Tree pruning tips: Do you want to keep your trees healthy? Tree watering is a key part of tree care, but it is difficult to recommend an exact amount due to the variety of climates. A few guidelines will help you to water your trees properly. For new trees, water immediately after you plant a tree. Usually 30 seconds with a steady stream of water from a garden hose w/ a diffuser nozzle per tree seedling is sufficient. During the first couple growing seasons, your newly planted tree is expending a lot of energy trying to get its roots established in the soil. Especially during the first few summers of your new trees life, it will have a difficult time dealing with heat and drought. You can make this easier by providing water and covering the soil with wood-chip mulch. Deep watering can help speed the root establishment. Deep water consists of keeping the soil moist to a depth that includes all the roots.
First we will suggest some advices on tree care and after that we will introduce Tree Artisans, a tree services company in Colorado Springs. To direct the growth by slowing the branches you don’t want, or to “dwarf” the development of a tree or branch, pruning should be done soon after seasonal growth is complete. Another reason to prune in the summer is for corrective purposes. Defective limbs can be seen more easily. For trees that bloom in spring, prune when their flowers fade. Trees and shrubs that flower in mid- to late summer should be pruned in winter or early spring. Because decay fungi spread their spores profusely in the fall and wounds seem to heal more slowly on fall on cuts, this is a good time to leave your pruning tools in storage.
Lack of nutrients: One of the most common threats to trees and landscape plants is lack of nutrients. This can manifest in various forms, from discolored foliage to variations in the size and shape of the leaves, to stunted growth. One should be cautioned to not simply dump pounds of fertilizer – organic or otherwise – at the base of your tree if you believe there is a soil nutrient deficiency, as only a soil test can reveal the specific problem. First, identify what nutrient/s the tree is lacking and then add only that nutrient. As a rule of thumb, annual feedings of compost are usually sufficient if there is not a specific soil problem. One should also note that lawn feedings by lawn services may affect the nutrient levels available to your trees and throw the balance off due to the large amounts of fertilizer these services use. The University of Maryland has an excellent fact sheet on identifying nutrient deficiencies in trees.
Looking for the best picks if you need to cut down the tree maintenance costs? Start with picking the right trees for Colorado! Russian Hawthorns are one of the most drought-tolerant trees on our list. Again, establishing these trees with two seasons of normal watering will get their root systems healthy and strong enough to withstand dry conditions. Susan highly recommends Russian Hawthorn. It was the first tree she nominated for our list! Russian Hawthorns mature at 15 to 20 feet tall and wide with an upright oval form and slightly spreading lower branches. These hawthorns have beautiful, finely-cut, dark green leaves, turning yellow in the fall. The white flowers emerge in clusters in late spring. They mature into richly-colored dark red berries late in the season.
Some common tree pests found in late spring and summer include borers, mites, scales, and beetles. They can cause wilting, canopy thinning, premature leaf drop, and branch dieback. Many of these insects feed on various types of deciduous and evergreen species. Treatments – including the release of beneficial insects – can suppress the impact of damaging pests. Examples of natural predators to these pests include lady beetles, green lacewings, trichogramma wasps, and predaceous mites.
Mulching is the most beneficial thing a home owner can do for the health of a young tree. Mulches are materials placed on the soil surface to improve soil structure, oxygen levels, temperature and moisture availability. Properly applied, mulch can give landscapes a handsome, well-groomed appearance. Ideally, growing trees should be fertilized throughout the year. The greatest amounts should be applied during the early spring and summer months. Several light applications a year are preferred as the tree gets older. On the other hand, there are also a few species that are not recommended to be planted in Colorado, for various reasons: their susceptibility to diseases, their tendency to spread and out-compete native species etc. We are talking about Silver maple, Russian-olive or White-Barked Birches, among others. Before planting any trees in your yard, call professional Colorado utility locate technicians to ensure buried cables are undisturbed and functional throughout your landscaping project. Find additional details at Tree stump services in Colorado Springs.