Preparing Your Trees for the Springtime
As the snow and ice is starting to melt away, you and your trees should be getting prepared for the springtime! Though it still might be a bit chilly out some days, it’s still the time to start ensuring your trees are properly planted and ready to start the season. Here are a few helpful ways to prepare your tree(s) for the warmer weather that is soon to come.
Inspect Your Trees
It is important to properly inspect your trees while they are still bare to check for signs of damage or disease from the cold winter. Some damage may have occurred when winter had come through so there may be some deteriorated bits to your tree. It can be difficult to know what to look for–which is where hiring an arborist comes in.
Pruning
An arborist can help prune any dead, unsafe, or diseased branches. This is important to do before spring hits. When you wait to prune your tree when the warm weather has already arrived, this can cause a spread of pests.
Provide Proper Nutrients to Your Tree
During winter, your trees will be deprived of the proper nutrients that it requires. So, after wintertime, it is important to provide that nutrients to your tree to help it’s healthy growing and preparation for warmer weather. To defend your tree against diseases as well as pests, a slow release fertilizer is recommended.
Mulching
When all the snow has finally melted, make sure to lay down mulch for your trees. Mulch allows trees to retain more water, so it is recommended to put down at least 3-4 inches of mulch around your trees. Mulch is also great to keep away weeds and prevent damage from a lawnmower.
Test Your Trees Soil
You should most definitely have your soil tested to measure its pH level. Sometimes, the cold, harsh weather can affect your trees pH level. This will need to be adjusted to ensure proper regrowth of your tree. Different species of trees and plants vary in pH levels, so it is best to have your soil professionally tested by a certified arborist before the springtime comes.