4EverGreen

10/25/2026

10/25/2026

Let's talk about lion-tailing - and why we won't do it. 🦁🌳

This is when a tree's interior branches are stripped out, leaving foliage only at the branch tips. It might look "clean," but University of Florida/IFAS Extension and the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) are clear: this is considered arboricultural malpractice, not proper pruning.

Here's why it matters:
🌬️ It shifts all the weight to the ends of the branches, making them far more likely to snap in storms and high winds
🌳 It removes the tree's ability to flex and disperse wind load the way a properly structured canopy does
⚠️ ANSI A300 standards (the national standard for tree care) say no more than ¼ of a mature tree's foliage should be removed in a growing season - lion-tailing blows way past that
📈 It often triggers excessive sprouting, which just creates more weak growth down the road

With how much research is publicly available from UF/IFAS and ISA, there's no excuse for this still being common practice. It doesn't just look bad - it creates real liability for the property owner, while the person doing the cutting gets paid for it.

Our certified arborists follow ANSI A300 and ISA Best Management Practices on every job. If a company offers to "thin it out" like this, ask questions first. Your trees - and your property - deserve better. 🌿

Sources: UF/IFAS Extension (hort.ifas.ufl.edu), ANSI A300 Standards, ISA Best Management Practices

10/25/2026

Piling mulch against a tree trunk looks tidy, and it is one of the most common ways to hurt a tree.

A mulch volcano is a cone of mulch heaped up against the trunk, often added again every year. Healthy trees develop a flare at the base, where the trunk widens as it meets the roots. A mound of mulch buries that flare, and young trees may never form one. Trees without it are less stable and more likely to blow over in wind. The pile also keeps the bark constantly damp, which invites disease and decay. And because a thick mound holds moisture near the surface, roots tend to stay shallow, so the tree suffers more in a summer drought.

The right way is simple. Spread 2 to 4 inches of organic mulch like bark or wood chips in a flat ring, shaped like a donut, with a gap so no mulch touches the trunk. For an established tree, one guide uses the 3-3-3 rule: a 3-inch layer, in a 3-foot ring, with at least 3 inches of clearance around the trunk.

Done correctly, mulch still protects the tree from mowers and string trimmers, holds soil moisture, and suppresses weeds.

Have you seen a mulch volcano in your neighborhood, and did you say anything?

09/02/2026

A Texas oak can look messy at the exact moment it needs you to leave it alone.

08/31/2026

The ground feels warm through your shoes before breakfast and another week of triple digits is coming, but the water you pour on your trees may never reach the roots that keep them alive. Deep watering the wrong way soaks the top few inches and leaves the thirsty roots dry underneath...

08/19/2026