California tree service professionals tell their customers why their tree may not be growing as quickly as they want it to.
Reasons and Solutions for Slow Tree Growth
Trees are often purchased with high hopes of their growing quickly either to create a natural windbreak or privacy barrier. When growth doesn’t happen as quickly as anticipated, a homeowner may be concerned about their choice of tree. It may not be the tree you have selected, it may be the tree care, or if you are talking about a tree that is already established, it may be near the end of its normal growth curve.
Reason #1: You May Have Chosen the Wrong Tree For Your Area
If you chose a tree strictly for its size or aesthetic, it may not grow well in your area of the world. Though California is known for its beautiful weather and lush flora, there are things that are not made to grow in these climes. If a tree’s preferred climate is outside of the area it is planted, then it will not grow to its full potential. Some plants need freezing weather in the winter to grow properly in the spring and summer. Consult with a reputable tree service company to decide what is best for you to plant.
Reason #2: You May Be Over-Watering or Under-Fertilizing
Tree health care is important for optimal tree growth. An inexperienced gardener may think that the more water or fertilizer you give a plant, the better, but that is most definitely not the case. There could be other practical tree care reasons that the tree is not growing, Let’s detail these below:
- Planting: When planting a tree, you should never cover the root crown. This is the largest part of the trunk that leads directly into the roots. Burying a tree too deeply can smother it and stunt or destroy growth.
- Watering: While trees do need regular watering, especially when they are first planted, overwatering can actually reduce tree growth. The best way to water is to use a soaker hose. If you are doing it by hand with a hose, make sure the flow is very slow.
- Fertilizing: Fertilizer offers key nutrients to trees that they may not be able to get from the available soil, but fertilizing a young tree too soon or too much can be detrimental to growth. It can cause damage to roots that may not only stunt growth, but may kill the tree.
- Mulching: Mulch is an excellent way to enrich the soil and to protect the roots against extreme temperature changes. Unfortunately, if it is placed incorrectly, it can promote pest infestation, tree disease and fungal growth. Always place mulch 2-4 inches thick and place it in a doughnut pattern around the tree, leaving the root crown completely uncovered.
Reason #3: The Tree May be Near the End of Its Life
If the tree is an established one in your yard, then the problem may not be with tree care. It may just not be growing as much because, just like people, growth slows as they age.
Here are a couple of things to remember:
- Slow growth in later stages does not mean something is wrong with the tree.
- It doesn’t mean that the tree is unhealthy.
- Some trees can live for centuries while others only live decades.
- The attention of an arborist may extend the tree’s life.
- If tree removal is necessary, leave it to the professionals.
About Ned Patchett Tree Care and Consulting
Understanding the balance between the desire to preserve a tree as long as possible and knowing when it needs to be removed is exactly what Ned Patchett Tree Care and Consulting is all about. Call today for service in San Carlos, CA and the surrounding areas.
