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Nutrient-rich topsoil is essential for a healthy lawn.

If the topsoil in your landscape has little or no nutrients – or if it contains the wrong type of nutrients – grass and other plants may struggle to grow in it.

With that said, there are a few things you should know when using topsoil in your landscape.

If you’re thinking about applying topsoil to your landscape, consider the five following tips.

#1) Only Use in Areas Where It’s Needed

It’s unlikely that your entire landscape needs new topsoil. Rather, you should only apply it to areas where it’s needed.

Patches of brown or otherwise discolored grass often indicate low-quality topsoil. As a result, you should consider applying topsoil to areas of discoloration such as this.

#2) Aerate Before Adding

It’s a good idea to aerate your landscape before adding new topsoil.

Aeration involves scoring the ground with many small and shallow holes. You can aerate your landscape using a walk-behind or motorized aerator.

As the respective tool digs small and shallow holes, it will mix up the underlying soil. The topsoil will then mix with the existing soil to create an ideal growing environment for grass and plants.

#3) Choose the Right Type

Of course, you should choose the right type of topsoil for your landscape.

A good rule of thumb is to use topsoil with a similar formula of nutrients and minerals as that of your landscape.

If you’re struggling to find the right type of topsoil for your landscape, visit a local plant nursery and ask for a recommendation.

They should be able to point you to appropriate topsoil that works for landscapes in your region’s climate.

#4) Distribute Evenly

Don’t forget to distribute the new topsoil evenly when applying it to your landscape.

Don’t just dump a load of topsoil into the middle of your landscape and call it day. To promote a healthy landscape, you should distribute the topsoil evenly.

#5) Spread New Seed

After applying the new topsoil to your landscape, you should seed it with new grass.

The new topsoil may smother some of your landscape’s existing grass, causing it to die. Ensuring the topsoil is evenly distributed can offer some level of protection to existing grass, but it’s not a foolproof solution.

Instead, you should reseed the areas of your landscape in which you apply the new topsoil.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

The post 5 Tips on Using Topsoil in Your Landscape appeared first on Woodsman Tree Service.

Have you heard of a scarifier? While you’re probably familiar with lawnmowers and weed eaters, a scarifier is a landscaping tool that’s often overlooked by homeowners.

When properly used, though, it can help you create a cleaner and more attractive landscape.

If you’re thinking about buying or renting a scarifier for your landscape, though, you’ll need to know how to use it.

What Is a Scarifier?

Also known as a dethatcher, a scarifier is a self-propelled or walk-behind landscaping tool that’s designed to remove thatch from the underlying soil.

Over time, dead plant matter will accumulate at the top of your landscape. Known as thatch, it rests between the healthy soil and the roots of adjacent plants.

If you don’t remove thatch, it may restrict the growth of your grass and plants while promoting a browner, more discolored landscape in the process.

A scarifier is designed to remove the thatch by scooping it out of the soil. It doesn’t store the thatch. Rather, it grinds it into a pulp.

Rake Debris

Before using a scarifier, use a rake to remove any large and medium debris blanketing your landscape.

Running a scarifier over twigs and branches shouldn’t harm it. However, you’ll experience better results if you rake your landscape before using a scarifier on it.

With your landscape raked, the scarifier can remove thatch more effectively.

Mow to 2 to 3 Inches

After raking your landscape, you should mow the grass to a height of about 2 to 3 inches.

During the summer, you may want to use a taller height of 3 inches. During the fall and winter months, on the other hand, a height of 2 inches is recommended.

Mowing your lawn will reduce the workload placed on the scarifier, allowing it to dethatch your lawn with greater ease.

Adjust Your Scarifier

When you’re ready to use a scarifier, go ahead and adjust the height to the highest possible setting.

Although there are several types of scarifiers, most of them feature adjustable height.

It’s always a good idea to start on the tallest height setting and lower the height as needed.

Run Over Your Landscape

To use a scarifier, you’ll need to push it across your landscape – just like a traditional lawnmower.

Depending on the amount of thatch that’s accumulated on your landscape, you may need to make several passes with the scarifier.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to cover your entire landscape with the scarifier. Rather, you only need to use it in areas where thatch is present.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

The post How to Use a Scarifier to Improve Your Landscape appeared first on Woodsman Tree Service.

Come Springtime, people will be thinking about flowers, gardens, landscaping and trees. If you’re thinking of planting some new trees on your New Jersey property this Spring, what are some of the best trees to plant for the state’s climate and soil? Which trees thrive in New Jersey?

Hazel Alder

Have you heard of Hazel Alder? While that may sound like a lady’s name, it’s actually a multi-trunk tree complete with dense branches. It does well in wet soils and can handle partial shade to full sun. If you’re looking for a tree that grows between 10 and 20 feet tall, Hazel Alder works well in New Jersey. By the way, these types of trees are sometimes called Smooth Alder.

Tulip Trees

Who likes tulips? There’s actually a Tulip Tree, and it produces flowers that are in the shape of tulips. This type of ornamental tree provides good shade and grows fast.

Silver Bells

If you’re done singing “Silver Bells” for Christmas, consider the tree known as Silver Bell for Spring planting. With bright yellow leaves in the Fall and silvery blossoms in the Spring, the Silver Bell looks good year-round and resists disease.

Sweet Birch

Looking for a tree with shiny red-brown bark and yellow foliage? Get a Sweet Birch if you have a yard where it can do well in full sun and grow nice and tall– up to 50 feet! If the ground is a bit rocky and the soil is moist, plant a Sweet Birch and you’ll have yourself a nice shade tree in the yard.

Flowering Dogwood

Do you like seeing pretty white, pink or red flowers? One of the more colorful trees is the Flowering Dogwood. It’ll attract songbirds, too!

Black Spruce

Have you heard of the Black Spruce? It’s an evergreen that works well in New Jersey– it does well in cold climates. Growing between 30 and 50 feet tall, the Black Spruce offers foliage year-round, complete with a nice blue-green color, even though it’s called “Black Spruce.” Make sure to mulch around its base.

New Jersey’s Official State Tree

Finally, consider the Red Oak, New Jersey’s official state tree! Offering a tall, large canopy spread, Red Oak brings your yard beautiful Fall colors and invites area wildlife to it.

If you’re having tree problems in New Jersey, learn how the experts at Big Foot Tree Service can help.

This post first appeared on https://www.bigfoottreeservice.com

Are you thinking about starting a garden?

Gardening is a fun and rewarding hobby that pays off in the form of a beautiful landscape.

There are a few different ways to create a garden, however, the most common of which include ground and container gardening.

So, which of these gardening techniques should you use?

What Is Ground Gardening?

As the name suggests, ground gardening involves growing plants in the ground.

The soil is typically tilled, after which it’s mixed with fertilizer to create an ideal growing environment. Seeds are then planted into the soil, thus leading to a ground garden.

You can create either a level or raised ground garden. The former involves growing plants at the same level as the ground, whereas the latter involves growing plants at a raised level, though still technically in the ground.

Regardless, ground gardening uses the soil in the ground as the medium for plant growth.

What Is Container Gardening?

Container gardening, on the other hand, is an alternative gardening method that involves growing plants in containers such as pots.

The containers are filled with soil, as well as fertilizer, to simulate a natural environment for plants.

Plant containers are available in countless sizes and shapes. You can even build your own containers using some basic materials and tools.

The term “container gardening” simply refers to the use of pots or containers to grow plants.

Advantages of Ground Gardening

Ground gardening offers several advantages, one of which is larger plants.

A plant’s size is largely restricted by the medium in which it grows. When you grow plants in the ground, their roots can expand throughout the soil.

When you grow plants in a container, on the other hand, their roots can only expand to fill the container, resulting in smaller plants.

In addition to larger plants, ground gardening can help you achieve a more attractive landscape. There’s no substitution for the beauty of ground gardens.

Growing plants in the ground will add colors and vibrancy to your landscape, resulting in a more attractive curb appeal for your home.

Advantages of Container Gardening

There are still reasons to consider container gardening. With containers, you can easily move your plants.

If there’s a cold snap right around the corner, you can move your potted plants indoors to protect them from the cold weather. Once the cold snap has passed, you can move them back to outside your home.

Container gardening can also help you create an attractive landscape. You can find pots and containers available in nearly any color.

If you want to add a specific color to your landscape, simply choose a pot or container in that color.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

The post Ground vs Container Gardening: Which Is Best? appeared first on Woodsman Tree Service.

The right tree can turn a backyard into a serene retreat, but how do you know which trees will thrive where you plant them? Here in the Mid-South, the weather can go through every season in a week, and the rain can seem like it may never stop raining. The experts at Red’s Tree Service in Memphis can help you determine which trees will fit your space perfectly. But in the meantime, here are some trees that thrive in the unique climate of the Mid-South. 

Red Maple Trees 

Maple trees are some of the most common trees native to North America and can be found in many different varieties and sizes, depending on the part of the country. One of the most common types of Maple trees in the Mid-South is the red Maple. When you think of a maple tree there’s a good chance you’re thinking of red maple. They have distinct red leaves and the classic maple leaf shape. You may not think about the south when you think of maple syrup, but red maples of one of three trees commonly used in maple syrup production. Red Maples grow all over the eastern United States, including in Memphis. 

Tulip Poplar Trees 

Another popular tree in Memphis is the tulip poplar. In fact, it’s the state tree of Tennessee! Tulip poplars thrive in Memphis because they love moist, rich soil. This tree is an ideal shade tree, and is used for aesthetic reasons as well as occurring naturally in forests, particularly in the Appalachian Mountains. These trees are a great addition to any landscape, because they grow easily in the Mid-South climate, provide the perfect summertime shade, and they don’t attract many unpleasant bugs. They are, however, a great honey plant, so your yard can be a sweet sanctuary for honey bees. 

Fun fact: it’s the wood of choice for making pipe organs!   

Willow Oak Tree 

The willow oak tree, in particular, can either be an amazing addition to the right space or frustration in the wrong one. That’s why it’s so important to get an expert opinion from the team at Red’s Tree Service regarding the best type of tree for your needs. Willow oaks need a lot of space and a lot of water. If they don’t have the moisture and space that they need, they might steal it from the plants around them. So they may not be best for small yards. However, if you have space, you won’t find a shade tree. Willow oaks are easy to take care of because they can thrive in water-saturated soil as well as drought, which is perfect for Memphis weather patterns. 

American Elm Tree 

The American elm tree is common in most of North America and is one of the most iconic trees in cultivated landscapes. It’s featured in countless paintings by American artists and makes up over half of the trees growing in Central Park. In Memphis, they make great shade trees and street-side trees because they naturally curve away from the trunk to give a wide area of shade, or to meet over a scenic street. They like to grow along rivers and hillsides, making the topography Memphis an ideal place for American Elms to thrive. 

Box Elder 

Box elders are a type of maple tree that grows all throughout North America, including in the Mid-South. They grow quickly, so they may be a good option if you’re looking for a quick shade solution. These trees can grow in almost any mild, cool or cold region in the United States.

Plant your boxelder near a stream or river, if possible. They tolerate most soils, including sand and clay, growing happily in dry or wet soil. However, in some settings, they’re considered a nuisance because they can spread rapidly and spring up quickly. They also attached some unpleasant insects. 

Expert tree advice in Memphis 

Red’s Tree Service is a locally owned and operated tree service company serving Memphis and the Mid South. Our family-owned and operated business has been providing quality tree services for over 40 years. We have a trained and certified arborist with the knowledge to ensure our clients make the most informed decisions for their trees.

We can answer any questions you have about which trees will thrive on your property, and which ones may be best to admire from afar. Contact us today to learn how we can help you.

This post first appeared on https://redstreeservice.com

While tree removal is sometimes necessary, being stuck with the stump is not. There are several ways to get rid of it – some costly, others harmful to the surrounding soil. If you prefer to remove the stump yourself, you can use the alternative method of using Epsom Salt.

Epsom salt is an inorganic chemical containing sulfur, magnesium, and oxygen. Sulfur and magnesium can provide much-needed nutrients to the soil. At the same time, Epsom salt eliminates moisture, which is what you need to remove a stump naturally.
Once a tree is cut down, the stump will continue to live and regenerate if it gets the nutrients it needs. Most nutrients are carried through the roots by moisture. Without moisture, the stump will begin to rot and decompose. This, in turn, will make it easy to break off parts of the stump until you can pull the remainder of the stump out of the ground. When the stump has decomposed enough to dig it up, try to remove as much of the roots as possible.

There are a couple of different ways to use epsom salt to kill a tree stump.

Method 1

Drill 1-inch holes approximately 3 inches apart into the surface of the stump. Try to drill down 8 inches if possible. Next, pour dry Epsom Salt into each hole, then add just enough water to moisten the salt. You will also want to pour Epsom Salt around the base of the stump and any exposed roots. Cover with a tarp or other waterproof cover to prevent weather from washing the salt away. Check the stump periodically and remove any dead chips of wood. Reapply Epsom Salt as needed until the stump is dead.

Method 2

Mix a concentrated solution of Epsom Salt and water in a large, five-gallon container. The proper ratio is two parts water to one part Epsom Salt. Next, pour the solution on the stump, the base of the stump, and any exposed roots. It’s a good idea to pour the solution on the surrounding soil also. Cover with a tarp or other waterproof cover. This method may take longer and require treatment weekly until the stump rots.
With both methods, you may want to keep uncovering the roots with a hoe and pouring Epsom Salt in a thick layer directly on the roots to keep moisture from feeding the stump. Once the stump is dead, you will be able to pull it from the ground or dig it up, depending on the size of the stump.

All that’s needed now is to refill the hole and replant with grass or other foliage. The soil should be nutrient-rich due to the application of the Epsom salt. Looking for more Stump Removal Services contact us today.

This post first appeared on https://rhtreeservice.com

When designing your home’s landscape, you should consider adding trees.

Some homeowners assume trees should be excluded from their landscape, believing they consume valuable space while offering little or no benefits in the process.

While trees certainly require space to grow, however, it’s a small price to pay. With trees growing in your landscape, you’ll experience the five following benefits.

#1) Lower Cooling Costs During Summer

You might be surprised to learn that trees can lower your home’s cooling costs during the summer.

Depending on the placement of the trees, as well as their length and canopy size, they may lower your home’s cooling costs by as much as 20%.

They’ll cast shade on your home, reducing the amount of solar heat it absorbs.

#2) Sound Dampening

One benefit of trees that is often overlooked by homeowners is their ability to dampen sound.

If you live in or near a busy city, growing trees in your landscape may create a quieter environment for you and your family. They’ll absorb sound waves, resulting in less noise.

#3) Increased Property Value

Research shows that adding trees to a landscape increases its property value by an average of 20%.

When searching for a home, many buyers will survey the landscape. If the landscape is barren and consists entirely of grass, buyers may perceive the property as being less valuable.

If the landscape is attractive and filled with trees, on the other hand, buyers may perceive the property as being more valuable.

Regardless, growing trees in your home’s landscape can have a positive impact on its property value.

#4) Cleaner Environment

Growing trees in your landscape will also create a cleaner environment.

Trees filter water as well as the air. At the same time, trees release oxygen after converting sunlight into energy.

If you’re an environmentally conscious person, you can do your part to promote a cleaner environment by growing trees in your landscape.

#5) Promotes Outdoor Living

You’ll probably spend more time outdoors if your landscape has trees in it.

It’s difficult to enjoy your landscape when the sun is glaring down on you. With trees, you’ll have natural protection from the sun, allowing you and your family to fully enjoy your home’s landscape.

Whether they are hardwood or softwood, trees offer a variety of benefits.

Trees offer lower cooling costs during the summer, dampen noise, increased property value, a cleaner environment, and they promote outdoor living.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

The post 5 Benefits of Growing Trees in Your Landscape appeared first on Woodsman Tree Service.

Why don’t people remove trees on their own? Most people don’t want to die! Seriously, one wrong move and a tree could kill someone, including the amateur trying to cut it down. Even with good intentions, tree removal shouldn’t be attempted by amateurs. It’s truly a job best left to professionals who remove trees for a living–  they’re the ones with the right tools and knowledge to get the job done safely.

What are some common tree removal risks people have to deal with?

Damages to Power Lines

How about power lines? Working near them can be dangerous. If a tree interferes with a power line, what could happen? The person working on this project could get electrocuted. Power to the neighborhood could go “out” for an extended period of time– not good.

Improper Use of Equipment

How about the use of improper equipment? Amateurs usually have no idea what they’re doing, whereas professionals know that they need to wear protective gear from head to toe. Removing a tree typically involves several pieces of equipment, including chainsaws, ropes, cranes and wood chippers. Most homeowners don’t have all these pieces of equipment in their garage or tool shed– hence, that’s why it’s better to call a professional to remove a tree than to attempt to “do it yourself.”

Unstable Wood

How about trees that are dying or decaying? If and when a tree is decaying from the inside out, you’ve got a very unstable piece of wood you’re working with– it could collapse at any moment and hurt someone. Amateurs don’t know much about dealing with decaying or dead trees, whereas professionals do.

Finally, there’s good ol’ gravity. When a tree falls, you want gravity to place it where you want it to fall, right? But amateurs might not know how to successfully accomplish this feat. Have you heard horror stories of people attempting to cut down their own trees only to have them fall on family members, their house or power lines? Yikes!

It’s best to have trees removed by professionals. Big Foot Tree Service of Wayne, NJ, is equipped with the right tools and knowledge to get the job done– call 973-885-8000 for more info today.

This post first appeared on https://www.bigfoottreeservice.com

To say pine trees shed a lot of needles would be an understatement. Even if you only have a single pine tree growing in your landscape, it will likely drop a thick layer of needles.

Rather than trying to rake and dispose of them, however, you should consider using them as garden mulch.

As the pine needles decompose, they’ll enrich the surrounding soil with nutrients.

Cover Exposed Soil

If you’re struggling to keep your garden weed-free, try covering the exposed soil with pine needles.

As you may know, weeds typically emerge in areas with exposed soil. If there’s nothing growing in or covering a patch of soil, a weed may emerge.

You can keep weeds out of your garden by covering the exposed soil with pine needles.

Just sprinkle a thin, but complete, layer over the soil to prevent the growth of weeds. The pine needles will block out sunlight, preventing any underlying weeds from growing.

Insulate Plants

You can also use pine needles to insulate plants in your garden.

During the winter, sprinkle some pine needles around the base of your plants. Assuming you add enough, the pine needles will create an insulative barrier that protects your plants from the cold weather.

Plant Food

Pine needles make excellent plant food.

They contain essential nutrients that, when released into the soil, will stimulate the growth and health of your plants.

The pine needles will slowly degrade, at which point their nutrients will be released into the soil.

To use pine needles as plant food, simply sprinkle a small amount around your garden.

Mix in Compost

Another way to use pine needles as garden mulch is to mix them in compost.

Compost, of course, is organic fertilizer consisting of decomposed ingredients. The ingredients used in compost are often referred to as either “browns” or “greens.”

Brown ingredients, such as pine straw, have higher levels of carbon, whereas green ingredients, such as grass clipping and vegetable scraps, have higher levels of nitrogen and protein.

You’ll still need to add green ingredients to create nutrient-rich compost. An easy and readily available brown ingredient, though, is pine straw.

Although they are evergreen trees, pine trees still shed needles.

Depending on the species, a pine tree may hold its needles for two or three years. Eventually, though, all pine trees will shed their needles.

While you can always rake the fallen needles, another idea is to use them as garden mulch.

Pine needles can be used to protect against weeds, insulate plants, fertilize the soil and even create compost.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

The post How to Use Pine Needles as Garden Mulch appeared first on Woodsman Tree Service.

Your young trees can suffer injuries and die during winter without proper protection. With some simple protective measures, you can ensure your trees come into their growing season healthy and thriving.

toddsmariettatreeservices.com gathered information about winter tree injury, its causes, and methods you can use to treat and prevent it.

Winter Tree Injury And Protection

Winter tree injury is the damage done to trees, shrubs, and plants (evergreen and deciduous alike) during the winter months. The more severe a winter season is, the more substantial the damage can be to your trees, shrubs, and plants. The following are some of the injuries that can occur and how they can be avoided or treated:

Dried Out Evergreen Foliage – Sun, wind, and cold temperatures can cause the bleaching and drying out of evergreen foliage. The following steps can lessen the effects:

• Make sure all of your evergreen trees and shrubs are frequently watered (two times per week – one being a deep watering), right up to the time the ground begins to freeze.
• Lay a three-inch-thick layer of organic mulch over the root plate of your trees and shrubs.
• Wrap your younger trees and shrubs with burlap. Especially those exposed to southwest sun or are unsheltered from the wind.

The Weight of Snow and Ice – Even for the hardiest of trees, when storm systems drop days of sleet and snow with temperatures rising above and falling below freezing, the results can be catastrophic. Under these conditions, snow and ice accumulate on evergreen foliage and deciduous tree limbs and branches.

The weight can break branches, damage foliage, and topple a tree. This problem is tricky to handle because it is NEVER recommended to “knock off” built-up ice or snow on a tree. You could cause a severe weight imbalance, destabilizing the tree, or cause a frozen limb to snap off and come crashing down on you.

One way to combat this issue is to promote the health of your trees by:

• Practicing aggressive pruning techniques in the fall to reduce surface space
• Watering your trees frequently throughout the year and increase the frequency during times of drought
• Mulching the root plate of your trees year-round
• Having your trees inspected annually for signs of disease and insect infestation.
• Promptly treating or removing diseased or infested trees and vegetation.

When you reduce or eliminate factors that could stress your trees, you give them a better chance to survive the winter months.

Tip: Rather than risking your life to try deicing a tree, call a professional tree care service to evaluate the situation, and recommend a safe course of action.

Southwest Injury or Sunscald – Similar to how evergreen foliage is damaged in the wintertime, southwest injury occurs on young unprotected trees in the following way:

• Temperatures fall below freezing at night and freeze the outer layers of a tree’s trunk
• The trunk remains frozen or near-frozen until sunlight coming from the southwest hits it
• This light warms and thaws the exposed part of the tree trunk
• The sun sets
• The temperature falls below freezing again and refreezes the trunk

This freeze-thaw-freeze cycle ends up severely damaging the bark and inner tissues (xylem and phloem) of the tree. This damage appears as large sections of discolored, sunken, or cracked bark in the spring as the tree awakens and begins its growing season. Tree species that are highly susceptible to sunscald include:

• Birch
• Beech
• Maples
• Hickory
• Crape Myrtles
• Elms

Most trees in their youth are highly susceptible to sunscald, as they have yet to grow sufficient cork cells in their bark. Considered dead, cork cells contribute significantly to the protective qualities of a tree’s bark.

You can prevent sunscald by wrapping, painting, or covering your tree trunks in late fall or early winter. Young trees should be wrapped for the first three to four winter seasons after being planted or until they have surpassed four inches diameter at breast height.

You can find more information about southwest injury and splitting bark by reading toddsmariettatreeservices.com/tree-bark-splitting-can-i-fix-it/

Soil Heaving – Soil heaving is a severe threat to all trees, shrubs, and plants growing in your yard or landscape. More common in frigid climates, soil heaving occurs when:

• Soil freezes overnight and compresses
• Soil thaws during the day, decompressing and leaving openings in the ground
• Soil freezes and thaws over and over again, allowing more freezing air into the soil each time.

During these freezing and thawing cycles, there are two highly damaging effects taking place:

1. Freezing air is being allowed to penetrate the soil, freezing and/or killing roots
2. The expansion and contraction of the soil dislodges and “pushes up” roots.

Soil heaving can be prevented by applying a three-inch layer of organic mulch over the root plate of your trees and shrubs. The mulch will help regulate the soil temperature and moisture level.

You can find more information about mulching techniques by reading toddsmariettatreeservices.com/proper-mulching-techniques-around-trees/

Winter Drought – Winter drought occurs when little to no precipitation falls throughout the winter season. Simultaneously, soil desiccation occurs from intense sunlight, cold temperatures, and wind.

Through winter, tree roots are already working much more slowly than in other seasons. When you factor in the absence of moisture, you are left with a recipe that can kill or significantly damage the healthiest of trees.

You can fight winter drought by watering your trees and shrubs frequently throughout fall and mulching them with a three-inch layer of fresh organic mulch before winter sets in.

Tip: As long as the ground has not frozen, you can water your trees in winter.

Animal Damage – During the winter months, food becomes scarce for wildlife. Thus, some animals will resort to gnawing at the tender bark of young tree trunks, the lower limbs of trees, and in the case of deer, use their antlers to attack the trunk.

To prevent animal damage or attacks, you can erect a protective barrier around the tree, or use repellant sprays, applied to the bark, that irritate their sense of smell.

Learn more about preventing tree threats by reading toddsmariettatreeservices.com/3-tree-threat-prevention-tips/

Note: If you have volcano mulched your tree, squirrels, and other rodents may use the base of the tree as a nest, gnaw at the root flare, and potentially girdle your tree.

Winter Injury to Evergreen and Deciduous Trees

In this article, you discovered what winter tree injury is, the many ways in which it can occur, and how you can take steps to treat and prevent it.

By taking proactive measures to prevent winter injury, you are providing your trees with a better opportunity to grow and thrive during their growing seasons.

Leaving your trees exposed to the elements, you run a real risk of them developing conditions that attract disease and insect infestations that may lead to their decline and eventual death.

Sources:
extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/protecting-trees-and-shrubs-winter
americanforests.org/magazine/article/the-language-of-bark/
tcia.org/TCIA/Blog_Items/2016/Common_Winter_Tree_Care_Issues.aspx
blogs.oregonstate.edu/treetopics/2019/01/04/drought-in-winter-what-and-ways-to-adapt-to-drier-times/
purduelandscapereport.org/article/preparations-to-prevent-southwest-injury/

The post How To Protect Your Trees in Winter appeared first on http://www.toddsmariettatreeservices.com.