The trees in your yard are the most valuable asset in your landscape. If you like trees as much as I do, and you want to protect this asset, the following information will help you care for your front and back yard trees.
Remove all dead wood or branches out of your trees. Do this now before deciduous trees drop leaves so you can see what needs to be removed. Make all cuts back to a branch or back to the tree trunk. The cuts should not leave stubs but the cut should leave a branch collar.
Remove staking and guy wires from trees when your tree is well rooted. Check by shaking the trunk and if the root ball does not move, then all staking materials can be removed. Never let guy wires cut into the trunk, permanently damaging your tree.
If the trunk of your tree has borer insect holes, then treat the tree with Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub. This will systemically treat your tree and it also feeds your tree. Apply as per label instructions.
Remove the grass from around the tree trunk out to 2 feet around the tree and apply mulch to a depth of 2 inches. Use dyed-brown mulch and once installed, pull the mulch back 6 inches from around trunks. This helps conserve moisture for your tree over the winter and prevents competition from other plants taking away fertilizer meant for the tree. Install only 2 inches of mulch. Do not build a mulch volcano around the tree!
Fertilize your tree to get trees ready for the coming winter. If you tree is 3 to 4 inches in diameter, apply 2 pounds of fertilizer from trunk spread evenly out to drip line of the tree. Young trees need extra fertilizer after being planted. Trees turn yellow if they do not get extra fertilizer. These trees were grown where they were fertilized regularly and if they do not get this fertilizer, tree health and vigor will suffer. Young trees have to be fertilized at least 3 to 4 times per year.
Protect your valuable asset! Take some time to follow these maintenance practices.
