It’s spring, and you might be thinking about planting a new tree in your garden. That’s an excellent idea, but first, make sure you know what tree you are planting, where to plant it, and how to look after it, especially in the early days when the young tree needs extra attention.
Planting Locations
Sometimes you have trees in your garden already that are well-established; other times, you want to bring in new additions to add color and character to your garden. If you intend to plant a new tree, you need to think about the tree’s location carefully. Allow the roots to grow freely.
The trouble with some trees is they are too close to the house, and the tree roots move into the foundations causing cracks and expensive foundation issues. Other times the roots reach for the water and sewage pipes, causing issues in the winter. So think carefully before you plant.
Adequate Watering
If your tree is new or young, you need to water it frequently; however, it’s important you don’t overwater it either because this can lead to tree rot. After you plant your new tree, spray some water on it rather than watering the soil and mulch around the roots. Spray tree for 30 seconds.
If you have recently planted the tree, you need to spray it for 30 seconds and avoid pouring water into the roots. Similarly, if the tree is less than 2 years old, you need to water it like this whenever it looks too dry. Young trees need enough water to strengthen their roots for growing.
Adequate Mulching
Mulch consists of old leaves, grasses, and twigs that you can place around the roots of your new tree. This is recommended because mulch is excellent at protecting the roots from extremely high and low temperatures. However, be careful when watering the tree roots.
Although mulch protects the tree from extremes, it can also prevent evaporation, so if you put too much water on the roots along with mulch, you risk the tree roost rotting and the young tree dying. The mulch you put down should be around 3 inches thick and extends 3 feet from trunk.
Prune the Trees
If you want to keep your tree looking its best throughout the year, you need to prune it regularly. Pruning, or tree trimming, serves two purposes. Firstly, pruning makes the tree more attractive because all of the dead branches and leaves are taken away. Secondly, it helps the tree grow.
When the tree no longer needs to feed the dead branches with nutrients, it can send its resources to other branches that are more alive and healthier. This boosts the health and wellbeing of your tree. If in doubt, contact professional tree trimming services for advice.
If you have questions specific to pruning crape myrtle, this article can provide some guidance too.
Protect From Pests
Depending on your tree species, they may be more or less prone to pests at certain times of the year; it’s best to be aware of this and do research on your tree species. Some pests eat the leaves while others destroy the bark leading to unhealthy trees – but there are some solutions.