Googling this question can have mixed results. Even narrowing down our search for a specific solution, it is easy to get lost in the weeds of internet misinformation, YouTube master gardeners, and long-winded reference texts. Regional “pros”, DIY’ers, and green influences can have good intentions, but the backstory before-they-get-to-the-dang-point wastes our valuable time and attention spans. Often, we leave a 30-minute plunge down a rabbit hole with even more questions than we started.
It may seem complicated and expensive but keeping your tree healthy is simple. In short, we should strive to mimic natural forest systems. Pretend humans never existed. Imagine the internet was never invented. This is where trees began, and they thrived. In our modern urban forest, however, intervention is sometimes necessary. Here are few things we can do as tree owners and managers:
- Install an organic mulch ring
- Select the “Right Tree for the Right Location”
- Ensure there is proper drainage
- Give your specimen tree some breathing room by removing adjacent vegetation
- Leave the leaves
- Conduct early structural pruning
- Protect your tree from squirrel chew, lawn care damage, and sunscald
- Collaborate with an ISA Certified Arborist to manage more technical challenges
like pests, fungal/bacterial pathogens, lightning, storm damage, weight reduction
pruning, etc.
The latter items are where things can get complex, and it’s okay to consult with real
humans at any point in your tree journey. As professional arborists, we’ve worked our
entire careers and dedicated our lives to solving the most nuanced of tree challenges.
We too have wrestled with best management practices in modern arboriculture. Finding
accurate information is sometimes tedious but always worthwhile. Many situations and
tree issues have already been solved. Likely, you are not the only one with your specific
problem, and there is a proven solution. Sending us a quick picture can at least get you
pointed in the right direction. Our experience, training, education, resources and
teamwork can take the guesswork out of caring for your favorite trees. Maybe you won’t
ever need to Google anything tree related again! Of course, we don’t want to discredit
our science community and the fantastic people and programs at agriculture research
universities… the .edu websites are some of our best resources and a great place to
limit your searching efforts.