Trees provide a variety of benefits to homes and neighborhoods, including enhancing air quality, providing shade, and increasing curb appeal. But trees are also living organisms that require attention and care to keep them healthy.

As a result, it’s essential to learn how to best care for your trees. Follow these nine tips to help ensure your trees stay healthy all year long.

Water

Water is essential for all living things on this planet, but trees and other plants are especially dependent on it. It is a necessary part of their metabolic processes, which produce energy through photosynthesis and respiration.

It is also essential for animals, which rely on water for food, shelter and survival. In some organisms, up to 90% of their body weight is comprised of water.

Some plants even have their own bodies of water, such as a rainforest or a swamp. The amount of water in these ecosystems determines how many species can live there.

During periods of drought, trees need water in order to replenish their water reserves and prevent symptoms like wilting and early fall color from occurring. Drought conditions can cause severe damage to tree health and can even kill a tree.

The best way to water your tree is to use a soaker hose or sprinkler that slowly dribbles into the soil around the trunk. Make sure you leave the hose on for about an hour to allow the water to penetrate deep into the soil.

Newly planted trees require frequent supplemental watering until the roots develop enough to absorb and store enough water. This usually takes a couple of years.

In general, water your tree about 8 to 10 gallons of water per week for every inch of the tree’s trunk diameter. This is a good rule of thumb to follow, but you can adjust this depending on the weather and your particular soil type.

If you have a large tree, consider watering it in the morning before the harsh sun comes over the top of the canopy to help prevent evaporation and ensure the tree has enough water during the hottest parts of the day. You can also water your tree later in the evening, which will reduce evaporation and provide the tree with a more consistent supply of moisture.

To keep your trees healthy, you should avoid compacting the soil and changing its grade within their critical root zone (CRZ). This is the area that is most sensitive to disturbance and is located below the drip line of your tree’s branches. It is also the most susceptible to pests and diseases.

Mulch

Mulching is a simple and effective way to help your trees stay healthy. It keeps weeds out, regulates moisture levels in the soil and prevents erosion from extreme temperatures. It also insulates the soil so that wind won’t dry it out.

Keeping grass and other weeds from competing with trees for water, nutrients and sunlight is another great reason to use mulch. By removing these competing plants, you can leave a zone of bare soil around the base of your trees where roots can develop and grow freely.

In addition to preventing direct damage, mulch also insulates the soil from fluctuating temperatures and helps the roots retain water between rainfalls. This is especially important for young trees.

The best type of mulch for trees is one that breaks down slowly and gradually adds organic matter to the soil. Besides wood chips, other common types of mulch include newspaper, garden compost, and well-rotted manure.

Trees benefit from a layer of 2 to 4 inches of mulch applied around their bases. Spread the mulch as wide as you can without overcrowding, a couple of feet in diameter is ideal.

Be sure to keep the mulch away from the trunk, not piling it against it. Too much mulch piled against the trunk of a tree can lead to disease, rot and insect infestations.

Too much deep mulch can inhibit air exchange with the roots and suffocate them by starving them of oxygen. Over time, this may cause decline in root development and the death of the plant.

A circle of mulch that is a few feet in diameter is ideal for young trees. A thicker layer will not be needed for older trees.

It’s important to keep the mulch a minimum of 3 inches deep and to spread it in a ring around your tree’s drip line. Adding mulch as necessary is important to maintain the correct depth.

Some landscaping professionals and unknowing neighbors pile mulch against the trunk of trees, a practice called “mulch volcanos.” They often do this in commercial landscapes. While these excessively deep layers of mulch can help keep weeds out, they can lead to problems like fungal and bacterial diseases that require moisture to grow.

Fertilize

The best way to keep your trees healthy is to provide them with the right nutrients. This can be accomplished with fertilizers or soil additives that are designed to replenish the minerals and nutrients your tree needs.

Almost all plants need nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in certain quantities, known as macronutrients, to grow properly. Without these essential elements, plants will grow small and weak. They will also have smaller leaves, fewer flowers and poor color.

In addition, plants that lack some of these essential nutrients will not be able to fight off diseases and pests. The resulting health problems can be severe and may even result in the death of the plant.

Fertilizing your trees is a great way to ensure that they stay healthy and vibrant for many years to come. The right type of fertilizer will provide your trees with the nutrients they need while also keeping them safe from disease and insects.

You can fertilize your trees by hand, with a fertilizer bag or a sprayer or with an automatic fertilizer applicator. The ideal method is to use a slow release fertilizer, which slowly releases the nutrients over time. If you are unsure about the proper amount of fertilizer to apply, engage an arborist for assistance.

Trees grow best in a natural habitat that provides them with all of the necessary nutrients they need to thrive. In a non-natural environment, such as a front yard or backyard, they can be deficient in the minerals and nutrients they need to grow. These nutrient deficiencies can be corrected with a fertilizer program that includes applications of a complete fertilizer containing the three big macronutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Soil tests can also identify nutrient deficiencies, which should be corrected before fertilizing. This can be done by analyzing the soil and leaf tissue of your trees and shrubs.

If a soil test shows that your tree or shrub is deficient in one of the three big macronutrients, your landscape professional will be able to recommend the best type of fertilizer for your specific tree or shrub. Nitrogen is important for greening your trees and adding more foliage, while phosphorus boosts root growth and helps produce more flowers.

Pruning

Pruning is one of the most important things you can do for your trees. It can improve their appearance and safety, control their size, and reduce the risks of disease and insect damage. If you’re too busy to prune your trees yourself, Action Tree Kelowna can accomplish that for you for a fair price.

Many types of trees require pruning, including oaks, pines, maples, cedars, and elms. These trees often need to be trimmed every 3 to 5 years, depending on their type and location.

There are many reasons to prune your trees, but the most common is to remove dead or damaged branches. These limbs can fall off at any time, putting the people around your tree and your home in danger.

A dead limb can also cause damage to vehicles, walkways, buildings, and electrical lines. It can also pose a hazard to pets and children who are playing or walking near the tree.

Certain species of trees, such as roses and lilacs, also benefit from pruning to stimulate blooming. By cutting away dead or damaged branches, you can encourage new growth spurs to form that will support a more beautiful flower or fruit crop in the coming spring.

However, you should only cut dead or damaged limbs when they are not too old to handle. This can prevent disease spread and wilting by removing the decay-causing fungi that thrive in dead wood.

The best time to prune is during dormant seasons when trees are at their healthiest, and before new growth begins in the spring. This helps reduce the amount of leaf disease on the tree, and it can make it easier to spot any problems that do develop.

When you do prune, make sure you are pruning at a growth node, where the bark becomes squishy and shows a bit of a ring. This is where the cells in the bark can generate a healthy cover to protect the wound from further damage.

Winter is another great time to prune because it reduces the chances of tree disease, like oak wilt and dutch elm disease. These diseases spread easily in warm spring and summer temperatures, so a fresh cut during dormant season can help your trees stay healthier.