Hello World! Welcome Friends! The World Record for trees planted in one day was recently set in Ethiopia at 350 million. Tree saplings are fairly resilient, compared to regular plant seeds. They do need a strong head-start before you can start taking a more passive approach to caring for them.
The first few years after planting a tree are crucial for developing a strong and healthy root system. If you already have a green thumb, you’ll know that taking care of a young tree is similar to caring for a garden.
Caring for a tree and watching it grow can be a rewarding experience. It’s important to take care of your tree during its first few years so it establishes strong roots and grows to be green and healthy.
1. Watering Regularly
Trees may grow slow compared to most other plants, but they do a lot of growing as a sapling. This growth, like any other young life, needs a lot of resources to sustain it. For young trees, this means lots of water and nutrients.
Upon first planting your sapling, you should saturate the soil around it. This will allow it to properly settle into the ground. The soil around the sapling should stay moist, but not wet.
This means about a can of water every day if you live in a dry and hot climate. You can tell if your sapling needs watering by digging two inches below the surface and checking if it’s moist. Keep in mind, most lawn irrigation isn’t going to provide enough water for a young tree.
The soil needs deep saturation to encourage deep root growth.
2. Mulch After Planting
Along with regular watering, your sapling is going to need proper mulching to protect its delicate root system from fluctuating temperatures. Extreme heat and bitter winters will stunt a young tree’s growth. Mulching the perimeter of where you plant your tree will give you a visual indicator for landscaping, too.
3. Mow in a 5-10 Foot Radius
Using your mulching layer as a guideline, you’ll want to extend the protection of your sapling by mowing any tall grass. During the first few years of your tree’s growth, it will be susceptible to various pests and growth competing for resources.
The only exception to this rule is fungus growth. Fungus strengthens trees’ root systems and provides a link of communication. As long as you keep weeds and grass maintained in the vicinity, you’ll keep your tree from being smothered.
4. Prune All Dead Branches
As your young tree starts to gain some girth and reach, it will go through an ebb and flow of new branches. This natural expansion and shedding of branches can open up a young tree to disease or pests. The more proactive you are with pruning in the first few years, the fewer resources will get diverted from the tree’s roots.
5. Don’t Leave Stubs
When you start pruning, you’ll find yourself doing it often in the first two to three years. After that, you’ll want to focus on pruning every winter to avoid excessive cutting. Eventually, your young tree will fill out and start defining its shape.
Pruning then transitions into an aesthetic and safety maintenance activity. Pay attention to how you’re making your cuts, too. You should not cut too close to the trunk of the tree. Ideally, you should cut along the branch collar, the raised section of the branch coming out of the trunk.
6. Prune any Sprouts
Sprouts are the weeds of young trees. These thin shoots will pop out from the base of the tree and hijack the roots’ nutrients. They’re often referred to as ‘tree suckers’ for this reason.
You should use a sharp pair of sheers to take care of them as soon as they appear. If you let sprouts persist long enough, they’ll widen and grow too hard for standard clipping. Sometimes these sprouts are an indication of a tree that is under stress.
If you have a boring insect invading your tree’s root system, then it might start shooting up suckers. This is a natural response, but not an effective one for its long-term survival. If you notice an overwhelming number of suckers, it’s probably best to get an arborist’s opinion on the matter.
7. Protect Young Trees From Harm
As we said, young trees need a lot of care and attention in their first few years. Ben from GoTreeQuotes says you need to pay attention to how much landscaping you’re doing around your tree. If you’re a little too overzealous with your weed whacker, you could easily nick your young tree and permanently damage it.
The same goes for lawn care pesticides and herbicides. These chemicals can leach deep into the soil and reach the far-stretching roots of your tree. While they might not absorb a lethal dose, trees can experience stunted growth and weakened immune systems.
Nearby adult trees can also become a liability if they are dead or rotting. Disease and infestations can spread if not recognized early on. Seek out large tree removal services if you have trees on your property that are struggling.
The Fruits of Growing Trees
Planting a young tree with the intention of nurturing it through adulthood is commendable. Trees take a long time to grow before they start producing fruit or valuable canopy shade. It takes hard work and dedication to support a healthy tree. If your tree has become unhealthy, seek out tree stump removal specialists to aid in removing a diseased tree.
Taking care of trees is important for the preservation of our environment. It is estimated that your average adult tree contributes $7 a year in environmental gains. Trees convert 260 pounds of CO2 per capita each year.
They are the lungs of the Earth and one of the most rewarding plants you can grow. Make a difference by playing your part at home, one tree at a time.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
Questions to Ask before Hiring a Fence Company
Expanding a Home Based Business
How to Pack Efficiently when You’re Moving House
The World’s Greatest Wine Countries
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Toodles,
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