Tree Surgery: Top Tips for Looking After Your Trees and How to Prune a Tree (Part 2)

Mark Taylor - 19/07/2023, 22:26

tree surgery

Recap:

In the first part of our tree surgery journey, we unveiled top tips of tree surgery to help you ensure their well-being and longevity. At Middlewood Tree Care, we take pride in our dedicated team of arborists, shaping the trees like skilled artists. Now, let's continue our journey of the captivating world of tree surgery with some more helpful tips.

Let's explore the last five tips for nurturing and managing your trees, both in the short term and the long term. These simple yet essential practices are designed to keep your trees healthy and thriving:

1. Pruning for Health and Safety - How to Prune a Tree

  • Pruning is where tree health meets safety, making it a task best entrusted to professionals.
  • Tree pruning involves the removal of dead branches, enhancing the tree's aesthetic appeal, fruit quality, and overall health.
  • Careful pruning helps manage tree size in relation to your garden space and reduces the risk of disease.
  • There are three main pruning techniques:
    • Crown thinning, which allows more light and reduces wind resistance.
    • Crown lift or raising, achieved by removing lower branches.
    • Crown reduction, which trims the top part of the tree for better fit, light, and reduced weight.
  • A competent tree surgeon can assess your tree and explain these options in detail, just a phone call away.

Lastly, remember that caring for your trees benefits not only the environment but also future generations. Whether you choose to do it yourself or seek professional assistance, nurturing your garden can bring immense joy. If you'd like to discuss the pruning needs of your special tree, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We're here to help!

2. Providing Adequate Water in Dry Times

  • Trees have two critical moments when they need watering: when they're young and during droughts.
  • During the first two years after planting, it's crucial to ensure your young tree receives enough water. In dry weather, about five watering cans per week can help moisture reach the depth of the growing root system.
  • Soil type can influence water retention, so be mindful of your specific conditions.
  • Well-established trees generally don't require watering unless a prolonged drought is taking a toll on their health.

3. The Benefits of Mulching

  • Mulching around your tree offers three significant advantages for its care, health, and maintenance.
  • Use biodegradable mulch to:
    • Suppress weed growth, which competes for water and nutrients in the soil.
    • Retain moisture by slowing down water evaporation from the soil surface.
    • Provide a slow-release fertilizer.
  • Apply the mulch in a circle around the tree, leaving a gap around the tree trunk to prevent contact with the mulch.
  • Mulching, best done from late spring to autumn, also serves as a neat border, reducing garden maintenance.

4. Weed Management for Young Trees

  • Your garden is a battleground where weeds, grasses, and nearby plants vie for soil nutrients, moisture, and sunlight.
  • Keep a weed-free zone with a diameter around your tree trunk.
  • In spring, when weeds thrive, you can either hoe, hand-pull, or hand-weed to give your trees a fighting chance.

5. Protecting Young Trees

  • After planting a new tree from the garden center, the task of protection begins.
  • Shield your tree from:
    • Lawn equipment, like mowers and strimmers, that can damage the trunk layers and create vulnerabilities to pests and disease.
    • Chemical damage from herbicides and pesticides intended for other garden areas.
    • Wind damage, especially in exposed locations, which can stress, bend, or even kill young trees.
  • Tree boards and protectors are effective physical barriers. To prevent chemical damage, apply chemicals carefully. For wind stress, use tree stakes and ties to offer support and stability.

 

 

Contact Middlewood Tree Care Today!

Whether you need emergency tree services, regular maintenance, or professional advice on tree care, Middlewood Tree Care is here to help. Our passion for trees and dedication to customer satisfaction make us the top choice for tree surgery in the region. Reach out to us through our Contact page to discuss your tree care needs or request a free quote.

Experience the expertise of Middlewood Tree Care and let our arborists work their magic on your trees. Let's preserve the natural splendor and ensure a safe environment for generations to come!

Continue the journey on our homepage. For tree surgery services, visit our services page. Contact us through our contact page for inquiries or consultations. Learn more about our team on our about page.