HOW TO: Maintain Trees

Posted on June 19, 2009 with No Comments

Arborist Inspecting A Leaf

Most Americans have a full landscape of trees that not only add value to the property but provide a quiet, comfortable, and enjoyable amount of living space. There are many ways that you can ensure trees continue to thrive and grow for hundreds of years to come.

There are several simple methods that people do not realize that can drastically contribute to the quality of life and health of a tree.

1. When planting a tree, make sure that you remove the burlap covers that comes from the nursery, or metal wire that hold the roots and dirt together.  This prevents gurdling roots from developing.
2. If you put mulch around your trees, use the “Mulch Volcano” method. At the bottom of the tree, mulch should be moved about six inches away from the tree.  This will ensure that the tree does not rot with the sitting much around it.
3. If you spot dead branches, perform “Dead Pruning” and cut all the dead areas off the tree. Call a professional if needed.

4. 

   Mulch Volcano

   Make sure that your trees don’t grow into each other. This will make sure that the trees get the proper sunlight needed to grow.

5. You should water trees like plants. Everything outside your home needs water to grow.

Along with those methods there are some that might not be possible for the average homeowner, and need to call a professional in. Some of these services include:

1. Fertilization, also called a deep root feeding. The arborist/technician will use a hose with a special attachment to inject the trees roots. This not only breaks up the soil compaction around the tree, but provide slow releasing nutrients, and make them readily available to the tree for proper grow and stimulation.
2. You can aerate around the bottom of trees to ensure moisture gets to the roots that lye below the ground. Compaction can sometimes be a major concern.
   

   Deep Root Feeding

3. Systemic Injection is where an arborist/technician will inject the tree’s vascular system with an insecticide to protect it from insects that feed on trees such as caterpillars, gypsy moths and beetles. Providing quicker, longer lasting results.
4. An Anti-Desiccant can be applied to trees that keep their foliage over the winter. In November and December and even in January. We recommend this service so that trees will not loose their moisture over the winter, during the cold whipping winds.  This is an application also utilized when moving trees, Anti-Desiccant will protect the tree during transplanting. Keeping the moisture in a tree is imperative to the trees life.
5. Horticulture Oil is great for the trees in late October/November. Also called “dormant oil” The oil, when applied will kill insects and their egg masses by smothering them and preventing them from overwintering on the branches.

*In the approaching two weeks keep an eye out for the emerging grubs, they have now developed into their adult stage of  Japanese Beetles. Plants and trees that Japanses Beetles feed on include, Japanese Maple, Norway Maple, Horsechestnut, Hollycock, Gray birch, American chestnut, Rose-of-Sharon, Shrub Althea, Black walnut, Flowering crabapple, London planetree, Lombardy poplar, Cherry, black cherry, plum, peach, Roses, Saasafrass, American mountain ash, American linden, American elm, English elm and grapes.