The weather is warming up, and the trees are coming out of dormancy! They’ve got a long growing season ahead of them when they’ll be working hard to build up and store resources to get them through next winter.
Here are some tips to help you get your trees ready for the starting gate. As always, thank you for your help this year and for caring for your tree!
Continue reading to learn tips about:
🌳 When and how to prune your tree
🌳 Continuing to prevent frost cracks in your tree
🌳 Redoing your tree’s mulch ring
🌳 When and how to water your tree
Let’s dig in! ⤵️
Spring Pruning Tips
🌳 This is your last chance to prune any branches in your oak trees! Mid-April is the cutoff to safely prune oaks because the picnic beetle that carries oak wilt spores will become more active. (Be sure you know how to identify oak trees: Not all have a classic oak leaf and may be mistaken for another species!)
🌳 Late winter/early spring is ideal for pruning most trees before they begin to leaf out. Focus on the structure and balance of the tree branches and any branches encroaching on buildings, walkways, or other plants/trees. Any trees on city property (like the ones by the street) that need pruning should be reported to 311.
Protect Your Tree
It may be warming up, but thin-barked or newly planted trees may still be susceptible to sunscald or frostbite/frost crack. Frost cracks may occur when days are consistently above 40° with nights below freezing, and swinging temperatures may cause the bark to split.
🌳 Thin-barked trees to watch: maples, tulip trees, lindens, or most smooth-barked trees. Frost crack typically occurs on the south side of a tree where the sun’s warmth is most intense.
🌳 To prevent this, cover the bark to maintain a constant temperature to prevent your tree from cracking. A white guard or wrap will help reflect sunlight away from the trunk and help stabilize temperatures.
Let’s Redo that Mulch Ring!
Spring is an excellent time to redo the mulch ring around your tree. Mulch helps regulate soil moisture and temperature so your tree’s roots stay comfortable during the hot summer.
🌳 You do not want dead wood to touch live wood. Remember to keep about a hand-width clear around the base of the trunk so that the mulch does not touch the tree. Aim for a donut 🍩👍, not a volcano 🌋👎!
🌳 What kind of much should you buy? Our team prefers dye-free cedar or pine mulch for its excellent moisture retention, but any mulch is better than no mulch!
🌳 A mulch depth of 2-4” deep is what you want to aim for.
Watering Your Tree
Trees that were planted less than 3 years ago will need regular watering this year, and more mature trees may need waterings during a drought.
💦 When should I start watering? Once leaves start to emerge on your tree.
💦 How much water should I use? About 10 gallons once a week is ideal for most young trees. Use a 5-gallon bucket to help keep track, or use a watering bag and simply fill it once a week.
💦 Try to avoid using sprinklers to water your trees. Frequent but shallow waterings encourage roots to grow above the grass, where they can be damaged by lawn mowers, trip unsuspecting feet, and buckle sidewalks. Deep waterings will encourage roots to grow deep in the soil!
In Case of a Drought…
If we have a drought this spring, that can spell trouble even for large, mature trees! If a large tree can’t find enough water, they’ll selectively kill off some of their larger roots to conserve energy, which leaves them very vulnerable during wind storms.
💦 Here’s how to help: Drill a small hole (1/16”) in the bottom of several 5-gallon buckets and place them around the ground just below the outer edges of the canopy. Fill up the buckets and the tree will be watered over a few hours.
Questions, Comments, Concerns?
If you have any questions or concerns about the health of your tree, we’re here to help! Email us with any specific questions / photos and one of our Certified Arborists will respond. Email our team at info@friendsofgrparks.org.
