Trees add value to your property in many ways.  They’re beautiful; they provide environmental benefits such as shade, erosion control, and wildlife habitats; and they increase the resale value of your property. Once the right tree has been selected and planted, the big question is how to properly care for it.

As professionals, we recommend that you do the following things to monitor the health of your trees.

• Examine trees for any signs or symptoms of unusual pest activity or potential disease problems.

• Look for good leaf and shoot development at the top branches.  If you see dead branches at the top or at the tips of branches, report this to your landscape professional.  This is a sure sign that the tree is under stress and might need some help.

• Check mulching material.  A tree needs about 3” of organic mulch around the trunk zone; no mulch should be piled up on the trunk. Tree wrap and staking should never be left on trees more than two years.

• Trees need to be watered once every two weeks for the first two years during the summer. After the tree is established, a good deep watering during periods of extreme heat and drought will help with the tree’s overall health.

Spring is a good time to check trees for damaged limbs, to remove undesirable branches, and to thin out internal branches. If a mature tree is on a property that has recently undergone construction or if it is a prime specimen you wish to keep, then it is recommended that you call a professional and discuss a tree care program.  A tree care program would include fertilization, pruning, and routine observation.

The Emerald Ash Borer is a major pest problem we face right now.  It has killed over 25 million ash trees in the U.S. and has a strong foothold in Northern Illinois. In the past, many believed that the only preventative measure for this pest was to remove the tree.  Now there are several new methods and treatments available that have been researched and are being used by the USDA.  If you have an ash tree that is important to you and you wish to save it, please contact us.  Treatments need to be done in the spring when the adult beetle is present from mid-May through late July.  For more information about the Emerald Ash Borer, please click here.

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