Essential Tree Care Tips

Trees bring beauty and life to your landscape. To enjoy such benefits from the trees on your property, you need to take good care of them to ensure their health and longevity. The good news is that caring for your trees can be as simple as following a few simple strategies. Read on to learn some essential tree care tips every homeowner should know.

Water Your Trees

Water is an essential part of any tree's growth cycle. Without enough water, trees can become weak, vulnerable to disease and pests, and even die. 

Unfortunately, watering trees does not happen on a set schedule. A tree's water needs vary based on many factors, including age, species, weather conditions, and soil type. Even so, young and newly planted trees typically need watering more frequently than older, well-established trees. 

But you can determine when trees need water by examining the soil. If the soil is dry to the touch, your tree needs water. The best way to ensure that your trees get the water they need is to set up a deep irrigation system that delivers water directly to their roots.

You can also use a deep root watering tool like a soaker hose. Deep watering ensures that the critical root zone receives adequate moisture and grows deeply. Ensure you do not leave standing water near your trees, which can lead to root rot. Your goal should be moist not soggy soil.

Prune Your Trees Regularly 

Tree pruning involves selectively removing branches from a tree. Pruning is one of the most important aspects of proper tree care. Regular pruning removes dead or diseased branches, which helps reduce the spread of disease. Pruning also increases air circulation throughout the tree's canopy and prevents overgrowth from becoming unruly or taking away from other plants in the garden.

Finally, pruning helps promote new growth by allowing more light into the canopy so new branches can sprout up quickly. To achieve optimum results, the best time to prune is mid to late winter before new growth begins.

Apply Fertilizer

Fertilizers provide essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that promote good health in trees. The nutrients help strengthen roots, increase resistance to disease, and encourage new growth in leaves and branches. 

However, fertilizing your trees can only be beneficial if you use the correct fertilizer for your particular tree. Different types of fertilizer contain different amounts of nutrients. When fertilizing, you also need to make sure not to apply too much so you don't damage your trees.   

A tree service professional can help you determine what type of fertilizer will work best for your tree and apply it correctly on your behalf if necessary. 

Mulch Your Trees

Mulch around your trees provides many benefits, such as helping retain moisture and maintain temperatures conducive to root growth. Mulching also helps prevent weeds from taking over the area around your trees. Mulch can be anything organic such as wood chips or twigs. Leaves, compost, pine needles, straw, and grass clippings are also acceptable. 

However, mulch can do more harm than good if you use too much of it. Over-mulching can suffocate tree roots, causing them to die. Additionally, mulch shouldn't touch the trunk of the tree. Start your mulch 3 inches from the base of your tree, and spread it out a few feet. Mulch bed depth should also not exceed 3 inches. 

Taking care of your trees might feel like an overwhelming task, but with the above tips under your belt, it doesn't have to be. Of course, if you ever encounter serious issues you can't handle yourself, contact a local tree service professional.

If you have any questions regarding proper tree care techniques or need assistance with anything related to your tree, don't hesitate to contact us at Baumann Tree. Our trained experts will be able to assess the situation correctly and recommend treatment options if necessary.