Summer Tree Care

Australian summers can be quite harsh on any given day let alone when a heatwave kicks in. While we can avoid the severe heat and take refuge in the comfort of our homes, don’t forget out trees and gardens can benefit from some attention to reduce potential problems and even promote healthy vegetation.

Here are some useful actions that you can take to help your trees and gardens stay healthy.

Check for Unwanted Pests

Regularly checking for unwanted pests throughout the year is always important. Changes in seasons may see different types of pests become active. Now is also a good time to see whether there has been any damage done by pests over winter and spring and would be a good time to consider if any action is required before summer really kicks in.

Tree Pruning

We get lots of tree pruning jobs this time of year. For many of our regular clients, it’s common to wait until the end of spring or early summer after winter growth and it’s high time to make sure trees are at their best for both health and aesthetics since many entertain guests at home around the holiday season. From a health point of view, now is the time to prune back dead branches and identify potential hazards. There’s nothing worse than falling branches injuring people or damaging personal property. 

Tree Lopping & Tree Removal

In some cases where trees are not in good shape, pruning can help to rehabilitate and with some care can be revived with many years of enjoyment to come. On the other hand, if the tree is too far gone or could potentially be a hazard, then it is important to perform some risk assessment and it may be the case that it may need to be properly lopped or removed. 
Important Note: Tree Lopping is not simply hacking off tree branches and can cause more damage than good. Not only could it cause irreversable damage to your tree, there are other long term effects which can result should it survive. 

Mulching

It’s never too late to mulch but the sooner you organise your mulching the better. Mulching helps to retain moisture in the soil while keeping temperatures more consistent which helps the tree to battle against the intense heat during summer.

Pro tip: Don’t forget when mulching not to mulch right up against the tree. Doing this can encourage pests which can create a different set of problems.

Fertilising & Nutrition

Trees are living creates too and while they do not feed like we do, they still need nutrients. While trees can usually survive without too much attention, providing the right amount of nutrition will help to promote healthy growth. If you are not sure about how to fertilise or what options there are, consult your local tree professional or you can even get some advice from the nursery or hardware store who also sell fertilisers.

Irrigation

Most homes have sprinkler systems and we are generally accustomed to watering our gardens but if you’re going away for a period of time, don’t forget to give your trees a good watering before you go, have someone drop by to give the plants a watering or you can even pick up basic or more advanced electronic irrigation systems from your local hardware store or nursery. Just like we would have our pets stay at a pet home or have a sitter, while trees are quite resilient, they can also use a bit of TLC.

Ask a Professional

We mentioned earlier if you’re not sure to consult with your local tree professional. If you are buying products like fertilisers, the vendors should have good knowledge if you can describe your trees and the purpose of your purchase.

Do not jeopardise your health and safety. As experienced tree removal and tree lopping professionals, we take safety very seriously. Being able to hire a piece of machinery or equipment doesn’t mean it’s easy to use. Unless you are adequately trained or experienced, if you are not sure, then it may be best consult and use a tree professional. Not being skilled to perform the job could lead to personal injury to yourself or someone nearby and even property damage which might not be insured.

A little bit of tree care throughout the year will make a big difference not only for your trees health but to help your home look good which is great for you if you love your garden and for times when entertaining guests.

For all your tree maintenance needs, contact us at Williams Tree Pro.

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