Planting shade trees on your landscaping has many amazing benefits. Underneath a big shade tree is the perfect place for a backyard BBQ or for children to play outdoors. It will also keep your home cooler during warmer months of the year.

To get the full benefit of shade trees, you need to plant the correct species of tree and care for them correctly.

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

Planting Trees for Shade

Any tree can technically provide shade, but there are some species that are built for the best shade. These trees typically have a thick, wider canopy that extends out about 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 front or back yard.

Back Yard Shade Trees

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

In addition to shade, these trees can create year-round color and some extra privacy from neighbors.

Here are popular choices:

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

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

Most of these back yard tree recommendations get pretty large, so you definitely want to do a little research to determine if the tree is going to have enough space to reach maturity.

If there is not enough space, its root system can destroy your fencing or home. You will also have to prune the tree every year to keep it manageable. A tree that grows too large for its area will probably have to be cut down, which is an inconvenient and sometimes expensive 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 increasing value and curb appeal to your home than the back yard trees.

Choose shade trees for the front yard that are somewhat smaller so they don’t overpower your home and landscaping. These trees should pair with your landscaping in both size and color, while still creating plenty of shade for front yard play and relaxation.

These are some of the shade trees ND Tree Trimming recommends:

Red maple
River birch
Dogwood
White oak
Ginkgo tree

These types of trees are beautiful throughout the year, and they’ll showcase even more color during the fall.
Another good option for your front or side yard is the ‘Green Giant’ Arborvitae. This tree looks like a hedge and can be planted in a long row with others to provide privacy and shade.

With options in mind, we recommend that you plant trees you like. In reality, any type of tree can grow to become a “shade tree.” so long as the trees you choose are suitable for the climate in North Dakota, they will provide your yard and home with shade.

Benefits of Planting Shade Trees

The benefits of having shade for your home are numerous — and there are some that you maybe don’t automatically think about.

Shade, Obviously – When temperatures soar, you don’t need to hide indoors if you have a nice, shady yard. Set up a chair or hammock under your biggest shade tree and relax outside as long as you like.

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

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

Shelter for Animals – If you’re into bird watching or think chipmunks are cute, your shade trees can provide them all they need to build a shelter, find nearby food and raise babies.

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

How to Care for Shade Trees

Caring for shade trees is simple as long as you’ve chosen the type of trees for the climate in North Dakota. Trees are strong and hardy after a couple of years, requiring little attention or care.

Consult a local arborist from ND Tree Trimming if you have questions about how to care for your trees, or even to help you select the perfect tree for your property.

Once you have chosen the best shade tree(s) for your yard, follow this simple care guide until your shade tree is fully grown.

Planting Your Shade Tree

The south, west and east of your yard get the most sun, so plant your new trees on one of these sides of your yard. This is two-fold: 1) the trees will then provide the ideal amount of shade and 2) they will also receive the maximum amount of sun to grow healthy.

Trimming Your Shade Tree

Prune during the first year or two after you first plant the tree to help to shape it and help it form a strong structure. To be safe, and for the best results, call ND Tree Trimming for tree trimming in North Dakota. 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 helps them develop a deep root system and will give the tree stability in the long run.

Fertilizing Your Shade Tree

Fertilize a shade tree just like you would any other type of tree in order to support growth. Fertilizer is not necessary, but it can help your tree to grow faster and produce more leaves, which are the primary source of your shade.

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

Tree trimming is best left to the pros. It’s dangerous work, climbing trees, wielding 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 damage.

Rather than putting yourself and putting the tree at risk, enlist a professional who is trained and experienced to do it for you.

This will result in stronger trees and a safer environment surrounding your home for many reasons:

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

ND Tree Trimming highly encourages trimming trees that are very close to your home or all that are a focus of your landscape.

Is Tree Trimming Necessary?

It is not necessary. But it is important. Trees are very resilient and survive on their own across the world, in many different climates and regions, without pruning.

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

Tree Trimming Gone Wrong

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

But that’s not a problem, because there are plenty of professionals available who know how to properly prune trees for an affordable price to you including all arborists in North Dakota we work with!

Below are the 5 mistakes people make when attempting DIY tree pruning that can lead to several tree problems. These are things that a trained arborist from ND Tree Trimming will know, and that’s the reason why their services are worth the price!

Pruning Too Much

When done properly, trimming is a never-ending process. Starting when your trees are just 2 or 3 years old, they should be maintained by a professional if you value them and desire to keep them strong and healthy.

A big mistake that homeowners make when trimming trees themselves is cutting too much of the tree at a time. This happens because they let the tree’s growth get out of hand 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 time. It is much easier to do this during a season that the leaves are off, but a certified arborist is able to safely trim trees any time of year.

Removing Tree Bark

When you cut a tree limb and gravity starts to pull it down, it can tear off bark from the trunk right along with it. This exposes the tree’s inner layers, leaving the tree in danger of attracting diseases and making it easier for insects to find their way in.

To stop this from happening, a trained arborist will make special cuts beneath large branches before making their final removal cut. Knowing how to place these initial cuts takes pressure off the branch collar and lowers the stress at the exact point of the main cut so the tree branch doesn’t rip.

Pruning in the Wrong Place

A trained tree specialist knows exactly where to trim 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 away from it leaves a stump when the tree has recovered. Most DIY tree trimming leads to an improper cut, leaving either structural or aesthetic problems.

Trimming Large Branches

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

Conservative trimming every year ensures that your tree trimmer only has to remove 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 decay and pests.

Topping the Tree

Tree topping is an outdated type of pruning, and for good reason! During this service, tree trimming companies would just cut the top off of the tree to achieve the desired height. It was not attractive nor beneficial for the tree, so the majority of tree care companies do not practice tree topping anymore.

During DIY tree pruning, you may think this is a good 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 that it will ever regain a natural shape.

The Solution? Call ND Tree Trimming

Let’s face it. Your tree may never recover from poor pruning.

Doing this job yourself might seem like a way to save money, but you might end up with way more cost trying to revive damaged trees, so it’s much safer (and more economical in the long run) to hire a certified arborist in North Dakota from ND Tree Trimming.

Limbs don’t grow back. The tree will grow more, but it will not grow back in the same places, which can result in odd shapes that might take years to fix. The tree could end up looking bad for the remainder of its life, all because of just one trimming error.

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

Cutting off too many branches can also send the tree into a state of shock. Shock can be overcome, but it takes a great deal of care and patience. Even with proper care, a tree experiencing shock may still die.

Avoid all of these tree pruning mistakes and call ND Tree Trimming to speak with a tree care specialist in North Dakota able to come up with a plan to ensure your tree continues to blossom and look beautiful for years to come!

Trees are living things, so that means that they can become “sick” just like people and animals can. A disease or other tree issue may take a while to show appear because of the overall size of the tree, and once symptoms become clear, it could be too late to revive the tree.

A professional arborist from ND Tree Trimming can help you identify and treat tree problems so that you have a much better chance of keeping the tree. Learn about our service here. Not only can an experienced arborist prevent a tree from dying, but they can also help trees get more healthy growth and bloom more flowers or fruit.

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

If you see any of these things, act fast to have the best chance of saving the tree and the ones nearby it.

Tree Diseases & Common Problems

These 7 things are the most frequent problems addressed by experienced arborists in North Dakota. The moment you think one of these things might be wrong with your tree, contact someone with the training and tools to help!

Tree Diseases

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

Leaf rust is bad because it inhibits the leaves’ photosynthesis, the process by which it breathes. Leaf rust can be treated with fungicides and selective tree pruning of the affected leaves. It may be necessary to cut off entire limbs with leaf rust.

Witches’ Broom – This common tree disease results in a large grouping of twigs, dead leaves and branches that form a a broom shape. It is caused by pests, unusually wet weather or fungus. The construction of a clump of twigs and leaves is the tree’s reaction to infection or danger.

Some instances of Witches’ Broom are deadly for the tree, others are just considered a growth malformation. An arborist can diagnose the issue.

Mildew – Mildew is a fungus that grows on just about anything in moist conditions, but even after the wet conditions are over with, mildew can remain and thrive. It usually appears as a powdery substance, typically white, and it usually grows on the leaves of a tree first.

The the best method for treating mildew is to apply a fungicide that contains sulfur. This will remove the existing mildew and help to prevent future mildew growth on the tree. You might also need to trim the tree to remove branches, fruit, flowers and leaves that were affected by the mildew

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

Gall appears as as bumps on the tree, in a range of sizes. They can be white, brown, gray or some color in between.

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

Other Tree Problems

Poor Pruning – There’s an art to tree pruning, as well as many types, and if you don’t know what you’re doing, you could damage the tree past the point of recovery. Consider the type of tree, season and other factors. Under-pruning (or not pruning at all) is just as big of a problem. Only a certified arborist should be trusted to prune trees in order to keep them healthy.

Lack of Water – New trees can be severely affected by drought. If you plant new trees, you will probably have to supplement the amount of water they get from rainfall. A tree that is not getting enough water can have its growth stunted. The first symptom you are likely to noticed is scorched, dry leaves. Find more tips for new trees here.

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

Certified Arborist Services in North Dakota

A certified arborist from ND Tree Trimming will quickly diagnose what’s happening with your sick tree and formulate a plan to rescue it.

Here is what an arborist is qualified to do:

• Evaluate trees from below and from the branches of the tree if possible. Getting into the canopy is often necessary to identify exactly what is creating the symptoms.
• Treat your tree with additives and fertilizers in the dirt or solutions applied to the leaves. This person will have knowledge about the disease impacting the tree and the best treatments.
• Trim trees to get rid of dead or diseased branches and to encourage healthy growth. Even if heavy pruning is needed, they will know how to remove branches so that the tree can survive both the problem and the pruning process.
• Remove the tree from your lawn if there is no chance to save it. The worst case is that the tree is too far gone, and cutting it down is the best choice to protect your property and surrounding landscape.

Arborists can also educate you about the other trees that you have om your property and how to best maintain them so you don’t return to the same situation again.

Some tree issues look similar to each other, requiring a professional eye to accurately identify and correct the problem. If your trees appear to be dry, unhealthy or disfigured, call a professional arborist from ND Tree Trimming for an inspection before it’s too late.

When it comes to the question, “What season is best for tree trimming?” The answer can be vague.

Tree type usually dictates when many species are able to be pruned, along with insect population and activity, local tree and plant diseases and other plants and trees in the landscape.

With the help of a certified arborist in North Dakota, you can figure out what season is the best for trimming your trees to prepare them for success next season and beyond.

Best Season to Trim Trees

Without any other context, ND Tree Trimming recommends trimming trees during the winter. This would be sometime from November to March in most areas. This season is ideal because trees are typically dormant, so trimming will lead to a minimal amount of damage, if any.

There are a lot of benefits to pruning trees during the winter:

Less chance of pest damage and disease – Pests and plant diseases are mostly inactive during the winter in North Dakota. Throughout the rest of the year, anything from insects to fungus can harm 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 the leaves are gone – Leaves prevent your arborist from seeing the overall shape of a tree. When tree branches are bare, it is much easier to identify dead or diseased limbs and branches that are touching versus those that are just close together.

Trees can heal before spring – By performing major pruning during the winter, your trees will have many months to build up callus tissue on the tips of the remaining branch collar. By spring season, you’ll hardly be able to notice where the branches were removed, and the tree will be able to devote its energy to produce new, healthier leaves, fruit or flowers instead of healing new cuts.

Less chance of harming nearby landscape – Most of the surrounding trees and greenery will also be dormant during this time, so there is a lower risk of damaging them. Most of the time, a tree is surrounded by annual plants in the warmer months, 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 will benefit from annual trimming. Tree trimming each winter is good for the trees, but it is also a precaution for the safety of your landscaping and your family. Let us explain:

Trimming Makes the Tree Healthier

Dying and diseased limbs are cut off, as are branch stubs that are prone to pests and disease. Limbs that can rub against one another are also trimmed so that they don’t weaken one another or cause an open wound on the tree.

Trimming trees every winter is also a good way to get an expert’s opinion on the health of your trees so that early signs of decay, disease and pest problems can be spotted and handled immediately.

A Well-Maintained Tree Serves Its Purpose Better

When a tree becomes overgrown, it’s hard for water and nutrients to get to every branch. 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, produce more fruit, healthier leaves and offer better shade. They are much fuller and healthier and less likely to create landscaping issues. So regardless of why you planted a new tree, pruning each winter will maximize the results you desire from it.

Trees are More Beautiful After Trimming

If the view of your yard or landscaping is important to you, tree trimming is a necessity! Trimming trees results in an attractive, uniform size and shape. This is very important if you have several similar trees on your property.

Trimming lower branches and upper branches that grow at awkward angles improves the overall look of the tree while also strengthening tree health.

Less Chance of Falling Branches

Tree trimming – from an arborist – encourages the remaining tree branches to grow stronger and healthier. Therefore, storms and high winds won’t affect your trees the same way they would an unkempt tree. Your home and family will be safer living under and around trimmed trees.

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

Call ND Tree Trimming for Tree Pruning

Working with a certified arborist in North Dakota gives you access to their expert knowledge on the subject of tree pruning. We strongly recommend relying on their expertise if you have trees on your property that you’d like to keep healthy for a long time.

An arborist doesn’t only look at the immediate situation. Instead, an arborist will take time to research your trees and understand their unique scenario (including their location and other factors that may put them at risk of disease or infestation). After collecting all the information, an arborist will create a long-term plan based on the trees’ unique needs and stick to that course of action until the goals for your trees are achieved.

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

This kind of ongoing maintenance will promote healthy tree growth, help your entire property resist plant diseases and enhance flower or fruit production from the trees. It will also fortify your trees so there is less risk of falling trees or branches.

Being proactive about tree pruning can save you a lot of money too. Preventative maintenance is much more cost-effective than the cost of emergency tree services, storm damage cleanup or restoring an ill tree from a disease that has gotten out of control (and one that was easily preventable).

If you care about the health of your trees and the curb appeal of your landscaping, trust a certified arborist for tree trimming and maintenance from ND Tree Trimming. Discover our service area here. We work with arborists across the entire state of North Dakota. Call now!

Tree pruning in North Dakota is an important landscaping service that beautifies and reinforces trees so they will withstand pests, diseases and severe weather – and look good while doing it!

Pruning must be done if you want healthy trees, but it has to be done carefully by someone who has experience in what they’re doing. Like a certified arborist from ND Tree Trimming. You may be able to prune trees safely while they are still small, but you also may do permanent harm to the tree in the process.

To properly prune trees, you need to know all of the following:

• When is the best time to prune your types of trees
• How much of the tree can be trimmed at a time
• Where to cut each branch so you do not harm the tree

Removing too much off of a tree might kill it or cause structural damage, but minimal trimming done every year benefits trees in many ways. Professional pruning helps to improve the appearance of trees, makes them healthier, eliminates dying or diseased portions and assists in fruit or flower production.

Ideally, pruning should be completed every year, but as trees get older, you might be able to wait two years between major pruning services. Regardless of how regularly you have your trees trimmed, make sure your arborist is qualified to perform the type of tree pruning your trees need. This won’t be an issue if you call ND Tree Trimming in North Dakota!

Types of Tree Pruning Methods

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

Depending on the shape, type and health problems of your trees, one pruning method could be more beneficial than another, but each technique has distinct benefits.

Crown Thinning Your Trees

Crown thinning is common for older, overgrown trees in North Dakota. This technique removes weak branches within the crown to improve sunlight and air flow throughout the crown. Air flow is important to help prevent disease.

This pruning technique also gets rid of branches that are touching so they do not rub up against each other and snap or create weakened areas that can be an entry point for pests. Branches that grow at strange angles are almost always removed during crown thinning.

Crown Raising Your Trees

This tree trimming method removes branches and limbs at the lowest part of the crown so 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 pull nutrients away from the top of the tree, which leads to less fruit and a weak tree.

There are many reasons you might choose to raise the crown of a tree. Frequently, it is done to clear the line of sight for automobiles and pedestrians, but it can also be done to free up space for landscaping under the tree.

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

Crown Reduction

Crown reduction reduces the overall size of the tree’s crown from its outer edges. It shortens branches horizontally and vertically to keep the tree at a manageable size. By lowering the crown size, you can remove the need to cut the tree down because it will no longer interfere with traffic lights, power lines or street lights.

Even when the tree isn’t close to structures like these, crown reduction can help the tree look neater because it eliminates irregular growth. This is a great solution for trees that are different ages but are supposed to look consistent.

Crown Cleaning

Often referred to as deadwood pruning, crown cleaning is a minimally invasive type of trimming method that gets rid of dead, broken or diseased branches so that the rest of the tree may continue to grow normally. These branches can only create issues later.

Crown cleaning helps to make the tree look a lot better, and it stops branches from rubbing together. It is also a safety practice that reduces the chance of branches falling, since healthy branches rarely fall.

Crown Restoration

Crown restoration is a focused trimming process used on trees that were significantly damaged (either by pests or weather). It should only be done by an experienced arborist who knows how the tree is likely to grow over time and roughly how long it’s restoration is going to take.

Unlike other tree trimming services, crown restoration happens throughout a longer time period with conservative trimming that reshapes the tree. Your arborist will have a definitive plan to restore the tree, but also be flexible as the tree starts to grow and reshape on its own, working with the tree’s new growth.

Vista Pruning

If you are hoping for trees that add to the beauty of your landscaping, you are probably interested in vista pruning. The purpose of vista pruning is to make the tree more aesthetically pleasing from a particular vantage point.

It entails several pruning techniques including crown thinning, crown reduction and crown cleaning – anything that makes the trees look prettier. Remember, though, that an arborist is not going to jeopardize the health of a tree, so the primary focus of vista pruning is still to maintain strong, healthy trees.

Espalier Pruning

Espaliered trees are pruned heavily to grow flat against walls or a trellis. It is a unique style of trimming that will draw a lot of attention to your yard. Espalier pruning must be started when the tree is very young and then continued very routinely during the tree’s life span.

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

Professional Tree Pruning in North Dakota

Tree pruning can be dangerous for a tree, your landscaping, and, of course, for you! ND Tree Trimming highly encourages professional tree pruning over attempting DIY.

Aside from the possible dangers of tree trimming, you can do a lot of damage to a tree if you don’t prune it correctly. Excessive pruning is one of the most typical mistakes made by homeowners trimming their own trees.

Trees in North Dakota that get routine care from a professional are much better off, and hiring an experienced arborist from ND Tree Trimming to care for trees on your property is a decision you won’t regret. Locate your city in our service area. We work with arborists across the entire state of North Dakota!

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

Once full-grown, trees are simple to care for: another benefit! They are durable and tend to continue growing despite minimal care. But, if you want to see your trees achieve their maximum potential, they need more effort.

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

The good news is that tree care isn’t very difficult, but you will want 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 outline the five best practices on how to plant a new tree and seeing it thrive. You probably are familiar with the basics, so let’s dive a little deeper and detail how to perform each step correctly.

Tree Care Tips for New Trees

These tips will not only help keep trees alive, they’ll help them to grow much faster, resist damaging gusts of wind, fight off diseases ,insects and pests and create more leaves, flowers or fruit.

Water Your Tree

New trees need more water than well-established ones. The trees you plant on your land are no exception.

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

The popular recommendation is 4-10 gallons of water every week. Rain water also counts, and although it’s hard to have an exact reading, a rain gauge can help get you close enough to add 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 helps protect new trees, especially the roots. But laying mulch incorrectly can sometimes cause rotting and decay – so much so, in fact, that it’s possible that the tree will not survive.

Place mulch exactly 3 inches away from the trunk of the tree and spread it out to completely cover the ground underneath the longest horizontal branch. For new trees, this won’t be very far, but as the tree continues to grow, your mulch area will also grow as well.

Keep the mulch 2 to 4 inches thick in all areas around the tree. 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 nutrients that your soil may not naturally have. Most new trees can benefit from fertilizing, but you have to use the right products and doing it at the right time for fertilizer to be most beneficial.

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

If you are unsure about which type of fertilizer to use, consult a tree care specialist for recommendations. Slow-release fertilizers are often a good idea because they feed trees over a period of time rather than all right away.

Follow through with these tasks in the first few growing seasons after planting a tree, and then review your watering, mulching and fertilizing needs as the tree gets older. As seasons go on, there will be tree care projects that become more important for young trees.

Trim Your Tree

Tree pruning is very important – but very challenging – in the first years after you plant a tree. As the tree grows, you may see several small branches take off, attempting to become the trunk of the tree. You may think this shows that the tree is healthy and that it is growing well, it can actually result in a weak tree over time.

Early pruning helps to shape the tree into what it will ultimately look like when it becomes much larger. As little 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.

So long as there are trees somewhere on your property, they need to be pruned regularly. When the tree gets too large for you to trim them safely, you can rely on ND Tree Trimming to do it for you.

Monitor Your Tree

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

• Leaf color changing out of season, with leaves turning brown or yellow
• Premature leaf falling, regardless of whether these leaves look healthy or diseased
• Wilting, even with proper watering
• Single limbs dying
• Bark peeling off

These signals indicate a health issue. The tree is likely going to require professional care if your goal is to keep the tree alive. A certified arborist can usually diagnose the issue by simply looking at the tree, although they will perform testing whenever necessary.

If you discover the problem early enough, you will likely be able to save the tree. Being proactive is the best course of action to protect your younger trees.

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

Of course, you might already have a very busy schedule and don’t really want to take on these additional tasks. In most cases, homeowners don’t have the ability to give their new trees the necessary care.

No matter the situation, it’s ok to contact a local tree service for the care of new trees. A professional arborist in North Dakota can consult with you about the course of care for each type of tree you plant on your land. Arborists love sharing their expertise and skills with people planting new trees, and can be the difference between trees that struggle and trees thriving.

Call ND Tree Trimming now for information on routine tree care in North Dakota – including tree pruning – for newer trees and older trees. A local tree service will determine the best plan for your trees! Locate your city in our service area here.