If you've got some lovely trees in your backyard, you likely try to care for them as best you can. But sometimes your desire to keep the tree healthy or your desire to do something near the tree because of how the tree looks can actually harm it. When in doubt, have a tree service care for the tree, lest you accidentally cause damage with these intentions.
Don't Bury Things by the Tree
Sometimes a lovely, shady tree seems like a great place to plant extra flowers or even bury something like the remains of a beloved pet (that sounds morbid, but backyard burials of pets under favorite trees are not uncommon). None of this is a good idea. Planting more than grass right by a tree can take a lot of nutrients away from the roots. Plus, the digging that you would need to do to plant seeds or to dig a hole for something you want to bury there could damage smaller roots or root ends. Remember that you see only a portion of a tree's root system aboveground. There are smaller, finer roots that spread out all over around the base of a tree, looking for water and nutrition. Digging even a little could cut these roots.
Watch out for Drainage Excavation Plans
Ensuring excellent drainage for your trees is another way to care for them well, but the drainage plans can create two problems. One is that the excavation itself could end up being too close to the tree, causing the cutting problems listed previously. The other is that the drainage could end up being too good, taking too much water away from the roots instead of giving the roots a chance to take in some water. If you have to redo drainage near the tree, call in a tree services company or a landscaping company to do the work because they will be able to avoid these problems.
Don't Overmulch
Mulch keeps the soil cool and preserves some of the good moisture levels in the soil, protecting the tree roots from drying out on a hot day. But too much mulch also blocks the sunlight that the roots and base of the trunk need to grow properly. Too much mulch can also harbor mold and other fungal diseases. Do not add lots of mulch, thinking more is better. Stick with mulch that's no more than 4 inches thick, and keep it away from the very base of the tree itself.
If you still have questions, a good tree service can help you out. Call the ones in your area, such as Pete & Ron's Tree Service, Inc., today for proper tree care.
