landscaped yard in the new year

New Year, New Yard: 5 Yard and Tree New Year’s Resolutions You Should Make

The New Year is a time for fresh beginnings. This go round, don’t just confine your goals to that disregarded gym membership or finally, finally giving up the Cheetos habit (we’re not there either). Show your tree some love as well. Without further ado, here are five arboreal aspirations to put on your list.

1. Prune with Precision

Pruning is crucial for trees, especially young ones. If you don’t take the time to trim your trees, they may grow beyond their capacity to support their own limbs, making breakage more likely. Pruning helps to ensure that branches are strongly attached to the tree, with narrow crotches rather than right angles. Plus, it makes trees look more pleasing to have elegantly spaced limbs and twigs.

2. Deal with Damage

If your tree does summer damage from a storm – which can happen year-round, not just in winter – make sure you deal with it immediately. Leaving trees cracked or wounded invites infection and can make it more likely that they will drop branches. This poses a danger to people and property as well as the trees themselves.

3. Make Mulch Happen

Mulching keeps trees warm in winter and traps moisture during dry periods. Cover the ground around the tree to a depth of 2-4 inches with leaf mulch or bark chips, leaving a 6-inch ring around the trunk clear.

4. Water Well

Watering your tree is important in the summertime, as well as in hot spring and fall weather. During the dormant period, avoid it. But during times of growth when you’re not getting enough rainfall, make sure you give long, well-spaced drinks, waiting until soil is dry then saturating to a depth of 12 inches within the drip line (the area covered by branches above).

5. Support with Space

Avoid planting smaller trees or shrubs within the drip line of a tree, which can compete with its water sources. Instead, dedicate that space to grass, wildflowers, or steppable plants such as mosses, wood violets, or low-growing herbs.

Premier Tree Solutions is a growing tree removal business in Atlanta, Georgia. We specialize in a wide range of tree care services, including tree removal, pruning and trimming, storm damage and clean up, stump and branch grinding, clearing and debris removal. If you want help keeping those tree resolutions, make sure you let us know right away at 404-252-6448.