QUESTION: I have a 30-foot-tall Texas ebony tree in my yard that keeps blooming and producing pods and pollen almost continuously. I’ve developed an allergy to the flowers and pollen from the tree and so have my dogs. I had the tree sprayed recently to get rid of the flowers, but now it seems ready to bloom all over again. What can I do to stop this cycle?
ANSWER: Drought and heat cause stress in trees. Any species of tree or plants that have flowers will put major effort into producing seed when stress is extreme. This is nature’s way to attempt survival of the species, and this does seem to be a heavy pod year.
In addition, some trees naturally produce extra pods and seed in certain years. Others, for example, produce heavily every three years or when they reach maturity.
Trees can be treated with plant growth regulators to prevent unwanted fruit. Products include Florel, Atrimec, Olive Stop and Maintain. When applied carefully, per label instructions, most work well. Some trees like Texas ebony produce blossoms several times a year. Others bloom almost continuously over several months. These trees can be difficult to treat because the chemicals need to be applied when trees are flowering. That requires careful observation and several applications to have success. An alternative method of application called bark banding has also worked on these types of trees. We’d recommend calling a certified arborist if you want to take on any of these treatments.
Q: My family is getting bigger, and I’m building a new home in a subdivision. But I want to know if I should hire my home independent home inspector to look at the house periodically during its construction? Would that person inspect the building while it’s being built or just when it’s finally completed?
A: You should hire an inspector as early in the building process as possible. Having an inspector look at the program in building means you will have another set of eyes take a look at what’s been done and whether there are mistakes that need correcting. You’ll probably have to pay $1,100 to $1,200 to have the inspector go out there for a few inspections, but many people have told me that they wish they would have done that during the building process for their homes. It’s the biggest investment in your life, so it’s worthwhile.
Q: I have a garage that has been insulated, but at this time of year, it starts getting pretty hot. Can I install vents in the garage that could help cool it off during the summer?
A: If you install vents, it’s going to create a very dusty environment. It could also violate the fire code for garage spaces, depending on what you plan to do. Since the space is already insulated, you might want to go ahead and install a mini-split air conditioner or a roll-around portable evaporative cooler.
Q: I have a 12-year-old ornamental plum tree that died recently. We cut it down. But now how do we make sure that the stump won’t keep sprouting again? Do we drill holes in stump and insert herbicide?
A: If you’re planning to plant in that area again, you don’t want to use herbicide or it might kill any new tree or shrub you plant. If the tree is dead, there doesn’t seem to be any reason for using herbicide. Eventually, the roots will die and the stump will rot away. There are some situations with stumps where it is more necessary to kill the stump and any sprouts that spring up from it — like sissoo trees.
