19 Feb Prepare Your Trees This Spring

There is a lot of great preparation before springtime comes around, so look at some of these helpful tips to get you ready.

We recommend the following to prepare your trees for a good start this spring.

1. Rinse out salt from the soil.
   • If you have trees near sidewalks or other surfaces where de-icing salts have been used over the winter, irrigate them well after the ground has fully thawed. This will help to rinse the salt from the soil, which can damage roots and harm the health of your trees.
   • Check with your Consulting Arborist for further advice on irrigation; the water needs of trees vary greatly from one location to another.
2. Check for broken, hanging limbs or other defects that can be resolved with pruning.
   • Proper removal of damaged branches can help avoid them falling on their own and causing further tree injury through tearing of bark.
   • Trees that are not susceptible to diseases spread by insects, can still be pruned outside the dormant season.
3. Renew mulch around trees.
   • As the snow melts from your yard, you may find that you need to refresh the layer of mulch around your trees.
   • The ideal depth for mulch is 3-4 inches.
   • In addition to helping your tree stay healthy, renewing mulch helps the landscape look tidier and ready for summer.
4. Collect and dispose of leaves.
   • In most cases, it is best to allow fallen leaves to stay in the yard to replenish organic matter that trees naturally rely on for nutrients. However, if your trees have a history of fungal disease from apple scab or anthracnose, it can be helpful to rake and dispose of fallen leaves near these trees.
     • Since the disease fungus survives the winter on fallen, infected leaves, cleaning them up can reduce the amount of fungal spores in the vicinity of your trees.
5. Protect your trees from fungal diseases.
   • Proper timing is of the utmost importance in applying control measures for disease and insect conditions. It helps us deliver our services most effectively to know well ahead of time if your trees need our help.
     • If you have a spring tree care proposal, let us know before mid-April if you want to treat your trees.

Thank you for taking care of your trees! (Rainbow Tree Care)