SAve, BEautify and Love Your Trees: Tree CAre Tips

Taking care of your trees is an important part of being a responsible homeowner. Keeping your trees healthy isn't difficult, but it does require some effort on your part. Here are four tips to help you properly care for your trees and ensure that they stay healthy and vibrant.

1. Water Your Trees Regularly 

Your trees need to be watered in order to stay healthy. During dry spells, make sure to water them regularly, more if the weather is particularly hot. When watering, pay attention to how much water the tree needs — too little and it won't get enough moisture; too much and you can cause root rot or other damage.

2. Prune Your Trees Regularly

Pruning trees help to promote healthy growth and also helps keep the tree looking neat and orderly, which can improve its aesthetic appeal as well as its health. Deciduous trees should be pruned during the winter months when they're dormant; conifers should only be pruned when necessary (i.e., if there are dead or diseased branches).

3. Fertilise Your Trees

Fertilising your trees helps them absorb nutrients from the soil and encourages robust growth over time. Different types of trees have different fertiliser requirements, so make sure to research what type of fertiliser will work best for the types of trees you have on your property before applying it. Generally speaking, slow-release fertilisers work best for young trees since they provide an even dose of nutrients over a period of time.

4. Monitor Pest Activity

Regularly checking for pest activity on your trees is important to keep them healthy and free from disease-causing organisms like fungi or bacteria. Common pests include aphids, caterpillars, scale insects, borers, leaf miners, mealybugs, etc., all of which can do significant damage if not treated promptly — so keep an eye out! If you detect signs of pest activity on your trees, take action right away by using insecticides or horticultural oil sprays (make sure to use ones specifically designed for tree use). You may also want to consult with an arborist if the infestation appears especially severe or widespread.

If you suspect one of your trees has a disease or another problem (and you don't know how to treat it yourself), call an arborist immediately — they can diagnose the problem accurately and recommend corrective measures.

Contact a tree care service near you today to find out more.