TROY, Texas — Trees improve air, water, and soil quality, while also increasing property value.
Certified master gardner Sylvia Maedgen suggests fruit trees be planted in Central Texas, due to clay soil being found more often on the grounds.
“Some fruit trees require aesthetic soil which is based in East Texas, and they don't do well here, but you can plant those types of fruit trees or plants in containers and use like peat moss,” Maedgen said.
Figs, peaches, and some apple trees grow well in this region.
Bare root trees are suggested to be planted from December to late February and container trees are to be planted in late fall, because the heat from the summer is too much to plant then.
At any time while planting, check the soil for moisture before drowning it in water — fruit trees can take a few years before receiving any product.
"It may take three to four years before you get any peaches, now it might get a peach or two but it’s not going to be of good quality,” said Slyvia.
Some plants may be confused due to the warmer weather causing them to blossom, with a predicted cold snap on its way back.
It's best to cover your garden or trees with a frost cloth or bucket and bring what you can indoors to protect them from the freeze.
"Sunday morning this is when we are talking about temperatures dropping into the upper 20's and staying there for a few hours, that is what we would call a hard freeze, and it should be a pretty widespread freeze for most of Central Texas and maybe across the Brazos valley too," said 25 News Meteorologist, Caleb Chevalier.
"When that happens, any plants that are going to be left unprotected that would kill those plants."
