Tips for Keeping Your Trees Healthy All Year

When thinking about the trees in our environment, a writer once stated, “Learn character from trees, values from roots and change from leaves.”  Most of us probably take the beautiful, sturdy trees all around us for granted, as we quietly depend on their consistent, stable presence.  Within your own surroundings, there are certainly things that you can do to help protect your trees and provide them with the healthiest conditions possible.  Every single tree is susceptible to damage or disease, but with proper tree and shrub care, the trees in your yard can be prepared for all of the elements that could prove harmful to them.  In this article, you will find tips and ideas of various ways to keep your trees healthy throughout the year:

1. Provide Mulch Around the Base of your Trees
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​There are a variety of materials that can be chosen for mulch around your trees, based on preferred visual appeal, cost, and personal preference.  It is important to choose a mulch that works for your environment, because mulch provides a safety net for your trees.  Mulch around the base of a tree will provide a barrier against lawn equipment, thus protecting the tree from receiving damage during lawn care routines.  Mulch also helps the tree retain moisture within its root system.  This is especially important during the warm seasons of the year.

2. Provide Proper Pruning for your Trees

​tree has dead or dangling branches.  These branches need to be removed because they provide an open area for diseases or insects to enter the tree.  Another time when you should prune a tree is when the branches and foliage are too overcrowded.  Pruning due to over-crowdedness usually takes place along the lines where branches separate and split off from one another.

3. Protect your Trees’ Root Systems

Avoid damaging your trees’ roots at all times.  Carefully watch when you are mowing around trees, or if you are digging due to on-site construction or running cables.  Damage to the roots can lead to unhealthy conditions for any tree.

4. Avoid Overwatering your Trees

Generally, trees will do fine receiving the amount of water that falls from the sky during rainstorms; however, you may want to water young trees or newly planted trees when the weather is hot and dry for extended amounts of time.  Be careful to keep an eye on the amount of water you are providing.  Too much water can lead to root rot.

5. Inspect your Trees Regularly

A quick visual on your trees to look for any unusual changes is the best thing you can do for the long-term health of the trees.  When you routinely inspect the trees, you will be able to spot changes early, then you can diagnose problems and treat them accordingly.  Watch out for changes in leaf color and vibrancy, fungal growth on the tree, peeling bark, or insect infestations.
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In conclusion, trees are a valuable resource for any yard.  They provide wonderful shade during the hot months, privacy for you and your home, curb appeal, and a home for wildlife animals.  As with most things, a little preventative maintenance and care can provide healthy conditions for a long, thriving life.  A healthy tree is a wonderful feature for any outdoor environment.  Mighty Green Lawn Care provides very effective tree and shrub care services throughout the Birmingham and Montgomery areas.  We will test the soil around each tree to determine what nutrients they need and devise a specialized plan to treat and care for each valuable tree in your landscape.  Request a free estimate or contact us today to learn more!