Trees are a valuable asset on your property and this is especially true for the mature trees, which have been around for over 20 years. They may have been a part of your life for many years, providing the shade to you and your family and a place for your children to play around adding onto memories as they’ve grown. Maybe your trees serve another purpose for your family such as giving you some privacy by helping seclude your yard from the neighbours. Or, even if you are new to your home, the character offered by mature trees in your backyard might have been part of what drew you to the property in the first place. According to Ben from Go Tree Quotes trees that are well kept not only add value to your home from aesthetic appeal, but also reduce power bills in summer by providing shade from the intense sun.

 

Whatever the reason to love your mature trees, you want to do everything that can protect them and extend their life. The last thing you want for your mature trees is to die, this would not only mean having to invest in tree and stump removal services but could change your entire property. You could lose shade over your patio and home and it will take many years to get a new tree to grow to that size and perform the same way.

So, it is advised not to ignore the routine maintenance of your mature trees.

While you may not be quite sure what that will take, that is why I have rounded up some information on what is involved in extending the life of your mature trees.

The one thing that you can do to extend the life of your mature tree is to keep power tools such as lawnmowers and string trimmers from striking the tree and damaging the bark. Spread a layer of mulch around the tree to create a buffer zone. It’s also important to avoid harming the roots and vulnerable growing tissues just beneath the bark.

 

Spreading a wide, even layer of mulch around the tree trunk will not only create a barrier from power tools striking the bark but will keep the soil moist, discourage foot traffic and improve the soil when it decays. Use mulch made of wood chips and spread it 3 to 4 inches deep all around the tree, the wider the area cover the better.  

Most of the time, mature trees can live off rainfall, but when weather is dry for several weeks even large mature trees need watering to avoid stress. Water it slowly so that roots absorb the water. If you are watering with a hose, lay the nozzle on the ground with a slow trickle and every 20 minutes or so move it a few feet until the water is distributed throughout the tree’s root zone.

When it comes to examining the health of your mature trees to extend their life, it is essential that you have the inspection performed by a certified arborist. This inspection includes a thorough examination of the tree as a whole. A comprehensive tree inspection looks at everything and possibly includes a soil test if it’s necessary.   

The tree expert might address issues such as any deformity in the structure, discolouration of the leaves or any irregularities, discolouration of the bark, cracks in the limbs, insect infestation and signs of defects. 

Tree expert might also ask few questions to gauge your interest like: Are you happy with the tree the way it is and what do you not like about the tree or what is your goal for this tree? 

The inspection process is all about gathering information so that the experts can devise up a plan for your ageing tree. This plan will also include tree pruning as this is one of the most important things to do to extend the life of a tree.  

However, the question comes whom to choose for the inspection as there are many tree care companies. You need to look for companies that have long-term expertise and certified arborists on staff. 

These are some of the tips to help extend the life of mature trees and if you need more information on this then you can visit www.TreeCare.com.au.