Tree Care Do’s and Don’ts

Here are some do’s and don’ts for tree care, Mr. Tree Service of Fairfield will impart to you today.

Tips for Summer Tree Care

While regular maintenance for your trees is good practice, there are a few extra tips to keep in mind during the hot summer months to help your trees to continue thriving in extreme temperatures.

Here are few summertime tips to use that your trees will appreciate:

Morning Watering

Giving your trees a good supply of water in the early part of the day helps them to absorb most of the water they have been given. When the day is already hot, evaporation can steal up to half of the water you supplied them with! Since the water will be absorbed during the day, the water will have been used, and the evening dryness will help prevent fungal diseases.

Be Careful Not to Overwater

When giving your trees more to drink during the summer months, also pay attention to the amount of rain you get. If you have a series of showers or storms, check the soil around your tree before giving the tree more water. If the soil is moist, you can hold off on watering.

Trees can be overwatered, which causes damage and hinders their ability to thrive as they should. Too much water reduces the oxygen the tree roots receive. The tree can become stressed because of this or develop root rot or fungus.

Trimming

Removing dangerous limbs that could fall and injure someone should not be held off until cooler weather. This also applies to branches that could fall off and damage your property.

That being said, most pruning of trees should be held off until the tree loses its leaves. The exceptions to this are fruit trees.

Open pruning wounds may attract pests and insects, especially in summer.

Oak tree trimming should be avoided at all costs (unless of course, there is a safely concern) during summer months because of a disease called Oak Wilt, which can kill your tree in a matter of weeks.

Use Mulch

Mulching around your trees has many benefits. It helps to moderate the temperature of the soil during the extremely hot days. It also prevents the soil from becoming compacted because of too much foot or car traffic. This helps the roots to be able to breathe properly and get the amount of oxygen they need.

Mulching can also help with slowing down evaporation, which is especially good in the summer months. One to three inches deep is a good amount to spread.

When a tree is surrounded by mulch, the trunk becomes more protected. It takes away the need to use a lawnmower or weed trimmer close to the base of tree, which removes the possibility of cuts and wounds. Wounded tree trunks can turn into larger issues that just a wound.

This is also helpful in keeping grass and weeds a good distance from the base of the tree, where both will compete for the nutrients and water in the soil. Mulching makes a defined barrier between the grass and the tree.