BRANCH OUT
Arbor Day in Colorado is celebrated on the third Friday in April. That auspicious day and our glorious spring weather should inspire plenty of outside time getting your trees ready for the season!
CLEAN UP
Of course we all do our share of indoor spring-cleaning this time of year, but think about doing the same for your trees right now too. Remove the dead, dying, diseased or weak branches from the tree canopy with a pair of sharp pruning shears.
LEAVE IT TO THE PROS
If the winter weather left plenty of damaged limbs on your larger trees, consider bringing in a professional to take care of those big jobs. You’ll know it’s too big of a job when you can’t safely make the cut with a pole pruner while standing on the ground.
GET PLANTING
April can be a fantastic time to plant new trees and shrubs. Start with good soil and a root stimulator, and be sure to consult a knowledgeable source for help choosing the right tree for your specific landscape. Follow up all new planting with a healthy dose of watering.
WHAT TO PRUNE NOW
If you have trees and shrubs that flower in mid to late summer, then consider pruning them now in early spring to promote flowering. You’ll be glad you did later this summer!
PRUNING PINES
Colorado yards have lots of evergreens and pine trees. Most of these trees don’t need to be pruned much, but if you do decide to prune them back for space issues, be sure to trim lower branches all the back to the trunk just outside the branch collar.
FERTILIZE AS NEEDED
Fertilizer can be beneficial when it is needed and is applied in the right amount. If you have healthy, robust trees, you may be able to skip the fertilizer. If you have trees that are not yet fully established, or show signs of poor growth, a fertilizer can provide the necessary nutrients to make up for deficiencies in the soil.
TAKE OFF THE WRAPPING
Remove any protective tree wrapping this month that you may have placed on young trees to protect them over the winter. Inspect those trunks to make sure they made it through the season without any problems.
