Uncategorized

Planting shade trees on your landscaping has many amazing benefits. Underneath a full-grown shade tree is the best location for a backyard barbeque or for kids to play outside. A shade tree will also keep your home cooler during warmer months of the year.

To get all of the benefits of shade trees, you have to plant the right species and care for them properly.

KS Tree Trimming has recommendations for the best trees to plant for shade, as well as some expert advice on maintaining your shade trees so they continue to grow strong and healthy.

Planting Trees for Shade

All trees can provide shade, but there are some species that are built for optimal shade. These types of trees typically have a thick, wider canopy that extends out about as far as it does upward.

Below, we’ve provided examples of shade trees depending on whether they would be best suited for your back or front yard.

Back Yard Shade Trees

Shade trees in the back yard are typically for the homeowner’s benefit. Next-door neighbors and passersby probably won’t see these trees very much, so they can be purely for shade and enjoyment.

Besides just shade, these trees can create year-round color as well as some extra privacy from neighbors.

Here are popular choices:

• Magnolia
• Sugar maple or silver maple
• Weeping willow
• Weeping cherry
• Red oak

If you have the space, a live oak is another beautiful choice. Live oaks are said to be the fastest growing shade trees, and are able to get very big. An older live oak can grow up to 80 feet tall and as much as 100 feet wide.

A lot of these back yard shade tree recommendations get pretty large, so you definitely want to do your research to determine if the tree is going to have enough space to grow to its full potential.

If there is not enough room, its root system can damage your fencing or even your home. You will also have to prune the tree every year to keep it from being overgrown. A tree that grows too big for its location will probably have to be removed, which is an inconvenient and sometimes expensive situation.

Front Yard Shade Trees

In the front yard of your home, you are planting trees for your enjoyment as well, but these trees will be a lot more impactful for increasing curb appeal and value to your home than the back yard trees.

Buy shade trees for the front yard that are somewhat smaller so they don’t overpower your home and landscaping. These trees should pair with your landscaping in both size and color, while still offering plenty of shade for front yard relaxation and play.

These are some of our favorites:

Red maple
River birch
Dogwood
White oak
Ginkgo tree

These types of trees are colorful throughout the year, and they’ll showcase even more color in the fall months.
Another good option for your front or side yard is the ‘Green Giant’ Arborvitae. This tree looks like a hedge and can be planted in a row with others to create privacy as well as shade.

With these suggestions in mind, we recommend that you plant trees you like. In reality, any tree can grow to become a “shade tree.” Assuming the trees you choose are suitable for the climate in Kansas, they will provide your home and landscaping with some shade.

Benefits of Planting Shade Trees

The reasons to have shade n your yard are numerous — and there are a few that you probably don’t typically think about.

Shade, Obviously – When temperatures soar, you don’t need to hide indoors if you have a nice, shady yard. Put a chair or hammock under your biggest shade tree and relax outside as long as you want.

Climate Control – Trees can regulate the temperature in your yard and inside your house. Not only will trees protect you from glaring sun, but they can make it feel 10-15 degrees colder underneath their canopies. This means less solar radiation on your roof and siding as well, which might result in lower energy costs!

Better Air Quality – Trees produce oxygen and expel pollutants, so there is healthier air surrounding your house. Arbor Day Foundation research reports that one mature tree absorbs around 48 pounds of CO2 from the air.

Shelter for Animals – If you’re into bird watching or think chipmunks are adorable, your trees can give them all they will need to build a habitat, find food and raise babies.

Fun – What kid doesn’t want a backyard tree house or tire swing? If you have children, shade trees will offer hours of fun and joyful memories.

How to Care for Shade Trees

Caring for shade trees is pretty simple as long as you’ve chosen the type of trees for the climate in Kansas. Healthy trees are strong and durable after the first few years, demanding little attention or maintenance.

Consult an arborist from KS Tree Trimming if you have any questions about the care of your shade trees, or to help you determine the best tree for your property.

Once you have determined the best shade tree(s) for your yard, follow this simple care guide until your shade tree is well established.

Planting Your Shade Tree

The south, west and east of your yard always get the most sun, so plant your new trees on one of these areas of your yard. This is two-fold: 1) the trees will then provide the most amount of shade and 2) they will also receive the maximum amount of sun for healthy growth.

Trimming Your Shade Tree

Prune during the first year or two after planting the tree in order to shape it and help it form a strong foundation. To be safe, and for the best results, call KS Tree Trimming for tree trimming in Kansas. A certified arborist will arrive at your home and deliver professional care for the tree.

Watering Your Shade Tree

Watering a new tree is very important. This helps them develop a deep root system and will give the tree more stability in the long run.

Fertilizing Your Shade Tree

Homeowners should fertilize a shade tree just like you would any other tree in order to aid healthy growth. Fertilizer is not necessary, but it can assist in helping your tree to grow faster and produce more leaves, which are the primary source of your shade.

We hope this information was helpful! Remember, when it is time to prune or trim a new shade tree, KS Tree Trimming can help! Call us and a certified arborist in Kansas will visit your home, examine the tree and decide the best maintenance plan for its long-term health and growth.

Tree pruning is best left to experienced professionals. It’s a dangerous job, climbing trees, wielding chainsaws and dropping heavy tree limbs to the ground; and it can also be dangerous for the tree as well. Trees that aren’t pruned the right way can suffer from a lifetime of issues.

Rather than putting yourself in harm’s way and putting the tree at risk, call someone who is knowledgeable and experienced to do the job for you.

This will lead to much healthier trees and a safer environment surrounding your home for many reasons:

• Healthier trees are stronger and less likely to cause damage during storms
• Cared for trees don’t attract or spread parasites and diseases
• Pruned trees grow more flowers or fruit
• Pruned trees provide shade and allow air to flow throughout their canopies and your landscaping

KS Tree Trimming strongly suggests trimming trees that are very close to your house or any that are an integral part of your landscape.

Is Tree Trimming Necessary?

It is not necessary. But it is important. Trees are very hardy and are able to survive on their own across the world, in a variety of different climates and regions, without trimming.

However, there are a lot of benefits of tree pruning, so it’s definitely recommended for any trees that you value. This includes sentimental trees, fruit trees and blossoming trees or trees that perform an important service for your home, such as shade or wildlife habitat.

Tree Pruning Gone Wrong

Tree trimming is a complex project. You need the correct equipment and a lot of information to guarantee the project is done correctly. The majority of homeowners don’t have either of these!

But that’s not a problem, because there are many companies available who know exactly how to correctly trim trees for an affordable cost to you including all of the certified arborists throughout Kansas we work with!

Below are the 5 most common mistakes people make when attempting DIY tree trimming that can lead to several tree problems. These are things that a professional arborist from KS Tree Trimming will know, and that’s why their services are worth paying for!

Pruning Too Much

When done properly, pruning is a never-ending process. Starting when your trees are only 2 or 3 years old, they should be looked after by an expert if you care about them and intend to keep them strong and healthy.

A huge mistake that people often make when pruning trees themselves is cutting too much of the tree all at once. This occurs because they let the tree’s growth get out of control and try to correct it all immediately. Ideally, you should only cut off 5-20% of the tree’s crown at a time. It is much easier to do this during a season that there are no leaves, but a certified arborist will be able to properly prune trees any time of year.

Removing Bark from the Tree

When you cut a tree branch and gravity starts to pull it down, it can tear off bark from the tree trunk right along with it. This exposes the tree’s inner layers, putting the tree in danger of attracting diseases and making it easier for pests and rodents to scurry their way in.

To ensure this doesn’t happen, an experienced arborist will make special cuts underneath large branches before making their actual removal cut. Knowing how to place these small cuts removes pressure from the branch collar and reduces the stress at the exact point of the main cut so the branch doesn’t rip.

Trimming in the Wrong Place

A trained arborist knows exactly where to trim each limb to protect against damage. This cut should occur just beyond the branch collar, the exact place where the branch connects to the tree trunk.

Cutting too close to the branch collar exposes the tree to insects, decay and mildew. Cutting too far from it leaves a stump when the tree has recovered. Most DIY tree pruning results in an improper cut, leaving either aesthetic or structural damage.

Trimming Large Branches

Branches any larger than 4 inches in diameter shouldn’t be pruned unless it is necessary. Cutting off a branch of this size can lead to imbalance in the tree and expose it to pests and rodents and rot as the tree recovers from such a large loss.

Conservative trimming once each year guarantees that your tree trimmer only has to remove branches that are 2-3 inches in diameter, which leads to a more attractive shape for the tree and less risk of hurting the tree or exposing it to disease and insects.

Topping the Tree

Tree topping is no longer a type of pruning, and for good reason! During this service, tree trimmers would cut the top off of the tree to achieve the desired height. It was not attractive nor beneficial for the tree, so the majority of arborists do not practice tree topping anymore.

During DIY tree trimming, you might think this is a good way to reduce the height of your tree with just one cut, but once you have cut the top of a tree off, there’s almost no chance that it will ever regain a natural shape.

The Solution? Call KS Tree Trimming

Let’s face it. Your tree may never recover from bad pruning.

Doing this project yourself might seem like a way to save a little money, but you could end up with way more cost trying to revive damaged trees, so it’s much safer (and more economical in the long run) to hire a certified arborist in Kansas from KS Tree Trimming.

Limbs aren’t going to grow back. The tree will grow more, but it will not grow back in the same places, which leads to odd shapes that could take years to fix. The tree could end up looking bad for the remainder of its life, all because of a single pruning error.

Improper trimming could also cause death of the tree. Removing too many branches (and, therefore, leaves) can alter the tree’s photosynthesis process, which means it won’t get all of the water it needs or enough sunlight and carbon dioxide to continue growing.

Cutting off too many branches might also send the tree into a state of shock. Shock can be overcome, but it does take a great deal of care and patience. Even with the right maintenance, a tree undergoing shock may still die.

Avoid all of these tree trimming mistakes and call KS Tree Trimming to speak with a tree care specialist in Kansas able to customize a plan to ensure your tree continues to blossom and look beautiful for years to come!

Trees are living organisms, so that means that they can become “sick” like people and animals can. A disease or other tree problem might take a while to show up because of the sheer size of the tree, and once you identify a symptom, it could be too late to revive the tree.

A professional arborist from KS Tree Trimming can help you diagnose and treat common tree problems so that you have a much greater chance of keeping the tree. Learn about our service here. Not only can an arborist help to prevent a tree from dying, but they can also help trees get healthier growth and bloom more flowers or fruit with professional tree trimming.

Have you noticed a tree on your lawn that has always seemed OK but suddenly looks like something is wrong? In the next section, we’ll describe some of the most common tree issues and what these symptoms mean.

If you notice any of these things on any of your trees, act fast to have the best chance of saving the tree and the ones around it.

Tree Diseases & Common Problems

These 7 things are the most common issues addressed by certified arborists in Kansas. Once you think one of these things is wrong with your tree, contact someone with the training and tools to help!

Tree Diseases

Leaf Rust – Leaf rust is a fungus that is common in both trees and plants. The name originates from the yellow and brown spots this disease produces on the leaves.

Leaf rust is dangerous because it interferes with the leaves’ photosynthesis, the process by which it breathes. Leaf rust can be tended to with fungicides and selective tree pruning of the diseased leaves. It may be recommended to cut off entire branches with leaf rust.

Witches’ Broom – This common disease creates a large clump of twigs, dead leaves and branches that resemble a broom shape. It is caused by pests, unusually rainy weather or fungus. The construction of a clump of twigs and leaves is the tree’s reaction to infection or harm.

Some instances of Witches’ Broom are fatal for the tree, others are just considered a growth malformation. A tree care specialist can diagnose the problem.

Mildew – Mildew is a fungus that grows on almost anything in wet conditions, but even after the moist conditions are over with, mildew can remain and thrive. Mildew usually appears as a powdery substance, usually white, and it often appears on the leaves of the tree first.

The the best method for eliminating mildew is to apply a fungicide that includes sulfur. This will eliminate the current mildew and stop future mildew on the tree. You might also need to prune the tree to remove limbs, fruit, flowers and any leaves that have been affected by the mildew

Gall – Gall is a type of tree condition that happens when insects build small nests on the leaves or branches of a tree to lay their eggs in. Most galls are not harmful to the tree, but they are not attractive.

Gall appears as as bumps on the tree, in varying sizes. They are often white, brown, gray or some color in between.

It is not necessary to treat the tree for galls, but they can limit the growth of recently planted trees. Treat galls by killing the pests. You should also clean out from under the tree after the leaves fall off, since this is where the pests survive during winter months.

Other Tree Problems

Incorrect Trimming – There’s a discipline to tree pruning, as well as many types, and if you don’t know what to do, you could harm the tree past the point of recovery. Consider the type of tree, season and other factors. Under-pruning (or not pruning at all) is just as big of a problem. Only a certified arborist should be trusted to prune trees to keep them healthy.

Lack of Water – Young trees can be severely affected by drought. If you plant new trees, you will need to supplement the amount of water they get from rainfall. A tree that is not getting enough water can have its growth inhibited. The first sign you are likely to see is scorched or dry leaves. Find more tips for new trees here.

Too Much Sun – Do some initial research before planting trees in a full-sun area. Many types of trees can handle it without issue, but too much sun can become a problem for any tree if the sun is too hot for a long period of time and rainfall is light. A tree that is getting excessive sun needs extra water to fight against wilting, drooping leaves.

Certified Arborist Services in Kansas

An experienced arborist from KS Tree Trimming will be able to quickly identify what’s going on with your sick tree and formulate a plan to save it.

Here is what an arborist is qualified to do:

• Inspect trees from the ground and from the limbs of the tree if necessary. Getting into the canopy is typically necessary to see exactly what is causing the symptoms.
• Treat your tree with additives and fertilizers in the soil or solutions sprayed on the leaves. This person will have knowledge about the disease affecting your tree and the most effective treatments.
• Trim trees to remove dead or damaged branches and to assist healthy growth. Even if heavy pruning is needed, they will know how to cut off branches so that the tree survives both the issue and the pruning.
• Remove the tree from your lawn if there is no chance to save it. The worst case is that the tree is too far gone, and cutting it down is the only way to protect your property and surrounding landscape.

They can also educate you about the trees that you have om your property and how to best care for them so you don’t return to the same situation again.

Some tree issues look similar to one another, requiring a professional opinion to accurately diagnose and correct the issue. If your trees are looking dry, unhealthy or disfigured, call a professional arborist from KS Tree Trimming for an inspection before it’s too late for your tree.

When it comes to the question, “Which season is best for tree tree pruning?” The answer can be indirect.

Tree type dictates when many species are able to be pruned, along with insect population and activity, local tree and plant diseases and other types of plants and trees in the yard.

With the guidance of a professional arborist in Kansas, you can figure out which time of year is ideal for trimming your trees to prepare them for success next season and every year after that.

Best Season to Trim Trees

Without any other context, KS Tree Trimming recommends pruning trees in the winter. This would be sometime from November to March in most areas. This season is best because trees are typically dormant, so trimming will cause a minimal amount of harm, if any.

There are several benefits to pruning trees in the winter:

Lower risk of insect damage and disease – Pests and plant diseases are usually inactive in the winter in Kansas. During the rest of the year, anything from insects to fungus can harm a freshly trimmed tree because the tree will be the most susceptible and these issues are more common in warmer weather.

Easier to determine the shape of the tree when the leaves are gone – Leaves get in the way of your arborist from seeing the complete shape of your tree. When branches are bare, it is a lot easier to see dead or diseased limbs and branches that are touching versus those that are just close together.

Trees have time to heal before spring – By doing this major pruning during the winter, your trees will have many months to rebuild callus tissue on the ends of the remaining branch collar. By the spring, you’ll barely be able to tell where the branches were removed, and the tree will be able to use its energy to produce brand new leaves, fruit or flowers instead of healing new cuts.

Less chance of harming surrounding landscaping – Most of the surrounding trees and plants will also be dormant, so there is less risk of them. Most of the time, a tree is surrounded by annual plants in the spring and summer, but there are no plants to be disturbed in the winter months since these annuals already died out.

Do All Trees Need Trimming?

Yes, all trees will benefit from annual trimming. Tree pruning in the winter is good for the trees, but it is also a precaution for the safety of your property and your family. Let us explain:

Trimming Makes the Tree Healthier

Dying and diseased branches are removed, as are stubs that are prone to pests and disease. Branches that can rub each other are also pruned so that they don’t weaken one another or create an open wound on the tree.

Pruning trees every winter is a great way to get an expert’s opinion on the health of your trees so that early signs of decay, disease and insect problems can be identified and dealt with right away.

A Cared-For Tree Serves Its Purpose Better

When a tree becomes overgrown, it’s hard for water and nutrients to get to every limb. This can leave the tree looking scraggly and sick and definitely not doing what it’s intended to do.

Trimmed trees, on the other hand, blossom more fruit, healthier leaves and better shade. They are fuller and healthier and less likely to cause landscaping problems. So regardless of why you decided to plant a new tree, pruning will maximize the results you want from it.

Trees are More Attractive After Pruning

If the curb appeal of your landscaping is important to you, tree trimming is a necessity! Pruning trees results in an attractive, uniform shape and size. This is especially important if you have a lot of similar trees on your property.

Removing lower branches and upper branches that grow at improper angles enhances the overall look of the tree while also promoting tree health.

Less Chance of Falling Branches

Tree trimming – done the right way – encourages the remaining branches to grow healthier and stronger. Therefore, storms and other inclement weather in Kansas won’t damage your trees the same way they would an unkempt tree. Your home and family will be much safer living under and around pruned trees.

Another safety issue for overgrown trees is that they impede the view of traffic lights, road signs and driveways. Tree trimming, crown raising and other certified tree care services will keep the tree at a manageable size and stop it from blocking various views.

Call KS Tree Trimming for Tree Pruning

Hiring a professional arborist in Kansas gives you access to their knowledge on the subject of tree pruning. We highly recommend relying on their years of experience if there are trees on that you’d like to keep healthy for a long time.

An arborist doesn’t only consider the current situation. Instead, an arborist will take time to research your trees and study their unique scenario (including their location and other factors that could put them at risk of disease or infestation). After gathering all the information, an arborist will make a long-term plan based on your trees’ unique needs and stick to that course of action until your goals for your trees are met.

This plan might take many years to implement, but rest assured, it will lead to healthy trees that you and your family can enjoy for generations.

This kind of ongoing care will aid in healthy tree growth, help your landscaping fight off plant diseases and improve flower or fruit production from trees. It will also fortify your trees so there is not as much risk of falling trees or branches.

Being proactive about tree trimming can save you a lot of money over time as well. Preventative care is far more cost-effective than the cost of emergency tree services, storm damage cleanup or curing an ill tree of a disease that has spread out of control (and one that was easily preventable).

If you care about the health of your trees and the beauty of your property, trust a certified arborist for tree pruning and maintenance from KS Tree Trimming. Discover our service area here. We work with arborists across the entire state of Kansas. Call now!

Tree pruning in Kansas is an important professional service that beautifies and reinforces your trees so they can withstand insects, diseases and inclement weather – and look wonderful while doing it!

Pruning must be done if you want healthy trees, but it must be done correctly by someone who has experience in what they’re doing. Like a certified arborist from KS Tree Trimming. Homeowners may be able to prune and trim trees safely while they are small, but you also may do permanent harm to the tree in the process.

To correctly prune trees, you must know all of the following:

• When is the best time to prune your types of trees
• How much of the tree can be trimmed at at once
• Where to cut the branches so you do not harm the tree

Removing too much from a tree could kill it or result in structural damage, but minimal trimming done each year benefits trees in several ways. Pruning improves the appearance of trees, makes them stronger, removes dying or diseased portions and assists in fruit or flower production.

For the best results, pruning needs to be performed annually, but as trees get older, you might be able to go two years between pruning services. Regardless of how regularly you have your trees pruned, ensure your arborist is qualified to do the type of tree pruning your trees need. This won’t be an issue if you call KS Tree Trimming in Kansas!

Types of Tree Pruning Methods

There are 7 different ways to correctly prune a tree so that it grows stronger and healthier each year.

Depending on the shape, species and health problems of your trees, one method could be more effective than another, but each technique has various benefits.

Crown Thinning Your Trees

Crown thinning is popular for older, overgrown trees in Kansas. This process removes weak branches within the crown to improve light and air flow within the crown. Air flow is important to help prevent disease.

This pruning technique also removes branches that are touching so they do not rub against each other and break or cause weakened areas that can be an access point for pests. Branches that grow at strange angles are usually cut off during crown thinning.

Crown Raising Your Trees

This tree trimming method only removes branches and limbs at the lower part of the crown so limbs start higher up on the trunk. Allowing low branches to get too large makes them difficult to remove, and they can draw nutrients from the top of the tree, resulting in less fruit and a weak tree.

There are a variety of reasons you may decide to raise the crown of a tree. Often, it is done to clear the line of sight for cars and pedestrians, but it can be done to increase space for landscaping beneath the tree.

It is a common technique for overgrown trees that are close to homes and buildings.

Crown Reduction

Crown reduction lowers the total size of the tree’s crown from its exterior edge. It shortens branches vertically and horizontally to maintain the tree at a manageable size. By lowering the size of the crown, you can eliminate the need to chop the tree down because it won’t come into contact with traffic lights, power lines or street lights.

Even when the tree isn’t close to structures like those listed above, crown reduction can make the tree look much better because it also eliminates irregular growth. This is a good idea for trees that are different ages but are supposed to look consistent.

Crown Cleaning

Also known as deadwood pruning, crown cleaning is a minimally invasive tree pruning technique that removes dead, broken or diseased limbs so that the rest of the tree may continue to grow normally. These branches can only cause issues over time.

Crown cleaning makes the tree look much better, and it stops branches from rubbing together. It is also a safety practice that lowers the risk of branches falling, since healthy branches do not fall very often.

Crown Restoration

Crown restoration is an advanced trimming method used on trees that were significantly damaged (either by weather or vandals). It should be performed by an experienced arborist who knows where the tree is likely to grow in the future and just how long it’s restoration will take.

Unlike most other tree trimming services, crown restoration occurs throughout an extended time period with conservative trimming that reshapes the tree. An arborist should have a plan to restore the tree, but also must be flexible as the tree grows and reshapes on its own, adapting to the tree’s new growth.

Vista Pruning

If you want trees to help improve the overall beauty of your landscaping, you are probably interested in vista pruning. The intent of vista pruning is to help to make the tree more aesthetically pleasing from a particular viewing point.

It encompasses several tree trimming techniques including crown thinning, crown cleaning and crown reduction – any technique that makes the trees look prettier. Remember, though, that an arborist will never sacrifice the health of a tree, so the primary focus of vista pruning is still to create strong, healthy trees.

Espalier Pruning

Espaliered trees are heavily pruned to grow flat up against a wall or a trellis. It is a different style of trimming that is sure to draw a lot of attention to your yard. Espalier pruning has to begin when the tree is very young and then done routinely during the tree’s life span.

Some of the benefits of espalier pruning include allowing maximum sunlight to reach the trees, as well as making it exceptionally easier to harvest fruit.

Professional Tree Pruning in Kansas

Tree pruning can be harmful to a tree, your lawn, and, of course, for you! KS Tree Trimming highly suggests professional tree trimming over attempting DIY.

Besides the many dangers of tree trimming, you can do a lot of damage to a tree if you don’t know how to trim it correctly. Excessive pruning is one of the most typical errors made by homeowners trimming their own trees.

Trees in Kansas that get annual care from a professionals are much better off, and hiring an experienced arborist from KS Tree Trimming to prune the trees on your property is a choice you won’t regret. Locate your town in our service area. We work with arborists throughout the entire state of Kansas!

Planting a tree on your property has several benefits. Trees create much-needed summer shade, create privacy, filter polluted air and increase property value.

Once full-grown, trees are pretty simple to maintain: another benefit! They are strong and tend to grow with minimal care. But, if you want to ensure your trees reach their full potential, they need a little more effort.

Lack of care for growing trees can result in rotting, disease, under watering or pest issues.

Fortunately, tree care isn’t too difficult, but you will want some tips to do it correctly. Research the new trees you plant to know what they need to succeed. Then care for them and watch them bloom.

Below, we’ll outline the five best tips on how to plant a new tree and seeing it grow. You likely know the basics, so let’s dive deeper and lay out how to complete each step correctly.

Tree Care Tips for New Trees

These tips will not only keep trees alive, they’ll help them grow faster, withstand strong winds, fight off diseases and pests and produce more leaves, flowers or fruit.

Water Your Tree

New trees need a lot more water than grown ones. The trees you plant on your property are no exception.

The root ball of the tree and the soil surrounding it should be kept moist, but don’t let it get too wet, as this might cause the roots to rot.

The rule of thumb is 4-10 gallons of water every week. This includes rain water, and although it’s difficult to have an exact reading, a rain gauge can help get you close enough to supplement the remaining gallons. Your new trees will need this much water every week for the initial 2-3 growing seasons.

Mulch Around Your Trees

Mulch is much more than an attractive landscaping product. It helps protect new trees, especially the roots underground. But laying mulch incorrectly can cause rotting and decay – so much so, in fact, that the tree will not survive.

Place mulch exactly 3 inches away from the trunk of the tree and spread it out to cover the ground under the longest horizontal limb. For brand new trees, this won’t be very far, but as the tree grows, your mulch area will also grow as well.

Keep the mulch 2 to 4 inches thick in all areas around the tree. Be vigilant in keeping it spread out consistently and far enough away from the trunk of the tree so it does not impede air flow around the trunk.

Fertilize Around Your Tree

Fertilizer provides several nutrients your land’s soil may not naturally have. Most new trees benefit from fertilizing, but you need to use the correct products and do it at the right time in order for fertilizer to be most impactful.

The best season to fertilize is during early spring. Sometimes early summer provides good conditions (comfortable temperatures and wet soil), but don’t count on it.

If you aren’t sure about which type of fertilizer to use, consult a tree care specialist for advice. Slow-release fertilizers are usually a good idea because they feed trees over a period of time rather than all at once.

Follow through with these things in the first growing seasons after planting a tree, and then review your watering, mulching and fertilizing needs as the tree gets older. As time goes on, there will be tree care tasks that are more important for new trees.

Prune Your Tree

Tree pruning is very important – but very challenging – in the early years after planting a new tree. As the tree grows, you may see a lot of small branches take off, competing to become the trunk of the tree. You may think this shows that the tree is healthy and growing well, it can actually lead to a very weak tree over time.

Early trimming helps to shape the tree into what it will ultimately look like when it becomes much larger. As small branches emerge from the lower trunk, they have to be removed so they don’t pull water and nutrients away from the branches at the top of the tree.

So long as there are trees on your property, they need to be trimmed routinely. When the trees get too large for you to prune them safely, you can count on KS Tree Trimming to do it for you.

Monitor Your Tree

New trees are at the highest risk for damage, disease and pest problems. But you’re never 100% safe from these things. As your tree grows larger, watch it carefully for evidence of disease or poor nutrition, including the following:

• Leaf color changing out of season, with leaves turning brown or yellow
• Premature leaf falling, regardless of whether these leaves look healthy or diseased
• Withering, despite adequate watering
• Single limbs or branches dying
• Peeling bark

These signs likely mean a health issue. The tree is probably going to need professional maintenance if your hope is to keep the tree alive. A certified arborist can usually identify the problem by simply looking at your tree, although they will perform testing if necessary.

If you discover the issue early enough, you will probably be able to save the tree from dying. Being proactive is the best way to protect growing trees.

The steps above are simple but effective. Don’t underestimate the importance of the basics! When new trees have pruning, fertilizer and more,, combined with sunshine and barring severe, damaging weather, the chances are good that they will survive and will look beautiful too!

Of course, you may already have a full schedule and don’t really want to perform these additional lawn care projects. In many cases, homeowners don’t have the physical ability to give their new trees the necessary care.

No matter the situation, it’s a good idea to contact a professional for the care of new trees. A professional arborist in Kansas can consult with you about the course of care for each tree species you plant on your land. Arborists love sharing their knowledge and skills with homeowners planting new trees, and they can make the difference between trees that struggle and trees thriving.

Call KS Tree Trimming now for information on routine tree care in Kansas – including tree pruning – for newer trees and old trees. An arborists can determine the best plan for your trees! Locate your city in our service area here.