At Meadows Tree Service, Foster’s most trusted tree service, we know how difficult it can sometimes feel to take care of trees. To help, we’ll explain how to keep a tree alive.

When in Doubt, Call an Expert

Replacing a tree is an expensive business. It can also leave a hole in your landscaping that takes years for a sapling to fill. Our top tip for ensuring the longevity of your trees is to call the experts when you think something’s wrong. 

We understand tree biology and can recognize disease. What’s more, we know all the strategies for keeping trees thriving.

Tree Care and Maintenance Tips

While there are many other things that can help with ensuring the longevity of your trees, these are the essential steps for tree survival.

Water As Necessary

One of the best practices for tree health is to check the soil before you water. Dig a two-inch hole and see how damp the ground is. If it’s soggy, don’t water. If it’s bone dry, water deeply and check again in a few days. This is one of the best tree lifespan enhancement techniques. 

Use Mulch

If you’re wondering how to keep a tree alive, then consider mulching. Place a three- to four-inch layer of mulch starting away from the trunk and extending to the drip line. Choose an organic mulch for the best results. Doing this helps you reap several benefits, including:

• Regulating soil temperature
• Retaining moisture
• Smothering weeds and grass
• Slowly adding nutrients as the compost decomposes

Mulching can help you avoid many of the pitfalls of underwatering and helps give trees a steady supply of nutrients.

Fertilize As Necessary

You should always perform a soil test before adding more nutrients. Furthermore, you should never fertilize your tree during a dry spell. The salts in the product will dry out the roots. 

You should also consider digging in compost every once in a while. This improves the soil condition, and digging it in aerates the ground. 

Be Vigilant When It Comes to Pests and Diseases

This is particularly important for saplings or unhealthy trees. Look out for signs of pest infestations like: 

• Mud tubes
• Holes in the bark
• Webs
• Silky threads
• Egg bundles
• Chewed leaves

Look out for signs of diseases, which usually manifest as a change in the leaves or abnormal growth. Deal with these issues as quickly as possible for the best chance to save your tree. 

Prune With Purpose 

You should always have a good reason to prune your tree. Whether it’s to remove dead or dying branches or to reshape the tree doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you have a good reason. 

You should never trim a tree just because you think you should. The idea behind pruning is to improve the tree’s health and structure. 

Contact Our Team for Advice

Now that you know how to keep a tree alive, do you have other questions like how to treat a tree wound? Meadows Tree Service has the answers you need, so call us at 832-692-4931 to schedule service today.