Speedy Tree Services urges North Texas tree checks before winter

Speedy Tree Services in Farmersville is telling North Texas property owners to assess drought-stressed trees this fall before winter ice, wind and saturated soil raise the risk of limb failure. The warning comes as federal forecasters say drought has worsened across parts of the region and NOAA expects a wetter-than-normal winter under a strong El Niño.

Why it matters: - Drought-weakened trees are more likely to fail when winter weather adds ice, wind and saturated soil. - North Texas property owners face added risk after a punishing summer and a winter outlook that favors wetter conditions. - A damaged limb can fall on roofs, vehicles, fences or power lines.

What happened: - Speedy Tree Services is urging homeowners, landowners and commercial property managers across North Texas to inspect trees before winter arrives. - The Farmersville-based company is focusing on drought recovery, deep root fertilization and pre-storm preparation. - Jason Moncier, the company’s owner, said weak limbs are best identified on a calm fall day, not after an ice storm.

The details: - The National Weather Service office in Fort Worth said drought across North and Central Texas worsened through September 2026. - NOAA released its 2026-2027 winter outlook in mid-October and called for wetter-than-normal conditions across much of the southern U.S. as a strong El Niño persists. - Speedy Tree Services provides tree trimming, removal, pruning, cabling and bracing, stump grinding, land clearing, hazardous tree assessment, emergency storm damage cleanup and deep root fertilization. - The company works from 699 S. State Highway 78 in Farmersville and serves Collin, Denton, Grayson, Hunt and Lamar counties. - Moncier has about 30 years of hands-on tree care experience, and the company has been incorporated since 2016. - Crews work from insured and bonded service trucks equipped with bucket lifts, chippers, stump grinders and grapple-equipped skid steers. - Every job starts with an in-person evaluation. - The company does not give estimates over the phone or from photos. - By late September, severe drought had expanded across much of North Texas, with pockets of extreme drought along the Red River and parts of the Interstate 35 corridor. - A mid-September drought statement placed extreme drought in parts of the eastern Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and areas near the Red River. - Rain in late September and early October reduced drought severity in parts of North Texas, especially west of I-35. - The National Weather Service said moderate to severe drought remained widespread and soil moisture deficits were still substantial. - NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center expects drought improvement across much of North and Central Texas through the end of December. - Texas A&M Forest Service says trees do not have an internal reservoir to draw on during long dry periods. - Drought can close leaf pores, slow photosynthesis and reduce the energy trees need for root growth, pest defense and spring leaf-out. - Prolonged drought can kill fine feeder roots in the upper soil. - Stress signs include browned, curled or early-dropped leaves, scorched edges, thinning canopies, dead tips in the upper crown, loose or cracked bark, fungal growth near the trunk base, and cracks or splits in major limbs. - Deep root fertilization places nutrients in the soil where roots actively absorb them instead of spreading fertilizer across the surface. - The service is commonly done by injecting liquid nutrients into the soil at multiple points across the root zone. - Speedy Tree Services offers deep root fertilization as a preventive service for mature and established trees. - The company recommends the service for valuable shade trees while they are still structurally sound. - Fertilization works best when soil moisture is adequate, so watering comes first. - Trees with extensive internal decay, major structural defects or advanced dieback may not respond to fertilization. - Watering and mulching remain the foundation of drought recovery. - Texas A&M Forest Service recommends hose, bubbler or drip irrigation over overhead sprinklers. - The agency also recommends organic mulch across the root zone, kept several inches away from the trunk. - Slow, deep watering under and beyond the canopy is more effective than frequent light sprinkling. - Property owners should follow local watering restrictions. - NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center says there is better than an 80% chance that at least a strong El Niño continues through January, February and March 2027. - National Weather Service Director Ken Graham said a very strong El Niño typically shifts the jet stream south and east, increasing storm odds across the South. - NOAA says seasonal outlooks cannot forecast individual winter storms. - North Texas winters can bring freezing rain, sleet and ice accumulation even without much snowfall. - Karl Flocke of Texas A&M Forest Service has said ice can increase a branch’s weight by as much as 20 times. - Limbs weakened by drought dieback, internal decay or poor attachment are most likely to fail. - Texas has seen similar damage before, including after Winter Storm Uri in February 2021 and an early 2023 Central Texas ice storm. - Wet weather can also raise the risk of uprooting because saturated soil holds roots less firmly. - Fall and early winter make it easier to see branch structure after deciduous leaves drop. - Texas A&M Forest Service oak wilt guidance advises against pruning oaks from February through June. - Pre-winter work often includes removing dead, broken or hanging limbs. - Limbs over roofs, chimneys, driveways and play areas can be shortened or removed. - Trees with co-dominant trunks, included bark or cracks at major unions may need cabling and bracing. - Trees with advanced decay, significant lean or root damage may need removal. - Removing too much live canopy from a stressed tree can slow recovery. - Topping creates weak regrowth that is more likely to break later. - Ahead of a hard freeze, Texas A&M Forest Service says watering can help reduce cold-weather stress. - Property owners should never trim branches near energized power lines. - After a winter storm, Speedy Tree Services advises staying away from downed lines and avoiding ice-coated trees. - Property owners should photograph damage before cleanup for insurance purposes. - Chainsaw work on tensioned, hung-up or structure-resting trees is among the most dangerous parts of tree care and should be handled by experienced professionals. - Texas A&M Forest Service has said trees that look dead after a freeze may still recover and leaf out later. - Speedy Tree Services also serves Allen, Anna, Bonham, Commerce, Denison, Melissa, Paris, Plano, Sherman and Wylie. - Commercial work includes tree trimming, large removals, land clearing and hazardous tree assessments. - The company sells firewood during winter from tree work completed during the year. - More information is available through the company’s website.

Between the lines: - The message is less about routine maintenance and more about triage: save what is structurally sound, and remove what is already unsafe. - A wetter winter after severe drought can be a mixed blessing because more moisture helps recovery but also makes weak trees easier to uproot. - The strongest recommendation is early inspection, because once winter weather hits, the margin for safe intervention shrinks fast.

What's next: - Property owners are being urged to schedule in-person evaluations before the first hard freeze or ice event. - Trees that need support may get fertilization, pruning or cabling and bracing before winter weather arrives. - Trees with serious decay, major splits or root damage are likely candidates for removal rather than treatment. - After storms, professional cleanup will be needed for downed or hung-up trees and limbs.