Do you suspect your tree is dying and are wondering how you can fully restore its health? Making a tree healthy again is never an easy task, but you can manage it if you have one of Bristol’s reliable tree services by your side. Keep reading to learn how to make a tree healthy again.
Water the Tree
Like most other living organisms, trees need water to survive. It’s an integral component of tree maintenance, particularly if you live in a dry region. If your tree is mature, ensure it gets at least an inch of water to stay healthy and beautiful.
Younger trees usually need four to 10 gallons in their initial two growing seasons. It’s best to create a watering schedule to help your trees remain attractive and healthy during dry seasons.
Remove Weeds
Grass and other unwanted vegetation growing up against your tree’s trunk compete for water, air, and nutrients. Young trees suffer the most in such situations. Grass growing against their trunks usually leads to poor development. It pays to keep the area around the tree’s trunk free of grass.
Fertilize When Necessary
You should apply fertilizer to young trees occasionally until they’re well-established, but you may not need to fertilize your mature trees. It’s advisable to only apply fertilizer when your trees are growing poorly or the leaves are yellowing.
Regular Pruning
Pruning is an excellent way to keep your trees in good shape without hurting your wallet. It promotes the tree’s development process by getting rid of dead branches and creating room for new, healthier limbs.
Pruning entails cutting unwanted branches and limbs from your tree to keep it healthy and strong during the growing season. It helps minimize the risk of damage and ensures your tree has an attractive shape.
Most tree service professionals recommend pruning in later winter and early spring. Many tree species shed their foliage during this period, which makes it easier to cut and remove unwanted limbs.
Trees are also stronger in late winter and early spring, meaning they can recover from the pruning process much quicker than in other seasons.
Safeguard the Roots
Our tips on how to make a tree healthy again can’t be complete without mentioning anything about the root system. You should never allow vehicles and heavy machinery to drive over the root areas of your trees.
If you ignore this advice, you’ll end up with heavily compacted soil. This can hamper oxygen supply and kill roots. Also, avoid removing or adding soil below the tree canopies without talking to a certified arborist.
You should also be careful about changing the soil grade. It can hurt the roots, weaken the tree, or even kill it.
Protect the Trunk
Bumping into your tree with a lawn mower or whipping the trunk with weed-eaters can cause damage to the bark and trunk. One effective way to protect the trunk is through mulching trees, which will not only keep the trunk safe but also provide essential nutrients and moisture to the soil. This practice will strengthen the tree’s structure and make it less vulnerable to disease and insects.
You can protect the trunk of your young trees with plastic wraps. Maintaining a two to three-foot wide grass-free, mulched ring around a tree can also help keep the trunk safe.
Contact Your Local Tree Experts for Assistance
If you’ve noticed any signs of a dying tree and want to know how to make a tree healthy again, or if you’re considering tree removal and are curious about tree removal cost, GM 2 Tree Services is the go-to local arborist. We provide a wide range of services, including:
- Tree trimming and pruning
- Stump grinding
- Tree removal
Contact us at (203) 527-6237 for a free estimate or to learn about caring for a tree today!