Tree Pit Care
First, cultivate the soil around your tree. Use a hand
cultivator to keep the soil around your tree loose. This allows
water to penetrate.If the soil around your tree is completely
compacted, rake it gently with a hand cultivator, then keep it
mulched. It may take several months, but eventually the soil will
break down and soften up. Each time you mulch, try to rake a bit in
with the soil.
When planting a new tree, remove all plastic tags, all tree
wrapping and any visible burlap or rope left on the root ball at the
base of the tree. Tree wrapping can trap moisture and foster
insects. Exposed burlap wicks away moisture. Rope left tied around
the base of the tree will cut into the bark as the tree grows.
Mulching
Mulch new trees to a 2" depth. Mulch keeps roots cool. It also
keep weeds from growing and helps to absorb water during a rain. As
the mulch breaks down, it adds nutrients to the soil.
Be sure to keep mulch away from the base of the tree. Don't
create a "mulch volcano" around the tree. Bark and tree trunk cells
are different than those in the roots. Bark needs to be exposed to
the air. Moisture held by mulch can rot the bark at the base of the
tree and prevent nutrients and water gathered by the roots from
reaching the rest of the tree.
Mulch once a year, or as necessary to maintain a 2" depth,
keeping it away from direct contact with the trunk.
Stakes and Wires
Remove stakes and wires from a new tree after one year. Staking
trees is useful only during the first year to all the roots to get
established. Staking also provides a symbolic first line of defense
against passerby. After that first year, remove the stakes and
wires. As the tree grows, wires will cut into the tree. This
prevents the flow of food and water through the outer layers of the
trunk. If you leave wires on, it will slowly strangle the tree.
Pruning
If you think one of your young trees needs pruning and you are
not sure how to prune it, contact
the Queen Village Tree Tenders for assistance. Pruning of large,
older trees should be handled by a professional arborist. You can
also contact the
Fairmount
Park Commission to get on the waiting list to have your tree
pruned by the city.
Fertilizing
In most cases, trees do not need fertilizer.
Enlarging Your Tree Pit
If your tree pit is smaller than the minimum recommended 3' x
3', it may be worthwhile to enlarge it.
Contact the Queen Village Tree
Tenders for assistance.
Water
Unless there has been a good, soaking rain, water your tree once
a week during the first two years after it had been planted. A young
tree needs about 15 gallons of water each week.
TIP: Take a 5-gallon bucket and punch 10-15 nail holes in the
bottom. Set it next to your tree. Fit it 3 times, moving it each
time around the base of the tree and you will have given your tree
15 gallons. You can also purchase a "treegator," a zippered,
heavy-duty plastic bag with drip holes at the bottom that holds up
to 22 gallons. Visit
www.treegator.com
for me information.
Tree Boxes
Don't raise the level of the soil around the tree trunk within
the box. The bark of a tree is made up of cells that are different
from root cells. The bark needs to be exposed to the air. Raising
the soil level several inches around the trunk is not healthy for
the tree. A properly planted tree flares out slightly at the base of
the trunk. It should not look like a telephone pole.
Posting Signs
Do not staple or tape signs around tree trunks. Puncturing trees
creates openings for insects and disease to enter. Tape or strings
tied around the trunks of trees will cut into them as they grow,
strangling them.
Get Involved
Get involved with the Queen Village
Tree Tenders and make Queen Village a green village!
Contact the committee
or email info@qvna.org to get
involved. |
