It’s officially the month of spring! Are you ready? Are your plants ready? If not, start your spring tree care plan today!

Spring Tree Care Plan

Now that the weather is warming and the snow is melting, it’s time to plan for spring. Make the most out of these last dormant days with this plant care checklist.

1. Clean up. Remove any tarps or wraps you may have used to help protect your trees and shrubs. Also, pick up any broken branches, leaves, and other debris around your yard.
2. Inspect trees and shrubs. After a heavy snow, crippling ice, and the leftover pools of what’s melted, your trees and garden could use some attention. Check for damage from breaking branches or standing water. Look for any signs of pests and disease.
3. Prune branches. Anything dead, damaged, or diseased needs to go. Be careful not to over prune, especially if you start to see new buds forming already.
4. Reinforce weak branches. In some situations, the branches may be salvageable, especially if they’re key to the structure of the tree. Try different cabling and bracing techniques to help reduce strain and stress.
5. Mulch. Restore nutrients in your garden. Apply a layer of mulch to secure the organic matter plants need beneath the soil surface, conserve soil moisture, and control weeds. Mulch can be wood chips, grass clippings, or compost.
6. Fertilize. Apply a slow-release fertilizer to help replace nutrients and strengthen resistance against future diseases, pests, and harsh weather.
7. New plants. After you’ve taken care of what’s already in your lawn and garden, sit back and see if there’s any spot you could fill in with another tree, shrub, or plant. Make sure the desired plant would thrive in that area—not just this season but for future seasons to come.

Professional Plant Care

While many of these checklist items are simple enough to maintain on your own, some may require the help of a certified arborist. If a large tree needs pruning work or your grass is overcome with dead spots, call Elite Tree Care to help get your lawn and garden back in shape for spring.