Tree Questions People Ask Around San Marcos

Calling

Who answers when I call (877) 674-2213?

A call handler who takes down the details of the job and sets up an in-person look with a local tree crew. They won't price the work on the phone.

Why can't the job be priced on the phone?

Two trees the same height can be very different jobs. One drops into an open yard in a few cuts; the other leans over a roof and has to come down in pieces on ropes. Hidden decay, the soil, and how equipment gets in all change the work. Someone has to see it.

What if a tree falls at night?

Phones are answered Monday through Friday 7am – 10pm EST, Saturday 8am – 10pm EST, and Sunday 7am – 9pm EST. Calls outside those hours may not be answered. If anything is touching a power line, stay away and call the electric provider. The storm damage page lists what to do in the meantime.

Timing

What months are safe for trimming oaks here?

The Texas A&M Forest Service recommends no oak pruning from February 1 through June 30. July through January is the working window, with the coldest stretch of winter often preferred. Every oak cut gets painted regardless. Full calendar.

When should elms, pecans and hackberries be trimmed?

They aren't tied to the oak wilt calendar, so timing is more flexible. Late winter, before spring growth, works well for most, and it's when mistletoe is easiest to see in cedar elms and hackberries.

My live oak is dropping a lot of leaves in spring. Is it dying?

Probably not. Live oaks hold their leaves through winter and shed them in early spring as new ones push out. The worry is leaves with yellow or brown veins, or a tree losing leaves in summer. How to tell the difference.

Trees and problems

Is mistletoe going to kill my cedar elm?

Not quickly. It pulls water and nutrients from the branch it's rooted in, and a heavy load weakens the tree over years. Pruning out infested limbs in winter keeps it in check. More on mistletoe.

What's the gray fuzzy stuff all over the oaks?

Ball moss. It's not a parasite; it takes nothing from the tree. It can get heavy on shaded interior branches, and thinning the canopy usually cuts it back.

Does stump grinding get all the roots?

No. Grinding takes the stump down below the surface and chews out the big roots right around it. Roots farther out are left to rot in place. Some trees, hackberry and mesquite in particular, may send up sprouts for a while. What to do after grinding.

Rules and neighbors

Do I need a city permit to take down a tree?

It depends on the property and what's going on. The City of San Marcos regulates trees mainly through its development rules, so building, adding on or clearing a lot is where permits come in. Call the city Permit Center at 512-805-2630 to be sure, and check with your HOA. Permit details.

Can I cut my neighbor's branches that hang over my yard?

Under Texas law you can generally trim branches back to the property line, as long as you don't go onto their property or seriously damage the tree. Talking to the neighbor first saves a lot of trouble. This is general information, not legal advice. Neighbor tree questions.

Can I burn the brush after a tree comes down?

Not inside San Marcos city limits. In unincorporated Hays County, burning is allowed only when no burn ban is in effect and only under the county's rules, such as distance from neighboring structures and daylight hours. The edges of the 78666 ZIP code reach into Caldwell, Guadalupe and Comal counties, and each of those sets its own bans. Brush disposal options.

Areas

Which towns are covered?

San Marcos, in ZIP codes 78666 and 78667. Nearby towns such as Kyle, Wimberley, Martindale and New Braunfels are not covered. See the service area.

Do you cover acreage outside town?

Yes, within 78666. The larger lots off Ranch Road 12 on the west side, and the rural edges of the ZIP code, are where most of the cedar clearing and brush work comes from.