How can one care for trees at springtime? Steven Cramer, a horticulture agent in Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, shares three important considerations, in his article in the university’s website. These include soil moisture and soil type, but the most important is the tree’s capacity to make and store nutrients.

Spring-Tree-Care

“This is important to all plants and it is not as simple as it may seem. Each perennial plant must be able to store adequate carbohydrates, not only to reproduce leaves for each year, but also to “hold in escrow” the energy needed to grow new leaves, if they are killed by frost or destroyed by wind or hail.

If graphed, the carbohydrate storage curve would be high in early spring, just before trees leaf out. After leaf-out, it would plunge (because the tree has used a lot of stored food energy to put on new leaves). Then, in midsummer or later, the curve would rise again, as the tree begins to build new food stores.

Trees and shrubs use stored nutrients in early spring. By the end of spring, after a tremendous growth spurt, trees have used up a lot of these nutrients.”

Palo Alto property owners with trees in their respective territories can learn a thing or two from Cramer’s tips. For maximum results, they can hire tree management professionals, such as Bay Area Tree Specialists, to ensure their trees’ health. Who knows, these owners might even see their trees last as long as the renowned El Palo Alto Redwood. Techniques like tree pruning in Palo Alto can help keep trees in tiptop shape for a long time. A good tip for pruning trees is to do it at the right time.

Traditionally, pruning is done during the dormant period, which is winter, as this provides better access, visibility, and convenience compared to other seasons. However, winter pruning only works for summer-flowering trees like crape myrtles, Southern magnolias, and chaste trees. Doing so results in a lively burst of new growth.

On the other hand, spring-flowering trees are best pruned after they finish blooming or when the flowers fade. Pruning these trees when they are dormant or smack dab in their growing season will kill the chances of maximum spring bloom. This is an important rule to keep in mind if property owners want the best out of their foliage.

Some property owners may already know that pruning trees is an important element of tree maintenance. However, there is a right time to do so when it comes to spring-flowering trees. For ideal results, property owners should leave the job to Palo Alto tree care experts like the Bay Area Tree Specialists.

(Source: Spring Tree Care, colostate.edu, April 30, 2014)