Happy first day of spring!! Or spring equinox to be more specific. It’s that time of the year when we can enjoy the increase in daylight hours, feel more motivated, and get tons done. It’s also time for spring cleaning and I’m not just talking about your house. Spring clean-up and maintenance in the yard, including your trees, is equally as important to keep your home and family safe through the stormy season that is upon us in St. Louis.
We all know that wild swings in weather leave us constantly picking up limbs in the yard, hoping the tree limbs can hold the weight of snow and ice, heading to the basement, and biting our nails as the trees sway and creak. And we won’t even start on the frustration of Cardinal’s rain delays. Dave Murray, Chief Meteorologist for KTVI, Fox 2 in St. Louis, has put together his 2017 Long Range Spring Forecast. He has forecasted below average snow and rain for March and limited storm risks, but April and the first 10 days of May bring an uptick in tornado weather and storm action.
With proper maintenance of your trees throughout the year, you can lower your chances of breakage in high winds. Here are a few things to consider when assessing your yard this spring.
- Inspection and Assessment – Take a moment to walk through the yard and simply look up into every tree. You may spot some brewing trouble just from this step. But you also might want to call us to come give you a free tree assessment. It really is best to have a professional handle this step for you. By the time the average homeowner notices a problem with a tree it can be too late to save. We’ll Inspect your trees looking for large or small holes in the trunk, decay, cracks, fungal activity, deadwood, disease, and pests. This step alone can save you from unexpected damage down the road.
- Pruning and Deadwood Removal – Having your tree professionally pruned and the deadwood removed opens up your canopy to allow wind to move through the tree. This can be the difference between limbs, and even a tree, on your house and roof, or just the normal leaves to clean up in the fall.
- Fertilizing – An important spring step is having a slow-release fertilizer applied to help replace nutrients from a taxing winter and also to build up a tree’s resistance to damage from pests and disease. The process of deep root fertilization includes injecting the fertilizer into the ground at the root zone allowing the roots to absorb the fertilizer more easily.
- Mulching – Proper mulching can offer trees a way to conserve soil moisture, keep weeds from interfering with tree roots, and help protect the trunk from lawn mower damage.
Taking the time to properly assess and care for your trees early in the season can lead to a lot fewer headaches down the road.