Tree service in Staples, Texas

What I see in Staples yards

Pecan and cypress on deep river soil. Close enough to Kyle that it's an easy trip, which isn't true of most of Guadalupe County.

The trees I get called about in Staples

A San Marcos River crossing with real bottomland trees along the water — pecan and bald cypress on deep river soil. Small place, big trees. River-bottom pecan and bald cypress on deep San Marcos River soil, in a place small enough that most of the tree work is on a handful of properties along the water. Cypress here wants leaving alone more than most people expect — they don't need the interior thinning that gets applied to oaks. One more note on the bottomland trees along the river here: soil deposited by flooding can bury a root flare over time without anyone doing anything wrong. If the trunk goes into the ground without widening out, it's worth having a look at what's under there.

How to tell these species apart, and what goes wrong with each one.

The ground underneath: river bottom

Deep, well-drained alluvial soil along the river. Pecan and bald cypress country, and the trees get big. The usual problem isn't health, it's end-weight on long limbs nobody's reduced in decades.

Permits in Staples

I haven't read Staples's ordinance closely enough to summarize it here, and I'm not going to guess at a rule that could cost you a mitigation bill. Call the city's planning or development services department and ask two questions: what trunk diameter triggers a permit, and is there a protected species list.

I have verified the rules for Austin, Kyle, Buda and Dripping Springs — those are written up here, along with how to measure your trunk properly, which every one of these ordinances depends on.

Working on a Staples property

Easy to reach at twenty-two minutes, which isn't true of most of Guadalupe County. Riverside lots have the usual soft-ground and bank constraints. Twenty-two minutes from Kyle, which makes it one of the easier Guadalupe County trips I make, and unusual for that county. Riverbank work means soft ground and thinking about where equipment sits. Twenty-two minutes from Kyle. Soft riverside ground means thinking about where the truck sits, particularly after rain.

Questions I get from Staples

Getting me out to Staples

Staples is about a 22-minute run for me. Call or text me a photo with something in frame for scale and I can usually give you a number without driving out. Estimates are free either way.

One rule that applies everywhere, including here: don't prune oaks between February 1 and June 30. Here's why.