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Caring For Your Mature Trees
- Consider the care of your trees as an investment. A
vigorous tree increases in value with time by increasing your property value,
purifying our air, beautifying our environment and saving energy cost by
providing shade from the heat of summer, and shielding your home from cold
winter winds.
Putting
a preventive care program in place for your plants is the same as putting money
in the bank. Frequent maintenance, aimed at promoting plant vigor and health,
makes certain that their value will keep on going up. Preventing problems is
less time-consuming and expensive than treating a problem once it happens. A
successful maintenance program includes repeated inspections and the required
follow-up care of fertilizing, pruning, and mulching.
Tree Inspection
Inspecting Your Trees
You should
perform regular tree inspections so that you can catch any changes in the
tree’s fitness. By inspecting your trees regularly, you can stop or
decrease the severity of damage caused by insects and disease. While you are
inspecting your tress make sure to look at these four characteristics of
tree vigor: buds or new leaves, twig growth, leaf size, and the absence of
crown dieback.
A decrease in
new growth of leaves or buds is a sure sign that the health of your tree has
changed recently. To assess the situation compare the growth of the shoots
during the past three years. Ask yourself whether there is a decrease in the
tree’s characteristic pattern of growth.
Other
indications of bad health are crown dieback and trunk decay. These signs
frequently point to problems that started several years earlier. Loose bark
and deformed growths like trunk mushrooms, are usual signs of stem decay.
Any
abnormalities you find during your regular inspections, such as insect
activity or, deformed, discolored, spotted, or dead twigs and leaves, should
be watched closely. If you are not certain about what to do consult a tree
care professional.
Mulching Your Trees
Mulching reduces
environmental strain, because mulching keeps roots cooler and holds more
moisture than the surrounding soil. Mulch as well prevents mechanical
injuries to your trees by keeping string trimmers and lawn mowers away from
the base of your tree. Mulch also decreases competition from the surrounding
turf and weeds.
To make the most
of mulch it should be two to four inches in depth and cover the complete
root system, which can spread out as far as two or three times the diameter
of the spread of the tree branches. When applying mulch, caution must be
taken not to cover the trunk of the tree. This mulch-free area, one to two
inches wide at the bottom of the tree, is enough to prevent trunk decay, and
moist bark conditions.
An organic layer
of mulch two to four inches in depth composed of loosely packed, pine straw,
shredded leaves, composted wood chips, or peat moss is sufficient. Do not
use plastic, because it hinders the exchange of gases between air and soil,
which inhibits the growth of the tree roots. Thicker mulch layers, five to
six inches in depth or more, can also hinder gas exchange.
Fertilizing
Your Trees
Fertilizers are
another important part of tree care. Trees need certain nutrients to grow.
Fertilizers can
improve the growth of trees however if fertilizers are not used sensibly it
may not do the tree any good, and may even cause damage. Mature trees that
are growing all right may not even need fertilizers. When considering a
fertilizer it is vital to know which nutrients are required and when and how
they should be applied.
The soil
conditions including organic matter content and in particular pH vary
significantly making the correct choice and use of a fertilizer is a complex
process. When handling mature trees that ad a substantial amount of value
and benefit to your property it is well worth your investment and time to
have your soil tested for nutrient content. Get an arborist to have your
soil tested at a soil-testing laboratory. An arborist can also give you
advice on application rates, timing, and the right blend of fertilizer for
each one of your trees and additional landscape plants.
Mature trees
have an extensive root system that extends from two to three times the size
of the leaf canopy. A key segment of vigorously growing roots are situated
outside of the tree’s drip line. You should be aware of this when applying
fertilizer to your trees as well as your lawn. Lots of lawn fertilizers have
weed and feed formulations that can be damaging to your trees. When using a
broadleaf herbicide on your lawn, keep in mind that tree roots lay just
beneath your lawn. The identical herbicide that kills broadleaf weeds on
your lawn is picked up by the tree roots and may damage or even kill your
broadleaf trees if applied improperly. Awareness of the real size and
coverage of a tree’s root system before you begin fertilizing is essential
in determining how much and what type of fertilizer is the best to use.
Pruning
Your Trees
One of the more
usual tree maintenance procedures besides watering is pruning. Pruning is
frequently necessary to remove diseased, dead, or insect-infested tree
branches. Pruning also is done to enhance vigor, improve tree structure, or
for safety reasons. Each cut has the ability to alter the growth of in a
positive way, or cause harm to a tree, no branch should be cut off without a
purpose.
Removing foliage
from a tree has two separate effects on the trees growth. Removing leaves
reduces photosynthesis and can decrease the overall growth. That is why
pruning ought to be done sparingly. Overrunning is harmful since a tree
without a sufficient amount of leaves cannot collect and process a
sufficient amount of sunlight to live. Knowledge of how trees respond to
pruning will help you when choosing which branches to remove.
If you are
pruning mature trees, you will need some specialized equipment, experience,
and training. If the tree you are pruning involves climbing, or the use of a
hand saw, chain saw, or you are removing a large limb, and then using
personal safety equipment is required. Safety equipment includes earplugs
and protective eyewear. Arborists offer a variety of services to help do the
job safely. Arborists are also capable of determining the type of pruning
that is required to sustain or improve upon the health of your trees, and
their appearance.
Removing A
Tree
There are
certain conditions when removing a tree may be necessary. Consult an
arborist to help you decide whether a tree ought to be removed. Qualified
arborists have the skills and equipment that are needed to effectively and
safely remove trees.
With the correct
care, trees are appealing and can add a significant amount of value to your
property. Improper care of your trees can be a considerable liability.
Removing or pruning trees, particularly large ones, can be risky. Only
individuals that are equipped and taught to work safely with trees should
perform tree maintenance.
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