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Treasured Live Oak Maintenance - Who Do You Call?

Posted on 6/21/24 at 3:45 pm
Posted by ynlvr
Rocket City
Member since Feb 2009
5307 posts
Posted on 6/21/24 at 3:45 pm
I have recently purchased about 4 acres with over 20 sixty year old live oaks in Ascension Parish. They are in good condition and I'd like to do what I can to help them remain so for the next sixty years. I am afraid the cost will shock and beat me down but I am willing to start the conversation under the right conditions with a capable practitioner. Perhaps the folks at LSU AG would be a place to start.

Who you got?
Posted by cgrand
HAMMOND
Member since Oct 2009
46698 posts
Posted on 6/21/24 at 4:18 pm to
quote:

They are in good condition
then it is unlikely you'll have to do anything unless they have termites. call an arborist but the easy stuff is:

mulch under the tree all the way out to the canopy edge
dont run over the roots with equipment or vehicles
dont spray anything around them

thats about it. if the are 60 years old they certainly dont need fertilizer or watering, and if they are healthy they shouldnt need major pruning unless they have splits or something.

enjoy the trees they are a gift
Posted by tigerfoot
Alexandria
Member since Sep 2006
60725 posts
Posted on 6/21/24 at 4:21 pm to
That is a whole lot of beautiful shade. How many swings does a man need!
Posted by Tree_Fall
Member since Mar 2021
1091 posts
Posted on 6/21/24 at 4:27 pm to
Trinity Tree Consultants in BTR is well thought of.

LINK
Posted by bkhrph
Lake Charles
Member since May 2022
324 posts
Posted on 6/21/24 at 4:27 pm to
If there’s nothing wrong with them, leave them alone and they’ll do fine. Fertilizing them at that age will have minimal, if any, effect. But if you really want expert advice, I think you answered it in your last sentence.
I called a parish extension agent about 30 years ago about some live oak freeze damage and someone came and looked at it (Ouachita parish). He said don’t do anything and he was right.
Posted by ynlvr
Rocket City
Member since Feb 2009
5307 posts
Posted on 6/21/24 at 5:51 pm to
You may be right. I was just thinking they may need pruning (not this time of year) to clean up some suckers and debris branches. But don't want to rent a lift and start sawing away myself without proper knowledge of the benefits or need. I need a professional on that sort of duty.
Posted by ynlvr
Rocket City
Member since Feb 2009
5307 posts
Posted on 6/21/24 at 5:53 pm to
Thanks. I will give Trinity a call.
Posted by LegendInMyMind
Member since Apr 2019
71788 posts
Posted on 6/21/24 at 8:34 pm to
I have family who have some decent acreage where three generations now live. Across that acreage that isn't wooded or pasture they have probably 40ish good sized oaks. One thing they have done that I wish others would consider doing with younger oaks is keeping them pruned just high enough to be a good shade tree, where they can be easily mowed and walked under/around. I think with oaks having the access to see those lower limbs adds so much more. You can walk through and around their's and get a close look at what is calling those oaks home. That could be pretty cool for kids, too.

This year I've started posting observations from their trees on iNaturalist, and that list has grown considerably in these past few months.
Posted by bkhrph
Lake Charles
Member since May 2022
324 posts
Posted on 6/21/24 at 8:35 pm to
Yes I can definitely see where you’re coming from. I understand that the best time to prune a live oak is in the winter, and to seal the cut with pruning paint. But I’m sure the above mentioned tree arborist or parish extension can give you guidance on this.
Posted by PerplenGold
TX
Member since Nov 2021
2215 posts
Posted on 6/22/24 at 8:32 am to
Had a tree pro out to check our oaks, remove dead limbs. I asked him about removing the limbs touching the ground to lift the canopy. He said if they were his trees he’d let them be. It’s natural and provides a better habitat for critters. YMMV
Posted by LegendInMyMind
Member since Apr 2019
71788 posts
Posted on 6/22/24 at 11:33 am to
quote:

I asked him about removing the limbs touching the ground to lift the canopy. He said if they were his trees he’d let them be. It’s natural and provides a better habitat for critters.

Yep. Oaks are keystone species, and they're cool in that the life they sustain varies at different levels of the canopy (which is true for a lot of trees). Some oaks support well over 1,000 different species, and a percentage of those will never interact with the top portion of the tree.
Posted by sleepytime
Member since Feb 2014
3857 posts
Posted on 6/22/24 at 11:57 am to
Marathon Tree Service was the go to guy for live oaks around Baton Rouge and he had the contract to take care of the live oaks around LSU. He was getting close to retirement a few years ago but if he's still around, use him.
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