One common threat to trees is pests, and you can protect your trees from them by keeping your trees healthy, inspecting them regularly, and removing anything from the area that might tempt harmful pests. A tree care professional can keep your trees properly trimmed and protected from the cold, as well as offer thorough inspections to catch signs of trouble early on.
Keep Them Regularly Trimmed
Trimming has several benefits. It can ensure that dead or dying branches are removed, that the crown of your tree is getting enough sunlight and airflow, and can prevent your tree from growing too large and starting to brush up against other trees or buildings. All of these things can contribute to keeping your tree healthy, which in turn makes them less susceptible to attacks by pests.
Trimming can also remove parts of your tree that are affected by pests or disease, which can prevent spread in trees even if they're already affected. There are several different ways to trim a tree based on its needs, its species, the time of year, and your climate, so ask a professional to do this for you, especially if you're concerned your trees may be vulnerable.
Wrap Them During Colder Weather
If your winters get very cold, your trees may be at risk of cracking and splitting. This can happen when moisture gets in the bark, and falling temperatures cause the moisture to expand and contract as it freezes. This in turn can split wood open, leaving spaces for many kinds of pests, especially wood-boring insects, to get in.
To combat this, you can often have your trees wrapped, both to lessen the likelihood of cracking and of pest invasion.
Keep Surrounding Area Clear
While some organic matter around your tree is a good thing, such as mulch, too much debris can attract the wrong attention. Fallen fruit that isn't removed can attract pests, as can fallen and decaying wood, especially if the wood is moist. Damp dead wood can attract many wood-boring pests, so make it a point to keep the wells of your trees, as well as the surrounding area, free of most debris.
Make Regular Inspections
Even if your trees are attacked by pests, they can be dealt with much more easily, and your tree saved, if the pests are spotted early on. To that end, inspecting your trees once a month or so can help you spot signs of pest infestation. Look at the trunk for any signs of damaged bark or decay, check leaves for signs that creatures may be eating at them or damaging them, and inspect your branches; living branches are pliable and springy, whereas dead branches are brittle and snap easily, and can be a sign that something is attacking your tree.
Finally, ask your tree care professional what kind of pests commonly attack trees in your area. Looking for specific signs or understanding what common pests look like can help make the process much easier. When in doubt, or if you suspect any issues, ask residential tree care services to give your trees a thorough inspection.
