3 Mistakes That Could Harm Your Trees
You love the shade and character that your trees bring to your yard, but how will you keep those trees healthy and beautiful for the long haul? Although many people think tree care is all about providing your yard with enough water and nutrients, the truth is that there are simple mistakes you may be making that could compromise the health of your trees. Here are three mistakes that could harm your trees.
1. Leaving Trees Staked for Too Long
Since young trees can be quite an investment, many new owners are focused on staking them properly to keep them from toppling over in the wind. Unfortunately, if you leave those trees staked for too long, they may fail to develop proper root and trunk systems, which could actually put them at risk for injury later.
In general, you should remove stakes the next growing season following the original placement. For instance, if you are worried about a windy fall and you stake your trees when it starts to get cold, stakes should be removed in the spring when the weather warms. Removing stakes helps trees to grow strong and healthy and not to become reliant on the stake for support.
2. Using Fasteners to Hang Bird Feeders
It's always fun to watch as beautiful birds grace your bird feeders for a morning meal, but unfortunately, hanging bird feeders from your tree can also cause problems for the plant itself. If you use nails or screws to hang feeders, it can injure the bark of your tree, creating an injury point that is more prone to disease and pest infestations.
Another issue caused by using nails or screws to hang feeders involves the fact that trees will continue to grow around damage to attempt to heal the injury. Over time, trees will grow around the injury, hiding the nail or screw. If you ever need to cut the tree down in the future, the hidden nail could come in contact with chainsaws or other cutting devices, posing potential hazards to tree trimmers.
To prevent problems, never use metal fasteners to hang feeders. Instead, place feeders where they can sit on branches or use a strip of soft fabric to loop around a branch to hang feeders.
3. Using Trimmers Around the Base of Trees
You want your trees to look tidy, but think twice before you use a string trimmer to remove weeds and tall grass around the base of your trees. If those strong plastic threads hit the tree while you trim the area, it could create cuts in the bark, which could harm the tree. To avoid issues, remove grass around trees so you don't have to worry as much about weed growth in the area.
If you have been doing your best to prevent tree-related injuries and your trees still look unhealthy, turn to tree service professionals for targeted advice. After evaluating your trees, they can recommend the appropriate course of action to keep your trees healthy and attractive.
