Tree artisans: Do you want to keep your trees safe? Proper tree care begins with selecting the right tree and planting it in the right place. Make sure your tree will thrive — especially once fully grown — where you want to plant it. Things to consider include: The tree’s purpose. Are you planting it for aesthetics, privacy, shade/energy reduction, windbreak, or as a street tree? Your end goal will determine the suitability of different trees. Planting site limitations. What is your hardiness zone? What is the maximum height and spread for a tree in the space? What are the sun exposure and soil conditions? This information is available for more than 200 trees and woody shrubs in our Tree Guide.
First we will write some advices on tree care and after that we will introduce Tree Artisans, a tree services company in Colorado Springs. To direct the growth by slowing the branches you don’t want, or to “dwarf” the development of a tree or branch, pruning should be done soon after seasonal growth is complete. Another reason to prune in the summer is for corrective purposes. Defective limbs can be seen more easily. For trees that bloom in spring, prune when their flowers fade. Trees and shrubs that flower in mid- to late summer should be pruned in winter or early spring. Because decay fungi spread their spores profusely in the fall and wounds seem to heal more slowly on fall on cuts, this is a good time to leave your pruning tools in storage.
Small insects and fauna: Tiny insects and animals are one of the biggest threats to tree health and foliage. The tree in your backyard may seem like it’s perfectly healthy at first glance, but only a careful look can tell whether it has been infested by pests like beetles or carpenter ants. Over time, these small insects can burrow into the trees, build their nests and lay eggs, effectively weakening it from the roots. This can pose a major threat to your home if the tree becomes unhealthy enough to fall. See this document from the U.S. Forest Service on the 70 most common insects and 27 most common diseases that threaten trees in North America.
Tree staking is never done with the intention of harming a tree. Staking is usually done with love and with a desire to promote root and trunk growth and protect a young tree from harm. What some tree planters do not understand is, rather than helping a tree develop root and trunk growth, improper tree staking replaces a supportive trunk and root system with an artificial support that causes the tree to put its resources into growing taller but not growing wider. The trees recommended for Colorado front range communities include many species of large shade trees, such as English oak, Hackberry, Bur oak, Swamp white oak, Honeylocust and American elm. See even more details at here.
Searching for the best choices if you need to cut down the tree maintenance costs? Start with picking the right trees for Colorado! Russian Hawthorns are one of the most drought-tolerant trees on our list. Again, establishing these trees with two seasons of normal watering will get their root systems healthy and strong enough to withstand dry conditions. Susan highly recommends Russian Hawthorn. It was the first tree she nominated for our list! Russian Hawthorns mature at 15 to 20 feet tall and wide with an upright oval form and slightly spreading lower branches. These hawthorns have beautiful, finely-cut, dark green leaves, turning yellow in the fall. The white flowers emerge in clusters in late spring. They mature into richly-colored dark red berries late in the season.
Defoliation – or loss of leaves – eliminates food production capability, which weakens the tree, reduces growth, and results in pale leaves and branch dieback. The effects can range from a slight reduction in vigor to complete tree death. The forecast is grim when defoliation occurs early in the growing season when leaves reach full expansion. The tree has expended a considerable amount of energy on leaf development and food reserves haven’t had time to replenish. The tree is further weakened as it expends additional energy to refoliate. Trees that receive regular care – pruning, fertilization, mulching, and watering during dry periods – have a higher toleration for defoliation. If a tree is defoliated, watering during dry periods aids the refoliation process. Fertilization can also encourage refoliation and replenish nutrients.