Tree pruning help in Colorado Springs: Do you want to keep your trees healthy? First we will suggest some advices on tree care and after that we will introduce Tree Artisans, a tree services company in Colorado Springs. Proper tree care begins with selecting the right tree and planting it in the right place. Make sure your tree will thrive – especially once fully grown – where you want to plant it. Things to consider include: The tree’s purpose. Are you planting it for aesthetics, privacy, shade/energy reduction, windbreak, or as a street tree? Your end goal will determine the suitability of different trees. Planting site limitations. What is your hardiness zone? What is the maximum height and spread for a tree in the space? What are the sun exposure and soil conditions? This information is available for more than 200 trees and woody shrubs in our Tree Guide.
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.
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.
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. Trees don’t need humans to grow. Most trees thrive where they are planted, but humans sometimes inadvertently damage the trees they’re hoping to showcase. Just parking a car underneath a tree regularly can damage the tree by tamping down the ground too hard, making it difficult for the roots to grow and shift in the soil. Many times, homeowners want to build a structure near or around a beautiful tree to have the tree enhance the final construction project. Don’t do it! When construction is too close to trees it can damage their roots and growth space. Roots need two to three times the length of branches to grow enough to support a tree. Be sure to discuss what your trees need with a contractor, and mark off places where you don’t want construction vehicles to drive or park. Find more info on Colorado Springs professionals in tree services.
Mulch keeps trees healthy by eliminating the competition between tree roots and turf as well as conserving soil moisture and moderating soil temperature. Ideally, mulch should be applied beneath the entire tree canopy, but smaller mulched areas are acceptable. Mulch depth shouldn’t exceed 4″; 2″ is acceptable for shallow-rooted shrubs and perennials. Shrubs and perennials can be planted within the mulch areas, but solid masses of groundcover should be avoided for optimum tree growth. Too much mulch can lead to insect and disease infestations and other problems.
Searching for the best options if you need to cut down the tree maintenance costs? Start with picking the right trees for Colorado! Nancy is a big fan of American Hornbeams, in part because of the striking patterns on their bark. The beautifully textured bark is sinewy, like well-developed muscles on an athlete. No surprise that the tree is also known as a “Musclewood!” Another remarkable feature of this Hornbeam is the pagoda-shaped fruit it produces in the fall. Fall leaf color is a mottled yellow and red. The fruit and the bark give this tree an especially elegant appearance in a winter landscape. American Hornbeams grow 25 to 30 feet tall and wide. They have a moderate growth rate. This Hornbeam should be watered normally for the first three years. They are somewhat drought tolerant once established.