How To Maintain Your Trees

How To Maintain Your Trees

5 Helpful Tips On How To Maintain Your Trees

If you are one of the many homeowners that prefer lush greenery in your home’s exterior or just have a few trees for the shade and other comforts they provide, you will need to keep them well cared for and maintained. Untended trees will not only be an eyesore to your otherwise beautiful home, but they can also bring danger to structures, vehicles, utility lines, and people around them. To ensure their steady growth and optimum health for many years to come, here are 5 helpful tips on how to maintain your trees.

1. Know Your Trees

An effective way on how to keep trees healthy and strong is to know and understand them better. Do sufficient research on the type of trees you have and identify their needs. Learn the important factors that affect their health such as how much water they need and what type of soil will be best for their roots. Additionally, figure out if they are susceptible to drought and if they have sensitivities to certain types of weather conditions. You can use a plant identification app, search the web, or better yet consult with a professional arborist for a much accurate assessment.

2. Practice Proper Pruning

Proper tree pruning will be crucial in encouraging healthy growth. It also prevents destabilisation and the spread of disease. When pruning, make sure that the tree is not top- nor bottom-heavy, cuts are not jagged, and it is not leaning excessively to one side. All parts of your tree should also be getting good air circulation and adequate sunlight.

3. Keep Their Roots Protected

For a tree to thrive, it also needs to have healthy roots. And, to make sure your tree’s roots are kept strong, the soil around your tree should also be healthy. The soil where your tree is planted should not be compacted so water and oxygen can smoothly reach its roots. Also, take measures to protect the roots and soil within your tree’s drip line to avoid damage. The drip line is the critical root zone of your tree, which is found within the area on the ground that corresponds to where the branches of your tree extend.

4. Water Correctly

All trees and plants need water to survive. Watering your tree correctly will help ensure your tree’s successful growth. During the summer or dry season, you will need to water your trees deeply and more frequently. On the other hand, throughout the winter months, your trees will need less water. Also, mature trees will require less water while newly planted trees need to be watered daily to encourage them to grow and be healthy. Evaluate your tree and its water needs to guarantee that you are giving it the right care and maintenance.

5. Apply Mulch

Aside from making your property look neat and pretty, adding mulch will help protect your trees. However, mulching should not be done randomly as it might cause more stress and damage to your tree. Apply mulch approximately 6 inches from the base of your tree to the end of the tree’s drip line. Do this until it reaches beneath the end of your tree’s canopy. Use 1 inch of mulch in the direction of the tree’s base of the tree, then build up to 4 inches towards the end of the circle.

Follow these helpful tips on how to maintain a tree. By knowing your trees and giving their parts the proper care, they will continue to thrive and stay healthy for a very long time. And, if your trees need more specialised attention, never hesitate to call a professional for help.