Caring for Your Young Tree

The first several years of a young trees life require the most care and attention, especially in residential areas like Cincinnati. Unlike a natural forest environment, suburban neighborhoods do not provide young trees with much protection from the elements. Newly planted trees that stand in open landscapes are much more likely to be disturbed from their natural growing cycles.

Here are some tips to make sure your new tree properly establishes itself…

Since your tree pulls nutrition from the soil, it only makes sense that you want to plant it in fertile soil. Of course you are often stuck with the soil you inherited with your house, so your only option to insure a fertile planting environment is to add nutrients. This can be done by mixing in a bag of planting soil after you have placed the root ball of your tree in the ground. Another option is purchase tree fertilizer to apply to the soil at the time of planting. Just make sure you do not over-fertilize the tree. In most, cases, the soil found in Cincinnati’s suburbs is adequate enough but you can have your soil tested if you have any doubts.

In addition to nutrition, proper watering is also vital to your young trees health. Most trees require 1.5 inches of rainfall per week to reach the recommended level of nourishment. This equates to approximately 25 gallons of direct watering. With that in mind you should monitor precipitation in your area to make sure all of your trees are getting enough water. When it comes time to water, use a slow stream of water right from the hose to soak the ground surrounding the tree. This helps the water penetrate deeper root levels.

Another way to ensure your tree's health is to protect it from pests. First you want to eliminate places by your tree that pests might be living. Piles of brush, weeds, old leaves, or any other decaying matter where pests could be living should be eliminated. Regularly turn over a little bit of soil around your tree and look for pests that could be hiding underground. You might also need to apply bug spray and/or repellents if you notice insects crawling on the bark or chewing the leaves. Talk to a landscape professional if you have any questions.

The final step to keeping your young tree healthy is to keep it protected during the first five years. This might include tying it to a stake to help it to survive strong winds. Don't tie it too hard as you need to provide enough flexibility for the tree trunk to grow vertically. Also consider adding a small barrier around the mulch line to keep it safe from animals, lawn mowers, and children. Lastly, consider bark wrap if you landscape is prone to termites and ants.

Following this simple advice will help your young tree establish itself in its’ new environment. Just like other types of offspring, a tree needs assistance to help protect it in the first fragile years. Luckily, most of the required care is inexpensive and easy to administer by the home owner.