What Do Trees Need To Be Healthy?

Our trees are a valuable resource that needs to be cared for and looked after. They provide us with shade, clean air, and many happy summer memories.

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Trees need specific conditions to be healthy, especially in urban areas where pollution and small spaces can negatively affect their health. To be healthy, trees need:

The Right Location

To thrive, the right trees need to be planted in the right places. Experts use the phrase, “right tree, right place.” For example, trees are best placed away from power lines but if your landscaping begs for a tree near wires, plant small ones such as dogwood or redbud.

See what kind of sun and soil your landscape has before you choose a species of tree to plant. Not enough sun or nutrients and the tree won’t thrive. Oaks are good at tolerating air pollution, compacted soil, drought, and soil with low acid soils but prefer full sun, dry to medium moisture, and acidic soil.

You should also take the roots into consideration—their spread is larger than the tree’s canopy. Make sure roots have enough room so they do not get compacted.

Strong Roots

Roots are how trees get their nutrients and water from the soil. Stressed and damaged roots limit the amount of water and nutrients your tree can take in. To prevent this, watch where you dig when gardening, doing new construction or anything else that requires digging or moving heavy equipment around your trees.

During the winter, avoid salting around trees to prevent salt damage.

The Right Nutrients & Amount Of Water

Typically, trees can fend for themselves but sometimes need a little help. Newly transplanted trees need more care and attention than older, established trees as they can suffer from transplant shock. Deep watering will help young trees establish their root systems established.

Soil injected fertilizers for established trees offer more controlled and accurate dosing of your trees than pellets. Too much fertilizer can harm your trees.

Correct Pruning Techniques

Trees need to have dead, dying, and weak limbs and branches pruned away for maximum health and beauty. If left, dead branches can attract pests and disease that can harm your tree and the trees around it. They also create risk.

Finally, never top your trees! This method indiscriminately removes branches from a tree, leaving unsightly stubs and promoting decay. Use the correct techniques such as crown reduction and hire a certified, insured arborist to prune your trees.

The Right Tree Care Agency

Your trees have the ability to care for themselves and often require little intervention on your part. However you should still keep an eye on them, checking for broken branches, pests like bagworms and borers, and signs of disease and other illness.

You should also remove invading plants such as ivy and Bradford pears, as well as remove infested trees from your lawn.

Need help?

Talk to a professional tree care agency like Hansen’s Tree Service. We offer tree health consulting and a hassle free estimate that works around your schedule. Our ISA Certified arborists can help you find the right tree for your location and provide essential tree care such as pruning and plant health care and diagnosis.

Take Control Of Your Tree’s Health

Call Hansen’s Tree Service Today For Your HASSLE FREE Estimate!

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