Proper Tree Care - We care for your trees!

Proper Pruning Techniques

Large Limbs:

A: Make a partial cut from beneath.

B: Make a second cut from above several inches out and allow the limb to fall.

C: Complete the job with a final cut just outside the branch collar.

Small Branches:

Make a sharp clean cut, just beyond a lateral bud or other branch.

The Value of Mulch

A tree’s best friend, mulch insulates soil, retains moisture, keeps out weeds, prevents soil compaction, reduces lawnmower damage, and adds an aesthetic touch to a yard or street. Remove any grass within the mulch area, an area from 3 to 10 feet in diameter, depending on tree size. Pour wood chips or bark pieces 2 to 4 inches thick within the circle, but not touching the trunk.

“To exist as a nation, to prosper as a state, and to live as a people, we must have trees.” —Theodore Roosevelt

Where Roots Really Grow

A: Because roots need oxygen, they don’t normally grow in the compacted oxygen-poor soil under paved streets.

B: The framework of major roots usually lies less than 8 to 12 inches below the surface.

C: Roots often grow outward to a diameter one to two times the height of the trees.

Girding Kills Trees

Girdling is any activity that injures the bark of a tree trunk and extends around much of the trunk’s circumference.

Such injuries, often caused by lawnmowers and weed trimmers, destroy the tree’s most vital membranes, the layers that conduct water and minerals from the roots to the leaves and return the food produced by the leaves to the rest of the tree.

Your Street Trees May Be City Trees

If you live in a town or city, the trees near the street (often between the sidewalk and street), are probably city-owned. The city should have a program for planting and caring for these trees.

This material is brought to you by The Arbor Day Foundation

Call 573-789-2556, or email us today for a free consultation for affordable tree care from Oasis Tree Service, LLC.