Spring Care for Your Trees and Shrubs

Thursday, April 14, 2022 - 8:30 AM

Image of trees with snow on the branches

With the days getting longer and the temperatures starting to rise, tree buds are starting to swell. As your trees/shrubs begin to come out of dormancy and prepare for a new growing season there are some things you can do to encourage healthy growing.

Take a walk around your property and have a look at the condition of your trees and shrubs. Look for broken or hanging branches, dieback, damage (cracks, splits, oozing wounds) and browning. If you find any potential tree hazards on City property, you can report them by calling 311.

Tips to promote a healthy growing season for your trees/shrubs

Clean up and remove old leaves around your trees.

Certain tree diseases, such as tar spot, will overwinter in fallen leaves. It is best to remove the leaves from the site and avoid mulching or burning them. The best way to remove leaves is to put them in paper yard waste bags. Set them at the curb on the same day as your recycling day from May until November.

Have your trees and shrubs fertilized.

In urban environments, soils are often lacking in proper nutrients for optimal growth. Fertilizer helps ensure that your trees/shrubs have the nutrients that are required and specific to your plant. There are many different fertilizer options available. If you are unsure of your plants’ specific requirements, contact a professional for a recommendation.

Apply a layer of organic much.

A properly applied layer of mulch will help regulate soil temperature (both in summer and winter), increase soil fertility, improve soil biology, aeration, reduce moisture loss and reduce the likelihood of damage from lawnmowers and trimmers. Avoid applying too thick of a layer, and while dyed mulches are aesthetically nice, they are not recommended for trees/shrubs.

Prune your trees/shrubs.

Spring pruning is best if done before new growth develops. Try to remove no more than 10% of the plant. The main goal should be to remove any dieback/winterkill, broken, and diseased sections. To encourage new spring growth, pruning is best done in the winter.