6 Tree Care Mistakes That Can Prove Costly

Trees are one of the sturdiest plants on the planet. They can withstand drought, fires, storms, and lightning, and even fight off pests and diseases. But although they are hardy, trees are not invincible. This is especially true of urban trees, which often face unique challenges such as a lack of space to grow comfortably. This is why your trees still need your care no matter how healthy they appear.

As you care for your trees though, ensure that you avoid making the following mistakes. Some of these mistakes can prove costly for the health and wellbeing of a tree.

1. Not Pruning Enough

As trees mature, pruning or trimming is an important part of their care. For instance, when a tree's canopy becomes too dense, air cannot circulate throughout the canopy. This increases the risk of disease and of pest infestation.

Another reason that pruning is so important is dead branches. The inner branches of trees sometimes die because they cannot produce enough food to feed themselves. If sunlight cannot reach a branch and its leaves, that branch cannot produce food through photosynthesis. Affected trees self-prune these branches by cutting off the supply of food to them. Those branches then die.

If not pruned, dead branches can become hazardous since they are brittle and can fall without warning. Pruning removes dead branches so that they don't pose a hazard to their surroundings.

2. Pruning Too Much

Some tree owners choose to prune or trim their own trees. But this is risky to the health of trees because if you trim too much of a tree's canopy, that tree can no longer feed itself sufficiently. As a result, the tree weakens and becomes more vulnerable to pests and disease.

3. Improper Mulching

Mulching around trees helps the soil to retain moisture, which tree roots can take in. But when you use too much mulch around a tree's roots and trunk, that mulch traps in too much moisture. This can increase the risk of disease and fungal infection. Root rot will eventually kill a tree if left untreated.

4. Overwatering
Although you may need to water your trees to help them through droughts and dry weather, too much watering is a bad thing. If you water your trees too much, you could cause the roots to begin to rot. And if you have sprinklers spraying water onto a tree's trunk for too long, this too could cause rot

5. Ignoring Symptoms of Ill Health

Like humans, trees can recover from diseases and pest infestation. But when a disease or pest infestation becomes too widespread, this can be too much for a tree to survive. The best way to beat the disease or pest infestation is to notice the symptoms early and then take appropriate action.

If you notice that your tree is suffering, act quickly. For instance, if you see branches dying or leaves wilting in your tree's canopy, this is a sign of ill health. If in doubt, an arborist can help you to determine the cause of the problem.

6. Being Careless With the Root System

Many trees have thick roots that come up to the surface. These roots extend from the trunk outwards. You need to take care not to damage these roots when carrying out garden maintenance jobs such as mowing your lawn or using a strimmer. The same is true when you are carrying out construction in your yard. Even small wounds can leave tree roots open to diseases and pests.

Avoid these common tree care mistakes, and you can prolong the life of your trees. If in doubt, consider hiring an expert to assist you. At Baumann Tree, we provide professional tree removal and tree trimming services. If you think your tree could benefit from tree trimming, give us a call and we'll help you keep your tree healthy and beautiful.