Having a beautiful garden is not a coincidence: it is meticulous work that relies on regular maintenance. Plants, flowers, soil: all plant components require attention and care.
Trees are no exception to the rule. Behind their solid appearance lie several factors to watch out for. Canopy (extent of plant cover formed by branches, leaves and foliage), trunk, roots: so many elements to check to assess whether your trees are in good shape, or whether you should contact a professional to restore their vigor.
To take better care of your exterior, here is a quick overview of the actions you can take throughout the year. And above all, a reminder of the services that a professional can provide you to optimize the health of your garden… and your trees!
Monitor your trees yourself? A beneficial and relevant activity!
Why monitor your trees yourself when tree service specialists exist? Because not all anomalies that you might detect necessarily require immediate professional intervention. Nature being well designed, what you might perceive as a problem might resolve itself. And between us, taking a walk to observe your garden is a very pleasant activity in itself!
And nothing is lost! Your observations – in other words, the regular examination of your plantations, including your trees – give you the chance to have an overall picture of the situation. Portrait which could be very relevant if a problem were to emerge, and tree service professionals need to know more.
But what exactly to observe? What to pay attention to? You could structure your inspection around three elements, asking yourself the following questions:
- The canopy. What is the general condition of the branches? Are there many of them on the ground? Is the leaf mass less abundant than last season? Do the leaves have spots?
- The trunk. Is the tree leaning? Does it have cracks? If yes, how long and how deep? If so, it would be wise to monitor their progress.
- Roots. Does your tree look like it is growing out of the ground? Is the ground raised around it? Have fungi, parasites or insects developed at its base?
You don’t need to have an extensive horticultural background to see if a tree seems healthy or not. And since you see yours often, you should be able to spot any irregularities.
Taking care of your trees: a service to nature!
Observing is good, but acting is better! What actions can you take to your trees to support or reinvigorate them?
- Feed them, in other words, carry out appropriate fertilization. This process provides essential nutrients to strengthen your trees. The appropriate amount and type of fertilizer should be determined primarily based on the species and its approximate age.
- Take into account the environment where they are located. Pollution, soil compaction or lack of space for roots can affect your trees. So, if you carry out excavation work on your land, you risk digging up the roots and compacting the soil through the action of the machinery. Of course, if your work is necessary, you must do it but take certain precautions.
- Pruning them. Pruning – to a certain extent – can be homemade, especially if the branches are in the way. The golden rule? Do not remove more than 20% of all branches in the same year and do not cut the top so as not to weaken the tree… and above all, if you do not have the equipment and knowledge necessary to carry out the work safely, call a certified pruner!
Certainly, all these actions will have positive repercussions on your trees. That said, regular maintenance by a professional will still be necessary. At stake? Optimal health and natural beauty of your garden.
Tree services: added value for their health
When you think about tree services from arboriculture companies, you might get the impression that their only service is pruning. However, behind this process – which we recommend planning every three to five years – lies a certain number of other valuable expertise for your trees:
- Aesthetic expertise. Pruning is essential to maintain the natural shape of the tree and promote its growth.
- Health expertise. By eliminating dead, low or broken branches, pruning plays an active role in preventing infections. Combined with a targeted visual inspection, it can help detect fungal diseases or insect infestations, which can subsequently be subject to appropriate treatments.
- Expertise in soil amendment. Fertilizer, compost: professionals know which mixture of nutrients will be able to strengthen the roots, foliage and general vigor of your trees and shrubs at this precise moment.
- Expertise in felling. Sometimes felling a diseased tree, dangerous, leaning on electrical wires, or grubbing are actions necessary to keep your land safe and impeccable.
- Expertise in landscaping. Calling on arboricultural experts also means benefiting from personalized recommendations to preserve the vitality of your garden and develop your green spaces.
- Expertise in planning. With the needs of your exterior in mind, these specialists will be able to plan the required interventions (pruning, treatments, etc.).
The expertise of Émondage SBP
As you can see, when we talk about tree services, we’re talking about everything that could influence their condition. The regular examination that you will be able to carry out on your specimens is a very useful preventive action, particularly during disease epidemics, like the emerald ash borer. For a more in-depth analysis or for a precise diagnosis, do not hesitate to call on experts. They will be able to tell you the truth about the condition of your trees and help you to enhance them.
It is in this vein that Émondage SBP’s tree services fall into place. Renowned for its excellent expertise/advice ratio, the company deploys the best of its teams to cover basic operations and the essential health of your trees.
Whether you contact them to ensure good growth, maintain good shape or guarantee the longevity of your trees, whether you are in a residential, commercial or public environment, you will be sure to contribute greatly to their vitality and longevity, while ensuring the safety and aesthetics of your garden.
Sources :
CHUBB. Why it’s important to give your trees a healthcare checkup. 2024.
Les Jardins de la passion. L’importance de tailler les arbres. [The importance of pruning trees]. 2024.
Protégez-vous. Comment garder vos arbres en bonne santé. [How to keep your trees healthy]. 2023.
Au cœur de l’arbre. Mes arbres sont-ils en bonne santé? [Are my trees healthy?]. 2022.
