Spring is in the air. The sun is beaming down on us, the days are longer and the nights shorter, we get to enjoy much brighter and warmer weather, and we can finally get to work on our gardens and landscapes.
With winter now in the rear view mirror, it is time to get back outdoors and make sure our gardens are well prepared for spring and the upcoming summer. Anyone with trees and shrubs in the outdoor areas of their home will want to take the time to ensure that they are taking all the right measures to ensure they are looking good and healthy!
Here’s an easy check list to work through this spring to ensure your trees and shrubs are well prepared!
Begin With an Inspection
This is one of the easiest tasks to complete and is the perfect way to start of your check list. It gives an idea of what type of maintenance and care might be required for your trees, as you get the opportunity to look and inspect their condition before taking any further action.
Depending on where you live, the winter weather can provide a lot of risks towards the health of your trees and shrubs. Frost, snow, excessive rain, and strong winds can wreak havoc, so you will want to look out for signs of damage from the winter, as well as any signs of aging or pests that may developed over the past few months.
Not sure what to look out for or whether or not there may be a problem? Why not get a local arborist in for a professional inspection?
Perform any Necessary Pruning
If you have notice any sort of damaged branches or such, be sure to take action in the shape of pruning. Healthy and living branches shouldn’t be pruned during spring as this is best served in the winter due the tree being dormant, however any areas that have sustained damaged or have aged can be cut away.
It can be quite easy to determine the living sections of any tree or shrub during spring, as there will be little to no signs of leaves developing. Removing old growth will help to stimulate new growth to help ensure your trees and shrubs remain in quality shape throughout the year.
Get Your Mulch On
Good quality mulch is very beneficial for the overall care and health of your trees by mimicking the type of nutrients gained out in the wild from foliage and other organic substances. Mulch may need to be reapplied in spring for many trees, and those that don’t have any should always look to add it for the various benefits gained.
Helping to suppress weeds, retain moisture, regulate the soil temperature and ensure that your trees receive adequate water and nutrition from the soil, there are plenty of good reasons to get your mulch on this spring.
There are various places to source organic mulch, and the amount required varies depending on the size of the mulch ring – but the more space for mulch the better!
Finish with Fertilizer
The final item to check of your list is fertilizing!
Winter has been rough on your trees, shrubs and most other plants outside! You will want to give them a nice additional boost of nutrition as we head into the prime growing season for your trees and shrubs.
Slow-realizing fertilizers are great for providing your trees with ample nutrition to help them flourish during growing season, and they can also help to combat various damage risks that could occur as a result of disease, bugs and pests, and any adverse weather conditions.
