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Choosing a professional landscape maintenance company is not only important for the health and appearance of your turf and plants on the ground but it is critical to the heath of your trees which provide you with a beautiful canopy up above.
Many trees within our urban landscapes have been damaged from mechanical injury by the very landscapers that should be protecting them. It is a very common and widespread problem, however, with a little education and a few conscientious steps in the right direction; it is a very easy problem to correct.
The bark of tree trunks is the part of trees most often subject to mechanical damage, especially in spring and early summer when the cambium is most active. However, maintenance equipment can debark a tree any season of the year. Trees in lawn areas are often damaged by lawn mowers. Such damage can severely weaken young trees. Many landscapers do not even notice they are damaging the tree because the grass returns upright after being cut and hides the damage to the bark.
The primary effect of mechanical injury is reduced uptake of water, minerals and sugars because of loss of bark and sapwood. The long-term effects can be quite reaching. This injury weakens the tree and makes it susceptible to decay, disease and insect infestation. This may facilitate the need to treat the tree or possibly remove it all together. The cost of this error can be quite a bit when you consider treatment options, removal fees and replanting a new tree. Why not hire a landscape professional who knows how to take care of your trees and reap the long-term benefits.
STEP1: Identify the Cause
The common causes of mechanical injury are landscape maintenance equipment (lawnmowers and weed trimmers), staking damage, vehicles and vandalism.
STEP2: Evaluate Your Trees
Examine the base of your tree. Are there visible marks, scars, and reactionary wood? If so, at some point in time this tree has sustained mechanical injury.
STEP3: Evaluate the Area Around Your Tree
Examine the area closest to the base of your tree. Is there grass, ground cover, weeds or any other plant material that would need to be trimmed by a lawn mower or weed trimmer? If so, your trees are currently sustaining mechanical injury each week as your grounds are being maintained. |
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One of the best things we can do for your property & turf is to aerate it.
A core aerator is a machine that removes thousands of soil plugs from the turf and drops them on the surface. The resulting holes act like mini pipelines to move water, air and fertilizer into the root zone. The turf roots then have more room to grow in the loosened soil, allowing them to spread out toward pockets of water and nourishment.
The cores will dissolve during rainfall and watering, mixing with the thatch layer and helping it to decompose and break down.
Aeration starts a lot of natural processes that lead to stronger root systems, better soil structure and a reduced thatch layer.
With aeration, you’ll enjoy a thicker, greener, healthier lawn. And more importantly, you’ll have a more attractive property. Give Andre Landscape Service, Inc. a call to schedule your aeration today.
Sources from A.L.C.A. Publications
STEP4: The Solution
Create a circumference around the base of your tree at least 12 inches in diameter. This area should be free of grass, weeds, etc… The placement of organic mulch around the base of the tree is also highly beneficial. The mulch will help reduce grass and weed competition, conserve soil moisture, improve soil structure, improve tree root strength and depth and moderate soil temperature extremes.
STEP5:The Application of Mulch
The tree should be mulched with about 2-4 inches of mulch. Mulch should not be placed against the stem of the tree or mounded up because that can cause bark suffocation or crown rot. Properly applied mulch can give landscapes a handsome, well-groomed appearance and have lasting benefits to the health of the tree.
By Michelle Andre, Andre Landscape Service, Inc. |
