Did you know that mature trees and well-landscaped yards can increase the value of a property by 10-19%? If you're thinking of selling your home, healthy trees can help you get more for it, and even if you're not, they can foster a more welcoming environment.
Most types of trees are generally quite resilient, but there are various factors that can affect tree health, so you want to know what to be careful about. In this guide, we'll go over five things that can harm your trees. Keep reading to learn more!
1. GIRDLING A TREE
Tree girdling involves removing a ring of bark near the base of a tree. The bark is what allows nutrients to flow to the roots, offers protection, and provides several other benefits.
Girdling a tree will essentially starve the roots, resulting in tree death. This is something you should never do if you want to keep your trees in good health.
2. STAKING
Some plants need a bit of extra support, and staking can help with this. Trees rarely need this extra support, so staking isn't beneficial, but it can cause damage to the bark and affect trunk growth. Trees also tend to grow stronger without staking.
A new tree might need some support so you can stake it for a short time, but you should remove it when you can to promote good tree health.
3. BAD PRUNING
Tree pruning is an important part of tree care, but it needs to be done right. If it's not done well, it can do permanent damage and may even cause a tree to die. This should be done by professionals to get the best results.
Pruning is also something that should only be done at a certain time of year. Many people do it in the fall, but a tree might not be able to gather enough nutrients to heal any cuts before the winter. It's best to prune trees in spring so they can heal at a time when they have plenty of nutrients.
4. OVER-MULCHING
Mulch can help prevent weeds from growing around the base of a tree, but you need to be careful not to add too much mulch. This can cover the roots and cause them to suffocate.
You should put mulch around the base of a tree without touching it. For a young tree, you should leave a gap of about 6 inches. A more mature tree should have a gap closer to 1 foot.
5. OTHER PLANTS AND TREES
You may want to add more plants nearby, so you've got a bit more greenery. This can be fine as long as you don't overcrowd the space. Each plant will need a certain amount of food, water, and sunlight to thrive, and if there are too many plants, they'll all be competing for resources.
Some of them will be fine, but others will struggle and ultimately die. Plant strategically, taking the size of your trees into account, as well as how big they have the potential to get.
MAINTAINING GOOD TREE HEALTH
Focusing on tree health will help your trees and other plants flourish. When it comes to things like pruning and tree trimming, you should leave it to the professionals so you don't risk damaging your trees.
All Seasons Tree Service provides professional tree care services in Edmonton and the surrounding areas. We've been in business for over 30 years, so have plenty of experience and are fully qualified. Take a look at our tree services to see more about what we can do, and contact us today!