Summary There are four practical ways to put a tree in the ground: bare root, container grown, balled and burlapped, and transplanting an existing tree. Each has a different cost, a different survival profile, and a different ideal season. In New Orleans, all four work best planted late fall through winter, so roots establish before… Continue reading Types of Tree Planting and Their Benefits in New Orleans, LA

Summary Tree lifespan varies enormously by species, from a few decades for fast-growing softwoods to several centuries for live oak. In New Orleans, trees grow faster than in most of the country because the growing season runs most of the year in USDA zone 9b, but very few trees here die of old age. Storm… Continue reading How Long Do Trees Live in New Orleans, LA?

Summary Starving a tree means cutting the pathway that carries sugars from the leaves down to the roots, which is done by girdling: a complete ring cut through bark and cambium around the trunk. The roots exhaust their reserves and the tree dies from the bottom up, typically over a full growing season or longer… Continue reading How to Starve a Tree: What New Orleans, LA Homeowners Should Know

Summary Getting rid of a tree safely means working in order: confirm you own it, confirm removal is permitted where it stands, assess whether it actually needs to go, then remove it and deal with the stump. On the narrow lots common across New Orleans, most removals are rigging jobs rather than felling jobs, because… Continue reading How to Safely and Naturally Get Rid of a Tree in New Orleans, LA