Tree Care & Tips
Your Trees Will Flourish With the Proper Care
Whether you have mature trees on your property or you’re planting a young species, trees of every age need a little TLC to ensure they continue to prosper. Country Tree Service shares helpful tips with our customers so every property owner knows how to care for their trees properly. While you follow these easy tips, you can count on us for all your tree trimming and pruning needs as your plantings continue to grow.
Choosing the Right Trees
If you’re planting a new tree, thoughtful consideration should be put into your choice. Not all trees offer the same benefits or grow equally. Understanding your tree’s purpose and the space you’re working with will help you make a worthwhile decision. Ask yourself these questions and then speak with one of our tree specialists to ensure you make the best choice.
- Is the tree for visual appeal, privacy, shade, or windbreak?
- What is your hardiness zone for growth?
- Do you have a maximum height or spread for the tree?
- Are there sun or soil conditions to take into account?
Learn When to Prune Your Trees
If you’re just removing some dead limbs, that type of pruning can be done anytime. However, if you’re pruning to remove healthy branches, you can put a tree into shock by pruning at the wrong time. Consider these seasons when pruning:
This is the most common time to prune trees and results in splendid new growth in the spring.
After seasonal growth in the spring, summer pruning is a good tactic to curb growth or dwarf the tree.
If your goal is to enhance flowering, trim blooms when they begin to fade to prepare for the next cycle.
It's not recommended to prune trees in the fall because wounds heal slower, and fungi can spread.
Water Your Tree With Purpose
Like all plants, trees need water, but you must be careful of the dangers of watering too much or too little. Newly planted trees should be watered immediately for about 30 seconds. During a tree’s first couple of years, it will work hard to establish its roots. Keep the soil moist, but don’t overwater. Mulch will help the soil retain moisture. You’re looking for moist soil that can dry for a short period to allow for water absorption by the roots. Soggy soil means it’s getting too much water.
The Dangers of Tree Topping
Tree topping is the process of randomly cutting tree branches to the bare stubs and chopping off the crown to reduce the tree’s size. While intentions might be good with this effort, it isn’t good for the tree and landscape in the long run. Trees suffer from topping in the following ways:
- It will starve because a tree’s food source is located in the crown of the tree
- The tree will go into shock and burn from too much sunlight
- Disease and insects will infest the exposed areas
- The tree’s limbs will weaken
- Ultimately, the tree can die from topping
Do Trees Need to Be Mulched?
For newly planted trees, mulch is a must, but even larger trees will benefit from a mulch base. Remove about a three-foot area of grass, use natural mulch comprised of wood chips and bark at a depth of 5-10 centimetres, and don’t let the mulch touch the trunk of the tree. Benefits of mulch include:
- Insulating the soil so it doesn’t get too hot or too cold
- Ensures the roots stay moist
- Keeps weeds at bay
- Prevents the soil from becoming too hard
Contact Us for Professional Tree Care
While these tips can help you care for the trees on your property, it’s always important to leave most tree care services to trained and certified professionals like our team at Country Tree Service. We’re available for all your needs, including pruning, trimming, planting, and tree removal. Contact us today for a free estimate.