Two Tree Care Myths Exposed
Posted on: 28 March 2015
The trees that are growing around your yard add important character and shade to your property. However, it is a sad fact of life that your trees can encounter numerous problems that can compromise their beauty or lead to their death. Many well-meaning homeowners may make the mistake of believing a couple of myths about caring for their trees, and this can make them more likely to accidentally damage these plants.
Myth: Trees Do Not Need Mulch
Most homeowners are aware of the advantages of mulching their bushes and other plants, but they may make the mistake of assuming that trees do not require this. This assumption is often based on the idea that the roots of a tree goes deep enough in the ground to make mulching ineffective, but this is inaccurate.
Adding mulch to the base of your tree can provide the roots with important benefits, despite the fact that they go deeper into the ground than most plants. These benefits result from the fact that the mulch will gradually release nutrients back into the soil. Without replenishing these substances around the base of the tree, the roots in this area would be far more likely to encounter serious health problems.
Myth: Root Guards Only Protect Your Pipe From Damage
Roots growing into your home's plumbing pipes is a particularly common problem that many homeowners will have to address at some point. When repairing this problem, the most obvious solution is to simply trim back the invasive root, but this can expose the tree to major health problems because the site of the cut will be prone to infections, insect damage and a host of other serious concerns.
Fortunately, you can mitigate both of these problems through the installation of a root guard system. These systems are impermeable barriers that prevent roots from ever entering these pipes. While installing these systems will necessitate excavating large areas of your yard, this may be the most practical way of ensuring that you do not have to choose between having healthy trees and having working plumbing.
Keeping the trees on your property looking beautiful and healthy requires protecting the roots from routine problems. By neglecting to care for the roots, you will expose the entire tree to major illnesses, injuries and infections, but dispelling these two myths will help ensure that your trees do not fall victim to these false ideas. In particular, understanding the advantages of applying mulch to the base of the tree and installing root guards around any buried pipes will help you avoid these routine issues that can compromise the health of your beloved trees.
For more tips about tree care, contact a tree service professional like R. L. Elliott Enterprises, Inc.
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