Question
Jim
I live northeast of Dallas Texas and have two water oaks in our front yard, both about 30 yrs old 35 to 40 ft tall. Soil is mostly clay. One has a very full leave cover, one is thin.  The thin one has many smaller limbs dead, scale on a few limbs, one or two spots of miscletoe and a couple of spots that are seep.  What can I do to improve its health?
Thanks

Answer
I would treat the tree for the scales--they suck the plant juices from the tree and over time can cause the tree to thin out. Next spring treat the scales with an insecticide called Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub Insect Control. This is applied to the ground around the tree and the roots will carry it up to the branches and when the scale insect sucks the juice from the tree they insects are killed. Treating it in the spring when the tree is moving water and sap up will get the insecticide to the top of the tree. Now the tree has begun to shut down for the winter so it will have only a small effect if done now.

I would go ahead and fertilize the trees with 10-10-10 fertilize at the rate of 1 lb of fertilizer per inch of trunk diameter scattered around the tree and watered in good. Apply just before a good rain storm and you will not need to water. I would do this now and again in the spring.

These two treatments will  increase the overall health of the trees.
Here is a web link to the Bayer product check with your local garden type store for this product. http://www.bayeradvanced.com/tree-shrub-care/products/12-month-tree-shrub-insect...