To keep them healthy and secure in our landscapes for the long haul, trees require routine maintenance. Trees in urban areas are subjected to a number of stresses, such as the increased temperature caused by asphalt's reflective properties and the dehydration caused by the salt we use in the winter.
These stresses are not common in a tree's natural environment and, if left unchecked, might cause the tree to stunt in its growth or possibly die. Numerous measures can be taken to ensure the health and longevity of city trees.
The correct tree can transform a space, and these ideas will help you choose, plant, and maintain it.
Care for a tree begins with its selection. What you do for your tree through its early years will determine its final form, its resilience, and even its longevity. If you give your tree a head start by following these instructions, it will have a far better chance of living a long and fruitful life.
It all starts with a well-placed tree and a good plan for its care. Check to see if the area will support the tree's growth after it reaches maturity. Examples of factors to think about:
- Why the tree exists. You may be planting this tree for one of several reasons: for its aesthetic value, to provide shade and reduce energy costs, as a windbreak for your property, or to serve as a street tree. Depending on your ultimate objectives, you'll need to look at a variety of trees to find the right fit.
- Limitations posed by the planting site. Exactly where do you fall in terms of hardiness? How tall and wide can a tree grow in outer space? Where do you want the plant, and what kind of soil do you have? With our Tree Guide, you may find this data for over two hundred different kinds of trees and bushes.
Find out more about how to ensure you're putting in the right tree at the right time. The Tree Wizard is a no-cost resource that can help you zero in on the ideal tree for your space and make an informed decision.
Tree Importance And Value
Trees have been providing mankind with food and oxygen since the dawn of time. They supplied us with food, clothing, shelter, medicine, & tools as we developed. As their role grows to meet the demands of our contemporary lifestyles, trees' worth rises and more of their advantages are uncovered.
Community And Social Importance
Trees play a vital role in every neighbourhood. With trees lining our streets, parks, playgrounds, and backyards, we enjoy a tranquil, beautiful setting. The presence of trees in urban areas improves people's quality of life for people habitats for wildlife and other natural features.
We enjoy our time with friends and family outdoors in the refreshing shade they provide. Very old trees, which have stood the test of time and are a tremendous source of local pride, can be found in many different communities.
Trees can be utilised to mitigate the effect of heat islands of asphalt and man-made structures by blocking some of the sun's rays.
Ecological And Environmental Worth
Trees are beneficial to their surroundings because they produce oxygen, enhance air quality, moderate climate, save water, protect soil, and provide habitat for wildlife. During photosynthesis, trees convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. One acre of forest may sequester six tonnes of carbon dioxide & release four tonnes of oxygen per year, as reported by the USDA.
Enough for 18 people to have all their needs met for a whole year. Dust isn't the only thing trees, bushes, and grass can filter out of the air; they can also absorb carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. The rain then washes the harmful particles that the trees have trapped to the ground.
Forests regulate weather by reducing the impact of the sun, rain, and wind. Summer temperatures are maintained by the leaves' ability to absorb and diffuse the sun's rays. In addition to acting as insulators, trees can help protect against cold winds. They not only deflect the wind's force and course, but also protect us from the wet stuff. Keeping carbon dioxide levels down is one further way in which trees mitigate the effects of the glasshouse effect on the environment.
Trees play an important role in the environments in which they grow both along each ground. Long, deep roots prevent soil from washing away and help stabilise the ground. After a storm, less water and sediment will be washed away since trees can collect and store precipitation. This aids in recharging the groundwater supply, stops contaminants from being carried into streams, and stops flooding from occuring. Leaves that have fallen from trees can be composted to improve soil quality.
Feeding on leaves is a source of nutrition for many animals. Monkeys enjoy the nectar of flowers, which is also enjoyed by birds, bats, and numerous insects. Most of the fruit we humans enjoy is also consumed by many animals. As a result, this method aids in the long-distance spread of seeds. Hundreds upon hundreds of species of flora and fauna depend on trees for survival. Many creatures, such as birds, are safe from predators because they are able to hide in the safety of the leaves on the branches.
Personal And Spiritual Worth
Most of us appreciate trees for their aesthetic value and sense of grandeur. Each one is unique. There is an incredible range of shapes, patterns, textures, and vivid colours displayed by different species. As the seasons change, the look of individual trees also shifts.
Trees have a monument-like character because of their durability, longevity, and stately grandeur. The majority of us feel more at ease and contented when we're among trees. Oftentimes, people may plant trees as a living memory to a significant moment in their lives.
Growing family trees are a wonderful way to document your family's journey through the years. Whether it's a tree we've planted ourselves or one we see every day, it's not uncommon for us to have strong feelings for either.
Evidence of these deep ties may be seen in the hundreds of organisations around the country who go to considerable efforts to conserve and maintain especially big or ancient trees from of the threats posed by modern development. How often do you recall the trees from your former neighbourhood or backyard? The emotional significance of a beloved tree cannot be overstated.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tree Care
You will need permission to fell or prune a tree in your garden or land if: It is covered by a tree preservation order – you will require permission from your local authority. It is within a designated conservation area – you are required to notify your local authority to get permission.
To become a qualified Arborist, you will need extensive experience or a Certificate III in Arboriculture. This course will teach you about tree maintenance and pruning, safe tree felling, tree climbing, installing cabling and bracing and preparing and applying chemicals.
Although there aren't any set qualifications needed to become an Arborist or Tree Surgeon, with the challenging nature of the role work-experience and training is highly recommended and beneficial. An arborist's work involves monitoring and treating trees to ensure they are safe.
This career requires physical fitness and comfort with heights. A career as an arborist is an excellent opportunity for those who love to work independently outdoors, like to use their mind to prevent and solve problems and are comfortable with physical exertion in varying weather conditions.
Your neighbour can cut any branches that are overhanging into their garden as long as they only remove the bits on their side of the boundary. If they want you to cut your tree or hedge just because they don't like the way it looks, it's up to you whether you do the work.F
Commercial And Practical Value
All through time, trees have been there to provide shade and food. They can be put to many different kinds of productive and commercial uses. Half of all humans still use wood as their primary energy source for both cooking and heating. Wood from trees can be used to make everything from homes and furnishings to instruments and sporting goods. Paper is made from wood pulp.
In addition to the delicious syrup produced by North American sugar sugar maples, we are all familiar with the abundance of other fruits and nuts that trees supply. Did you know that cork comes from the bark of certain trees, which is also a source of medicines & medicines? Bark extracts are used to create both aspirin and quinine. Latex, the key component of rubber, is found in the inner peel of certain trees. Can you think of any further applications?
Economic And Property Value
Each tree or shrub is valuable and helps the budget. Even yet, a well-kept landscape has the biggest impact on a property's value because of the multiplicative effect of individual landscape features. Saving money on energy is a direct economic gain.
A tree's ability to block the wind can have a significant impact on cooling expenditures in the summer and heating costs in the winter. "Trees correctly placed surrounding buildings can cut air conditioning needs about 30% and save 20-50% in energy required for heating," says the USDA Forest Service.
Up to 20 percent more money can be fetched for a home with a well-kept yard. Take a look at these mind-blowing statistics about the impact of thriving trees and shrubs:
- Houses with "great" landscaping often sell for 6-7% more than comparable properties with "good" landscaping. An increase of 4-5% is possible by upgrading landscaping from "average" to "excellent."
- At the time of sale, landscaping improvements can yield a return of 100–200% of the initial investment. (The return on investment from remodelling the kitchen is 75% to 125%; the return on investment from remodelling the bathroom is 20% to 120%) - The Financial Times
- It's possible to get an estimate of $1,000 to $10,000 for a fully grown tree. Tree and Landscaping Appraisers Council
- Ninety-nine percent of property valuers agreed that landscaping makes a house more marketable. National Gardening Association, Trendnomics, etc.
- Almost all real estate agents (98%) and homeowners (83%) agree that the presence of mature trees increases the value of a home by at least $10,000 when the price is $250,000 or more.
How To Care For A Tree
It's satisfying to see a tree you've nurtured develop and flourish under your care. Take special care on your tree throughout its formative years to ensure it flourishes and thrives.
Watering
As soon as you've planted your tree, give it a good soaking of water. You should water your tree as soon as possible after planting it to help settle its soil and mulch and provide the initial moisture to the tree's roots. Avoid watering the soil surrounding your tree too much. Assuming you spray it for 30 seconds with a garden hose, you should have enough water to keep it alive.
When your tree is younger than 2 years, make sure you water it regularly. If the soil around your tree appears dry, give it 30 seconds of water from the garden hose. Water is crucial for the development of young trees' root systems. But don't overdo it, or you'll risk root rot. Moist, but not drenched, soil is ideal.
- Try inserting a garden spade two inches (5.1 cm) into in the earth and pulling it out to see if the soil seems moist enough. Try dipping a finger into the dirt to see whether or not it is damp. In any other case, you should water your tree.
If your tree is older than two years, you can reduce the amount of water you give it. Your tree will not require as much water once its roots have established themselves after two years. Unless your tree is a very thirsty variety, frequent rainfall means you won't have to bother about watering it. Watering your tree on a regular basis may be necessary if you reside in a dry area.
- You can learn how often and how much to water your tree by researching its species online.
Mulching
The sooner you mulch your tree after planting it, the better. Mulch is essential for protecting the roots of a freshly planted tree from dryness and frost. When you cut your lawn, mulch might help you see where you shouldn't be cutting.
You should get rid of the grass within a three-to-ten-foot (0.9-3.1 m) radius of your tree. Depending on the dimensions of your tree, you'll need to clear a different sized space. You should clear a narrower range for a small tree and a larger area for a larger tree. The grass can be removed with a rake or tiller.
Put down a layer of organic mulch that's at least 3 inches (7.6 cm) deep around your tree. Bark or wood chips will also do the trick. The diameter of the mulch bed should be at least 2 - 3 feet (0.91 m).
Keep the mulch at least 3 inches (7.6 cm) away from the trunk. This will stop your tree from being smothered by mulch. Don't mound mulch up against the trunk's flare.
Pruning
Constantly during the year, you should be cutting off any dead branches on your tree. If you prune your tree regularly, you can keep it looking great for years to come. Branches that have died will be bare and may even be shedding their outer layer of bark.
If your tree is younger than three years, you should refrain from severe pruning. For the first few years of its life, your tree needs as much leaf as it can so that it can absorb as many nutrients as possible and send those to its roots. Within the first 3 years of a tree's life, you should only remove branches that are dead or broken.
- After three years have passed, you should begin annual pruning. It's best to cut your tree in the winter so it can recover and grow again by spring. It's recommended that you prune your tree once a year to remove any dead or diseased branches and to promote healthier growth. At the point where your tree begins to take form, remove any branches that protrude beyond the boundaries of the form you've chosen.
When pruning your tree, don't cut off the branches halfway. Cut branches invite disease and pests to your tree. Make your pruning incisions at the point where branch collar finishes and the branch proper begins. The collar of a branch is the elevated, volcano-shaped part of the branch where it joins the tree trunk.
- Try to make cuts that are parallel to the surface of the tree. Never cut inside the collar of a branch.
- You should cut back any shoots that emerge from your tree's trunk. A sprout is a slender stem that grows from a tree or shrub and takes resources from the host plant. Cut the shoots off as near to the ground or the tree's trunk as possible with sharp pruning shears. If the sprouts you want to cut off are too strong to trim with shears, you can use loppers instead.
Cut back any limbs that are encroaching on the trunk. To avoid having your tree's branches cross and look unsightly, do this. To prune a tree, cut off the branches just outside the collar using loppers, pruning shears, or a hand saw.
Cutting
- Never make a cut directly into the trunk, but instead to a bud, branch, or major stem.
- Delete all stubs.
- If the diameter of the limb is greater than two inches, use the three-cut procedure.
- Avoid making a flush cut when trimming to the main shaft or another branch. The collar that is raised on the branch should be clipped instead. The collar protects the tree from disease-causing organisms and aids in woundwood formation due to compounds it contains.
- Don't cut off more than a quarter of the tree's live crown at once. If further reduction is required, it should be phased off over several years.
Myths That Circulate
- Take care of the cut. In most cases, wound coverings prevent the woundwood from forming properly. In the situations of Dutch gum disease & oak wilt, wound dressings' only value is to limit the entrance of pathogens.
- The final cut made while removing a limb from a tree should flush underlying stem to facilitate faster recovery. To begin, trees do not "heal," but rather they seal by isolating injured areas and producing woundwood to cover them. A larger wound results from a flush cut because the "branch collar" is lost. When a tree is cut flush, rot is more likely to spread further inside.
- The correct method of tree pruning is known as "tree topping." No. Topping a tree does more harm than any other type of pruning. When a tree is topped, it leaves behind enormous sores that can be exploited by fungi and bacteria. Trees that have been topped are more prone to damage in storms than unaltered trees.
Timing
- Damaged, rotten, or diseased timber can be removed at any moment.
- It is recommended to perform structural pruning during the dry period (roughly December to mid-March). When the leaves fall from a deciduous tree, the structure of the tree is revealed and can be evaluated.
- In order to prevent the spread of disease, it is better to prune some flowering trees after they have bloomed in the spring, while other blooming species must be pruned during their dormant season.
Numerous factors influence how long different tree species live. While peach trees may only last 30 years, oaks can live 200, cypress 1,600, and bristlecone pine 5,000 in a pristine forest setting with no human interference. However, compared to trees in rural areas, those in cities only live for around a decade.
There are several changes that occur in an aged tree: (1) slower growth, (2) increased susceptibility to disease and insects, (3) increased likelihood of dieback at the tree crown, (4) slower compartmentalisation of wounds, (5) fewer leaves overall, and (6) an increase in the number of pine boughs. These symptoms can appear in dying and otherwise unhealthy trees in urban areas.
Conclusion
This guide will help you choose, plant, and care for a tree that will have a major environmental impact. Asphalt's reflective properties boost temperatures, which injure trees, while winter salt dehydrates them. Trees increase oxygen, air quality, climate, soil, and wildlife in their habitats. Forests regulate the sun, rain, and wind, regulating climate. Leaf composting improves soil health.
A family tree lets you remember your ancestors' lives and achievements. Wood heats and cooks most people. Aspirin and quinine are bark-derived. Latex, the main ingredient in rubber, is found in some tree peels. A property's value is largely affected by its upkeep.
Young trees need more care to grow. Landscaping upgrades from "excellent" to "great" may return 100–200%. After planting, mulch your tree immediately. Mulch protects newly planted tree roots from dryness and freezing. Save money by watering your tree less after two years.
Tree trimmings must be done annually. A branch's volcano-shaped collar protrudes from its primary trunk. Remove branches beyond the collar with loppers or pruning shears. Topping is the worst pruning for trees. Topped trees fall more during storms. Dry season structural pruning is optimal (roughly December to mid-March).
Content Summary
- Numerous measures can be taken to ensure the health and longevity of city trees.
- Care for a tree begins with its selection.
- It all starts with a well-placed tree and a good plan for its care.
- Depending on your ultimate objectives, you'll need to look at a variety of trees to find the right fit.
- Find out more about how to ensure you're putting in the right tree at the right time.
- The Tree Wizard is a no-cost resource that can help you zero in on the perfect tree for your space and make an informed decision.
- Trees play a vital role in every neighbourhood.
- Trees in urban areas improve people's quality of life, habitats for wildlife, and other natural features.
- Trees are beneficial to their surroundings because they produce oxygen, enhance air quality, moderate climate, save water, protect soil, and provide habitat for wildlife.
- In addition to acting as insulators, trees can help protect against cold winds.
- Hundreds upon hundreds of species of flora and fauna depend on trees for survival.
- Most of us appreciate trees for their aesthetic value and sense of grandeur.
- Trees have a monument-like character because of their durability, longevity, and stately grandeur.
- Often, people may plant trees as a living memory of a significant moment in their lives.
- Growing family trees are a wonderful way to document your family's journey through the years.
- All through time, trees have been there to provide shade and food.
- They can be put to many different kinds of productive and commercial uses.
- Wood from trees can make everything from homes and furnishings to instruments and sporting goods.
- Even yet, a well-kept landscape has the biggest impact on a property's value because of the multiplicative effect of individual landscape features.
- Up to 20 per cent more money can be fetched for a home with a well-kept yard.
- Take a look at these mind-blowing statistics about the impact of thriving trees and shrubs: Houses with "great" landscaping often sell for 6-7% more than comparable properties with "good" landscaping.
- Tree and Landscaping Appraisers Council Ninety-nine per cent of property valuers agreed that landscaping makes a house more marketable.
- Almost all real estate agents (98%) and homeowners (83%) agree that the presence of mature trees increases the value of a home by at least $10,000 when the price is $250,000 or more.
- Take special care of your tree throughout its formative years to ensure it flourishes and thrives.
- Avoid watering the soil surrounding your tree too much.
- If your tree is older than two years, you can reduce the amount of water you give it.
- Watering your tree regularly may be necessary if you reside in a dry area.
- The sooner you mulch your tree after planting it, the better.
- Keep the mulch at least 3 inches (7.6 cm) away from the trunk.
- This will stop your tree from being smothered by mulch.
- Constantly during the year, you should be cutting off any dead branches on your tree.
- After three years have passed, you should begin annual pruning.
- It would be best if you pruned your tree once a year to remove any dead or diseased branches and promote healthier growth.
- When pruning your tree, don't cut off the branches halfway.
- Never cut inside the collar of a branch.
- Cut back any shoots from your tree's trunk would be best.
- Cut back any limbs that are encroaching on the trunk.
- To prune a tree, cut off the branches just outside the collar using loppers, pruning shears, or a hand saw.
- The final cut made while removing a limb from a tree should flush the underlying stem to facilitate faster recovery.
- A larger wound results from a flush cut because the "branch collar" is lost.
- When a tree is cut flush, rot is more likely to spread further inside.
- The correct method of tree pruning is known as "tree topping."
- Topping a tree does more harm than any other type of pruning.
- Trees that have been topped are more prone to damage in storms than unaltered trees.
- When the leaves fall from a deciduous tree, the tree's structure is revealed and can be evaluated.
- Numerous factors influence how long different tree species live.
- These symptoms can appear in dying and otherwise unhealthy trees in urban areas.