Whidbey Tree Care
When looking for a new home, you might be happy to find a property that’s surrounded by large, mature trees. Why? Trees take a long time to grow, so not having to plant them and wait provides you with a wide variety of benefits. As a Whidbey Island homeowner, it’s always nice to have large, mature trees that provide cooling shade in the summer and beautiful colors in the fall. That’s why our Westcoast certified arborist would like to provide you with the following Whidbey tree care tips for old, mature trees.
Tree Care Inspections
A tree care inspection by a certified arborist will call to attention any changes in a trees health before it becomes a serious problem. While you can do a general inspection yourself, it’s important to keep in mind that many signs and symptoms of a problematic tree can be subtle or even undetectable to the untrained eye. A certified arborist, on the other hand, will provide you with better results by assessing the health and stability of a tree based on its type, size, location, and overall appearance.
During a tree care inspection, a certified arborist will look for the following:
- Crown Dieback
- Visible Dead Branches
- Cracks (or) Cavities
- Missing Bark
- V-Shaped Unions
- Potential Pest Problems
- Root Damage & Decay
Mulching
While mulch is an essential element to maintain new plant growth, it’s actually a great practice at every stage of a tree’s life. Mulch helps to reduce environmental stress by providing protection from the harsh elements while suppressing unwanted weeds and maintaining stable root health with moisture-rich soil. Mulch can also protect the base of a tree from damage due to lawnmowers, and weed whackers. For effective results, mulch should be added 2-4 inches deep around the base of your tree to keep them healthy.
Professional Pruning
Pruning is another important tree care measure that will ensure the health of larger, mature trees. Not only will it maintain structural soundness, but pruning will also keep you and your property safe by removing dead, diseased, and insect-infested branches. However, pruning should never be handled as a DIY job. That’s why it’s important to hire a certified arborist who is trained in all aspects of arboriculture and preventative tree care techniques.
Removal
Unfortunately, there are a wide variety of factors that may warrant the removal of a large, mature tree. Some of these include storm damage, insect infestation, malnutrition, poor soil conditions, flooding, old age, and construction damage. However, you should never try to remove a tree yourself. Only a certified arborist will have the experience, and equipment necessary to safely and efficiently remove trees.
Westcoast Tree Care
At Westcoast Tree Care, we help homeowners in Whidbey Island make educated decisions when it comes to caring for larger, mature trees. Whether you would like more information on tree health or require any of our preventative tree care services, we are the professionals you can trust. Our certified arborist would be more than happy to walk your property and answer any questions you may have. Contact us by filling out our online form or call us at 1-800-767-8733.
