Named for an oak grove

Tree Service in Encinal, TX

Oak pruning, trimming and removals for a small town where cold snaps arrive almost every winter.

Free on-site estimate with the scope written out tree by tree
Itemized price: cutting, hauling, stump grinding and cleanup on separate lines
Power lines, fences and roofs identified and planned around before any cut

A Town Named for Its Oaks

Encinal takes its name from the Spanish word for an oak grove, so tree service here starts with taking care of oaks. The town sits on Interstate 35 in southwestern La Salle County, 27 miles south of Cotulla, at about 558 feet. Railroad officials reportedly picked the name in the early 1880s, when the International-Great Northern Railroad laid track through the area.

Pruning oaks the right way

Oaks are long-lived and worth protecting. A few habits make a real difference:

Prune at the right time. Texas guidance is to avoid pruning oaks from February through June, when the insects that spread oak wilt are active. July through January is the safer window for bigger cuts.
Seal fresh cuts. Standard Texas practice is to paint oak wounds right after pruning so sap beetles are not drawn to them.
Do not over-thin. Removing too much of the inner canopy exposes bark to sun and stresses the tree.
Keep tools clean between trees.

We raise low limbs, remove deadwood and shorten branches over roofs while keeping the oak's natural shape.

Colder than Laredo

Encinal gets freezing temperatures almost every winter, and its all-time low is 8 degrees, recorded in January 1962. That is colder than Laredo's record. Hard freezes can kill palms and tender trees outright and split bark on others. After a freeze, we wait for spring growth before deciding what to cut, since many trees that look dead in February leaf out again by April.

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And hotter, too

Summers swing the other way. Encinal has hit 116 degrees, on June 17, 1998, and about 56 days a year reach 100. Rain averages about 23.5 inches a year. Trees here deal with both extremes, which is why deadwood removal and steady, moderate pruning work better than occasional heavy cuts.

Small town, big lots

The 2020 census counted 540 people and 256 housing units in Encinal, and close to 30 percent of those units were vacant. Empty lots grow over with brush and volunteer trees quickly. We clear them, keep any good oaks or mesquite worth saving, and grind stumps where the ground needs to be open.

A county that never was

Encinal was meant to be the seat of Encinal County, created in 1856 but never organized. The county was dissolved in 1899, and Encinal became part of La Salle County.

Encinal is an easy run up I-35 from Laredo. Call (956) 633-2503 or send photos with the form.

Encinal Facts

Name. Railroad officials named the town for the Spanish word for oak grove, possibly a grove of holm or holly oak.
Location. Encinal is on Interstate 35, 27 miles south of Cotulla in southwestern La Salle County, at about 558 feet.
Cold winters. Freezing temperatures occur almost every winter; the record low is 8 degrees on January 12 to 13, 1962.
Hot summers. The record high is 116 degrees on June 17, 1998, with about 56 days a year at 100 degrees or more.
Housing. The 2020 census counted 540 residents and 256 housing units, 29.3 percent of them vacant.

Our Services in Encinal, TX

Encinal Questions

When is the best time to prune my oak?

Texas guidance is to avoid pruning oaks from February through June because of oak wilt. July through January is the lower-risk window. A broken or hanging limb can come off any time, with the cut painted right away.

Should oak pruning cuts be painted?

Yes. In Texas, painting fresh oak wounds right away is recommended to reduce the chance of spreading oak wilt.

My palm looks dead after a freeze. Should I remove it?

Give it until late spring. If no new growth comes from the center by then, removal is usually the right call.

Free Estimates in Encinal, TX

Free estimates for oak pruning and tree work in Encinal.

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