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Trees do much more than just sitting pretty on our lawns. They also provide shade, cut energy costs, and reduce air pollution. The current global forest cover stands at 31%, which translates to about 4.06 billion hectares. 

That sounds impressive, but it’s not enough to avert an impending climate disaster. That means we’ll have to plant even more trees to save our planet.

While most folks have no problem with planting trees, not many are great at taking care of them. Tree maintenance is just as important as planting trees because that’s the only way they can thrive and look their best. If you want your lawn to be the envy of your neighbors, then you need to have tree maintenance down pat.

Taking care of a tree isn’t as simple as watering or trimming them every once and then. Although doing so helps, there’s much more you can do to get the best from your trees. 

In today’s post, we’ll look at some tips on taking care of a tree for healthy and thriving trees.

1. Tree Trimming

You can think of tree trimming as giving your tree a haircut. Consistent tree trimming ensures your trees look lovely and healthy.

Trimming helps remove dead branches and leaves so that new ones can grow. Your trees can grow out of control, and you need to trim them to stop them from coming too close to your house. If you can’t trim them yourselves, you can always hire a gardener or a professional landscaper to do it for you.

It’s worth noting that tree branches pose a serious threat to your house during severe weather. Loose branches may break and crash into your windows or roof. Sometimes, the branches may sway from strong winds and break your windows.

2. Water Them

It’s imperative that you water your plants regularly, especially if they’re new. Water helps carry important nutrients to all parts of the tree, and It also helps young trees stand up straight. As a rule of thumb, aim for about 10 gallons of water for every inch of the trunk’s diameter.

Older trees need less water because they have expansive root systems that can draw water from beneath the ground. You can’t say the same about young trees, and you need to water them regularly to help them grow roots, so they’ll need less water.

3. Keep an Eye Out for Pests and Diseases

Pests and diseases are detrimental to your trees’ health, regardless of how well you take care of them. They could reverse all the hard work you did to keep your trees in their best shape. As such, you need to always watch for pests and diseases.

Monitor your trees for any unusual changes like spots on the leaves or fungi on their barks. If you see abnormal structural changes, there’s definitely something wrong with the plant. All these are indicators that pests or diseases might be infesting your trees.

If that’s the case, you need to seek professional plant healthcare services to identify the problem and figure out a solution. Alternatively, you can purchase an insect control formula and spray them on your trees to get rid of pests. 

However, remember to follow the instructions on the label to the letter to avoid harming your trees. Although buying pesticides is a good solution, calling in the pros is the best way to keep pests and diseases at bay.

4. Mulch

Contrary to popular thought, mulch isn’t just a decorative element for your yard. Mulch also helps trees to retain water, especially in dry regions. It also helps protect the trees from drastic temperature changes and is very beneficial for newly planted trees.

The mulch amount you’ll need for your trees depends on their size. You’ll need around three to ten feet of mulch around the tree for the best results. You’ll have to pay between $200 to $2000 for the mulch, depending on how many trees you’re mulching.

5. Soil Testing

If your trees don’t look their best despite your best efforts, it could be something with the soil. Maybe the soil lacks the optimum PH level and minerals for proper growth. Soil testing helps determines the PH level and minerals in the soil so you can take the necessary steps.

You can purchase a DIY soil-testing kit, but it may not give the most accurate results. Instead, consider hiring a professional to conduct comprehensive soil testing. You’ll have to pay slightly over a thousand dollars for professional soil testing.

6. Fertilize if Necessary

You have to fertilize your plants consistently if you want them to grow to their full potential. For young trees, you’ll have to fertilize them until you notice considerable growth. You don’t have to fertilize mature trees, but there’s no harm in doing so.

A soil test confirms what nutrients the soil lacks so you can get the right fertilizer. Fertilize plants that exhibit yellow foliage or stunted growth as soon as you can. Only use the recommended amount of fertilizer to avoid damaging the plants.

7. Keep Tree Roots Safe

Avoid driving any cars or heavy equipment over your tree’s roots. Doing so compacts the soil above the roots, which reduces available oxygen. Lack of enough oxygen may make the roots die off and kill the entire tree.

Also, avoid adding and removing soil under the tree canopies. If you want to do so, contact a licensed arborist to do it for you. That way, you can add or remove the soil without damaging the roots.

Be careful when changing soil grade, so you don’t damage the roots. Contact a reputable landscaping professional before any landscaping.

Proper Tree Maintenance Needs Commitment

Now that you know how to take care of a tree with the above tree maintenance tips, make sure you put them to practice. Remember, your trees aren’t only a decorative element; they’re also crucial for saving the earth. Take care of your trees not only for your yard’s aesthetics but for the planet’s future.

A touch of professional tree maintenance never hurts anyone. Contact us today for professional arborist services, including tree maintenance.

Have you ever wondered how old a tree was? The United States is the home of the oldest tree in the world. The long-lived Great Bristlecone Pine in the White Mountains of California is 5,000 years old.

Of course, you want to look after the trees on your property but how do you know how they’re doing? What are the signs of a healthy tree? Read on to learn how to properly measure tree health.

Strong Leader

Inspect the structure of your tree. Most healthy trees will have one lead branch at the top of the trunk. This provides stability to the tree.

If the tree looks lopsided or isn’t straight because there are multiple leaders, it may be unstable. These competing leaders may need to be removed. Removing these branches should be done with care and it may be necessary to do it over several years.

Multiple leaders can result in splits in the tree. I split in the tree can provide harmful insects or diseases with a route to enter the tree and cause harm. These infections may need to be treated.

There are some trees for whom a strong single trunk is not the norm. These trees are perfectly healthy with several leads and indeed require them. Many fruit trees have several trunks but each should have a single lead.

Healthy Growth

A healthy tree will show healthy growth. This growth occurs in both the trunk and branches. The gap between last year’s buds and this year’s buds will give an indication of the rate of growth.

What’s a healthy growth rate? This varies from species to species so you’ll have to look up the expectations for your tree variety. The growth of the trunk can be measured by measuring the girth of the tree at the same point each year.

A tree that is not growing may be having problems. It’s very likely that the tree is struggling to get nutrition from the soil it is growing in. The tree maintenance for a tree that is not growing can include rehabilitating the roots and providing the tree with some new soil.

Branch Health

Healthy branches are a sign of a healthy tree. Check the branches for any dead wood. A dead branch will not have green under the bark if you scrape it. A dead branch will be less flexible when bent and is likely to break.

If there are any dead branches prune them back to living wood. Failing to remove deadwood as part of tree care can result in diseases infecting the living tree.

Healthy Bark

The bark surrounding the trunk and branches of your trees is a good indication of your tree’s health. It should be free from damage. Any damage will be a route into the tree for insects or diseases.

It’s wise to protect trees from any infection by covering any cracks or wounds.

Most trees will retain the bark and if any bark is coming off the tree this indicates a health problem. There are a few trees where peeling bark is a feature of the tree and is completely natural. Some maple trees, birches, and eucalyptus shed their bark and this is fine.

If fungi or moss is growing on the bark of your trees this is a sign of potential weakness. The tree may need strengthening by rehabilitating the roots.

Bare Branches

A deciduous tree is one that loses its leaves during the winter and regrows them again in the spring. It’s normal for the branches of deciduous trees to have bare branches during the winter. It’s not normal for a deciduous tree to have bare branches during the summer months so investigate any bare branches in case the branch has died.

Evergreen trees do not lose their leaves seasonally. The branches should hold leaves all year round. Sometimes, there will be bare branches where the branches have become bare.

These trees are ones that have needles rather than conventional broad leaves. Pine trees and spruces are examples of this type of tree. If the tree is short of water or nutrients it will protect itself by reducing the work it has to do to maintain itself and it does this by shedding needles.

A bare branch may be the result of pests eating the leaves. Diseases of various types can also strip leaves from the branches. Insect infestations can have the same effect.

Human impact on your trees can also result in loss of leaves. Poor pruning technique, improper use of pesticides, and careless use of weedkillers could all be possible causes.

Leaf Color

The color of leaves can be an indicator of a health problem with your trees. Normal leaf color suggests the tree is healthy.

Deciduous trees most often have the following leaf color. This is likely to be green leaves in spring and throughout the summer. In the fall, leaves turn yellow, orange, or even red.

Evergreen trees are, as the name suggests, green throughout the year.

Some trees have natural healthy variations from the standard pattern. They may have patterns or variations in color on their leaves.

If leaves turn a different color from the standard color for the season there may be a problem. This is likely to be because the tree is not getting enough water or that it’s not getting the right nutrients.

The solution is to help the roots be more effective at providing both these essentials. Improving the soil and rehabilitating the roots will help.

Stress and Disease

If a tree is not producing fruit or flowers as it should or leaves are distorted the tree may be suffering from a disease. Any irregularity such as strange growth patterns, wounds in the tree, or loss of sap could indicate disease.

Signs or wilting also indicate that the tree is suffering some stress such as under or oversupply of water. 

Tree Health Check

Check your trees for these signs of tree health. Apply the remedies or seek professional help. That way you will help your trees have a long and healthy life.

Make contact to discuss your tree’s health right now.