By Stacey Earley, Fort Bend County Master Gardener, Co-Chair of Fort Bend County Master Garden Tree Team

We all love the beautiful fall colors of the northern states, and wish we could have that in Fort Bend County.  No need to wish! Let’s make a plan!

Most of our deciduous trees in Southeast Texas turn brown in the Fall, and unceremoniously drop their leaves.  But there are selections of trees that have great Fall color.  Since Fall and Winter are the times to plant landscape trees, let’s select them now for color this Fall. [Fig. 1].

Trees for reliable Fall color include Montezuma Cypress and Red Oaks (Texas, Shumard, Nuttal).  But what else? Consult the Texas A&M Forest Service’s excellent tool – the Texas Tree Selection Guide – to find a filter Option 4 where you can select “Has reliable fall color”. Know that the best Fall color comes after a Fall cold snap, so don’t be disappointed if you don’t get the reds and yellows in your first year.  They are coming!

What to Do Now

Select your trees for their Fall color, and based on the space you have available for the full, mature size of the tree. The Tree Selection Guide lets you specify the space available to you in Options 1 & 2.

Consider overhead power lines, underground water lines, and other obstructions in your plan. 

Once you have selected the tree specimens you want, head to your favorite, high quality nursery to pick healthy trees. Then plant in your yard using best practices such as planting so that the top of the root ball is at least one inch above the surrounding soil level, and backfilling with native soil.

If you plant your trees during their dormant season, you will have happy roots by the time summer arrives.  And you will be ready for great Fall color displays!

Fort Bend County Master Gardeners will be giving away free trees best suited for this county at this locations this spring:

• Fulshear – Feb. 28 - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (or until trees run out), 9035 Bois D'Arc Ln, Fulshear, TX 77441

• Missouri City Edible Earth Day Festival – March 14  – 9 a.m. to Noon,  Oyster Creek Trail – 4433 Cartwright Road, Missouri City, TX 77459