Trees are one of the most important visual elements in a yard. They are often a large financial investment that can take years to mature. Homeowners can become very attached to them. It’s the place where their children had a tree house or rope swing. They also provide a cool and shady place to relax during the hot summer months. Losing a tree to pests or bad weather can be emotionally difficult. An arborist in St. Paul MN can design a maintenance plan to ensure the tree has a long and healthy life.
The best time to hire an arborist is before the tree is purchased. The arborist will make sure that the tree is the right size for the yard. It’s best to place tall trees far away from structures and property lines. This reduces the amount of pruning that will have to be done. If the homeowner doesn’t have room for tall trees, the arborist can recommend dwarf varieties. Trees can usually stand on their own from the minute they are planted. However, some young trees are not strong enough to withstand the gentlest of breezes. The arborist in St Paul MN will recommend staking and guying the tree until it is able to develop a deep root system. Usually this takes from one to three years.
While many trees look strong enough to withstand almost anything, they do need to have their tree trunk protected. Hungry animals and machines can both damage them. To prevent animal damage, wire screens or hardware cloth can be wrapped around the tree. These protectors must remain at least 3 inches from the trunk. As the tree grows these materials will have to be replaced. If they are left too long, then the trunk will be restricted and the tree could die. To prevent mechanical damage a mulch ring should be placed around the perimeter of the base of a tree. There should be about two to three feet between the mulch ring and the tree. It does not have to be more than three inches high to protect the tree from lawn mowers. A healthy tree trunk and root system will keep the tree healthy and help it to resist pests and diseases.
