Tree Maintenance Guide: How to Take Care of Your Trees

Do you have trees growing on your property?

If so, you might think that they’re fully capable of taking care of themselves. But if you want your trees to look their best at all times, it’s going to be important for you to do the proper tree maintenance.

Not everyone knows how to take care of a tree to keep it healthy. But it’s actually a lot easier to do tree care than you might think. From putting mulch down around trees to pruning trees, there are so many things you can do to ensure your trees stay strong.

Here are some tree tips that will help you out along the way.

Make Sure Your Trees Get Enough Water

Most people know that they need to spend at least some time watering their lawns to keep them nice and green. But what they don’t always realize is that they also need to spend time watering their trees.

Generally speaking, your trees should get at least 20 gallons of water every week. That works out to be about 1.5 inches of rainwater.

If you happen to live in a place that gets a lot of rain naturally, then you won’t have to worry too much about watering trees. But if you live in a drier climate, it’ll be important for you to find ways to get your trees the water they need.

Put Down Fresh Mulch Around Your Trees

One of the ways to ensure that your trees are getting their fair share of water and retaining it is by adding mulch around the trunks of them. Mulch will keep the soil that surrounds a tree moist, and it’ll also prevent weeds from popping up all over the place.

Most landscaping experts recommend that people use what is called the “3-3-3 rule” when putting down mulch around a tree. This rule calls for you to create a 3-foot ring around your tree with mulch that is about 3 inches high. It also calls for you to leave about 3 inches of space around the trunk of a tree clear.

You should also get into the habit of replacing old mulch with fresh mulch at least once every year, if not sooner.

Avoid Doing Damage to Your Trees

One of the great things about putting mulch down around trees is that it’ll stop you from getting too close to them with your lawnmower, weed whacker, and other lawn equipment.

You should never get too close to your trees with this equipment because you could inadvertently do damage to the trunks of trees. It’s best to keep your distance and only use hand tools when working on the grass and plants that surround your trees.

Prune the Branches on Your Trees as Necessary

Over time, all of the branches on your trees are going to grow at different rates. You’ll have some branches that get to be very long and others that stay the same size.

Your job is going to be to prune the branches on your trees so that they don’t grow out of control. This will stop them from getting weak and snapping on you, which could put you into harm’s way and be bad for your trees.

If you feel comfortable enough pruning trees yourself as part of your tree maintenance plan, you’re welcome to do it. Just make sure you have the right pruning tools on hand to get the job done.

You also have the option of bringing in a professional tree care company to help with pruning elm trees and other types of trees. They can ensure that your trees are pruned properly over the years.

Look for Signs of Insect Infestations

Depending on where you live, there is a chance that you might be forced to deal with insect infestations in your trees. Insects can make their way into your trees and do all kinds of damage.

You might not be able to stop these insects from setting up shop in and around your trees. But you can look out for signs of them and contact professionals to help get rid of them once and for all.

Here are some signs that you might have insects invading your trees:

• You have leaves on your trees that are withering away and dying sooner than they should
• You have holes, cracks, and other imperfections in your tree trunks
• You have insects swarming around your trees at various times of the day and night

Whatever you do, don’t ignore the signs of a potential insect infestation in a tree or trees. The situation could get worse quickly and force you to take down a tree.

Take Down Dying Trees as Soon as Possible

Trees aren’t going to live forever. There are some that can live for thousands of years, but most will only stick around for 40 or 50 years before dying off.

There are also lots of things that can cause a tree to die ahead of schedule. If it’s struck by lightning or if the proper tree maintenance isn’t done to it, it might start to die off.

If you have dying trees on your property, you may be able to bring them back to life. But you might also have to put them out of their misery by having them removed.

You should do this sooner than later to stop a dead tree from falling over and doing damage to your property. Make sure you call on professionals to help with the tree removal process.

Use These Tree Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Property Looking Great

Trees can make your property look amazing when you maintain them right. But they can also turn into an eyesore before long if the proper tree maintenance isn’t performed.

Utilize the tree care tips found here to take better care of your trees from now on. You’ll notice a big difference in the way that they look when you do.

Did you enjoy this post? Check out our blog for more tips on maintaining the exterior of your home.