Here’s a concept. Not only should you plant trees and shrubs in your backyard garden, but actually take care of them so they don’t die within 6 months. Let’s see some handy tips to care trees and shrubs.
A perfect example is to never buy “Glow in the Dark” fertilizer from a company that has the words Chernobyl in its brand name.
Trees and shrubs provide plenty of restful shade and beauty and are well worth the time invested in buying them and planting them. But they can also be quite expensive, so you want to learn everything you can to ensure they get the best care.
So here are some great tree and shrub care information tips.
Best tips for tree care
- #1. Stop making mulch mountainsSure, a layer of mulch around your trees helps keep the soil from drying out, but this doesn’t mean you need to pile mulch like you are imitating the Himalayas. Piling the mulch excessively high around your trees can trap moisture within your trees and cause rot. In addition, high piles of mulch prevent the tree roots from getting enough oxygen. Always mulch out rather than mulch up. Also, consider hardwood mulch which breaks down and provides needed nutrients to the soil around your trees.
- Do prune, but avoid using pruning paintLearning how to prune your trees properly ensures maximum health and growth. That said, absolutely skip the pruning paint. Some clever manufacturers tout pruning paint as a way to seal cuts left behind by pruning. Don’t do it.Using pruning paint will tend to seal in fungi and bacteria which may give your tree a disease.Let your tree heal from your pruning naturally, not with some petroleum-based product that you would never put on any living tissue.
- Avoid the tendency to lop trees off at the topMany people are lop-happy when it comes to trees. They worry about things such as the trees interfering with the power lines, or that the tree is simply getting too big. The trouble with lopping off your trees is that you really need the expertise of being a trained arborist, otherwise you risk stressing out your tree making it subject to disease, damage from sun or insects, and flat out stressing the tree enough to kill it.Leave the lopping to an arborist, and if the tree is really getting too big, then have it removed and plant a more suitable variety.
- Stop staking your young trees Many people stake their young trees to make them strong and survivable in stormy weather.The problem with staking trees is that later on they will likely be brittle and break on their own in stormy weather.Nature knows what it is doing, so get rid of the stakes.
Best tips for shrub care
- Buy the right shrubs in the first placeYour local nursery is a great place to buy your shrubs because they will sell you shrubs appropriate for your area.If you live in North Dakota or Minnesota for example, those cold winters will likely kill tropical shrubs. So buy locally, and get the best shrubs for your environment.
- Plant your shrubs in the fallEvery gardening expert will tell you that the best time to plant your shrubs is in the fall. That way they avoid the heat of summer and the cold of winter while the roots dig in to establish the shrub.
- Create a watering schedule for your shrubsShrubs are fairly low maintenance but they do need water. Make sure to water for at least ten minutes once per week. Do not overwater or underwater. Ten minutes once a week is plenty, and you may slow down a little more on the watering as fall slowly edges toward winter.
- Prune, prune, pruneShrubs really respond well to pruning, particularly in the heave growing seasons of spring and fall. Don’t neglect the pruning if you want your shrubs to look pretty.
- Be on the lookout for invading hoards of insectsInsects can and will destroy your shrubs if you are not on the lookout for them.Sure one or two is no problem, but if it looks like a full-out invasion, then call in a professional to nip it in the bud.
- Mulching is goodMulching, together with added nutrients is a great combination for your shrubs. But again, follow the same recommendation as for trees. Don’t make a Mt.Everest out of your mulch. Two or three inches is enough.
These are the basics of tree and shrub care information. The more that you learn about taking care of your valuable trees and shrubs, the better you will feel about your entire backyard garden.
