Tree Care Basics
We keep trees healthy by constantly adhering to a few fundamental principles:
- Always maintaining extra care when using herbicides and avoiding their use whenever possible. Even when applied to an area not near a tree, herbicides can drift, causing damage and even killing the tree’s roots.
- Avoiding excess fertilization. Fertilizer is healthy for trees in small doses. Still, too much of it can impair a tree’s ability to resist pests and diseases. It’s all about balance.
- Watering lawns correctly. That means giving trees the equivalent of one inch of rainwater every week to 10 days. Tree watering is also best done before sunrise or after sunset.
- Using mulch instead of turf. Mulch benefits tree health in many ways. It helps the roots maintain soil moisture, protects the tree from vehicle or lawn equipment damage and reduces competition from invasive weeds.
Caring for Mature Trees
Like all living creatures, trees suffer the effects of aging. It’s a bummer, but it’s part of the life cycle. As trees mature, they become susceptible to diseases and other afflictions such as environmental degradation and insect damage. We stay ahead of these problems by regularly inspecting mature trees and providing preventative care and maintenance when needed. A few ways we keep our mature trees healthy are:
- Inspecting them at least once per year, more frequently for trees with prior health issues.
- Managing the soil around the tree, checking pH levels and avoiding excess fertilization.
- Mulching the area around the tree to reduce environmental stress and provide a healthier root environment.
Avoiding Storm Damage
Living in Jacksonville, FL, we’ve learned to go the extra mile in protecting our trees from storm damage. Our first line of defense is to keep our trees healthy and fortified, reducing the chance they will suffer damage in a storm.
That said, in the event of a major storm, the damage is inevitable. If you suspect one of your trees was damaged in a storm, we recommend not dealing with the problem yourself.
One, damaged trees present a number of safety hazards. Two, a tree specialist will have the tools and experience to deal with the situation in the best way.
Contact the tree specialists at Bushor’s Tree Surgeons today to learn more about keeping your trees healthy.