Top tips on tree maintenance

How should you care for your trees?

Trees need to be cared for consistently to ensure that they stay in good condition, facilitating

their growth. Tree owners need to take adequate measures to ensure good health of their trees and frequently tend to their trees’ needs. Below are a few suggestions, you might consider for ensuring effective tree maintenance.

Watering your trees

Watering is essential not only for the survival of trees, but for any other plantation in that matter. You need to ensure that your trees receive adequate amount of water every day, especially in case of newly planted trees. Water requirements need to be monitored keenly during the first three years of a newly planted tree, and proper water supply should be ensured all throughout the life of a tree. 

Watering for newly planted trees is of increased importance, as it ensures the packing of soil and prevents the dehydration of root hair and root ball. Trees planted in soils of optimum drainage, may be supplied with 5 gallons of water per day. However, trees planted in soils of exceeding drainage range might need to be provided with more water. 

Mulch for your garden

Mulching is also important for maintaining your trees in good condition. Mulching ensures adequate water supply to the roots of your trees, and significantly helps in reducing grass competition. Mulching includes the placing of organic material like leaves and barks, at the base of the tree. You may form a ring of the mulch around the base of your tree, but care needs to be taken to avoid the mulch from coming into contact with the tree at all costs. If you are using quality composted mulch, you may not need to use any additional fertilisers with your mulch. 

Staking your trees

If you find your newly planted trees bending in a particular direction, you might consider staking. Staking is employed in case of an unstable root ball or a bent stem of a newly planted tree. While staking, you would want to ensure the use of loose and wide wraps, limiting them to the minimum required. Inspecting the stakes for loose fit, during spring and autumn is also important, to replace them in order to avoid trunk damage, and in no possible circumstances you should consider the staking of older trees. 

Root Collar

Roots surrounding the tree at the root collar may lead to health problems for the tree. Ensuring proper planting depth for your trees, you can drastically reduce or even eliminate the chances of root collars being surrounded but unwanted roots. In order to avoid the appearance of these unwanted roots, make sure that no mulch or soils piles up around the root collar. 

Conclusion

Lastly, keep yourself aware of your trees’ health. As a novice, checking your trees’ health may not be as useful and expert assistance might be required, however, you may take into account certain considerations.

Observing your trees’ growth in comparison to the growth of previous years, patchy crowns, and colouration of leaves and barks might all be suggestive of unhealthy tree conditions and the need for professional help for the treatment of your trees.