More than 8 out of 10 Realtors say that the presence of trees makes it easier to sell a home, while some experts estimate that carefully maintained trees can add as much as 20% to the value of a home.
Trees are majestic and beautiful and will do best with regular maintenance. Even if you’re not a tree fan, if you have one by your home, it’s in your best interest to look after the health and well-being of the tree. A diseased or injured tree can pose a significant hazard that a homeowner is obliged to remedy.
Here are the most common types of tree maintenance:
- Pruning – There are various ways that tree limbs can become injured or broken. Dead and diseased limbs must be removed and some pruning may be necessary simply to thin out the tree canopy so that wind can blow through.
- Mulch – Mulch is a valuable addition to the base of your tree because it helps to insulate the soil, which is important in either very hot or very cold temperatures. Mulch helps to keep the roots moist and to block the growth of weeds that will only fight with the tree waters for any moisture.
- Water – Obviously, you should immediately water a tree after planting, and more water is required of a new tree as it expends a great deal of energy expanding its root structure. For the first two years, make sure that the soil where your tree sits should be moist. After that time period, your tree is better able to handle periods of excessive rain or mini-droughts.
- Insect/disease control – Watch the color of the roots that are exposed, as changes could signal nutritional deficiency. Wounds to the tree, caused by storms or by lawn mowers or other means, can allow fungi and bacteria to invade the tree.