they simply stand the test of time – living through hundreds and thousands of years
of weather, families, history and the like. Others just give our lawn the look we’ve
always wanted it to have.
Right tree, right place
Great trees don’t happen by accident. It requires finding the right kind of tree for your area and the right space to plant it. Choose a place with enough sun, but also enough space for a full-grown canopy. Keep it away from power lines and any potential underground utility lines. Also take into consideration your climate and soil compositions, as well as certain trees require certain alkalinity balances to thrive.
Water, water
People often forget that trees are just like any other plant – they need water! If it hasn’t rained for a while, check and see if it’s time to give your tree a drink. Mature, fully-grown trees need an inch of water every week whereas new trees will need somewhere between four and ten gallons. Stay on top of things and keep your trees hydrated!
Mulch
Every week, we work mulch into the conversation somehow and the reason being is that it comes with so many benefits! Mulch can insulate roots, normalize temperature, protect it from lawnmower cuts and maintains the moisture levels in the soil. It also gives your lawn a much neater, cleaner look, so there’s lots of aesthetic value to be had as well. We strongly encourage you to use mulch whenever you can!
Fertilizing your tree
In the wild, natural plant materials often serve as the nutrient burst our trees need to thrive. In our yards, we often clear all those things out – leaves, twigs, etc. Fertilizer essentially replaces what is being taken out and give your trees that boost they need.
This one comes with two caveats – the first is that anytime you’re messing around with fertilizer, it’s best to get a pro to do it until you’re comfortable with it. The second being that it’s important to test your soil to see what it might be missing. Lawns can be very rangy in terms of what their needs are, and you want to make sure you’re not giving them too much or too little of something. Maintaining good soil composition is essential for a tree’s long-term health.
Prune
Pruning is essential if you want to maintain a healthy tree. It helps a tree sustain its shape while also removing any deadwood that’s preventing further growth in the tree. The best time to prune is when your tree is dormant in the winter (when there aren’t any leaves on the trees). This way, you’ll be able to identify problem spots easier but you’ll also be pruning at a safer period for your tree. With the branches mostly dried out – you won’t have to worry about the multitudes of disease, pest and infections that can harm trees in wetter, warmer seasons.
Do these five things regularly, and you’ll be certain to have a happy, healthy tree. Also, don’t be afraid to schedule a ‘check up’ every now and then by calling a professional company like ours to come in and assess your tree’s condition – especially if you’re worried that your tree might be at risk for pests and diseases. We can come in and help you put a plan together to help solve the issues before they become costly problems.