Spring is in full bloom, which means that it’s the perfect time to tend to those trees as they begin to bud and flower. Here at Lumber Jack & Jill, we’d be happy to help you ensure that your trees are in tip-top shape for the coming growing season. We recommend that you schedule tree service every spring to make sure that your trees are in good health after the wear and tear of the cold season. Below are a few of the tasks we can complete as well as some tips that you can employ to keep your trees in great health throughout the coming year. As always, you can count on our crew for professional tree care services here in Northern Colorado — call today to schedule an appointment for service!

Tree Health Care

You should have a trained arborist stop by to ensure that your trees look healthy. We can check the soil of your trees, and we’ll examine their bark, leaves, and blossoms (if you have a blossoming tree) to make sure that they are in good health. We can assess the chemical balance of the soil around the roots of your trees, and administer fertilizer and treatments to aid the nutrient richness and pH balance of your soil. We can also recommend a treatment plan if your tree has damage to its bark or branches, or if it’s not producing new growth. In addition, we can recommend a watering regimen, so you can rest assured that your tree is receiving the right amount of water.

PRUNING & TRIMMING

Spring marks the ideal time to trim your trees. Most tree species should be trimmed in early spring, once there is no longer a risk of freezing. For non-blooming trees, you should have them trimmed as early in the season as possible, while the branches are fully dormant. You may even want to prune certain trees in late winter, depending on the species and the hardiness of the tree. For trees that bloom in the summer, you can have them trimmed in early spring. In addition, for trees that bloom in spring, you should give them time to bloom, and then trim them right after their natural bloom cycle. In addition, you may want to trim your trees throughout the year for all of the reasons listed below.

Trim Dead Branches

If you have dead branches hanging off of your tree, they should be trimmed immediately. Dead branches are a hazard since they can fall on you, your vehicle, or your home. Plus, these branches may still wick water away from other, healthy branches on the tree. They may also become the ideal habitat for mold, fungi, and pests to colonize — and these parasitic lifeforms may spread to healthy parts of the tree.

Trim for Aesthetics

If your bushes and trees look like they’re a bit unkempt, then springtime is an ideal time to prune any branches that are out of line. We’d be happy to shape bushes throughout your property and trim any trees that are overgrown. You can open up that view that you cherish from your back deck. Or you can clean up the curb appeal of your home by trimming the bushes that line its exterior. Regardless of the vision, you have for the flora on your property, we’d be happy to help you achieve it.

Open Up Your Canopy

Are the leaves of your tree casting too much shade on your garden? Or perhaps you’d like a little more sunlight on your deck. Maybe you just want to see a little more of those Colorado blue skies from your kitchen. Regardless of the situation, we can cut branches to open up the tree canopy around your property. We always trim with the health of your trees in mind, and we’ll never trim too much off of your trees — which may otherwise damage or kill a tree.

TREE CARE TIPS

Add Mulch

Mulch can work wonders to aid the health of your tree while providing some protection for the roots. Mulch naturally leaches nutrients into the soil over time, and it helps to hold moisture in the soil beneath the mulch, which will provide optimum growing conditions for your tree. Mulch also helps to keep invasive weeds from growing near the roots of your tree, which can slow the growth of your tree. Add a couple of inches of mulch to the base of your trees every year. You should create a circle of mulch around the tree, with a thicker layer of mulch that is about 2 feet away from the trunk of your tree — this will create a sort of moat that helps to keep water and nutrients near the roots of your tree.

Watering

While watering can be easy for native species here in Colorado, you should take care to water properly if you have non-native trees, or if you’re going through a drought. Be wary of leaves that are wilted (which indicates too little water) or leaves that are unhealthy and wet to the touch (which indicates too much moisture). As we mentioned, we can also provide you with a personalized water schedule to fit the tree species that you have throughout your property.

NORTHERN COLORADO’S TRUSTED ARBORISTS

Lumber Jack & Jill has certified arborists on staff. We have trained through the International Society of Arboriculture, which has provided us with the knowledge necessary to care for trees here in Northern Colorado — we provide tree care services throughout Fort Collins, Wellington, Loveland, and Greeley. If you’re curious about what we can do to improve the health of your trees, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d be happy to answer any questions that you may have, and you can schedule service with us while we’re on the line. We look forward to working with you and hope your trees are in good health this spring and throughout the coming year!