When a tree comes into your yard, it’s exciting, beautiful, and a source of nourishment. However, it is also an incredibly important member of the ecosystem that is vital to the health of your yard. It absorbs the sun’s energy and produces oxygen, nutrients, and water. It provides a link between the ground and the sky. Without trees, you cannot have plants, and without plants, you cannot have a healthy soil.
That’s why they are so important. One of the most common tree diseases is called oak blight. It’s caused by a fungus that takes over the roots of the tree. If this fungus doesn’t eat through all the tree’s roots, it can cause other serious health issues. It is also often a sign of high humidity and low temperatures. All of these factors can cause damage to your trees and eventually cause them to die.
Here is a link to a great article that talks about how to care for your trees (and plants!) and what to do once they are established.
My wife is a big fan of the concept of “greening up.” The idea being that once you plant a tree, you should give it a little attention. It is important that you get that green in early and that you treat your trees and plants like they are your own. This is especially true for trees that are starting to grow. When they are first starting to grow, its important that you take care of them so that they do not get too weak.
Many trees and green trees (i.e. trees that are just starting to grow) have a weak root system and need to be fed from time to time. To get the best out of your newly planted tree you should be feeding it. A quick trip to the store can help you get started on this, but if you really want to go the extra mile, you should be giving the tree some time to grow.
The best way to do this is to start by cutting a small amount of the root ball off the main trunk. As this new tree grows this root will grow into the bottom of the tree. In the long run, this process will make the tree stronger and healthier.
The process of cutting a small amount of the root from the trunk is called “root capping”. The amount of the root capping you need to do is really dependent on the length of the tree. Generally if your tree is about 3 feet tall you don’t need a lot of root capping. As your tree grows, however, the amount of the root capping you need to do will get smaller and smaller.
The most effective root capping method is to go over the tree with a sharp spade to remove the root and then to use the spade to scrape out the soil around the root. In the case of trees that are shorter than 3 feet, you will need to work on the remaining soil.
In general, as your tree grows, it should be the same amount of care as you would for the tree you’re planting in your yard. If you plant a tree in your yard at 10 feet tall, you can expect to need to dig out the soil around the roots at about a depth of 6 feet to reach 4 feet tall, and only about 3 feet for a tree that is 6 feet tall or taller.
To make sure your tree roots don’t get buried under deep soil, you’ll need to work on maintaining a good soil balance. For those root systems that are more than 3 feet in diameter, you will need to dig up the earth around the roots, and add the soil back in.