Spring time is right around the corner, so it’s important to know what our trees need to continue to grow healthy and strong. Below are some actions to take during the spring time to ensure your trees are prepared for spring and summer.
- Water properly: A healthy, well-maintained tree begins with thorough watering to ensure growth and stability. When watering established trees, provide a deep, soaking irrigation to the entire area beneath the tree canopy and extending several feet beyond the drip line. Do not apply water directly to the area around the tree trunk in order to prevent rot.
- Reduce soil compaction: Soil compaction occurs when there’s a lot of foot or machinery traffic on your lawn. Lawnmowers and string trimmers can do irreversible damage to the trunk of your trees which can stunt and stress the tree’s growth, as well as compact the soil around the base of the tree. This prevents your tree from getting the proper hydration and nutrients it needs to remain healthy. Applying pelletized gypsum and any kind of organic matter, such as compost or chicken manure, will improve over time (especially Texas soils). A regular fertilization program is beneficial for your trees and will also help improve its health and increase their resistance to injury from diseases and pests.
- Minimize the use of herbicides: Never use any granular “weed and feed” type products on grass where trees are growing in your lawn because there’s too much potential for herbicide damage. Herbicides that are used on home lawns are essentially plant growth hormones, and are used to control the growth of weeds. Be very careful about using these products near valuable trees because the herbicides could stunt tree growth and may ultimately kill your tree.
- Prune: Pruning is much more than simply sawing off limbs of your tree, and should be a regular part of all tree and shrub maintenance routines. Proper pruning encourages strong growth, removes damaged or dying limbs, improves tree health, and increases flower production all which make your trees happy and healthy. By pruning, tree disease will be prevented from spreading to other areas.
We all love the many benefits that trees give us and try to do everything we can to ensure sure they grow as healthy and vibrantly as possible. Click here to visit our website for more information on our tree care services!