Tree Maintenance Tips For Healthier Trees
Tree maintenance is an important consideration for the long life of your tree. Trees not only add beauty to our property, but they add monetary value as well. A home surrounded by beautifully aged trees will fetch a higher resale price than one with little to none. Trees are also part of a living ecosystem as they give us shade in the summer, protection from the elements in the winter and provide homes for small animals and birds.
Keeping your trees healthy is a responsibility that all property owners should take seriously. Regular inspections of your landscaping and property, especially after inclement weather, will help you spot trouble in the early stages before risking damage or injury. Not only is a damaged tree dangerous, but it also looks unseemly as well. But, with proper trimming and cleaning, a tree can live a long, happy life and bring you many years of service and beauty.
Tree Maintenance Tips
There are some important guidelines to consider when you go to trim or maintain your trees. While it is best to call an arborist, you may want to assess the health of your trees before you go to cut it or have a professional do it for you. Walk around your property and take notice of the health of your trees. Here are some questions you may find helpful:
- Are there any dead branches?
- Can sunlight reach through the branches?
- Are there any signs of insect damage on the trunk or base of the tree?
Removing Deadwood in Trees
As with most trees, removing old or dead branches is a necessity. Bad weather can cause already weakened branches to break and cause damage to property or even injury to a person. When the dead branches are high up, please call a tree professional to do the job. There is no point in risking your safety when a trained professional has the experience and equipment to get the job done right.
Tree Trimming Adds Beauty
If properly trimmed, trees will be greener, lusher, and healthier for the next season. But a mistake that a lot of home trimmers make is removing too much of the dead or unruly matter, causing its growth to be stunted. Another mistake that inexperienced tree owners can make is the misshaping of a tree. The amount you trim off of your tree should be no more than 20% of its total mass, and some homeowners just get carried away. Better yet, call an expert when you go to remove large branches that are above your home, as improper handling can cause property damage or injury to someone who does not have the right equipment.
When To Maintain Your Trees
You should take your tree’s health into consideration at the beginning of every season. However, September and November are the most beneficial months to do a yearly checkup. This is because the tree has generally stopped growing as it nears the winter months, and its consumption and use of sunlight are less important. Trimming in the early spring or summer can cause the growth to be stunted that season because the tree is expecting that extra absorption of sunlight. Make sure that when you go to trim your trees, it is a branch that has little or no life, even in the warmer months. By removing these insignificant or dead branches, the tree now has to expend less energy to feed that dead portion and can devote it to better leaf and branch development.
Remove Overcrowding Trees
Another tree maintenance point you may want to consider is whether or not you have too many trees and sunlight is blocked from reaching lower trees and your grass. If so, then thinning out the trees is the answer. Sometimes it’s hard to judge the growth pattern of a tree when it’s small, but if little sunlight reaches the lower trees, it may be necessary to call a tree removal professional. Making sure your trees are not overlapping or too close can be a very important consideration when landscaping. When a tree is not in its ideal environment – that is, getting plenty of sunshine, fertilizer, and water it will begin to show signs of stress and slowly weaken. Weakened or sickly trees are also an invitation for insect infestation, and you don’t want that.
Tree Maintenance is Important
Knowing how to keep your trees healthy and happy, you can expect greener and healthier growth on your green neighbours year after year. Remember that safety should always come first, and when your trees need experienced care, please call a local tree professional like Cutting Edge Tree Maintenance Service. We love trees, and tree removal is done only when necessary. Regular tree maintenance is what will keep your trees healthy and happy.