Essential Tree Care Tips
Properly Caring for Your Tree
Tree Care Tips to Help You Get the Most Out of Your Investment
Benefits of a Tree
There are a lot of great benefits to adding a tree or trees to your property. They increase the value of your property. Trees provide shade, which lowers the surrounding air temperature, thus conserving energy and lowering your air conditioning bills. Trees help clean the air and cut down on noise pollution by acting as a sound barrier. They also provide privacy and beauty.
How you take care of your tree in its first few years of life will affect its shape, strength, and even its lifespan. Here are some tips to keep in mind when caring for your trees so that you can reap all the benefits of a healthy tree. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact Urban Arborist.
Healthy Ash trees that we treated for insects.
The Emerald Ash Borer is an invasive insect that can kill Ash Trees unless properly treated.
Plant Selection
First, you need to choose the right tree for the right location. Is the spot wet or dry, shady or sunny, windy or protected? Consider the size of the tree at its’ expected maturity. Will the space be large enough to accommodate the full-grown tree? This is especially important with evergreens; people have the tendency to plant them too close together. Native trees tend to flourish in their climate, but selective non-native trees can thrive, too. Do your research before investing in plant material. You can save a lot of time, money, and plants when you consult with a certified arborist before embarking on your planting project.
Mulching
When done properly, mulching may be the single best thing you can do for your trees. Mulch should be evenly distributed to a depth of 2” to 3” and extend to the drip line of the tree. It is important that the mulch not come into contact with the stem of the tree. Keep the mulch 3” or 4” away from the base of the tree. Mulch is not maintenance-free, but its benefits certainly make it worth the effort. Weeds will grow and take over if left unattended. Cultivating is strongly recommended before the top dressing of mulch is added to help keep the mulch from clumping. If you start with a 2” or 3”-deep layer of mulch, you should not need to re-mulch for at least two years.
Pruning
When trees are young, corrective or directional pruning is advised. With the right tools and a little bit of instruction, most people can handle this type of pruning on their own. If you need to leave the ground to prune the tree, it is time to call a professional. As the tree matures, we prune to clean the crown of dead branches and to remove or lighten heavy and/or weak branches to reduce the likelihood of storm damage. This type of pruning should only be performed by experienced professionals.
Watering
How you water your lawn is not necessarily how you should water your trees. For most established trees, the equivalent of 1” of rainfall every 7 to 10 days is ideal. When utilizing supplemental watering, take advantage of the natural rainfall and try to water during the morning hours to reduce evaporation and water waste. Too much can be worse than no water; don’t overdo it. If you have watering concerns, give us a call.
Soil Health
Soil Food Web
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