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Having shade trees in your yard has many wonderful benefits. Underneath a full-grown shade tree is the perfect location for a backyard barbeque or for kids to play outside. A shade tree 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 right species of tree and care for them correctly.

CO Tree Trimming has recommendations for the best trees to plant for shade, as well as some expert advice on maintaining your shade trees so they continue to grow strong and healthy.

Planting Trees for Shade

All trees can provide shade, but there are some types of trees that are built for optimal shade. These trees usually have a thick, wide canopy that reaches out about as far as it does upward.

Below, we’ve provided some examples of shade trees based on whether they would be best suited for your back or front yard.

Back Yard Shade Trees

Shade trees in the back yard are primarily for the homeowner’s benefit. Neighbors and passersby usually won’t see these trees very much, so they can be planted purely for shade and enjoyment.

Besides just shade, these trees can provide year-round color as well as some additional privacy.

Here are a few popular options:

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

If you have enough space, a live oak is another fantastic choice. Live oaks are said to be the fastest growing shade trees, and are able to get very large. An older live oak can reach up to 80 feet tall and as much as 100 feet wide.

A lot of these back yard tree recommendations get very big, so you need to do some research to find out if the tree is going to have enough space to grow to its full potential.

If there is not enough room, the tree’s root system can damage your fencing or even your home. You will also need to prune the tree every year to keep it manageable. A tree that grows too large for its location will probably have to be removed, which is an unfortunate and sometimes expensive situation.

Front Yard Shade Trees

In the front yard, you are planting trees for your enjoyment as well, but these trees will be much more impactful for adding value and curb appeal to your home since they can be seen.

Buy shade trees for the front yard that are a little smaller so they don’t overshadow your home. These trees should pair with your landscaping in both size and color, while still providing lots of shade for front yard play and relaxation.

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

Red maple
River birch
Dogwood
White oak
Ginkgo tree

These types of trees are colorful throughout the year, and they’ll exude even more color during the fall.
Another excellent choice for your front or side yard is the ‘Green Giant’ Arborvitae. This hedge-like tree can be planted in a long row with others to create privacy as well as shade.

With these suggestions in mind, we encourage you to plant trees you like. In reality, any tree can grow to become a “shade tree.” so long as the trees you choose are suitable for the weather in Colorado, they will provide your yard and home with shade.

Benefits of Planting Shade Trees

The benefits of having shade on your property are numerous — there are some that you maybe wouldn’t typically think about.

Shade, Obviously – When temperatures get too hot, you don’t need to hide indoors if you have a nice, shady yard. Put a chair or hammock below your best shade tree and relax outside as long as you like.

Climate Control – Trees can control the temperature in your yard and inside your house. Not only will trees protect you from the hot sun, but they can make it feel 10-15 degrees colder under their protective canopies. This translates to less solar radiation on your home as well, which might result in more affordable energy costs!

Better Air Quality – Trees produce oxygen and expel pollutants, so there is healthier air around your house. Arbor Day Foundation research states that one mature tree absorbs around 48 pounds of CO2 out of the air.

Shelter for Animals – If you enjoy bird watching or think squirrels and chipmunks are cute, your trees can provide them all they will need to build a habitat, find food and raise babies.

Fun – What kid doesn’t love a backyard tree house or tire swing? 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 weather in Colorado. Healthy trees are strong and durable after a couple of years, needing little attention or care.

Consult a local arborist from CO Tree Trimming if you have any questions about how to care for your trees, or even to help you select the best tree for your home.

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

Planting Your Shade Tree

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

Pruning Your Shade Tree

Prune during the first year or two after planting the tree in order to shape it and help it form a strong foundation. To be safe, and for the best results, call CO Tree Trimming for tree trimming in Colorado. 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 will help them form a deep and strong root system and will give the tree stability in the long run.

Fertilizing Your Shade Tree

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

We hope this information was helpful! Remember, when it comes time to trim or prune a new shade tree, CO Tree Trimming can help! Call and a certified arborist in Colorado will visit your home, assess the tree and determine the proper care plan for its long-term health and growth.

Tree trimming is best left to the pros. It’s dangerous work, climbing trees, using chainsaws and dropping heavy branches to the ground; and it can be dangerous for the tree as well. Trees that aren’t pruned correctly can experience a lifetime of issues.

Rather than putting yourself in harm’s way and putting the tree at risk, hire a professional who is trained and experienced to do it for you.

This will result in healthier trees and a safer environment near your landscaping for many reasons:

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

CO Tree Trimming highly encourages trimming trees that are very close to your house or any that are a focus of your property.

Is Tree Trimming Necessary?

It is not required. But it is important. Trees are resilient and are able to grow on their own all over the world, in many different climates and locations, without being pruned.

That said, there are several benefits of tree trimming, so it’s definitely recommended for any trees that you care about. This can include sentimental trees, fruit trees and blossoming trees or trees that perform an important service for your house, such as shade or home to wildlife.

Tree Pruning Gone Wrong

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

But that’s OK, because there are a lot of services out there who know how to correctly prune trees for an affordable cost to you including all of the certified arborists throughout Colorado we work with!

Here are the 5 most common mistakes homeowners make when attempting DIY tree trimming that can lead to many tree problems. These are things that a professional arborist from CO Tree Trimming will know, and that’s exactly why their services are worth the price!

Pruning Too Much

When done correctly, tree pruning is an ongoing process. Beginning when your trees are just 2 or 3 years old, they should be care for by an expert if you care about them and desire to keep them strong and healthy.

A huge mistake people often make when trimming trees themselves is cutting too much of the tree at a time. This occurs because they let the tree’s growth get out of hand and try to correct it all at once. Ideally, you should only cut off 5-20% of the tree’s crown at the final removal cut. It is easier to do this during a season that the leaves are off, but an experienced arborist will be able to properly prune trees any time of year.

Trimming in the Wrong Place

A trained tree specialist knows where to trim each limb to prevent damage. This cut should be made just beyond the branch collar, the specific place where the branch connects to the trunk.

Trimming too close to the branch collar exposes the tree to decay, mildew and pests. Cutting too far away from it leaves a stump when the tree has recovered. Most DIY tree pruning results in an improper cut, leaving either aesthetic or structural issues.

Trimming Large Branches

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

Conservative trimming once each year guarantees that your tree trimmer only has to cut off branches that are 2-3 inches in diameter, which produces a more attractive shape for the tree and less risk of hurting the tree or exposing it to disease 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 neither attractive nor was it beneficial for the tree, so the majority of arborists do not practice tree topping currently.

As a DIY tree trimming, you may think this is a good way to reduce the height of your tree with only one cut, but once you have cut off the top of a tree, there’s almost no chance it will ever return to a natural shape.

The Solution? Call CO Tree Trimming

Let’s face it. Your tree may never recover from bad trimming.

Doing this project yourself might seem like a way to save money, but you might end up with way more expenses trying to revive damaged trees, so it’s really safer (and more economical in the long run) to hire a certified arborist in Colorado from CO Tree Trimming.

Limbs don’t grow back. The tree will grow more, but not in the same places, which causes strange shapes that might take years to fix. The tree might end up looking bad for the remainder of its life, all because of a single pruning error.

Improper pruning could also lead to death of the tree. Cutting off too many branches (and, therefore, leaves) can alter the tree’s photosynthesis process, meaning it won’t get all of the water it needs or enough sunlight and carbon dioxide to continue healthy growth.

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

Avoid all of these tree pruning mistakes and call CO Tree Trimming to speak with a tree care specialist in Colorado able to customize a long-term plan to ensure your tree continues blossoming and looking beautiful for years to come!

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

A certified arborist from CO Tree Trimming can help you identify and treat tree issues so that there is a much better chance of keeping the tree. Learn about our service here. Not only can an arborist keep a tree from dying, but they can also help trees get more healthy growth and bloom more flowers or fruit with professional tree pruning.

Have you 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 issues and what these symptoms mean for a tree.

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

Tree Diseases & Common Problems

These 7 things are the most typical issues addressed by professional arborists in Colorado. As soon as you think one of these things could be wrong with your tree, contact someone with the training and tools to help!

Tree Diseases

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

Leaf rust is dangerous because it prevents the leaves’ photosynthesis, the process by which it breathes. Leaf rust can be tended to with fungicides and selective pruning of the diseased leaves. It may be recommended to cut off entire branches with leaf rust.

Witches’ Broom – This common tree disease creates a large mass of twigs, dead leaves and branches that resemble a broom shape. It is caused by pests, unusually rainy weather or fungus. The construction of a clump of leaves and twigs is the tree’s reaction to infection or harm.

Some cases of Witches’ Broom are fatal for the tree, while others are just considered a growth malformation. A tree care professional can diagnose the problem.

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

The the best method for eliminating mildew is to use a fungicide that includes sulfur. This will eliminate the current mildew and prevent future mildew growth on the tree. You may also need to trim the tree to remove limbs, fruit, flowers and any leaves that have been affected by the mildew

Gall – Gall is a type of tree disease that happens when pests or rodents build small nests on the leaves or branches of a tree to lay their eggs in. Most types of galls are not harmful to the tree, but none of them are attractive.

Gall will appear as bumps on the tree, in different sizes. They are often white, brown, gray or some color in between.

You do not have to treat the tree if there are galls, but they can limit 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 months.

Other Tree Problems

Incorrect Pruning – There’s an art to tree trimming, as well as many types, and if you don’t know what to do, you could harm the tree past the point of recovery. Consider the type of tree, season and other factors. Under-pruning (or not pruning at all) can be 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 impacted by drought. If you want to 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 will have its growth inhibited. The first sign you are likely to noticed is scorched, dry leaves. Find more tips for new trees here.

Too Much Sun – Do your planning before planting trees in a full-sun area of your property. Many types of trees can handle it without issue, but too much sun can happen to any tree if the sun is harsh for a long period of time and rainfall is light. A tree that is getting a lot of sun needs even more water to prevent wilting, drooping leaves.

Certified Arborist Services in Colorado

An experienced arborist from CO Tree Trimming will quickly identify what’s going on with your sick tree and come up with a plan to rescue it if at all possible.

Here is what an arborist is trained to do:

• Inspect trees from below and from the branches of the tree if possible. Getting into the canopy is typically necessary to identify exactly what is creating the symptoms.
• Treat your tree with fertilizers and additives in the soil or solutions sprayed on the leaves. This person will have knowledge about the disease affecting your tree and the most effective treatments.
• Trim trees to eliminate dead or diseased branches and to assist healthy growth. Even if heavy pruning is needed, they will know how to cut off branches so that the tree can survive both the problem and the trimming process.
• Remove the tree from your yard if there is no chance to save it. The worst case is that the tree is dying, and removing it is the best way to protect your home and surrounding landscape.

They can also inform you about the other trees that you have om your property and how to best care for them so you don’t find yourself in the same situation in the future.

Many tree issues look very similar to one another, requiring an expert opinion to accurately identify and correct the problem. If your trees appear to be dry, disfigured or dying, call a certified arborist from CO Tree Trimming for an inspection before it’s too late.

When it comes to the question, “What time of year is best for tree trimming?” The answer is sometimes indirect.

The type of tree often dictates when many species can be trimmed, along with pest population and activity, local tree and plant diseases and other species of plants and trees nearby.

With the assistance of a professional arborist in Colorado, you will be able to decide what time of year is the best for pruning your trees to prepare them for success next season and every year after that.

Best Season to Prune Trees

Without any other context, CO Tree Trimming recommends tree trimming during the winter. This would be sometime from November to March in most areas. This season is best because trees are usually dormant, so pruning will cause the least amount of damage, if any.

There are many benefits to trimming trees during the winter:

Less chance of insect damage and disease – Pests and plant diseases are largely inactive during the winter. During the remainder of the year, everything from insects to fungus can affect a freshly pruned tree because the tree will be the most susceptible and these issues are more common in warmer weather.

Easier to see the shape of the tree when there are no leaves – Leaves prevent your arborist from seeing the complete shape of a tree. When the branches are bare, it is a lot easier to identify dead or diseased branches and branches that are touching versus those that are just close together.

Trees have time to heal before spring – By doing this significant pruning during the winter, your trees will have several months to build up callus tissue on the ends of the remaining branch collar. By the spring season, you’ll barely be able to tell where the branches were trimmed, and the tree will be able to use its energy to produce brand new, healthier leaves, fruit or flowers instead of healing new cuts.

Less chance of damaging surrounding landscape – Most of the nearby trees and greenery will also be dormant during this time, so there is a lower risk of them. Many times, 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 can benefit from routine trimming. Tree trimming each winter is good for trees, but it is also a precaution for the safety of your landscaping and your family and neighbors. Let us explain:

Trimming Makes the Tree Stronger

Dead and diseased limbs are removed, as are stubs that are susceptible to pests and disease. Limbs that can rub against one another are also pruned so that they don’t weaken one another or cause an open wound on the tree.

Trimming trees each winter is a great way to get an expert’s opinion on the health of your trees so that early warning signs of decay, disease and insect infestations can be identified and handled as soon as possible.

A Well-Maintained Tree Serves Its Purpose Better

When a tree becomes overgrown, it starts to be hard for water and nutrients to reach every branch. This can leave the tree looking weak and sick and definitely not doing what it’s meant to do.

Trimmed trees, on the other hand, produce more fruit, healthier leaves and provide better shade. They are fuller and healthier and less likely to create landscaping issues. So regardless of why you decided to plant a new tree, pruning each winter will maximize the results you want from it.

Trees are More Attractive After Trimming

If the curb appeal of your yard or landscaping is important to you, tree pruning is important! Trimming trees gives them an attractive, uniform shape and size. This is very important if you have several identical trees on your property.

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

Less Risk of Falling Branches

Tree pruning – done the right way – encourages the remaining branches to grow healthier and stronger. Therefore, storms and other inclement weather in Colorado won’t damage your trees the way they would an unkempt tree. Your home and family will be much safer living under and around trimmed trees.

Another safety issue for overgrown trees is that they 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 CO Tree Trimming for Tree Pruning

Hiring a certified arborist in Colorado gives you access to their knowledge on the subject of tree trimming. We recommend relying on their years of experience if you have trees on your property that you’d like to keep healthy for awhile.

An arborist won’t just consider the immediate situation. Instead, an experienced arborist will take time to research your trees and understand their unique scenario (including their location and factors that could put them at risk of disease or infestation). After gathering all of the information, an arborist will suggest a long-term plan based on the trees’ needs and stick to that plan until your goals for your trees are achieved.

This plan could take years to implement, but rest assured, it will result in healthy trees that you and your family can enjoy for many years to come.

This type of ongoing maintenance will result in healthy tree growth, help your landscaping resist plant diseases and enhance flower or fruit production from your trees. It will also fortify your trees so there is less risk of falling trees or branches.

Being proactive about tree pruning will save you a lot of money too. Preventative maintenance is far more affordable than the cost of emergency tree services, storm damage restoration or curing a sick tree of 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 property, trust a certified arborist for tree pruning and maintenance from CO Tree Trimming. Discover our service area here. We work with arborists across the entire state of Colorado. Call now!

Tree pruning in Colorado is a professional service that beautifies and reinforces your trees so they are able to fight off pests, diseases and inclement weather – and look good doing it!

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

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

• When to prune your species of trees
• How much of the tree should be trimmed at a time
• Where to cut the branches so you do not harm the tree

Cutting too much from a tree might kill it or result in structural damage, but precise trimming done annually benefits trees in many ways. Professional pruning improves the appearance of trees, makes them healthier, removes dying or diseased branches and expedites fruit or flower production.

For the best results, pruning needs to be completed annually, but as trees get older, you might be able to wait two years between major pruning services. Regardless of how routinely you have your trees pruned, ensure your arborist is qualified to do the type of tree pruning your trees need. This won’t be an issue if you call CO Tree Trimming in Colorado!

Types of Tree Pruning Methods

There are 7 ways to correctly prune a tree so that it grows healthier and stronger year after year.

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

Crown Thinning Your Trees

Crown thinning is popular for older, overgrown trees in Colorado. This process eliminates weak branches within the crown of the tree to allow more sunlight and air flow within the crown. Air flow is especially important for disease prevention.

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 access point for pests. Limbs that grow at strange angles are usually removed during crown thinning.

Crown Raising Your Trees

This trimming method only removes branches at the lower part of the crown so new limbs start higher up on the trunk of the tree. Allowing low branches to get too large makes them very hard to remove, and they can pull nutrients from the top of the tree, resulting in less fruit and a weak tree.

There are several reasons you may decide to raise the crown of a tree. Frequently, it is done in order to clear the line of sight for automobiles and pedestrians, but it can also be done to make space for landscaping under the tree.

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

Crown Reduction

Crown reduction reduces the total size of the tree’s crown from its outer edges. It shortens branches vertically and horizontally to keep the tree at a certain size. By lowering the size of the crown, you can remove the need to cut down the tree because it won’t come into contact with traffic lights, power lines or street lights.

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

Crown Cleaning

Sometimes known as deadwood pruning, crown cleaning is a minimally invasive type of tree trimming technique that removes dead, snapped or diseased limbs so that the rest of the tree will continue to grow normally. These branches can only create issues over time.

Crown cleaning helps to make the tree look much better, and it prevents limbs from rubbing together. Plus it is a safety practice that reduces the likelihood of branches falling, because healthy branches rarely fall.

Crown Restoration

Crown restoration is an advanced trimming process used on trees that have been significantly damaged (either by pests or weather). It needs to only be attempted by a certified arborist who knows where the tree is likely to grow in the future and how long it’s restoration is going to take.

Unlike other tree trimming services, crown restoration occurs during an extended time period with conservative trimming that reshapes the tree. An arborist will have a plan to restore the tree, but also must be flexible as the tree grows and reshapes on its own, working with the tree’s new growth.

Vista Pruning

If you are hoping for trees that help improve the overall beauty of your landscaping, you are actually interested in vista pruning. The intent of vista pruning is to make the tree more visually pleasing from a particular vantage point.

It entails many tree trimming techniques including crown thinning, crown cleaning and crown reduction – any technique that helps the trees look more attractive. Remember, though, that an arborist will never compromise the health of a tree, so the primary focus of vista pruning is still to create strong, healthy trees.

Espalier Pruning

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

Some of the benefits of espalier pruning include facilitating maximum sunlight to get to the trees, as well as making it exceptionally easier to produce fruit.

Professional Tree Pruning in Colorado

Tree pruning can be dangerous for a tree, your lawn, and, of course, for you! CO Tree Trimming highly encourages professional tree trimming over DIY.

Besides the many dangers of tree trimming, you can do a lot of harm to a tree if you don’t trim it correctly. Over-pruning is one of the most typical mistakes made by homeowners trimming their own trees.

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

Planting trees on your land has many benefits. Trees create summer shade, filter polluted air and increase curb appeal and property value. Everyone should plant trees.

Once full-grown, most trees are very simple to care for: another benefit! Trees are hardy and tend to grow with minimal care. But, if you want to see your trees reach their maximum potential, they need more effort.

Lack of care for new trees could lead to rotting, disease, under watering or pest problems.

Fortunately, caring for trees isn’t very complicated, but you do need a little information to do it right. Familiarize yourself with the new trees you plant in order to know exactly what they need to succeed. Then care for them and watch them flourish.

Below, we’ll describe the five best practices for planting a new tree and seeing it grow. You likely know the basics, so we’ll dive a little deeper and detail how to do each step correctly.

Tree Care Tips for New Trees

These tips will not only keep your trees alive, they’ll help them grow faster, withstand extreme winds, fight off diseases ,insects and pests and create more leaves, buds or fruit.

Water Your Tree

New trees need a lot more water than older ones. The trees you plant on your property are no exception.

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

The rule of thumb is 4-10 gallons of water per week. Rain water counts, and although it’s difficult 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 every week for the initial 2-3 growing seasons.

Mulch Around Your Trees

Mulch is more than an attractive lawn care material. It helps protect new trees, especially the roots underground. But laying mulch incorrectly can result in rotting and decay – so much so, in fact, that it’s possible that the new tree will not survive.

Place mulch 3 inches away from the trunk of the tree and spread it around to completely cover the ground underneath the longest horizontal branch. For brand 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 at least 2 to 4 inches thick in all areas. Be vigilant in spreading it out consistently and away from the trunk of the tree so it does not impede air flow around the trunk.

Fertilize Around Your Tree

Fertilizer provides nutrients that your soil might not have naturally. Most new trees can benefit from fertilizing, but you need to use the right products and doing it at the correct time in order for fertilizer to be most impactful.

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

If you aren’t sure about which fertilizer to use, consult a tree care professional for recommendations. Slow-release fertilizers are often a good idea because they feed your trees over a period of time rather than all at once.

Follow through with these things in the first few growing seasons after planting a tree, and then review your watering, mulching and fertilizing as the tree gets older. As time goes on, there will be additional tree care projects that are more important for your new trees.

Trim Your Tree

Tree trimming is very important – yet very tricky – in the early years after planting a new tree. As the tree grows, you will start to see many little branches take off, attempting to become the tree’s trunk. While you may think this shows that the tree is healthy and that it is growing well, it can actually lead to a very weak tree as time goes on.

Early trimming helps to shape the tree into what it will look like when it becomes much larger. As small branches emerge from the lower trunk, they have to be cut off so they don’t pull water and nutrients away from the upper branches.

So long as you have trees on your land, they need to be pruned regularly. When the trees get too large for you to prune them safely, you can rely on CO Tree Trimming to do it for you.

Monitor Your Tree

Growing trees are at the most risk for damage, disease and pest issues. But you’re never truly safe from these things. As your tree grows older, watch it closely for signs of disease or poor nutrition, including the following:

• Leaf color changing out of season, especially leaves turning brown or yellow
• Early leaf falling, regardless of whether these leaves look healthy or diseased
• Wilting, regardless of adequate watering
• Single branches or limbs dying
• Bark peeling off

These signs likely mean a health problem. It is likely going to require professional maintenance if your hope is to keep the tree alive. A certified arborist can usually diagnose the issue by just looking at the tree, although they will do testing whenever necessary.

If you discover the issue early enough, you will likely be able to save the tree. Being proactive is the best way to protect your growing trees.

The tips above are basic yet effective. Don’t underestimate the importance of the basics! When your new trees have proper care, combined with sunshine and barring severe, damaging weather, the odds are good that the tree will survive and look wonderful too!

Of course, you might already have a full schedule and don’t really want to be responsible for these additional tasks. In some cases, property owners don’t have the physical ability or the tools to give their growing trees the appropriate care.

Whatever the situation, it’s ok to seek the help of a tree company for caring for new trees. A professional arborist in Colorado can advise you about the best course of maintenance for each type of tree you plant on your land. Arborists love sharing their expertise and skills with homeowners planting brand new trees on their land, and they can make the difference between trees struggling and trees thriving.

Call CO Tree Trimming now for information on routine tree care in Colorado – including tree pruning – for new trees and old trees. An arborists can determine the best plan for your trees! Locate your city in our service area here.