Tree pruning advices? If your area constantly deals with drought you will want to consider trees listed as drought-tolerant. Some drought-tolerant species include Arizona Cypress, Japanese Zelkova, White Fir, and Kentucky Coffeetree. On the opposite side of the spectrum if your area deals with a large amount of moisture or wet conditions, here are a few trees that will do better in wet conditions: Baldcypress, Shellbark Hickory, Red Maple, Silver Maple, Paper Birch, River Birch, and Weeping Willow.

Do you want to keep your trees healthy? First we will write some advices on tree care and after that we will introduce Tree Artisans, a tree services company in Colorado Springs. To direct the growth by slowing the branches you don’t want, or to “dwarf” the development of a tree or branch, pruning should be done soon after seasonal growth is complete. Another reason to prune in the summer is for corrective purposes. Defective limbs can be seen more easily. For trees that bloom in spring, prune when their flowers fade. Trees and shrubs that flower in mid- to late summer should be pruned in winter or early spring. Because decay fungi spread their spores profusely in the fall and wounds seem to heal more slowly on fall on cuts, this is a good time to leave your pruning tools in storage.

Mulching is the most beneficial thing a home owner can do for the health of a young tree. Mulches are materials placed on the soil surface to improve soil structure, oxygen levels, temperature and moisture availability. Properly applied, mulch can give landscapes a handsome, well-groomed appearance. Ideally, growing trees should be fertilized throughout the year. The greatest amounts should be applied during the early spring and summer months. Several light applications a year are preferred as the tree gets older. Even though leaving your trees alone can be the best way to protect them, it’s also a good idea to observe them regularly so you’ll know when they change. A diseased tree is best diagnosed early. Changes you should monitor range from rapid discoloration to stunted growth. Knowing what your tree looked like when it was healthy can also be helpful when calling an arborist – a specialist in caring for trees, shrubs and other woody plants – to consider solutions. Getting yourself a guide to trees and their diseases will be key in considering a diagnosis for a tree on your property that’s changed noticeably. According to Mark Chisholm, a third-generation, certified arborist in New Jersey, “There are some great online tools that can help you learn how to identify the trees on your property, including the Arbor Day Foundation’s “What Tree Is That?” guide.

Compacted soil: When you plant a tree in your backyard, the roots need room to spread out. This can be difficult when planting in compacted soil and heavy clay. Poor quality, compacted soil is an especially common problem if your home has been recently built, as many contractors use construction fill – soil scraped from other sites which may include debris – to shape the landscape. If the tree’s roots have no room to grow and face constant soil pressure, the result may be crushed roots, poor water and nutrient uptake, and stunted growth. You can counter this threat by using best practice planting methods along with vertical mulching or mixing in organic matter into the compacted soil. The Morton Arboretum has an excellent video primer on planting trees. See even more details at Tree stump services in Colorado Springs.

Looking for the best picks if you want to cut down the tree maintenance costs? Start with picking the right trees for Colorado! The smallest tree on the list is a Japanese Tree Lilac. These are true lilacs, but their globe shape is much taller than the flowering shrubs we all know and love. They grow to be 15 to 20 feet tall and wide, and are remarkably trouble-free. Tree lilacs put on a beautiful display of creamy white flowers in late June. Their fragrance is intoxicating! Plant them near a deck or patio and breathe it in! Once the flowers fade, the dense foliage continues to add a welcoming pool of shade through the summer. Japanese Tree Lilacs are drought-tolerant once they’re “established.” In other words, give them two or three seasons of normal watering, and then enjoy these trouble-free plants as their water-wise habits kick in!

Most deciduous species of trees are at risk if stressed by insect defoliation, weather, poor soil conditions, or other factors. One of the best things you can do is simply to keep your trees healthy with regular maintenance including proper irrigation and mulch, fertilization, and removal of dead wood. Healthy trees are better able to withstand an infestation. Once the damage is obvious, it’s probably too late to treat effectively for optimal protection. Be sure to inspect your trees for any signs of infestation in early spring. For more information call Tree Artisans at 719-822-6733.