Tree Maintenance Tips For Healthier Trees
Trees are one of the major things that affect the look of your landscape, they can make it look like paradise or they can make it look like a graveyard. You can’t just focus on bricks and grass and neglect your trees, no matter what size or age they are you must put in the work and pull up your tree services tricks to keep your trees in their best shape to maintain the perfect look of your landscape.
There are many useful tree maintenance tips you can do to your trees throughout the year and even with the change of seasons which will also help you to keep your landscape in its prime.
Proper Mulching
There are many benefits in adding mulch around your trees if done right like it will help the roots stay moist as well as provide a buffer from heat and cold, restrain weed growth around the tree, prevent soil compaction, and reduce damage caused by lawn mower.
3 Steps to Adding Mulch Around Your Tree
- Clear any grass within a 3-foot area for a small tree and 10 feet for a larger tree
- Pour your wood chips or bark mulch pieces 2 to 4 inches deep within the circle you cleared.
- Keep the mulch away from the trunk of the tree.
Water regularly
If you are dealing with a tree that you have just planted, 30 seconds with a steady stream of water is enough (1) to cover the needs of the newly planted tree to establish its roots in the soil, and don’t forget to cover the soil with wood-chip mulch to keep the soil moist.
As for mature trees, they need 10 gallons of water per inch of trunk diameter. it is best to use drip irrigation for slow and deep watering.
When to Water and How Much
Dried soil is as bad as soggy soil, you must keep it in the middle, and to achieve this feat you need a method that shows you exactly when your trees need water.
Take a garden trowel and insert it into the ground to a depth of 2″, and then move the blade of the trowel back and forth to create a small narrow trench. Then use your finger to touch the soil. If you find it moist (2), you don’t need to add more water, just keep it that way.
Manage soil conditions
Before you plant a tree it’s best to choose the right mix of soil to help it grow healthy, add 10-20% compost to the original soil will work just fine for the newly planted tree.
You can always do a soil test to check whether you need to fertilize your soil and which type of fertilizer to use.
Fertilize in the fall
Before the cold starts get hold of the root system of your tree, you need to do a special fertilizer to help them get through this tough time.
Adding phosphorus and potassium to the soil can help root tissues harden off. Tree Care Professionals recommend using a slow-release nitrogen (SRN) fertilizer for those situations.
Trim appropriately
Tree trimming those diseased and dead branches helps maintain the appearance of your landscape and improves the health of your trees. You better avoid trimming in the fall due to the decay fungi that spread in the fall and cuts seem to heal more slowly on fall.
Remove invasive plants
Fast-growing invasive plants like Japanese honeysuckle, wisteria, and ivy trap moisture around the root collar or block sunlight from reaching the leaves.
For invasive plant removal just cut the stems near the base, don’t pull them from the bark or you will just cause more damage.
Control pests and diseases
It is hard to detect pest invasion in your trees or diseases in their first phases because of a lack of knowledge, and homeowners usually don’t give much attention to their trees as they care for their flowers.
Signs of Pests or Disease
You have to keep an eye on the signs of pests and diseases to be able to treat them easily, so take action if you notice:
- Hollowed trunk
- decaying branches
- Mushrooms near the base
- Slow growth
- Discolored, distorted, or stippled leaves
- White spots or unusual masses on branches
Protect against freezes
Saplings and fruit-bearing trees may require extra protection in advance of the freezing season to be able to survive the cold.
Make sure to cover the trees with a long sheet that reaches the ground to preserve some of the soil’s warmth, but don’t let the cover touch the leaves. After the snow is gone, remove the sheet that you covered the tree with as soon as possible.
Sources:
(1): https://www.arborday.org/trees/tips
(2): https://www.arborday.org/trees/tips
