Spring is a great time for you to get out of your house and do something to your yard. Why? Well, you have probably spent the last few months trapped inside throughout the elements, and as the weather gets warmer and nicer, you want to ensure that you are doing all that you can to keep your yard beautiful throughout the rest of the year. It can even help you to spot something that might go wrong throughout the most important growth time of the year.
Here are four can’t miss tips for your tree and yard care this spring:
4. Tidy Up Around the Trunk
- Remove winter wraps
- Ensure that your tree can get water to the roots
- Use best practices when cleaning up
According to This Old House, of the best things that you can do for your trees and yard in the spring months is to remove any debris that has accumulated over the winter months. This starts by removing the Christmas lights and winter tree wraps that you may have put up and didn’t take down. Those lights, in particular, can be extremely destructive if you keep them up year round. If you want to keep them up, you should at least move them somewhere else on the tree.
When that has finished, you want to clean up any of the twigs, leaves, fruit, nuts, or other debris that might have accumulated on the ground. These items, even if they are dead, can soak up the water that is meant for the roots of the tree. When you clean these up, you are giving them the best chance for survival.
3. Be Sure to Inspect Your Trees
- Check from the trunks upwards to spot any problems
- Know the signs of common tree diseases in California
- Call a tree care professional if you think there are any problems that you can’t handle
Spring is a great time to take a walk around your yard and try to find any problem areas in anything – your gardens, your lawn, and yes, in your trees. Take some time to just inspect your trees. Look at the root systems, the trunk, the branches, the foliage, and everything around your tree to spot any issues. Doing this will enable you to contact a professional and get anything taken care of immediately – which can often save you effort and can save your tree’s life.
Spring also makes it easy to spot any issues that might pop up.
According to the University of California, you want to check for dead branches, multiple trunks, trees that won’t flower, cavities and decay, cracks, and any weak spots. These will make themselves apparent in the springtime, though it is important to watch the rest of the year as well.
If you notice any issues with your tree, you want to call a professional to handle the issues as soon as possible – waiting too long will certainly make any issues worse.
2. Mulch It Up
- Use high quality mulch
- Be careful not to put it too close to the trunk
- Remove any old mulch first
Something else you can do to help your trees throughout the rest of the year? Better Homes and Gardens suggests mulching during the spring months. This will help your trees to fend off weeds that fight for nutrients and water as well as keep the soil wet through dry periods.
You want to be careful not to put mulch right up against your tree because it can invite sores and molds to form on the trunk. Instead, you want to put a 3″ layer around your tree. You should do this with younger trees (trees under 10 years of age) but it will also help trees that are a bit older.
Mulching is far more complicated than it might seem – make sure you do some research on the proper ways to choose mulch and how to lay it.
1. Water Water Water
- No matter what the weather is
- Water as deeply as you can
- Ensure irrigation system is complete
Trees need water the grow strong and healthy, especially in the spring. One of the most important things that you can do for your trees is to water your cars deeply. If the spring is cold, ensure that you break up the soil so that it isn’t frozen together. If the spring is particularly warm, you might want to water even more to account for the heat. According to Colorado State University, this is a great time to test your soil for any problems – especially if you are planting any new trees.
If you don’t want to manually water all the time, you should set up your sprinkler system. If you already have one, make sure to double check it for any issues or clogs. Ensure that the sprinklers are aimed at the trunk of the tree – aiming it at the foliage can cause problems.
If you are looking for a tree care professional in Redwood City, give Econo Tree Service a call today at (650) 200-2495. We will help you to better understand your trees and how to handle any springtime issues that you may find – of course, we can also help you at other times of the ear.