Having lush vegetation in your yard is a dream for some and a nightmare for others. If you love to be out in the garden taking care of your greenery, looking after the trees, shrubs ground covers and grasses in your yard will be great fun. Others might find this type of work a chore but luckily there are professional tree services in Brisbane you can call to give you a hand.
If you have the time and inclination, there are a few simple ways you can look after the health of the trees in your yard. Trees are pretty tough and survived well before we started to look after them and still do pretty well on their own out in forests, but unfortunately suburban trees face a lot of added stressors that their bushland or forest cousins don’t have to endure, so here are some top tips to give your trees a healthy boost.
How Often Should You Prune Your Trees?
For deciduous trees they will benefit from pruning in mid to late winter time. After autumn the leaves will have fallen, giving you a clearer view of branches and limbs that require removal. For evergreen trees you really can prune them at any time in our Brisbane climate however this should not be carried out if the tree is drought or heat stressed. When done properly tree pruning will encourage new growth and improve its structural integrity. Only prune your tree if you have a proper understanding of the trees biology as over pruning, or pruning done in wrong areas can shorten the trees life. Get the advice of professional tree pruning experts to guide you.
When Should You Fertilise a Tree?
Spring is a recommended time to fertilise your trees. New leaves will be starting to form and need nutrients to help maximise their growth. After application of the fertiliser give it a good watering, allowing the roots to access the goodness and redistribute it all throughout the tree. Fertilising should ideally be carried out after doing a soil nutrient test. This is something that the team at North Brisbane Trees is able to assist with.
How do You Water a Large Tree?
If you live in an area where dry, hot weather continues for an extended period, you may need to put in place a watering schedule for your trees. Other factors affecting the watering of a tree are; the age and species of the tree, the soil type and whether it’s a newly planted tree. You can test when a tree needs to be watered by poking a screwdriver into the soil around its trunk. If you can’t poke it in at least 6’’ and the earth is tough, it’s time to water.
Established trees can have roots that reach out well beyond the canopy and are concentrated in the upper 300mm of soil. Do not apply water directly around the trunk as this can promote rot, but provide a deep soaking irrigation under the canopy area and at least a couple of metres outside from that.
If the tree is newly planted, you can concentrate your watering in the root ball area for the first few months as the roots will not have expanded beyond that yet. In the third month you should expand the watering zone out to cover under the canopy area. Provide water up to three times a week for your new tree if you live in a hot area, to ensure the root ball doesn’t dry out.
If you need extra advice, you can contact North Brisbane Trees who offer professional tree services.
