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Caring for Your Trees
Trees are a wonderful addition to any home’s landscape. Providing shade, fruit, a place to hang a tire swing, and a touch of beauty, a good tree holds a special place in your home. As such, it’s likely that your family would want to do all they can to protect the trees on your land.
While trees stand tall and are a symbol of strength, there are certain obstacles that can threaten the life, health, and overall well-being of your trees. Read on to learn what these threats are, what they can do to your tree, and how you can prevent disease and damage in your yard.
Insects
The critters and crawlers of nature have direct access to every part of your tree. Burrowing insects are among some of the most threatening as they bore into the tree to make nests and lay eggs. This keeps the tree from being able to absorb the necessary water and nutrients to survive.
Burrowing insects include:
- Asian Longhorn Beetles
- Elm Bark Beetle
- Dogwood Borer
- Emerald Ash Borer
- Bronze Birch Borer
Insects like gypsy moths, tent caterpillars, and cherry fruit worms destroy your tree by eating away at leaves, flowers, and trees.
It’s important to keep an eye out for signs of infestation and take care of them as soon as possible with the help of your arborist and pest control specialist.
Lack of Nutrients
Insects are not the only cause for a lack of nutrients getting to your tree. If the soil beneath your tree is not adequate, the tree will suffer. Signs of a lack of nutrients include discolored leaves and stunted growth. Getting a soil test will determine the exact nutrients lacking in your yard so you can purchase the correct fertilizing soil and get your tree healthy once again.
Diseases
Like us, trees can get sick and require healthcare to avoid slowly decaying. Trees are more susceptible to getting these diseases when they grow in less than ideal environments. Proper nutrients, sunlight, pruning, and air circulation are all essential components of a healthy growing environment for strong trees.
A lack of these elements makes them vulnerable and less protected from fungus, bacteria, and rot.
Dutch Elm
Dutch Elm Disease is a common tree sickness caused by a type of fungi that is spread by elm bark beetles. Signs of a tree infected with Dutch Elm Disease include brown and yellowing leaves, fallen leaves during the summer months, and wilting branches. If not properly treated, the disease can spread through root systems and infect other trees in your yard.
Canker Diseases
A canker disease can be caused by fungal or bacterial growth and cause detrimental damage to the structure of your trees. If you notice decaying and wilting branches be sure to prune them so as to slow the spread to the rest of the tree.
Working with a trained arborist is the best way to protect and heal your tree from these harmful diseases. Hiring Abundant Tree Care Services for your tree disease care will ensure correct diagnosis and treatment from a highly experienced and trained team who is sure to get your trees back into healthy shape again.
External Damage
Intentional or not, there are other activities or external sources that threaten your trees. Be sure to take care not to harm your tree when mowing the lawn as this can damage the bark. Additionally, rabbits and other small rodents are known to chew on bark. Finally, uncontrollable by man, your trees could potentially be harmed during a severe storm.
While you can only control some of these afflictions, it’s essential that you are constantly keeping an eye on the trees in your yard to stay on top of preventative care, disease treatment, and fertilization.
Arborists in Marion
If your trees are looking sick, damaged, or are in need of routine care, give Abundant Tree Care Services a call at (618) 202-4209 for expert care!