Caring for the trees on your property can be an easy-to-overlook aspect of maintaining your property. This can be especially true for new homeowners, as they may not have the experience necessary to know what the trees will need. To help you minimize the risk of committing some common oversights, you will want to make sure to be aware of these three tree care tips.
Inspect the Trunk for Signs of Insect Damage
On a fairly regular basis, it may be wise to tour your property and inspect the trunks of your trees. During this inspection, you will want to look for small holes in the bark of the trunk. If you notice that there are many small circular holes, this could be a sign of termites or other tunneling insects. If these pests are not neutralized fairly quickly, they can cause extensive damage to the trunk, which may make the tree more susceptible to developing disease. As a result, you will need to contact a professional arborist like ISA Texas Chapter if you notice this damage so they can diagnose the issue and devise a treatment plan.
Use Mulch around the Tree's Roots
Protecting the roots of a tree can be essential for preserving its health. To this end, you will want to make sure that you are keeping the roots around the base of the tree moist and safe from damage. Mulch can be an excellent way of achieving these goals while also enhancing the appearance of your yard. In addition to helping prevent the base of the tree from completely drying out, the mulch can also protect the roots from soil erosion as well as return nutrients to the soil as the mulch decomposes. At least once every couple of years, you should add fresh mulch to the base of the tree to replace any that has washed away or decomposed.
Thoroughly Soak the Soil When Watering the Tree
During extremely dry times of the year, you may need to water your trees to keep them from developing health issues. This is especially true for younger or smaller trees as they may not have the nutrient and moisture reserves needed to make it through these periods. When watering, you will need to ensure that you thoroughly soak the soil around the base of the tree. If the water does not soak deep into the soil, the tree roots may start to grow towards the surface, which can cause the entire tree to become less stable.
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