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Tree Care 101
Mulching
Mulching is very beneficial for your trees. It promotes tree growth and
plant survival by helping water get into the soil and reduces the evaporation
of soil water. It insulates the soil, helping with the extremes in temperature
for the soil. Another positive of mulch is that it helps with weeds that
compete with needed moisture and nutrients of your tree. Finally, mulch
makes a layer of well-aerated soil near the surface available for long
periods of root growth.
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common mistakes of mulching are applying mulch too thickly or deeply and
mounding up the mulch on the plant stems.
These lead to too much moisture, reduced oxygen, fungus growth and even
animal or pest homes. Each year, to prevent mulch buildup, you should
rake the old mulch out towards the drip line of the tree. By doing this,
you will stir up the old mulch, expose it to air and light and keep the
mulch at healthy levels.
 Pruning
Trees on Private Property
(No City Parkway or City Right-of-Way Trees Please!)
Pruning helps keep your trees healthy and looking nice. It is the method
used to rid trees of any dead, weakened, interfering, and diseased or
insect-infested branches. However, proper pruning is not the topping of
the tree. Topping is cutting of the main leader and branches, leaving
stubs. This does make the tree shorter, but leaves the tree highly susceptible
to damage from strong winds, winter injury, insects and diseases. Also,
stubbing stimulates the development of sprouts just below the cut. These
shoots grow rapidly causing a topped tree to grow back into its original
height faster and denser than a properly trimmed tree. So when you prune,
remember not to top your tree.
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Proper pruning is accomplished by cutting each branch just outside the
branch collar. The branch collar contains trunk or parent branch tissues
that are important to the health of the tree and should not be removed
or damaged as this could cause permanent internal decay. Removing branches
at the proper distance from the trunk helps the tree with more rapid wound
closure, so that the bark quickly grows over the cut.
A good structure of primary scaffold branches should be established while
the tree is young. The scaffold branches provide the framework of the
mature tree. Select strong permanent scaffold branches that are spaced
12-18 inches apart. Properly trained young trees will develop a strong
structure that will require less corrective pruning as they mature.
Planting Trees on Private
Property
(No Planting on the City Parkway or City Right-of-Way Please!)
Before you plant a tree, there are a few things to keep in mind. These
include:
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- Type of tree
- Space to grow
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- Speed of growth
- Native to our area
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- Overhead wires or
underground cables
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Once you have decided upon the tree you want, be sure to follow these eight
steps:
1. Dig a shallow, broad hole.
2. Identify the trunk flare.
3. Place tree at proper height.
4. Straighten tree in hole.
5. Fill hole, gently but firmly.
6. Stake tree, if necessary.
7. Mulch base of tree.
8. Follow-up with care.
Watering
Water is very important to the health of a tree. If the soil has become
dry, your tree needs water. One way to do this is using a sprinkler. Place
a lawn sprinkler under the tree and let it run slowly until 2" of
water has collected in a coffee can. Be sure you water from drip line
to drip line, so you include all the roots. This is very important for
all trees, especially those that are newly planted.
Fertilization
Fertilization of your tree is not recommended during the first year after
planting. One reason for this is that the tree is getting acclimated to
its new location and needs time to establish itself. The second reason
is that the tree would leaf out too much for the root growth to support.
After the first year, fertilizing can help your tree to develop into a
strong and healthy tree. Fertilizer also causes the roots to branch more,
increasing the size and efficiency of the root system, which makes more
water available.
Help Sources
For Parkway Trees: City of St. Charles - Public Works Department - 630-377-4459
or email: pw@stcharlesil.gov
Tree Health Concerns: University of Illinois Extension – Kane County
Unit - 630-584-6166
Morton Arboretum
– 630-719-2425
J.U.L.I.E.
1-800-892-0123 (underground cables/pipes)
Thanks to Davey
Tree Expert Co. & International Society of Arborculture for information
used on this page.
Also,
there are lots of web sites where you can find more information on caring
for your own private trees, and here are a few:
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