Taking care of trees that stay fixed at the same spot throughout their life may seem like a simple task. However, according to Matthew Davies Stockton, it can be quite a challenge. If you haven’t taken care of them before, you may make a lot of mistakes that can damage them and in the worst cases kill them. Here are common mistakes that you should avoid when caring for trees:
The Mistakes
- Not pruning enough or doing it too much – Pruning involves getting rid of dead or overgrown stems and branches. You do that so that dead and overgrown tree branches don’t become a hazard for building, powerlines, or people. You should prune trees with the right balance so that you don’t underdo or overdo the task.
If you don’t prune a tree enough, apart from safety hazards, it can also affect the tree’s growth and block out air circulation through the branches. Do it too much and you will damage a healthy plant enough to kill it. If you leave an open cut close to the tree trunk, you expose it to the attack of diseases and pests.
- Damage induced by equipment – You can never be too careful. Equipment that keeps your yard clean, like string trimmers or lawnmowers can easily damage trees. Even a harmless bicycle pushing laying on a tree can leave a wound with the hard or sharp pedal grips and handlebar ends.
Trees are as vulnerable to fungus as humans are to infection. So, don’t underestimate a small wound. To prevent damage caused by your equipment steer clear of roots that may be showing and when you lean things against a tree, be extra careful.
- Ignoring hazardous trees – If you ignore a hazardous tree, it won’t just damage your property, but also people and can bring your heavy lawsuits. It may be a tree that’s dead or dying, grown over your home, or close to power lines. It is a bomb that’s ready to fall at any moment and bring havoc to your peaceful world.
To prevent that, you should regularly inspect your trees and do it thoroughly before a storm comes or after it has passed away. If you suspect a tree to be damaged, use binoculars to inspect it instead of standing under it.
- Mulching too much – Mulching around the tree’s base is a good move to trap moisture inside the soil. This helps to prevent watering often, especially during the seasons with less rainfall. However, “volcano-mulching” has taken off in recent years and it does more harm than good. With too much mulching, moisture levels in the soil increase significantly and may lead to fungal infections and root rot. Hence, moderation is very important.
Conclusion
Matthew Davies Stockton suggests that when you take care of your trees, it is important to practice restraint and do everything within moderate limits. It is good for your trees and helps you to avoid unwanted trouble.