Once you’ve picked out the perfect trees to plant on your property, it’s time to brush up on your tree care knowledge and set a schedule for watering, pruning, and fertilizing.
Like any other living thing, new trees require extra care to adjust to their new environment. These new tree care tips from tree service professionals in Little Rock, AR can help you ensure your new additions to the garden become stable and grow healthy and strong.
New Tree Care Tips: Watering, Mulching, Pruning, and Fertilizing
Taking care of your tree in the first years will impact its shape, strength, and health for its entire life. Here’s how to give your new trees a healthy start.
Care Tips for Watering Young Trees
New trees are under a lot of stress due to their new environment. Establishing a proper watering routine will help bring oxygen and moisture to trees’ roots.
For the first two weeks after planting, you should water each tree deeply every day using 2 to 3 gallons of water. After that, you can water the tree once a week.
Be sure to consider rainfall before watering. For example, Little Rock has a humid climate, with 50 inches of precipitation per year – more than the national average.
When it rains often, you should water once every two weeks. During dry periods, you should water more frequently.
Mulching New Trees
Mulching is necessary to balance soil temperature, retain moisture, and prevent weeds. For new trees, avoid piling on too little or too much mulch.
Ideally, you should apply 2 to 4 inches of organic mulch around the drip zone. Some of the best choices for mulch include wood chips, leaf litter, shredded bark, and pine straw.
Don’t forget to rake the mulch to ensure proper air circulation. For new trees, keep mulch 1 to 2 inches away from the trunk.
Pruning New Trees
Trimming is essential for removing dying branches, but for new trees, it’s best to hold off on pruning for at least one year. New trees need all the energy they can get to develop a strong root system and structure.
Pruning new trees in the middle of their growth can impact their development. Once the tree is fully recovered from being transplanted, you can start pruning. The best time to trim trees is during the winter, from November through March.
Fertilizing New Trees
New tree care tips aren’t complete without talking about fertilizing. While it is often unnecessary to fertilize young trees, if you notice your tree is growing poorly for two to three years, fertilization might help.
Poorly growing trees usually manifest with yellowish leaves and sparse foliage and twig growth. For new trees, organic mulch acts as an excellent slow-release fertilizer. If that doesn’t help, you can apply mycorrhizal fungi.
A consultation with a professional arborist and a soil test can help you determine the best solution regarding fertilization for new trees.
Get Help from Tree Health Care Experts
Urban Jacks Tree Service is the leading tree service company in Little Rock, AR. We always strive to create a superb customer experience for our commercial and residential clients, whether you need help with tree trimming and pruning, stump grinding, or getting a Little Rock, AR tree removal permit. Our tree health care experts have years of experience, industry knowledge, and the latest equipment to provide the best treatment possible for your old or new trees.
Contact Urban Jacks Tree Service today at (501) 547-4018 to discuss new tree care tips or schedule tree services in Little Rock, AR.
