertilizer to help encourage the tree's own natural healing process.

If there isn’t obvious damage that is a hazard to your home or family, hold off on trying to prune immediately. Experts tend to recommend a period of time to wait and see how the healing process is doing and what further steps may need to be taken to help your tree to thrive.

It is important to note that not all trees can be saved and many trees that have been struck by lightning can be dangerous. Contacting a company like Mid-Florida Tree Service that specializes in tree care and/or one of their Certified Arborists, is highly recommended before making the final decision to further treat or have your tree removed.

If you have tree that needs to be looked at, whether it’s been struck by lightning or not, contact the professional family of experts at Mid Florida Tree Service at 813-986-2258 to discuss all your tree care needs. 

Pre-commision pipe pigging

You have a newly constructed piping system here in Florida and you’re ready to put it to work.  Now stop for a moment. Have you had your new system cleaned? It may seem contradictory to think about cleaning a brand new system. That is, until you consider that cleaning new piping;

• Fits well into the finalizing process of completing a system. The assurances that a system is now capable of functioning properly 
• Requires minimal costs to perform 
• Provides a good hydro-static test the first time its applied as the cleaning process will effectively dispel and remove all of the air in a system.
• Will eliminate the threat of foreign particles causing damage to pump impellers, valve seats, meters and other expensive inline appurtenances.
• Will resolve potential threats to the proper operation of a system caused by difficult, or wet installation environments, which are prone to the inclusion of undesirable fluids and solids in the piping while being installed.
• Will effectively remove any foreign matter, tools, debris, garbage, animals, lumber, etc., that can inadvertently find its way into a system during the course of its construction

These are just a few items to consider cleaning or pigging your new pipeline before putting it into service. Florida's sandy soil certainly presents unique challenges to your fresh piping system. Contact professionals, like the ones at Professional Piping Services, Inc to discuss the benefits and your options to help protect the sizable investment you made in new piping.

Summer is coming!

Sunny, muggy and just a bit buggy! That’s right.The dog days of summer are right around the corner and here in Florida we know what that means. We, and our plants and trees, are about to experience months of more concentrated heat, more intense humidity and a greater number of six and eight legged guests. With summer, everything seems somehow magnified by the frequent intense storms, the common threat of tropical weather, and the extreme heat. Our trees and shrubs experience this right along with us. Given all that the summer months bring, we should be especially aware of what our trees will need and do all we can to prepare them.

Now’s the time to cover your bases. It’s best to be proactive. Have your trees professionally inspected for any damage or warning signs that may require attention, like insect infestation, weak or broken limbs, signs of disease, low ceiling or otherwise overly heavy foliage. Let the friendly people at Mid Florida Tree Service help you prepare. They’ll come out and inspect your trees, answer your questions and let you know what plan of action they recommend whether that be trimming and pruning, removing weak limbs, fertilizing or some other treatment. They’ll advise you what can be done to keep your trees healthy and looking good for the summer and beyond.

Florida Flowering Trees

Flowering trees are a big part of the central Florida landscape. They provide fragrant and colorful flowers during their season of bloom. Many of them make nice shade specimens. Florida’s temperate, subtropical climate is ideal for a variety of trees to grow and thrive in..The following are just some of the flowering trees that grow well in our area.

The Magnolia Tree
There are few things that depict the south like the Magnolia when it comes to trees. Magnolias are a common flowering tree and have many different varieties. One of which is the Southern Magnolia.  It’s a Florida native and therefore the most common type seen within the state. This tree grows up to heights of 60 feet high and has large, exceptionally fragrant white flowers that typically are in full bloom in the latter spring and summer.

The Loblolly Tree
A type of evergreen, the loblolly tree is native to Florida. It is commonly used in landscaping. The loblolly can grow with heights of up to 30 feet.  It yields small delicate white flowers during the summer months and is closely related to Camellias.

The Trumpet Tree
One of the most common flowering trees in Central Florida is the tabebuia or the trumpet tree. This tree gets its name from its uniquely trumpet shaped flowers. Yellow, golden, purple, pink and silver are some of the several color varieties of the tabebuia.. They all thrive in full sun and have a high tolerance to drought like conditions. They typically grow from 12 to 20 feet in height depending on type.

The Jacaranda Tree
The Jacaranda has feathery foliage with a large amount of deciduous purple flowers that peak during spring and is considered one of the most beautiful varieties of flowering trees. The Jacaranda is a fairly large tree that is best suited for a medium sized yard.

The Orchid Tree
The Orchid tree is probably on of the most commonly used flowering trees in Florida landscapes. They grow up to 35 feet in height, have slim trunks and arching branches covered in deciduous, two-lobed, large leaves. Their blooms are are at peak during the fall when they are covered with many large fragrant blossoms that can be up to 5 inches wide. The flowers are a wonder to behold  with their vibrant pink, lavender and purple petals that blend together to resemble an orchid. This unique flower makes the orchid tree a favorite.

The Bottlebrush Tree
With its red, pink, white or purple bottlebrush shaped flowers, the bottlebrush tree is one of the most widely seen flowering trees in mid Florida.  They blooms at peak during the warmest months of the year. Being drought tolerant, the Bottlebrush is an excellent choice for Florida.

Florida is blessed with a wide variety of magnificent and attractive flowering trees, with these being just a few throughout the Tampa Bay area.

When planning your landscaping or adding to it, it’s always a good idea to consult professionals. Let Mid Florida Tree Service, with their experienced and knowledgeable staff, help you choose which of your personal favorites is best suited for your next landscaping job.