A tree can be the crowning jewel of a front yard or landscape design. Many homeowners plant trees to add aesthetic value, provide fresh air, and add shade. To ensure a tree grows beautifully, it requires proper care and maintenance. The health of a tree can be affected by simple maintenance mistakes. Read on for some tree care mistakes to avoid:
1. Bad Pruning – Bad pruning techniques are often the cause of tree problems. While pruning may seem a simple task, without proper knowledge you could easily damage or break the branch of the tree. Other destructive pruning mistakes to avoid are cutting too many branches at once, removing too many lower branches, and cutting the middle branch instead of ones near the trunk.
2. Too Much/Little Water – Overwatering or underwatering a tree can cause stress and have long-term effects on its growth and development. Providing too much water causes roots to rot, while too little water can kill the tree.
Signs of Overwatering:
- The ground around the tree is constantly wet.
- Although leaves appear to be green, they are fragile and easily break.
- New growths are light green or yellow in colour; some wither before they are fully developed.
Signs of Underwatering:
- Tips of wilted leaves turn brown.
- Off-coloured or undersized leaves
- Leaves easily fall
- Untimely fall colour
3. Ignoring Fungal Disease – Recognizing fungal disease helps save a tree from potential infection. Trees do not heal on their own; they need proper treatment to survive. Here are some early signs of fungal disease:
- Cankers on small branches
- Spots on the leaves
- Scabs on fruit surfaces
- Sudden death of branches
- Loss of leaves
4. Too Much Mulch – Although mulch helps retain soil moisture, too much can trap moisture in the soil and cause the root system to rot. Too much moisture around the trunk may worsen fungal infections.
5. Ill-Timed Fertilizing – Fertilizer prevents nutrient deficiency in trees, but applying fertilizer at the wrong time of year can be damaging. Apply it during late fall, winter, or early spring. Fertilizing a tree during the summer can affect its growth.
For tree service that understands the proper care and maintenance year-round, please call Great Northern ReGreenery at (905) 775-7444 or send us an email for more information.