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Having shade trees in your yard has many wonderful benefits. Underneath a big shade tree is the perfect place for a backyard barbeque or for kids to spend time outdoors. It will also keep your home cooler during warmer months of the year.

To get the full benefit of shade trees, you have to plant the correct species and care for them properly.

ID Tree Trimming has recommendations for the best trees to plant for shade, as well as some expert advice on taking care of your shade trees so they grow healthy and strong.

Planting Trees for Shade

All trees can provide shade, but there are some types of trees that are built for the best shade. These types of trees usually have a thick, wide canopy that reaches out nearly as far as it does upward.

Below, we’ve provided some examples of shade trees depending on whether they would be best planted in your back or front yard.

Back Yard Shade Trees

Shade trees in the back yard are typically for your own benefit. Next-door neighbors and passersby usually won’t be able to see these trees , so they can be purely for shade and enjoyment.

Besides just shade, these trees can create year-round color as well as some extra privacy.

Here are a few popular options:

• Magnolia
• Sugar maple or silver maple
• Weeping willow
• Weeping cherry
• Red oak

If you have a large enough space, a live oak is a fantastic choice. Live oaks are said to be the fastest growing shade trees, and are able to get very large. A mature live oak can reach up to 80 feet tall and as much as 100 feet wide.

A lot of these back yard shade tree recommendations get pretty large, so you definitely want to do your research to determine if the tree will have enough space to reach maturity.

If there is not enough space, its root system can destroy your fencing or even your home. You will also have to prune the tree every year to keep it from being overgrown. A tree that grows too big for its yard will most likely have to be removed, which is an unfortunate and sometimes costly situation.

Front Yard Shade Trees

In the front yard of your home, you are planting trees for your enjoyment as well, but they will be much more beneficial for adding value and curb appeal to your home since they can be seen.

Choose shade trees for the front yard that are somewhat smaller so they don’t overshadow your home and landscaping. These trees should complement your landscaping in color and size, while still offering lots of shade for front yard relaxation and play.

These are some of our favorites:

Red maple
River birch
Dogwood
White oak
Ginkgo tree

These trees are colorful throughout the year, and they’ll display even more color in the fall months.
Another excellent option for your front or side yard is the ‘Green Giant’ Arborvitae. This hedge-like tree can be planted in a row to create privacy as well as shade.

With these suggestions in mind, we recommend that you plant what you like. In reality, any type of tree can be a “shade tree.” As long as the trees you choose are suitable for the climate in Idaho, they will provide your yard and home with shade.

Benefits of Planting Shade Trees

The benefits of having shade on your property are numerous — there are some that you probably wouldn’t automatically think about.

Shade, Obviously – When temperatures soar, you won’t need to hide indoors if you have a nice, shady yard. Place a chair or hammock under your best shade tree and enjoy time outside as long as you want.

Climate Control – Trees can help regulate the temperature in your yard and inside your home. Not only will trees protect you from the hot sun, but they can also make it feel 10-15 degrees cooler below their protective canopies. This leads to less solar radiation on your roof and siding as well, which should also result in lower energy costs!

Better Air Quality – Trees produce oxygen and expel pollutants from the air, so there is cleaner air surrounding your home. Arbor Day Foundation research states that one mature tree absorbs around 48 pounds of CO2 out of the air.

Shelter for Animals – If you enjoy bird watching or think squirrels and chipmunks are adorable, your shade trees can give them all they will need to build a habitat, find nearby food and raise babies.

Fun – What kid doesn’t love a backyard tire swing or tree house? If you have small children, shade trees can offer hours of fun and countless memories.

How to Care for Shade Trees

Maintaining shade trees is pretty easy as long as you’ve planted the right species for the climate in Idaho. Trees are strong and durable after a couple of years, needing little attention or maintenance.

Consult a local arborist from ID Tree Trimming if you have any questions about the care of your trees, or even to help you determine the best tree for your property.

As soon as you have determined the best shade tree(s) for your yard, follow this simple care guide until your shade tree is well established.

Planting Your Shade Tree

The south, west and east of your yard get the most sun, so plant your trees on one of these areas of your yard. This is two-fold: 1) the trees will create the most amount of shade and 2) they will also receive the most amount of sun for healthy growth.

Pruning Your Shade Tree

Trim during the first year or two after planting the tree to help to shape it and help it form a strong foundation. To be safe, and for the best results, call ID Tree Trimming for tree trimming in Idaho. A certified arborist will arrive at your home and deliver professional care for the tree.

Watering Your Shade Tree

Watering a new tree is very important. This will help them develop a deep and strong root system and will give the tree more stability in the long run.

Fertilizing Your Shade Tree

Homeowners should fertilize a shade tree just like you would any other type of tree in order to aid growth. Fertilizer is not a requirement, but it can assist in helping your tree to grow faster and produce more leaves, which are the source of your shade.

We hope this information was helpful! Remember, when it is time to prune or trim a new shade tree, ID Tree Trimming can help! Call and a certified arborist in Idaho will visit your home, examine the tree and determine the proper maintenance plan for its long-term health and growth.

Tree trimming is best left to the pros. It’s dangerous work, climbing trees, using chainsaws and dropping heavy branches to the ground; and it can be dangerous for the tree as well. Trees that are improperly pruned can sustain a lifetime of problems.

Rather than putting yourself and putting the tree at risk, enlist someone who is knowledgeable and experienced to do the job for you.

This will result in healthier trees and a safer environment near your house for several reasons:

• Healthier trees are sturdier and not as likely to cause damage during storms
• Maintained trees don’t attract or spread parasites and diseases
• Pruned trees grow more flowers or fruit
• Trimmed trees offer shade while still allowing air to flow through their canopies and your property

ID Tree Trimming strongly suggests pruning trees that are very close to your house or those that are an integral part of your property.

Is Tree Trimming Necessary?

It is not necessary. But it is beneficial. Trees are very strong and can survive on their own everywhere in the world, in many different climates and regions, without being pruned.

However, there are many benefits of tree trimming, so it’s recommended for trees that you value. This can include sentimental trees, fruit trees and blossoming trees or trees that perform an important service for your house, such as shade or home to wildlife.

Tree Pruning Gone Wrong

Trimming a tree is a difficult project. You need the right tools and a lot of information to ensure the project is done right. The majority of homeowners don’t have any of these!

But that’s alright, because there are several services out there who know exactly how to properly trim trees for an affordable price to you including all arborists in Idaho we partner with!

Below are the 5 most common mistakes people make when attempting DIY tree trimming that can lead to many tree problems. These are things that a professional arborist from ID Tree Trimming will know, and that’s why their services are worth paying for!

Trimming Too Much

When done the right way, tree pruning is a never-ending process. Starting when your trees are only 2 or 3 years old, they should be looked after by an arborist if you care about them and intend to keep them strong and healthy.

A huge mistake that homeowners often make when pruning trees by themselves is trimming too much of the tree all at once. This happens because they have let the tree’s growth get out of control and try to fix it all at once. Ideally, you should not cut off more than 5-20% of the tree’s crown at a once. It is easier to do this during a season that there are no leaves, but an experienced arborist will be able to properly prune trees any time of year.

Removing Bark from the Tree

After you cut a tree limb and gravity starts to pull it down, it can tear off bark from the tree trunk right along with it. This exposes the tree’s inner layers, putting the tree in danger of contracting diseases and making it easier for pests and rodents to scurry their way in.

To stop this from occurring, an arborist will make special cuts underneath larger branches before making their actual removal cut. Knowing exactly how to place these small cuts takes pressure off the branch collar and reduces the stress at the exact point of the main cut so the limb doesn’t rip.

Trimming in the Wrong Place

A certified tree specialist knows where to cut each limb to protect against damage. This cut should be done just beyond the branch collar, the specific place where the branch connects to the trunk.

Cutting too close to the branch collar exposes the tree to pests and decay. Cutting too far from it leaves a stump when the tree recovers. Most DIY tree trimming leads to an improper cut, leaving either aesthetic or structural damage.

Trimming Large Branches

Branches any larger than 4 inches in diameter really shouldn’t be trimmed unless it is necessary. Cutting off a branch of this size can lead to imbalance in the tree and expose it to insects and rot as the tree recovers from such a large loss.

Conservative pruning once each year guarantees that your tree trimmer only has to cut off branches that are 2-3 inches in diameter, which results in a more attractive shape for the tree and less chance of harming the tree or exposing it to disease and insects.

Topping the Tree

Tree topping is no longer a type of pruning, and for good reason! With this process, tree trimming companies would just cut the top off of the tree to get the desired height. It was neither attractive nor was it beneficial for the tree, so the majority of arborists do not practice tree topping currently.

As a DIY tree pruning, you may think this is an easy way to lower the height of your tree with just one cut, but once you have cut the top of a tree off, there’s virtually no chance it will ever regain a natural shape.

The Solution? Call ID Tree Trimming

Your tree may never recover from poor trimming.

Doing this job yourself might seem like a way to save a little money, but you might end up with way more expenses trying to revive damaged trees, so it’s a lot safer (and more economical in the long run) to hire a certified arbor ist in Idaho from ID Tree Trimming.

Limbs will not grow back. The tree will grow more, but not in the same places, which causes odd shapes that could require years to correct. The tree might end up looking bad for the remainder of its life, all because of just one pruning mistake.

Bad trimming could also lead to death of the tree. Cutting off too many branches (and, therefore, leaves) can alter the tree’s photosynthesis process, meaning it won’t get all of the water it needs or enough carbon dioxide and sunlight to continue growing.

Cutting off too many branches could also send the tree into a state of shock. Shock isn’t always permanent, but it does take a lot of patience and care. Even with the right care, a tree undergoing shock may still die.

Avoid all of these tree pruning mistakes and call ID Tree Trimming to speak with a tree care specialist in Idaho able to devise a long-term plan to ensure your tree continues to blossom and look beautiful for years to come!

Trees are living things, so it stands to reason that they can become “sick” just like humans and animals. A disease or other tree problem may take a little while to show up due to the overall size of the tree, and once you identify a symptom, it could be too late to revive the tree.

A professional arborist from ID Tree Trimming can identify and treat tree problems so that there is a much better chance of saving the tree. Learn about our service here. Not only can an experienced arborist help to keep a tree from dying, but they are also able to help trees get healthier growth and more flowers or fruit with professional tree trimming.

Have you noticed a tree on your lawn that has always seemed healthy but all of the sudden looks like something is wrong? In the next section, we’ll explain some of the most common tree problems and what these symptoms mean for a tree.

If you spot any of these things on any of your trees, act fast to have the best chance of saving the tree and the ones around it.

Tree Diseases & Common Problems

These 7 things are the most frequent issues encountered by experienced arborists in Idaho. The moment you think one of these things could be wrong with your tree, call someone with the training and equipment to help!

Tree Diseases

Leaf Rust – Leaf rust is actually a fungus that is common in both trees and plants. The name originates from the yellow and brown spots this disease creates on the leaves.

Leaf rust is a problem because it interferes with the leaves’ photosynthesis, the process by which it breathes. Leaf rust can be tended to with fungicides and selective tree trimming of the affected leaves. It might be necessary to cut off whole limbs with leaf rust.

Witches’ Broom – This common disease results in a large clump of twigs, dead leaves and branches that look like a broom shape. It is caused by insects, unusually rainy weather or fungus. The formation of a clump of twigs and leaves is the tree’s reaction to infection or danger.

Some cases of Witches’ Broom are deadly for the tree, others are only considered a growth malformation. An arborist can diagnose the problem.

Mildew – Mildew is a type of fungus that grows on almost anything in moist conditions, but even when the wet conditions are gone, mildew can continue to thrive. Mildew appears as a powdery substance, usually white, and it often grows on the leaves of a tree first.

The the best method for eliminating mildew is to apply a fungicide that includes sulfur. This will remove the current mildew and help to stop future mildew on the tree. You might also need to trim the tree to remove branches, fruit, flowers and leaves that have been affected by the mildew

Gall – Gall is a type of tree condition that appears when insects build small nests on the leaves or twigs of a tree to lay their eggs in. Most galls are not harmful to the tree, but none of them are attractive.

Gall appears as as bumps on the tree, in varying sizes. They are often white, brown, gray or some color in between.

You do not have to treat the tree for galls, but they can limit the growth of young trees. Treat galls by killing the insects. You should also clean out from under the tree when the leaves fall off, because this is where the pests survive during winter.

Other Tree Problems

Incorrect Trimming – There’s a science to tree pruning, as well as many types, and if you aren’t sure how to do it, you could damage the tree beyond recovery. Consider the type of tree, season and other factors. Under-pruning (or not pruning at all) can be just as big of an issue. Only an experienced arborist should be trusted to prune trees to keep them healthy.

Lack of Water – New trees can be significantly impacted by drought. If you plant new trees on your property, you will need to supplement how much water they get from rainfall. A tree that is not getting enough water will have its growth stunted. The first sign you are likely to noticed is scorched, dry leaves. Find more tips for new trees here.

Too Much Sun – Do your initial research before planting trees in a sunny area. Most species of trees can handle it without issue, but too much sun can happen to any tree if the sun is harsh for an extended period of time and rainfall is light. A tree that is getting excessive sun needs even more water to fight against wilting, drooping leaves.

Certified Arborist Services in Idaho

An experienced arborist from ID Tree Trimming will be able to quickly diagnose what’s going on with your sick tree and formulate a plan to rescue it.

Here is what an arborist is qualified to do:

• Review trees from below and from the branches of the tree if possible. Getting into the canopy is typically necessary to see exactly what is creating the symptoms.
• Treat your tree with additives and fertilizers in the soil or products sprayed on the leaves. The arborist will have expert knowledge about the disease affecting your tree and the most effective treatments.
• Trim trees to remove dead or diseased branches and to help healthy growth. Even if heavy pruning is necessary, they will know how to remove branches so that the tree can survive both the issue and the pruning process.
• Remove the tree from your yard if nothing can be done to save it. The worst case is that the tree is dying, and cutting it down is the only choice to protect your property and surrounding landscape.

They can also inform you about the trees that you have om your property and how to best care for them so you don’t return to the same situation again.

Many tree diseases look similar to each other, requiring a professional opinion to correctly identify and treat the problem. If your trees are looking dry, disfigured or dying, call a certified arborist from ID Tree Trimming for an inspection before it’s too late for your tree.

When it comes to the question, “Which season is best for tree trimming?” The answer is sometimes indirect.

Tree type dictates when many species can be pruned, along with pest population and activity, local tree and plant diseases and other types of plants and trees in the landscape.

With the help of a certified arborist in Idaho, you will be able to determine which season is optimal for pruning your trees to set them up for success next season and every year after that.

Best Season to Prune Trees

Without any other context, ID Tree Trimming recommends pruning trees during the winter. This ranges from November to March in most areas. Winter is optimal because the trees are usually dormant, so trimming will lead to a minimal amount of harm, if any.

There are many benefits to pruning trees in the winter:

Less risk of pest damage and disease – Pests and plant diseases are usually inactive during the winter. During the remainder of the year, anything from insects to fungus can affect a newly pruned tree because the tree is most vulnerable and these issues are more common during warmer weather.

Easier to see the shape of the tree when there are no leaves – Leaves get in the way of your arborist from seeing the overall shape of a tree. When the branches are bare, it is a lot easier to see diseased or dead branches and branches that are touching versus those that are just too close to each other.

Trees have time to heal before spring – By performing major pruning during the winter, your trees will have several months to build up callus tissue on the ends of the remaining branch collar. By the spring season, you’ll barely be able to notice where the branches were cut off, and the tree will be able to devote its energy to produce new leaves, fruit or flowers rather than healing new cuts.

Less chance of damaging surrounding landscape – Most of the nearby trees and plants will also be dormant during this time, so there is a lower risk of damaging them. Many times, a tree is surrounded by annual plants in the warmer seasons, but there are no plants to be disturbed in the winter since these annuals already died out.

Do All Trees Need Pruning?

Yes, all trees benefit from annual pruning. Tree trimming in the winter is good for the trees, but it is also a precaution for the safety of your landscaping and your family and neighbors. Let us explain:

Pruning Makes the Tree Healthier

Dead and diseased branches are cut off, as are branch stubs that are susceptible to pests and disease. Limbs that can rub against one another are also trimmed so they don’t weaken each other or create an open wound on the tree.

Trimming trees every year is a great way to get expert eyes on the health of your trees so that early warning signs of decay, disease and pest problems can be identified and responded to right away.

A Well-Maintained Tree Serves Its Purpose Better

When a tree is overgrown, it starts to be hard for water and nutrients to get to every limb. This can leave the tree looking weak and sick and definitely not doing what it’s intended to do.

Pruned trees, on the other hand, blossom more fruit, healthier leaves and better shade. They are much fuller and healthier and less likely to cause landscaping issues. So regardless of why you decided to plant a new tree, routine trimming will improve the results you want from it.

Trees are More Beautiful After Trimming

If the curb appeal of your landscaping is important to you, tree pruning is a necessity! Pruning trees results in an attractive, uniform shape and size. This is very important if you have a lot of similar trees on your property.

Removing lower branches and upper branches that grow at awkward angles improves the overall beauty of the tree while also promoting tree health.

Less Risk of Dropping Branches

Tree pruning – done the right way – helps the remaining branches to grow stronger and healthier. Therefore, storms and high winds won’t damage your trees the way they would an unkempt tree. Your home and family will be much safer living under and around trimmed trees.

Another safety issue for large trees is that they can impede the view of traffic lights, road signs and driveways. Tree trimming, crown raising and other certified tree care services will keep the tree at a good size and prevent it from blocking various views.

Call ID Tree Trimming for Tree Pruning

Working with a certified arborist in Idaho gives you access to their knowledge on tree trimming. We recommend relying on their expertise if you have trees on your property that you’d like to keep healthy for awhile.

An arborist doesn’t just consider the immediate situation. Instead, an arborist will take the time to inspect your trees and study their unique scenario (including their location and factors that may put them at risk). After collecting all the information, an arborist will make a long-term plan based on your trees’ unique needs and stick to that course of action until your goals for your trees are achieved.

This plan might take years to implement, but rest assured, it will result in healthy trees that you and your family can enjoy for generations.

This type of ongoing care will aid in healthy tree growth, help your landscaping resist plant diseases and enhance fruit or flower production from the trees. It will also strengthen your trees so there is not as much risk of falling trees or limbs.

Being proactive about tree trimming can save you a lot of money too. Preventative care is far more affordable than the cost of emergency tree services, storm damage restoration or curing an ill tree from a disease that has spread out of hand (and one that was easily preventable).

If you care about the health of your trees and the beauty of your property, trust a certified arborist for tree pruning and maintenance from ID Tree Trimming. Find our service area here. We work with arborists across the entire state of Idaho. Call now!

Tree pruning in Idaho is an important landscaping service that can beautify and reinforce your trees so they will withstand insects, diseases and inclement weather – and look breathtaking while doing it!

Pruning should be done if you want a healthy tree, but it must be done very carefully by someone who knows what they’re doing. Like a certified arborist from ID Tree Trimming. Homeowners may be able to prune trees safely while they are still small, but you also may be doing irreparable harm to the tree in the process.

To correctly prune trees, you must know all of the following:

• When is the best time to prune your species of trees
• How much of the tree should be pruned at at once
• Where to cut the branches so you do not harm the tree

Taking too much off of a tree could kill it or lead to structural damage, but conservative pruning done each year benefits trees in several ways. Pruning helps to improve the appearance of trees, makes them healthier, eliminates dying or diseased branches and assists in fruit or flower production.

Ideally, pruning should be performed annually, but as trees get older, you may be able to go two years between major pruning services. Regardless of how regularly you have your trees trimmed, be sure your arborist is qualified to do the type of tree pruning your trees need. This won’t be a problem if you call ID Tree Trimming in Idaho!

Types of Tree Pruning Methods

There are 7 different ways to properly trim a tree so that it grows stronger and healthier every year.

Depending on the shape, species and health status of your trees, one method could be more effective than another, but each technique has distinct benefits.

Crown Thinning Your Trees

Crown thinning is popular for larger, overgrown trees in Idaho. This technique eliminates weak branches within the crown of the tree to allow more light and air flow within the crown. Air flow is especially important to help prevent disease.

This tree pruning technique also removes branches that are touching so they no longer rub up against one another and snap or create weaker areas that can be an access point for insects and pests. Limbs that grow at odd angles are usually cut off during crown thinning.

Crown Raising Your Trees

This tree trimming method removes branches at the lowest part of the crown so new limbs start higher up on the trunk of the tree. Allowing low branches to get too large makes them very difficult to remove, and they can draw nutrients from the top of the tree, which leads to less fruit and a weaker tree.

There are several reasons you might decide to raise the crown of a tree. Many times, it is done in order to clear the line of sight for automobiles and pedestrians, but it can also be done to free up space for landscaping beneath the tree.

It is a very common technique for large trees that are too close to homes and buildings.

Crown Reduction

Crown reduction lowers the total size of the tree’s crown from its exterior edge. It shortens branches horizontally and vertically to keep the tree at a manageable size. By reducing the crown size, you can remove the need to cut the tree down because it won’t come into contact with traffic lights, power lines or street lights.

Even when the tree isn’t near structures like these, crown reduction can make the tree look neater because it also eliminates irregular growth. This is a smart idea for trees that are different ages but are supposed to look uniform.

Crown Cleaning

Sometimes known as deadwood pruning, crown cleaning is a minimally invasive tree trimming method that eliminates dying, broken or diseased branches so that the remaining parts of the tree can continue to grow normally. These branches can only create issues in the future.

Crown cleaning makes the tree look a lot better, and it stops branches from rubbing together. Plus it is a safety practice that reduces the chance of branches falling, since healthy branches do not fall very often.

Crown Restoration

Crown restoration is an advanced pruning process for trees that have been severely damaged (either by weather or vandals). It needs to only be done by a certified arborist who knows how the tree is likely to grow over time and roughly just how long it’s restoration is going to take.

Unlike other tree pruning services, crown restoration occurs over an extended period of time with conservative trimming that reshapes the tree. The arborist should have a plan to restore the tree, but also be flexible as the tree grows and reshapes on its own, adapting to the tree’s new growth pattern.

Vista Pruning

If you want trees that help improve curb appeal, you are probably interested in vista pruning. The intent of vista pruning is to make the tree more aesthetically pleasing from a particular viewing point.

It encompasses several pruning techniques including crown thinning, crown reduction and crown cleaning – any technique that makes the trees look more attractive. Remember, though, that an arborist will never jeopardize the health of a tree, so the focus of vista pruning is still to maintain strong, healthy trees.

Espalier Pruning

Espaliered trees are heavily pruned to grow flat up against walls or a trellis. It is a different style of tree trimming that is sure to attract a lot of attention to your landscape. Espalier pruning has to be started when the tree is young and then continued very consistently during the tree’s life span.

Benefits of espalier pruning include allowing maximum sunlight to get to the trees, as well as making it much easier to harvest fruit.

Professional Tree Pruning in Idaho

Tree pruning can be harmful to a tree, your lawn, and, of course, for you! ID Tree Trimming highly suggests professional tree pruning over attempting DIY.

Besides the many dangers of tree trimming, you can do a lot of harm to a tree if you don’t know how to trim it properly. Over-pruning is one of the most typical errors made by homeowners caring for their own trees.

Trees in Idaho that get routine care from a professionals are usually much better off, and hiring a certified arborist from ID Tree Trimming to care for the trees on your property is a decision you won’t regret. Locate your city in our service area. We work with arborists throughout the entire state of Idaho!

Planting a tree on your land has several benefits. Trees create summer shade, filter polluted air and increase curb appeal and property value.

Once completely grown, trees are very simple to maintain: another benefit! Trees are strong and tend to grow despite minimal care. However, if you want to ensure your trees achieve their full potential, they need more effort.

Lack of care for new trees might cause rotting, disease, under watering or pest issues.

Fortunately, caring for trees isn’t too difficult, but you do need a little information to do it correctly. Educate yourself with the trees you plant in order to know what they need. Then care for them and watch them flourish.

Here, we’ll describe the five best tips on how to plant a new tree and seeing it thrive. You probably are aware of the basics, so we’ll dive a little deeper and explain how to perform each step.

Tree Care Tips for New Trees

These five tips will not only help keep trees alive, they’ll help them grow much faster, withstand extreme winds, fight off diseases and pests and produce more leaves, buds or fruit.

Water Your Tree

New trees need a lot more water than grown ones. The trees you plant on your land are no exception.

The root ball of the tree and the soil all around it need be kept moist, but don’t let it get soaked, because this can cause the roots to rot.

The general rule is 4-10 gallons of water each week. Rain water also counts, and although it’s difficult to get an exact reading, a rain gauge can get you close enough to supplement the remaining gallons. Your trees will need this much water for the first 2-3 growing seasons.

Mulch Around Your Trees

Mulch is more than an attractive landscaping material. It also helps protect new trees, especially the roots underground. But laying mulch incorrectly can sometimes lead to rotting and decay – so much so, in fact, that it’s possible that the new tree will not survive.

Place mulch 3 inches away from the tree trunk and spread it around to cover the ground under the longest limb. For new trees, this won’t be very far, but as the tree continues to grow, your mulch area will grow as well.

Keep the mulch at least 2 to 4 inches thick in all areas. Be attentive in spreading it out consistently and away from the tree trunk so it does not impede air flow around the tree trunk.

Fertilize Around Your Tree

Fertilizer provides several nutrients that your land’s soil may not naturally have. Most young trees benefit from fertilizing, but you need to use the right products and do it at the correct time for fertilizer to be most impactful.

The best season to fertilize is early spring. Sometimes early summer also provides the right conditions (mild temperatures and wet soil), but don’t count on it.

If you aren’t sure about which fertilizer to use, speak to a tree care professional for advice. Slow-release fertilizers are typically a good idea because they feed your trees over a period of time rather than all right away.

Follow through with these things in the initial growing seasons after planting a tree, and then review your watering, mulching and fertilizing needs as the tree becomes more established. As seasons go on, there will be tree care tasks that become more important for your new trees.

Prune Your Tree

Tree pruning is very important – yet very tricky – in the early years after planting a tree. As the tree grows, you will start to see many small branches take off, attempting to become the tree’s trunk. You may think this means that the tree is healthy and growing well, it can actually lead to a very weak tree as time goes on.

Early trimming shapes the tree into what it will ultimately look like when it is much larger. As small branches emerge on the lower trunk, they must be cut off so they don’t suck water and nutrients from the branches at the top.

As long as you have trees on your property, they need to be pruned regularly. When the tree gets too big for you to prune them safely, you can trust ID Tree Trimming to do the job for you.

Monitor Your Tree

Young trees are at the most risk for damage, disease and insect problems. But you’re never 100% safe from these things. As your tree grows older, watch it carefully for signs of disease or bad nutrition, including the following:

• Leaf color changing out of season, especially leaves turning yellow or brown
• Early leaf drop, despite whether leaves appear healthy or sick
• Wilting, regardless of adequate watering
• Individual branches dying
• Bark peeling off

These signals likely mean a health problem. It is likely going to require professional maintenance if your hope is to keep the tree alive. An experienced arborist can typically diagnose the problem by simply looking at the tree, although they will do testing whenever necessary.

If you discover the problem quick enough, you will probably be able to save the tree from dying. Being proactive is the best course of action to protect younger trees.

The tips above are simple but effective. Don’t underestimate the value of the basics! When your new trees have pruning, fertilizer and more,, combined with some sunshine and barring any severe, damaging weather, the odds are good that the tree will survive and will look beautiful!

Of course, you may already have a very busy schedule and don’t want to take on these additional lawn care projects. In some cases, homeowners don’t have the physical ability or the tools to give their growing trees the necessary care.

No matter the situation, it’s a good idea to seek the help of a tree company for the care of new trees. A professional arborist in Idaho can consult with you about the course of maintenance for each type of tree you plant on your property. Arborists love sharing their knowledge and skills with people planting brand new trees, and can be the difference between trees struggling and trees thriving.

Call ID Tree Trimming now for information on routine tree care in Idaho – including tree pruning – for new trees and old trees. A local tree service can determine the best plan for your trees! Locate your city in our service area here.