Trees in your garden take a special kind of care and attention which you need to ensure that you are providing for them.

Regular water and care are both essential components of helping your trees to grow big and strong. This also ensures that they survive and thrive for the longest possible time. If you don’t take good care of your trees, they can end up being vulnerable to negative factors like pests and diseases. Here are a few simple, time-saving techniques which you can follow to properly care for your trees at home.

Water, Mulch and Protect

The three steps of water, mulch, and protect are well-established methods of ensuring that your trees live long and healthy lives. There are a number of different watering methods which you can put into practice including turning on a hose at the base of the tree, placing a large bucket with holes there, or using a slow-release watering bag which has the natural advantage of not needing to be filled up on such a regular basis.

When you are mulching the soil, you can use either shredded bark or leaf compost. The 3-3-3 rule is an easy one to follow. Use three inches of mulch in a three-foot ring with a three-inch space around the trunk of the tree. In terms of protection, keep any heavy machinery away from the tree. This includes lawn mowers and weed whackers. If you want to be especially careful, you could install a trunk guard at the base of the tree to keep the nutrient and water system from being cut. This can also help to protect against rodents and other types of small animal.

Good Pruning Habits

When you are pruning your trees, use tools which are both clean and sharp. If you have several different trees that you need to care for, sanitize your tools between uses. Don’t wait to remove any wood which has become broken, diseased or damaged. But when you are doing any structural pruning, the best time to do this is in the dormant season when you are better placed to see and evaluate the structure of the tree.

If you are ever unsure of what you are doing, there are plenty of instructional videos out there which can provide you with a major helping hand. And if you are concerned that you are doing the wrong thing, it is worth consulting with a specialist. You may even need to hire people in if the job seems especially complicated.

Always take a special effort to protect your safety in the first instance. You shouldn’t get up on ladders which aren’t being held. Also avoid operating machinery and equipment that you are unfamiliar with at any time. If you are comfortable with chainsaws etc, check out the range on YardCareGurus. Nothing is more important than keeping yourself safe.