9 Tips To Prepare Your Trees For Spring

Spring is a time of renewal, when the cold days of winter give way to the warmer, sunnier days of spring. For many people, this means spending more time outdoors, enjoying the fresh air and warmer weather. It is also a time when trees and plants begin to grow again, after lying dormant throughout winter. If you want your trees to thrive during the spring season, it is important to take some steps to prepare them for the change in weather.

Tree services Canberra proprietor Llewyn Dowling explains that thaw will soon reveal the outlines of dormant trees and bushes in your yard. The end of winter means plenty of activities for anyone with a green thumb: pruning, weeding, fertilizing and more. And as the days grow warmer, many homeowners turn their attention to preparing their trees for the spring.

You can help your trees get off to a good start and ensure that they are healthy and well-protected throughout the season with these tips.

1. Clean up the debris from last year. Pull out any plant matter or sticks from around the base of the tree and rake away any leaves or needles so they do not clog up the soil. This also prevents pests from getting in contact with the roots by blocking their path through shrubbery and grass underneath them. 

2. If there is a problem with your shrubs, have it fixed before spring starts, otherwise, you might miss out on some great benefits this time of year. If you have any concerns, do not hesitate to speak with a local arborist who will be able to help. 

3. Prune away dead or dying branches now before the sap starts to flow again and they start spreading diseases. Be sure not to remove too much from your trees as this can stress them out and cause irreversible damage. 

4. Start fertilizing now so that your trees can absorb it all by the time spring starts and they begin their new growing cycle again. If you want, purchase a slow-release fertilizer that will make sure all nutrients are fully absorbed by the roots before naturally shedding during autumn/winter without harming nearby plants or grasses underneath it, minimizing waste and runoff into nearby water sources. 

5. If you have not done this already, hire a landscaper or arborist to ensure all pruning and trimming is done right and your trees are healthy for another year. As professionals, they know the proper techniques and best methods for each type of tree that will help them grow into healthy specimens while protecting them against any diseases or insects that might damage their growth.

6. Make sure there is plenty of room between trees of different species so that light can reach all parts of their branches without obstruction during springtime when more sunlight is available than at any other time of the year. 

7. Before planting new trees, be sure to provide enough space around them so they have room to grow properly next season. A good rule-of-thumb is to leave a 4′ radius between trees and a 6′ radius for larger ones. 

8. When planting new trees this spring, be sure to buy from a reputable nursery that cares about how healthy they are and have been raising them in an environment similar to your yard so that they adapt easily when you plant them. Inferior quality trees will not last long or grow properly next season without the proper care which will lead to higher maintenance costs down the road.

9. If you have any sickly looking shrubs or bushes next year, consider replacing them with healthier specimens that can better withstand potential diseases or other threats that might pose a threat to their growth over time by stealing nutrients from other plants nearby, especially during spring when everything is waking up and growing again.

There you have it! 9 tips to get your yard ready for the upcoming season. Be sure to follow them so you can enjoy a beautiful landscape that is easy to manage and requires little-to-no work throughout the year! Happy gardening!