Robin L
enthusiast
Posts: 838
Reg: 12-19-07
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03-15-14 02:04 PM - Post#166823
After talking with 4 landscape places in and around the Allen area, I'm still "stumped" on what to do with our landscape. Thank you, builders, for not giving a rat's patootie for what things would look like 12 yrs later. :( Biggest two questions:
1) Should Bradford Pears be thinned by removing the some outer layer limbs in order to allow more sunlight below? Dead grass. Options: pay for expensive zoysia, which is shade tolerant, while also pruning trees; leave trees alone and plant zoysia; or incorporate the area into the existing front flower beds to include the dead grass area, around the trees, and back up, then making a shade garden. Note: I am not a green thumb and very inconsistent w/gardening, so I need something not very labor intensive.
2) Use one contractor for everything (tree pruning, removing 2 dead evergreens and a crape myrtle, and trimming all bushes - the hollies w/the sharp leaf edges and red berries and the yaupon hollies we have (terrible way the builder installed, too, but we don't have enough money or water in the lake for a complete redo) - plus flower bed border and mulch, AND grass install? Or all the maintenance stuff separated from the grass install?
I'm going on 3 weeks talking with, meeting, discussing, and planning budgets. It's exhausting. I'm now more clear on what needs to happen. Sadly, had one company turn me down on the whole project after saying he could do everything and would email me a quote. One contractor can do everything. One is not a grass specialist, but he is offering a fantastic price on the rest.
Googling, researching, reading, etc. has done nothing for me. Maybe you gardeners out there have some more specific advice for the Allen area? Otherwise I will have to just close my eyes and make a decision and hope for the best. Which, I suppose, is the way of life, right? ;)
Thanks for any advice! :)
ETA: I believe the Bradford Pears were around 5 yrs old when planted, I don't remember. Adding in that we've lived here 12 yrs, we are nearing the end of the trees' useful life. We can't replace the trees due to smaller lot size and potential placement of a new tree. So I'm having another war with myself: in another 3-8 yrs, these trees will need to be cut down. So we definitely need to keep the cost of the design down.
Edited by Robin L on 03-15-14 03:29 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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denisew
Community Expert
Posts: 9241
Loc: Allen, TX
Reg: 02-18-02
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03-16-14 05:17 PM - Post#166846
In response to Robin L
Yes, Bradford pears should be thinned mostly to reduce the risk of rot and loss of branches during high winds. Consult a certified arborist about your trees. Landscapers are not certified arborists and some can do some really bad things to trees because they don't know how to properly trim them. I will send you a couple names of people to contact for landscaping and tree questions. It sounds like you want something that is low maintenance. I will say that Puckett's Nursery is good, but there are others who also do a really good job with landscaping. It is always best to get multiple bids on a job this big.
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Robin L
enthusiast
Posts: 838
Reg: 12-19-07
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03-16-14 11:14 PM - Post#166848
In response to denisew
Thanks for the PM! I will check into what you mentioned. Forgot to add in the PM that I will see if an arborist has different ideas.
You rock! Thank you so much!
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Gary
enthusiast
Posts: 427
Reg: 06-25-01
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03-16-14 11:44 PM - Post#166849
In response to denisew
Sooner or later the Bradford is going away, either by wind, ice or rot. Determine if you want the tree gone now or later. The City of Allen is having a tree sale on March 29th. http://www.cityofallen.org/DocumentCenter/View/4 53...
These are great trees for our area of Texas. If you have a small lot to plant in, I would suggest the Red Oak. Great trees, they go straight up and the branching is primarily from the one main trunk.
1) Hire an arborist to cut down the Bradford. The arborist should be able to remove the dead trees, Bradford, trim the crape myrtle, then plant your new tree. I've used www.aperfecttree.com for years to trim, cut, remove and grind various trees. Curtis does a great job.
2) Is the grass dead due to shade from the existing tree? If that is the case, plant St. Augustine. You don't need to fully sod the area, St. Augustine will grow in the shade. My St. Augustine is thriving under my Oak, but only in the shade. The Bermuda lives in the sun. You should be able to stop by A1 Grass in Plano and pickup up a few squares of St. Augustine and do it yourself. :) My St. Augustine stayed green all summer by only watering on recommended days and for a short-time (I don't like a high water bill).
3) Use the least expensive person to cut/trim the hollies. Their sharp edges are great to keep people away from your windows (burglars or kids sneaking out) but they do require annual trimming. Throw down some good mulch on the bare ground in your flower beds.
Don't plant zysia it grows VERY slowly and must be planted in full sod in order to establish.
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Robin L
enthusiast
Posts: 838
Reg: 12-19-07
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03-17-14 02:23 PM - Post#166866
In response to Gary
That's a toughie, isn't it? The Bradfords. I know we don't have much life in them. Trying to work for a solution now while also taking into consideration of the ROI on anything I do now.
Yes, burmuda isn't thriving due to the shade. And then there is the soil erosion since there isn't grass. I will have to bring in more soil.
Don't want St. A, usually requires too much water, and it will eventually creep into my neighbor's burmuda and I will have some ticked off neighbors ;) I would have to maintain the grass and pull the runners over and over. It's also so completely different than the burmuda we have (at one point I just planted fescue grass to cover the bald areas and it worked for a year, but it looked so different, it was embarrassing.
If I cut the Bradfords, will another tree grow in the same area? I always thought the root ball would be in the way of planting a new tree?
Decisions, decisions!!
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denisew
Community Expert
Posts: 9241
Loc: Allen, TX
Reg: 02-18-02
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03-18-14 09:14 AM - Post#166879
In response to Gary
St. Augustine still need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight to develop a good stand of grass. It is a little more tolerant of shade, but still needs sun to look really good. Groundcover such as mondograss or liriope would be best to fill in the area under the trees. Getting the Bradford pear trees trimmed to maintain them as long as possible might be a better route considering the status of our water supply. Planting a tree right now would be a mistake (IMO) since it would be under a lot of heat stress through the summer, especially if our water restrictions become stricter. Fall is the absolute best time to plant a tree since it allows the roots to acclimate during the cooler months.
Robin - If you remove the Bradford pears, you'll have to get the roots ground out since if left in the ground, they will sprout new trees all over your yard. That means all those areas where you see roots and probably further than you can see them, you'll have to get them removed. There is "stump kill" you can apply (after the main stump has been ground out), but that doesn't always get all the roots.
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Robin L
enthusiast
Posts: 838
Reg: 12-19-07
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03-18-14 05:42 PM - Post#166888
In response to denisew
Oh, that's just lovely. Can't wait for dealing with that! Ugh.
Well, finally chose an option - to incorporate the tree beds w/the flower beds and create a shade garden. Finally chose a company, too. Now I'm on Better Homes and Gardens and Allen Gardening and all sorts of Googling to actually do a shade garden design. Very minimal at first, on my own, until I know how the watering will be. If we get lots of rain (yay!!), I can plant more, but for now, I'm wanting to limit use of our precious resource. Which reminds me...I need to invest in a rain barrel. Or make one. I know I can get them everywhere, and make one from YouTube videos or other instructions. But it can help me water dozen or so shade plants I get at the start.
Again, thanks for the help! :) :)
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StacyLynn624
enthusiast
Posts: 1091
Loc: West Side
Reg: 09-24-04
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03-18-14 06:07 PM - Post#166890
In response to Robin L
Robin, use Pinterest. I find that much easier than googling.
Denise, can you please PM me your arborists? We're needing to get one out here to our new house to consult on some Live Oaks, Crepes and a Magnolia. TIA!
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texasbrit
newbie
Posts: 16
Reg: 02-12-06
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03-20-14 09:23 PM - Post#166942
In response to Robin L
http://www.cityofallen.org/DocumentCenter/View/4 47...
build a rain barrel....
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StacyLynn624
enthusiast
Posts: 1091
Loc: West Side
Reg: 09-24-04
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03-21-14 05:57 PM - Post#166960
In response to texasbrit
It's too bad that none of the plants they are going to talk about in those classes are approved on most of the Homeowners Association lists...
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Robin L
enthusiast
Posts: 838
Reg: 12-19-07
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04-18-14 08:51 AM - Post#167699
In response to StacyLynn624
@ StacyLynn624 - Oh, I've been using Pinterest. Created a whole new Board "Garden" for myself. I'm not a green thumb, but I'm in a new stage where I want to be. :)
@ texasbrit - I plan on a rain barrel out back where one of our downspouts pours! Can't wait! :)
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denisew
Community Expert
Posts: 9241
Loc: Allen, TX
Reg: 02-18-02
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04-18-14 02:45 PM - Post#167712
In response to Robin L
There is also a great "Texas Gardening" page on Facebook.
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