Another diagnosis of Oak Wilt has been confirmed in the Tanglewood/River Oaks neighborhood in Abilene according to Scott Warren, Certified Arborist with MasterScapes. “An exact diagnosis can only be confirmed through lab work from a sample that tests positive for a fungal spore,” Warren explains.
Oak trees affected by Oak Wilt can decline very fast and no Oak species is immune from the fungus. Outward signs of Oak Wilt include veined necrosis in the leaves, an appearance that the tree is dying. Although treatment after infection is possible, the fungus is much easier to prevent than cure.
“The only accepted treatment method is chemical injection, rather than spraying or drenching. Homeowners typically don’t do it themselves because the method of application is difficult,” says Warren. “It’s important to seek a Certified Arborist for Oak Wilt treatment or prevention not only for correct diagnosis, but also for proper treatment methods. Size and health of a tree determine the injection duration which can range from 30 to 90 minutes per tree.”
“Oak Wilt treatment may seem expensive, but compared to the removal or replacement of Oak trees, it’s very affordable. And a speciman Oak tree, one that’s 30 or 40 years old, is irreplacable.”
For more detailed information on Oak Wilt, please see the Oak Wilt Fact Sheet or contact Scott Warren, Certified Arborist, at MasterScapes. Oak Wilt Fact Sheet
Blue Cross Blue Shield has received the Donna Albus Beautification Award presented by Keep Abilene Beautiful. This award is presented annually to a business which “has taken extra measures to keep their business beautiful,” explains Alexis Rolfe of Keep Abilene Beautiful. “The Donna Albus Beautification Award was developed to motivate businesses in the Abilene city limits to take the extra effort and pride in the outward appearance of their building. The BCBS building has come such a long way due to the dedicated staff and we were excited to announce them as the 2010 Donna Albus Beautification Award recipient.”
Blue Cross Blue Shield is a property care client of MasterScapes.
Effective January 8, 2010 Morris Lawn Service became part of MasterScapes, Inc. “Tom Morris’ intention to retire gave us an opportunity to provide a wider range of services to his weed control clients while providing us the economy-of-scale benefit. It is a great fit for both of us,” said Dan Haught of MasterScapes. “We are pleased to be able to help both Tom and his clients.”
The Texas Nursery and Landscape Association (TNLA) has announced the 2010 winners of the prestigious Texas Excellence in Landscaping (TEIL) Awards which include an Honorable Mention for MasterScapes. These awards recognize the year’s top achievers in landscape design, installation, and maintenance in the State of Texas and reflect the association’s commitment to creating and preserving the beauty of the Texas landscape. The program is designed to recognize independent landscape and lawn care professionals who execute superior projects.
MasterScapes’ residential project, a ranch located in Eastland County in the landscape design and installation category, is the company’s second TEIL recognition of two submissions. In 2004, MasterScapes received Honorable Mention in the commercial landscape and design category for Haskell National Bank, Abilene.
We are proud of our outstanding and very creative Landscape Architect, Tom Martin, and our terrific landscape installation crews who make his designs a reality.
ABILENE, Texas – Starting today, August 4, outdoor lawn watering in the City of Abilene and its wholesale water customers is limited to two days per week. This afternoon at City Hall, Mayor Norm Archibald made the announcement to heighten the City’s water conservation measures.
“Due to a dry, hot summer, our reservoir levels are significantly lower than they’ve been in nearly two years,” said Mayor Norm Archibald. “Conditions are appropriate to change our water conservation efforts to a two day per week watering schedule. Until we receive more rain, citizens can help do their part by conserving water whenever possible.”
Watering is permitted 12 midnight until 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. until 12 midnight on a customer’s designated watering day. The customer’s watering day is determined by the last digit of the house number of property address.
Designated Watering Days:
Thursday, Sunday - Odd numbered addresses
Tuesday, Saturday - Even numbered addresses
Monday, Friday - Industrial, commercial, government customers, public and private schools and universities
The two day per week outside lawn watering schedule will stay in effect until further notice.
Year round water restrictions with a three day per week watering schedule became effective August 30, 2007. According to the City of Abilene’s water conservation plan, the Mayor may call for two day per week watering when the Lake Fort Phantom Reservoir level is between five and ten feet below the spillway.
When water is applied to the soil, it seeps down through the root zone very gradually. Each layer of soil must be filled to “field capacity” before water descends to the next layer. This water movement is referred to as the wetting front. Water moves downward through a sandy coarse soil much faster than through a fine-textured soil such as clay or silt.
If only one-half the amount of water required for healthy growth of your garden or landscape is applied at a given time, it only penetrates the top half of the root zone; the area below the point where the wetting front stops remains dry, as if no irrigation has been applied at all.
Once enough water is applied to move the wetting front into the root zone, moisture is absorbed by plant roots and moves up through the stem to the leaves and fruits. Leaves have thousands of microscopic openings, called stomates, through which water vapor is lost from the plant. This continual loss of water called transpiration, causes the plant to wilt unless a constant supply of soil water is provided by absorption through the roots.
The total water requirement is the amount of water lost from the plant plus the amount evaporated from the soil. These two processes are called evapo-transpiration.
Evapo-transpiration rates vary and are influenced by day length, temperature, cloud cover, wind, relative humidity, mulching, and the type, size and number of plants growing in a given area.
Water is required for the normal physiological processes of all plants. It is the primary medium for chemical reactions and movement of substances through the various plant parts. Water is an essential component in photosynthesis and plant metabolism, including cell division and enlargement. It is important also in cooling the surfaces of land plants by transpiration. Water is also a primary yield-determining factor in crop production. Plants with insufficient water respond by closing the stomata, leaf rolling, changing leaf orientation and reducing leaf and stem growth and fruit yield.
FALLS CHURCH, VA. (April 14, 2009) - In 2006, the Irrigation Association named July Smart Irrigation Month to raise awareness of the benefits of smart irrigation practices. Since then, IA members in every segment of the industry have used Smart Irrigation Month as an opportunity to promote efficient irrigation practices, technologies and methods. …read more
In our continued effort to provide proactive information to our valued clients, we at feel it necessary to communicate recent soil and turf test results received from the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Texas A&M University. The results of tests performed on Abilene lawn samples have confirmed a fungus called TARR (Take-All Root Rot, also known as Take-All Patch), present in St. Augustine grass. …read more
Another diagnosis of Oak Wilt has been confirmed in the Tanglewood/River Oaks neighborhood in Abilene according to Scott Warren, Certified Arborist with MasterScapes. “An exact diagnosis can only be confirmed through lab work from a sample that tests positive for a fungal spore,” Warren explains.
