When it comes down to it, trees are an investment in your property’s curb appeal — they’re beautiful and make outdoor spaces feel more welcoming. Whether it’s reducing noise and air pollution, creating oxygen through the absorption of carbon dioxide, or providing shade and cool temperatures, trees do a lot for us.
Many property managers take a set-and-forget approach to tree care. While it’s mostly true that trees require little maintenance, they do need regular inspection and pruning. They also occasionally need extra attention when it comes to potential damage from insects, disease and weather conditions. Regardless, with all that trees do for us, for your business, and for public spaces, I’d say they deserve a little attention now and then!
Here are some helpful tips for taking care of your trees:
Take inventory of your trees
You should always pay attention to your trees! With all the value they can add to your property, it’s a good idea to take inventory. A tree inventory provides information on tree health, species, size and location. With this information, you can start strategically planning tree placement. When you couple inventory with professional inspection, you have a one-two punch for exceptional tree health and safety.
Depending on the size of your property, an inventory can be quite an undertaking. If you don’t consider yourself a tree expert, leave it to us. Landscape America has a certified arborist on staff (that’s me). There’s nothing I love more than gathering information on trees!
Empowering our customers with knowledge is something we at Landscape America believe in strongly. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, though, know that we’re always on hand with expert advice. If you want to talk trees, give us a shout!
Stay on top of pruning
Pruning is like giving your tree a haircut — it’s a way to give trees a fresh look. However, pruning isn’t as glamorous as hair styling. It can quickly become hard work once trees get older.
Prune at the right time of year — It’s tempting to prune trees in the spring — the season when everyone starts thinking about landscaping again! This is not ideal. It’s best to prune every other year during the fall or the winter. This allows for the tree to recover before summer heat rolls in. If you prune in the springtime, you may alter the trees focus from growing stems, leaves, and flowers, to healing cuts caused by over pruning.
Remove the right branches — Smart removal of the right limbs is essential for tree health. Insects and pests will capitalize on dead or damaged branches. Crossed branches will eventually grow into each other, often ending in broken branches and deterioration.
Don’t prune too much or too little — A good rule of thumb when it comes to tree pruning is to always leave at least two thirds of living branches on the tree. Otherwise, you might not have much left over. Pruning just the right amount of limbs promotes air movement and sunlight penetration for lower and younger branches.
Health diagnosis and inspection
Sometimes, trees get sick. Whether it’s through pests, insects, or another cause, yearly tree inspection from a professional arborist is always a good idea.
Here are some surefire symptoms of a diseased or dying tree:
Trunk or root damage — Are there cracks on the trunk of the tree? Are there big patches of bark missing? Is your tree leaning to one side? These are all indicators pointing to an unhealthy tree. If you’re not sure of the answers, call an expert!
Bare branches — Are there leaves missing? Are some of the branches and limbs looking a little naked? If it’s a time of the year when a tree should be covered in leaves and there are some missing, your tree’s health may be at stake. If you’ve noticed something like this happening to some of the trees on your property and you want a professional opinion, consider giving us a call.
Fungus — Fungus appears when trees are decomposing and rotting. If you notice large swaths of fungus anywhere on the trunk, something may be awry. It’s best to call an arborist if fungus looks to be getting out of control.
Tree care can be time-consuming, and some maintenance is best left to the pros. At Landscape America, our in-house arborist can help you keep your commercial property’s trees healthy, diagnose any potential problems and find a way to bring any sick trees back to life. Just give us a call and we’ll be glad to help!
