Trees are excellent additions to any garden. They’re functional, with the shade and cool breeze they can provide. And they also add charm and coziness to your lawn. The beauty of trees is understated, considering what they add to your landscaping.
While nice to have, trees can also be challenging to care for. It’s not a task you can forego, as trees can also be a nuisance if their branches grow too long, they’re too old, or worse, dying and unhealthy.
Proper care and maintenance are the secrets to happy, strong, and healthy trees. As a beginner gardener, it can already be daunting caring for smaller plants, let alone trees. There’s a lot to learn, but it’s certainly doable.
You’ve made it to the right place today with this short tree care and maintenance guide. Read on to learn more.
Plant The Right Tree
Proper tree care and maintenance starts with choosing the right tree to plant. If you plant the wrong tree, it might not thrive, no matter how well you take good care of it. Ideally, you’ll have to choose a tree species that can grow in your location’s climate, soil condition, and even light availability.
Suppose you want to plan trees in your yard. In that case, you can ask your neighbors who have trees. That’s a good place to start to know what trees you can plant in your neighborhood. Better yet, you can also reach out to a professional arborist. A few might have seedlings on hand, ready to plant.
Become Familiar With Tree Diseases
While you don’t need to become a professional arborist to give your backyard trees some TLC, it’s still a good idea to at least read about your trees. That way, you can learn about proper tree care and the common tree diseases for the ones you have.
Arming yourself with that information helps you care for your trees better. That way, you know what signs to look out for that signify you have a sick tree. You can always look up the internet to find information about symptoms of the disease your trees have. But it’s always better to call an arborist from Canopy Tree Services or others service providers to help ‘cure’ it.
Mulch Around The Perimeter
Mulching is great for most plants, including trees, as it protects the tree’s roots by keeping them well moisturized. Once the mulch starts to decompose, it releases organic matter into the soil, serving as fertilizer for your tree. You can even use the leaves from the tree itself as mulch.
Furthermore, mulching has two benefits for your tree, among many more. First, it suppresses weeds which may compete for water and soil nutrients with your growing tree. And most importantly, mulch retains moisture, preventing your young tree from getting too thirsty.
Maximizing these benefits, however, entails proper mulching. This means spreading the mixture at least two to four inches, extending toward the branches’ drip lines. Then, slowly pull the mulch away from the base of the trunk, creating a donut-like shape with the trunk right in between.
Learn When To Water Your Trees
There’s such a thing as the right time to water your trees. Otherwise, watering frequently can also drown your trees, defeating the purpose of watering. That said, there are two main situations when you should water your trees: when it’s young and when it’s the dry season.
Young trees need to be watered more frequently than adult trees do, simply because it’s growing. During extremely dry weather, you’ll have to water your tree at least five times a week to ensure water goes down to the growing roots.
Once the tree has grown and is more well-established, you don’t have to water as much. There’s no one-size-fits-all number to this, as it’s something you’ll learn as your tree grows.
Trim Your Tree From Time To Time
Trimming your tree is like giving yourself a haircut. You’ll have to do it once in a while to ensure your trees’ optimum growth and health.
When your tree is still young, trimming isn’t something you’ll have to do just yet. However, give it two to five years from planting, and you’ll notice branches start to grow. This is when you should start trimming to keep your trees healthy and lovely.
Moreover, trimming is also the key to removing dead branches to make way for healthier leaves to grow. It’s also a matter of safety, as you wouldn’t want to risk dead branches falling on people in your garden or growing too long that they reach your roof.
Fertilizing Isn’t Always Necessary
Unlike vegetables and crops, trees don’t necessarily need fertilizer. Applying fertilizer is not a cure for an unhealthy tree. Rather, you can use fertilizers to aid in the tree’s growth.
Furthermore, over-fertilizing your trees can do more harm than good. Be sure not to apply it at the time of planting. If you’re unsure, call an arborist and let them determine if applying fertilizer is necessary.
Call For Tree Evaluation
At least once every year, call for a tree evaluation from an arborist. They can examine your tree’s health. So you can learn about any measures to give your trees the proper care. That way, you’re actively addressing any problems with your tree health before it even becomes a bigger issue.
Take It Easy With Staking And Guying
Staking and guying are common practices for many gardeners to provide ample support to the growing tree. However, you have to be cautious with doing this to your trees. In some cases, staking and guying can inhibit a young tree’s healthy growth.
One instance when staking and guying are necessary is when the newly planted tree can’t stand upright on its own. Likewise, it’s also necessary to do this when the weather forecast shows strong winds, and you’re doubtful whether or not your tree can stay up.
Final Thoughts
Now that you’re armed with tree care and maintenance basics, you should feel more confident about having trees in your yard. If your space permits it, trees are always an attractive addition.
As noted in this blog post, tree care starts with proper selection and planting. Choose trees that are easier to care for. When all else fails, give an expert arborist a ring. They can also help you with some of the more challenging tree maintenance care routines you may not feel too confident doing on your own.