Tree Care Tips Archives - Barts Tree Service

Tips for Protecting Trees from Hammock Harm

Is there anything better than lazing away a summer day in a hammock under the shade of two beautiful trees?

The only thing to complete that relaxing picture is making sure your trees don’t suffer for your enjoyment.

If your idealized vision of hammock surfing includes tying a rope between two trees, it’s time to rethink your tree-tying strategy. Tree damage is especially likely if you use a thin rope when setting up the hammock.

Rope ties can cut into the bark of even the sturdiest of trees, opening it up to attacks of insects and diseases. Ropes can also strangle or girdle the tree making it difficult for it to access water and necessary nutrients to remain healthy. When tying ropes to smaller tree trunks, you can weaken the tree so much it won’t be able to recover.

If you’re intent on doing some hammock-swinging this summer, make sure you have the right trees and gear.

Choose Your Trees Carefully

Some people joke about hanging the hammock on the smallest tree possible, just in case it falls on you. Others say to set the hammock to the height you could easily fall without hurting yourself.

But personal safety isn’t a laughing matter, so look for two mature, healthy trees with trunks that can support your weight. Trees should be standing about 12-15 feet apart. Be sure to look up to check for any dead or hanging branches. Then look down to see what will be underneath the hammock.

Use Tree Saver Straps

Instead of cloth or plastic rope, protect your trees with special tree saver straps that minimize tree damage. These wide straps (at least 1 inch wide) are made from nylon or polyester webbing that will go around each tree’s trunk. Because of the wide webbing, they’re designed to reduce tree girdling and prevent damage to the bark and underlying layers.

As an alternative to tree saver straps, you could pad the rope with rope covers or lengths of garden hose that keep the rope away from the bark.

Never pound nails, screw bolts or fasten any kind of attachment directly into the tree.

Hang the Hammock

Find the thickest part of the tree’s trunk, about 4 ½ feet from the ground and wrap the strap around the tree. Straps will have a loop or ring for looping around the tree until it’s snug. Use heavy-duty S-hooks to connect the hammock to the strap and repeat on the other tree.

For safety’s sake, make sure the lowest point of the hammock is about 18 inches off the ground.

If you plan to leave your hammock up all summer, be sure to check the straps every time you use it. Make sure they haven’t become overtightened on the tree or loosened in between use.

At the end of summer, remove the straps and hammock. Not only will that make your hammock last longer, it will avoid the problem of tight straps girdling the tree as it grows.

If you want to avoid damage to your trees altogether, enjoy a portable hammock on a stand instead of one that hangs. You’ll still get to swing in the shade, without putting any stress on your trees.

5 Best Spring Flowering Trees For Connecticut

Spring-flowering trees offer the biggest seasonal show of bountiful blooms. And after a cold dreary winter, it’s just what we need to get spring off to a great start.

Many trees that flower in spring are fragrant and feed pollinators, in addition to beautifying our Connecticut landscape. Plus, the best don’t just offer spring flowers – they’re multi-season powerhouses.

My top picks for the best spring-flowering trees are resilient, beautiful, easy to maintain, and just right for growing in Connecticut. They include regional natives, in addition to well-behaved non-native trees with impressive spring flowers.

Serviceberries

The remarkably hardy downy serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea, 15-25 feet) is a vase-shaped small tree that produces lots of fragrant, delicate white flowers that feed bees in mid-spring. The tough Connecticut native is tolerant of both partial shade and clay soils, in addition to being disease resistant. The spring flowers are followed by edible, tart-sweet, purple-red fruits that are favored by songbirds. Exceptional orange-red fall foliage and smooth gray bark extend its interest into fall and winter.

There are several downy serviceberry hybrids that are offer exceptional landscape performance. Two of the best are ‘Autumn Brilliance’ (20-25 feet), which offers brilliant red foliage in fall and ‘Forest Prince’ (20 feet), which has an oval shape and wonderful orange-red fall color.

Dogwoods

American dogwoods are fantastically beautiful Connecticut natives, but they are so prone to the deadly disease anthracnose that I generally don’t recommend them. One variety shown to stand up to anthracnose is ‘Appalachian Spring’, which has pretty, white, mid-spring flowers and eye-catching red fruits and foliage in fall.

A better choice for us here in Connecticut is the Korean dogwood (Cornus kousa), a popular landscape dogwood with spectacular late spring flowers. You’ll love its four seasons of interest and reliable disease resistance. The multi-stemmed, picturesque tree produces white or russet pink spring flowers followed by attractive, round, coral red fruits that mature in late summer. The fall leaves turn shades of red, orange, and purple, and its beautiful mottled bark adds winter interest.

Flowering Cherries

Weeping flowering cherries lend classic beauty to spring landscapes and some offer added landscape interest after the flowers have faded. The Weeping Extraordinaire™ Double Flowering Cherry (Prunus ‘Extrazam’, 20 feet) is vigorous and bears spectacular double pink blooms in early spring. In fall, its crisp green foliage turns burgundy.

A stellar, non-weeping flowering cherry is the Kwanzan cherry (Prunus ‘Kwanzan’, 20-30 feet). It has a broad, spreading habit, and offers a wealth of fully double, pink blooms in mid-spring. In fall, its leaves turn coppery shades and younger trees have attractive, peeling mahogany bark.

Crabapples

Crabapples lost favor with Connecticut homeowners because of chronic disease problems, but newer varieties are wonderfully disease resistant. The red-flowered Prairifire crabapple (Malus ‘Prairifire’, 15-20 feet), is a perfect example. High disease resistance, colorful spring flowers, and persistent red crabapples have made it a top-notch landscape tree.

Two more remarkably compact and disease resistant crabapples include the white-flowered, orange-fruited ‘Adirondack’ (Malus ‘Adirondack’, 12 feet), and dwarf, spreading ‘Tina’ (Malus sargentii ‘Tina’, 5 feet), which has fragrant white flowers and red fall fruits.

Redbud

Native redbuds (Cercis canadensis, 20-30 feet) look like puffs of reddish smoke when in bloom and pair beautifully with American dogwoods. Brilliant, bee-pollinated, purple-red flowers line the bare branches in mid-spring. The trees have an attractive, broad, branching structure and heart-shaped leaves that look pretty through summer. Two unique landscape varieties include the purple-leaved ‘Forest Pansy’ and chartreuse-leaved ‘Hearts of Gold’.

Before choosing the right spring-flowering tree for your Connecticut landscape, consider your yard’s space, light, and soil. Most spring-flowering trees perform best in full to partial sun and prefer well drained soils of average to good fertility. If you’re unsure, give us a call – we’re happy to take a look at your property and recommend appropriate trees for your location.

Once you’ve found the right spot, plant one or more of these beautiful spring-flowering trees to make your spring extra fragrant, colorful, and beautiful.

What To Do With Fallen Leaves

Each fall, some time in October, the leaves start to fall and homeowners are faced with the question of just what to do with all of those leaves.

Many people simply rake them out to the curb and let the city pick them up. Or they place them in paper bags for disposal. Some call their landscaper or tree care provider and ask them to remove the leaves (I’m sure you’ve heard the leaf blowers going!).

But here at Barts Tree Service, we believe there’s a better option for all those fallen leaves.

Leaves can be a valuable source of nutrients for your yard and a great soil conditioner. So, this year, either mow them in place on the lawn with a mulching mower (yes, leave them right there!) or follow these easy steps to create your own ‘black gold’ (otherwise known as leaf mold or leaf compost).

Step 1—Collect and shred the leaves. There are several easy options for gathering leaves:

Rake them up, place them in a large trash can, and shred with a string trimmer inserted into the can. Be sure to wear eye protection if you do this!
Rake them into a pile and mow over them with a mulching mower. If you have a bag attachment, this will make clean-up much easier.
Vacuum them with a leaf blower with a bag attachment. Your neighbors may not appreciate the noise (be aware that some neighborhoods prohibit the use of lawn blowers) but it’s an effective way to collect and shred leaves.

Step 2—Store the leaves. Place the shredded leaves in a pile, in an empty trash can, in a bin, in a large bag – anything that will hold them and prevent them from blowing around. The Compost Sak from Smart Pots works exceptionally well for this but you can also use a circle of chicken wire, wooden palettes or a compost bin. Add a little water to moisten the pile (but don’t turn it into a soggy mess).

And that’s it. Just leave the pile until spring and you’ll have a plentiful supply of leaf mold to use as a mulch or soil amendment. If you’re feeling energetic, you can turn the pile periodically over the winter to aerate it and speed up the decomposition process.

For more information about what to do with fallen leaves, check out Leave Leaves Alone. The website was developed by a group of Bedford, NY, residents, mostly Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners, concerned about the environmental pollution and destruction of soil properties caused by homeowners’ practice of blowing and raking leaves onto the streets for town pick up.

See also our Fall Tree Care Tips for more information on what to do this fall, as well as the 10 Best Trees for Fall Color in CT, and an explanation of why leaves change color in fall.

Dwarf Trees Gone Wild: Why is a Large Tree Growing Out of my Dwarf Alberta Spruce?

Question: Um…why is there is a huge tree growing out the side of my dwarf Alberta spruce???

We have a row of dwarf Alberta spruce trees planted in front of our home. One looks like a Christmas tree is growing out the side of it. It’s completely different than the rest of the tree and much bigger than the original dwarf tree. What’s going on?

Answer: We get quite a few calls during the year where clients say, “There is something growing out of my tree that’s different”, or “There’s a tree growing out of my tree.”

Although it looks strange, it’s actually a normal process called genetic reversion. Basically, the tree (or part of the tree) is reverting back to its original form.

In the case of dwarf or small trees, the newly reverted branch grows significantly faster than the host tree (just as the full sized version normally would). In needle-bearing evergreens, it also reverts back to a full-sized needle versus the small needles found on the dwarf species.

To understand why reversion happens, we need to look at where the host tree came from.

Where do dwarf trees come from?

Dwarf Alberta spruce showing reversion to a full-sized white spruce

Many ornamental tree cultivars, especially dwarf varieties, are derived from naturally-occurring genetic mutations.

Nurseries, biologists and botanists look for abnormal growths, patterns and colors on trees. They then use that mutation to help develop new cultivars or sub-species through techniques like cross breeding or grafting. The resulting tree often looks very different from the original parent tree.

In the case of the Alberta spruce (Picea glauca ‘Conica’), two Arnold Arboretum botanists found the dwarf in 1904 as a naturally occurring mutation of a white spruce. At the time, they were waiting for a train at a railroad station in Alberta, Canada – hence the name Alberta spruce.

This new species stemmed from something called a witch’s broom where certain shoots or branches grow as a genetic mutation with small, dense needles and very slow growth. This particular one can be found on white spruce and Norway spruce trees.

So if you see a large spruce tree with a small section that’s very dense and dark in color (it looks quite unlike the rest of the tree) or if it looks like there’s a nest in the tree, it’s probably a witch’s broom.

Which trees are most likely to revert?

Reversion can happen in many species but in Danbury and surrounding areas we mostly see it in dwarf Alberta spruce trees. Roughly 5% to 10% of Alberta spruce will eventually revert to the white spruce from which they originally came.

Don’t worry though – it’s not “contagious” and won’t spread to any other Alberta spruce in your yard.

As a side note … Technically, the dwarf Alberta spruce isn’t a “dwarf” tree at all – it’s just very slow-growing. Be aware that Alberta spruce can grow to 10–15 feet tall and 6–10 feet wide so be careful not to plant it too close to walkways, structures, decks, etc. (see our article on planting the right tree in the right place)

What should I do if my tree starts to develop a genetic reversion or mutant growth?

You can generally prune out a reverted branch or stem by cutting it off right where the abnormal growth starts.

It’s important, however, to do this as soon as you notice the unusual growth. Because it grows much faster than the host plant, a reverted branch or stem can quickly take over the entire host. Plus, if it’s grown quite large, removing it will likely leave a large gap that will disfigure the tree and/or take years to fill in.

If you’re unsure about whether your tree has reverted, give us a call at 203-240-1302 for a consultation.

Why Mulching With Grass Clippings Can Kill Your Trees

Mulch is one of the least appreciated, but most important additions to the landscape. A thick layer of shredded bark, pine straw, grass clippings, gravel or river rock over the soil helps save water, reduces the soil temperature, and keeps the yard weed free. Mulch also gives that finishing touch when used in a flower bed or around a tree planting.

The Problem With Using Grass Clippings As Mulch

Grass clippings are one of the cheapest and most readily available mulches around, and for years they were also the safest to use.

That is until 2011 when a problem cropped up related to a new herbicide used on turfgrass growing around trees. Lawn care companies began seeing damage to trees and shrubs after using a broadleaf weed killer on turf grass called Imprelis. Symptoms included browning, twisted needles and stems, dieback and even tree death within just a few months of the herbicide’s application. Hardest hit were pine and spruce trees.

The trees suffered because they took up the weed killer from the treated turf areas the same way the weeds did, through the leaves, stems and roots. It didn’t take long for the product to be pulled from the market, but Imprelis-related damage continued to show up for several years because of the herbicide’s residual power.

Some stressed trees recovered over time. Regular watering, especially during dry periods, and delaying fertilizing for a year helped trees regain their health.

Herbicide Carryover Harms Trees

Even though Imprelis is no longer available, herbicide carryover can still be a problem with grass clippings. Herbicide carryover happens when products used to kill broadleaf weeds remain active in the clippings. When these treated grass clippings are used as mulch, rain and irrigation water can release the weed killer allowing it to leach into the soil and affect trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetable plants.

How To Protect Trees From Herbicide Damage

While grass clippings still make a good mulch in the landscape, it’s important to know their herbicide history before using them. Avoid using grass clippings near trees if you’re unsure if they’ve been treated.

Here are some other ways to protect the trees in your yard from herbicide damage from grass clippings:

Avoid mulching around trees and shrubs with grass clippings from lawns treated with any synthetic chemical weed killer.
Make sure your lawn care company is using herbicides approved for residential lawn use and using them according to the label’s instructions.
If you use herbicides to control lawn weeds, read labels carefully for any restricted applications for the herbicide or the grass clippings.
Use a mulching lawn mower and leave grass clippings on the lawn.
Opt for organic methods for controlling weeds to avoid applying herbicides to your lawn.
Use other mulches around trees and shrubs, such as bark chips, rocks or gravel.

In the past, the threat from herbicide damage to trees and plants in the landscape used to come from accidental drift when lawns were treated. Now we know that trees can also suffer damage from weed killer that remains in lawn clippings (as well as in compost used as mulch).

Late Winter Tree & Yard Care Tips for Connecticut

Some years we get so much snow and wind in February that it’s hard to believe spring officially starts in just a month. Other years, it feels like spring has already arrived!

Either way, it’ll soon be time to get busy checking trees for any damage caused over the winter, fertilizing your trees and shrubs, and taking steps to protect them from disease and pests.

But in the meantime, below are some things you can be doing in the yard, as well as important tree care issues to take care of before spring arrives in full force.

You’ll also find answers to some of the questions that we often get at this time of year.

Get Ready For Spring – It’s Coming!

Check all of your trees for potentially unsafe branches or tree trunks – If anything looks unsafe (see our article on Identifying Hazardous Trees), give us a call.
Inspect hardware in trees – If your trees have cables and braces in them, the hardware should be inspected every few years to be sure it’s intact, in good condition and that nothing needs to be adjusted or replaced due to the tree’s growth. Winter is a good time for that inspection and you still have time before things start growing.
Prune promptly – Any tree and shrub limbs damaged by ice or snow should be pruned off promptly to prevent bark from tearing. Any dead, damaged or diseased branches should ideally be removed before they start to bud out.
Start planning for spring – Make sure you have a program in place to deal with common tree pests and diseases – you’ll want to get some of those treatments done as soon as weather warms up so get it on the schedule now.
In case of a thaw – Don’t be fooled by warming weather – it’s still winter! Hold off digging in the yard until spring is really here – digging in wet soil will destroy soil texture and harm your plants. On the other hand, a warm spell is the perfect time to apply an antidesiccant to newly planted narrow-leaved or broad-leaved evergreens. Don’t spray an antidesiccant during freezing temperatures.
Avoid walking or driving on frozen lawns – This this can injure turf grasses. Once the crown is damaged, the grass is unlikely to grow back when spring finally arrives.
Don’t remove ice – In case of an ice storm, allow ice to melt off your plants naturally. Attempting to remove ice can damage the plants.
Gently brush off heavy snows from tree and shrub branches. Don’t shake the branches or hit them with a broom or shovel as they could break.
Check all smaller trees for evidence of rodent injury to the bark – Be sure to pull away any snow around the tree as rodents will burrow under the snow to get at the tender bark on young trees. Use baits or traps where necessary, and wrap the bottom of susceptible trees with tree wrap (be sure to remove it when the snow melts for good). Learn more about how to prevent winter rodent damage.
On icy paths and driveways – Scatter sand, bird seed, sawdust, cat litter or vermiculite to avoid slipping. Avoid salt or ice melters as these may injure plants.
Check for frost heaving on perennials – If you can, push them back into the ground and cover them with extra mulch as necessary.
Secure fencing and protective wrap – Make sure that any fencing or protective wrap around plants is secure. You don’t want it flying away in the next wind storm!
Check for insect pests – You’ll also want to check the bark and branches of ornamental trees and shrubs for scale insects and the egg masses of gypsy moth, tent caterpillar, and other harmful pests. Remove or destroy these egg masses (prune or scratch off with your fingernail) to eliminate hundreds of these plant eating pests before they hatch. Many of these eggs will be found high up in trees. Please don’t climb up yourself! Let us take a look (we’re experienced professionals who use the right safety gear to keep everyone safe) and, if needed, we can apply the proper treatments at the same time (like horticultural oil to control scale); it’s much easier when there aren’t any leaves on the trees.

Late Winter Tree Care Q&A

Big snow banks built up over the winter. Will they damage my trees and shrubs?

Yes, they probably will. Here’s what you can do about it.

How do trees protect themselves from crazy temperature swings in late winter?

Learn why trees don’t turn into icicles.

Why do trees make cracking sounds in late winter?

What’s all that racket? Is it dangerous? Find out here.

What kinds of tree work can be done in late winter? Do I have to wait until spring?

You may be surprised to know that most tree service activities can be done during the winter. Some things, like tree removals, are ideal for winter. Others, like dormant pruning, can (or should) only be done during winter. We’re often able to do the work more efficiently when the ground is frozen – meaning lower costs for you!

I hear late winter is a good time to prune fruit trees. Really??

Pruning while trees are dormant (before temperatures warm up and buds start to form) is the best time for major pruning on most trees. But it’s doubly important for all of major fruit trees grown here in CT, like apples, pears, peaches and plums. Learn more about it here.

What kind of insurance should tree care companies have?

Here’s an article I wrote describing what you need to know about tree care company insurance. If you’re ready to have some tree work done, this article is a must-read. Protect yourself and your property by ensuring that your tree care contractor has the right insurance coverage.

Winter Tree Care Tips for Connecticut Homeowners

Winter can be tough on trees here in Connecticut, with wind, ice and heavy snow loads, not to mention frigid temperatures. But with proper preparation, your trees can make it through the winter unscathed.

Here are the things we recommend you do before winter sets in, as well as things to keep in mind throughout the coldest months of the year to keep your home and loved ones safe from winter tree damage.

To make it even easier for you, you can download our Winter Tree Care Tips.

And if your tree has been damaged by a winter storm, click here to find out what you should do.

Get Ready For Winter

Check all of your trees for potentially unsafe branches or tree trunks. If anything looks unsafe (see our article on Identifying Hazardous Trees), give us a call.
Any dead, damaged or diseased branches should be removed before winter weather can cause them to break.
If any tree limbs, especially larger ones, hang over your house, car or sidewalk, consider cabling or bracing to keep them stable through the winter. You could also prune them off.
If your trees have cables and braces in them, the hardware should be inspected every few years to be sure it’s intact, in good condition and that nothing needs to be adjusted or replaced due to the tree’s growth. Winter is a good time for that inspection.
Install temporary or permanent rope, cable or twine supports in multi-stemmed shrubs that are susceptible to snow and ice loads. Don’t forget to remove these temporary supports in the spring.

Prune While Trees Are Dormant

Do not prune your trees late in the fall. Doing so forces the tree to put out new growth which can easily be killed by an early frost or freeze, damaging and disfiguring the tree. Wait until all the leaves have fallen and the tree enters dormancy.
After the leaves have dropped in fall, it’s easier to see the structure of your trees and determine whether or not pruning is required to keep your trees safe and looking their best.
Winter pruning can also avoid spreading some serious diseases that are active and spread easily during the spring and summer growing seasons, such as Dutch elm disease and fire blight.
Late winter is a great time to prune, contain or rejuvenate high profile, overgrown plants as they’ll be able to recover quickly in spring with new growth. This will also minimize the negative aesthetic issues that can be associated with rejuvenating plants. But be sure to wait until the risk of single-digit temperatures has passed.
This is also the time to prune fruit trees to maximize fruit production and minimize fungal and parasitic attacks on the tree.

Check for Deer and Rodent Damage

Check occasionally during the winter for signs of rodent damage. Use bait, enclosures or repellents as necessary. You’ll find more details on preventing rodent damage in this article.
Deer can do enormous damage during the winter; when they’re hungry enough they’ll eat almost anything. Use deer spray, fencing or netting to protect your prized trees and shrubs. For more information, see our article on preventing winter deer damage.

Don’t Let Snow Build Up

Wet, heavy snow and ice can easily break tree branches, especially on evergreens. Avoid heavy snow accumulation on shrubs and smaller evergreens by regularly (but gently!) removing snow after a significant snowfall.
If you’re concerned about branches that are bending to the ground on larger trees, remove the snow load on the branches you can easily reach. Please don’t use a ladder or climb the tree; call us to take a look and, if necessary, we’ll remove the snow using the proper safety equipment.
Be careful not break the branches while clearing off snow cover. Lightly brush snow off the branches with your hand or a broom, pushing gently upward and sweeping towards the trunk.
Don’t shake snow-covered branches or hit them with a broom or rake (yes, we’ve seen it happen!). The branches are likely to break if you do that.

Protect Shrubs and Trees

Some shrubs, particularly broad-leafed evergreens like rhododendron, can easily shrivel up in the cold, dry winter wind. Protect them with a burlap wrap or spray with an anti-dessicant. Keep in mind that the weather must be above freezing to spray and you may need to apply it several times over the winter.
Ornamental trees with thin bark and young or newly-planted trees can be susceptible to sunscald when exposed to harsh sunlight after the leaves have fallen. Protect them with trunk wrapping.
The needles on pine trees and other evergreens can turn brown over winter. We describe how to prevent this in our article on winter browning.
You can learn more about using burlap to protect your plants in our article on How to Protect Trees and Shrubs From Winter Weather.
Salt damage is common in areas where salt is used to keep roads, drives and walkways clear of ice. The worst damage occurs to sensitive tree species planted near heavily salted roads with high traffic, especially when they lie downhill, downwind, or have poor drainage. On your own property, we recommend using a less harmful product such as CMA or Iceban^TM, and mixing it with inert materials like sand. For more information, see our article on winter salt damage.
Snow falls. More falls. And then more. And the snow banks pile up. But what happens to the shrubs and trees planted near those huge mounds of snow? We show you how to prevent the chemical and structural damage that typically comes with snow banks in this article.

Do Larger Jobs in Winter

Here in Connecticut, the ground often freezes in winter so we can bring in heavy equipment without damaging your landscape, resulting in lower costs, faster work and better outcomes. This is especially true for large tree removals.

Continue Watering Newly Planted Trees

During the winter, we often have alternating periods of freezing weather and warmer temperatures. Check your new trees during those warm spells. If the ground is clear of snow cover and dry, water thoroughly. As long as the ground isn’t frozen, the tree can take up moisture to keep it hydrated through the winter.

Inspect Regularly

It’s especially important to inspect your trees for structural problems during the winter. Broken branches, split trunks, codominant stems and other issues can quickly go from unsightly to dangerous when you throw in ice, snow and wind.
If you see something you’re not sure about, call us for a no-cost inspection of your landscape by one of our Certified Arborists. Winter is a great time for these inspections.

Plan Ahead

Plan your landscape needs before the spring “rush” to ensure the best service and the best plant material if you will be installing plants.

Decorating With a Live Christmas Tree

Ready to try something a little different this year? How about a live Christmas tree? Not only are they beautiful, they’re an environmentally friendly alternative to the typical cut (and dead) tree. But live trees take a little more effort and care if you want them to survive the holidays.

Here’s how to ensure your live tree provides not only a beautiful decorative accent for your holiday festivities, but creates a focal point in the garden for many years to come.

Buying a Live Christmas Tree

Unlike a cut tree, with a live tree you’ll want to make sure it will adapt well to your climate. Don’t assume just because it’s sold in the Danbury area that it will grow here. Some good options include:

Balsam Fir
Blue Spruce
Colorado Blue Spruce
Fraser Fir
Norway Spruce
White Fir

Live trees are often sold balled and burlapped, although some are potted up or grown in containers. All will work fine as a Christmas tree.

Live trees are very heavy. A six foot tall balled and burlapped tree will weigh as much as 250 pounds. Be sure you have help moving it (a dolly works well).

Preparing Your Live Christmas Tree Before Bringing It Inside

Leave your Christmas tree outside for three or four days in an unheated, sheltered area, such as a garage or enclosed porch. Keep it out of the wind and sun, and don’t let it freeze. This process is necessary to slowly acclimatize the tree to warmer temperatures and avoid a sudden growth spurt when it’s brought inside.

Check the tree for insects and insect egg masses. Some of our friends once found their live tree, carefully placed in the living room, covered with shimmering gossamer threads. It was beautiful but the tiny spiders cascading down the tree were not welcome holiday guests!

Caring For Your Live Christmas Tree

Place the tree in a cool location in your home. Keep it away from heating ducts, fireplaces, or radiators.

Put the tree in a large pot or tub (nothing with drainage holes!). If necessary, stabilize the tree with rocks, bricks, or mulch. If the tree is balled and burlapped, do not remove the burlap or twine/strapping.

Keep the root ball moist but not soggy. Unlike a cut tree, you probably don’t need to water the tree every day. To help keep a balled and burlapped tree moist you can pack mulch around the root ball. Don’t add fertilizer or any nutrients to the water – you don’t want the tree to start growing while it’s inside.

Be careful decorating the tree so you don’t damage any branches. If you use lights, use LED lights that don’t give off heat.

Keep the tree inside for no more than 10 days (some experts suggest only 4 days).

After the Holidays

After Christmas, place the tree back outside in a sheltered location for a few days to allow it to acclimatize to the cooler temperatures.

At this point you can plant the tree. If the ground isn’t frozen, dig a hole about twice as wide as the root ball and 1” – 2” shallower than the root ball is tall. If you were planning ahead, you would have dug the planting hole while temperatures were more moderate and saved the soil in a protected location (like the garage or garden shed) so that it doesn’t freeze (a wheelbarrow works well for this).

If the ground is frozen and you can’t dig a planting hole, place the tree in a protected area and carefully pack straw, bags of leaves, or mulch around the root ball to prevent it from freezing. Make sure you keep the root ball moist until the tree can be planted – check it regularly and water it as needed.

If the tree is in a pot, carefully remove the pot before planting. For a balled and burlapped tree, remove any jute twine around the tree trunk (if the twine is nylon, remove it all), cut off the wire basket (if there is one), and pull back the top 1/3 of the burlap before placing the root ball in the planting hole (keep the root ball intact).

Back fill with the soil you removed from the planting hole and water thoroughly (but don’t flood the planting hole, particularly if the ground is frozen as this can create a ball of ice in the root ball). Mulch heavily to prevent the root ball from freezing.

If you can, stake the tree to stop it from rocking back and forth in the ground over the winter.

Note: Some nurseries recommend spraying your live tree with an antidesiccant or antiwilt product like WiltPruf to minimize needle loss. If you choose to do this, do it while the tree is still outside acclimatizing.

I love the idea of using a live tree for the holidays but if it’s not right for you, here are my best tips for choosing the perfect cut Christmas tree.

Summer Tree Care Tips for Connecticut Homeowners

Summer brings with it BBQs, vacations, swimming, boating and enjoying the great outdoors.

But it also means lack of water, storm damage and insect pests that attack our trees. Stressed trees are more susceptible to pests, disease, and winter damage, so now’s the time to protect your trees to keep them as healthy as possible.

Here are the activities we recommend you do during the heat of summer.

Water Your Trees and Shrubs Well

Give all of your trees and shrubs a good drink once or twice a week, especially those that were recently planted. Morning is the best time to water and always check that the water penetrates at least 12 inches into the soil. Be sure to water at the drip line of the tree (underneath the outer branches, not just around the trunk) where most of the roots are.
Soaker hoses on a timer are a good option as the water is less likely to run off. Another option that minimizes run off is a 5 gallon bucket with 8 to 10 small holes drilled in the bottom – just fill it with water, place it under the tree and let it slowly drain out. When it’s empty, move it to another spot and refill it. Keep doing that until you’ve watered all the way around the tree.
For smaller trees, a 10 to 12 gallon watering bag can be placed around the trunk. The water will slowly seep out and keep the tree hydrated. Don’t forget to refill the bag when it’s empty.
Avoid using sprinklers that spray tree foliage, especially on conifers, at wet leaves and needles can lead to fungal problems.
Look for signs of drought stress, like wilting leaves, brown edges on leaves, and scorched or curling leaves.
Consider applying a special soil root treatment, which helps roots draw in water and makes them more drought tolerant. It’s especially good for birch trees and new plantings. Call us at 203-240-1302 for a free estimate.

Don’t Forget to Mulch

If you didn’t place a 2 to 3-inch layer of high-quality, organic mulch around young trees and plants in spring, do so now. Mulch helps keep organic matter in the soil around the tree, conserves soil moisture, and provides weed control. Don’t over-mulch! For tips on how to do it right, see our article on Mulching Trees.

Avoid Major Pruning & Planting

While dead, damaged or diseases branches should always be removed when you notice them, avoid any other pruning during the summer so as not to overly stress your trees.
Hazardous branches or trees should also be removed so they don’t become dangerous during summer storms. Cabling or bracing can sometimes also help with possibly dangerous trees limbs.
Deadhead and tidy up spring-blooming trees and shrubs that have finished flowering.
Avoid planting any new trees until fall; planting during the heat of summer will cause a lot of undue stress for the trees (and possibly for you too!).

Inspect Trees and Shrubs For Pests and Disease

Regularly check for signs of common pests and diseases, like sticky substances or sap (from sap-sucking insects like aphids), black or white mold or mildew, spots and dead patches on leaves, and scales insects on the bark. It’s easier and more effective to treat these early, rather than trying to eliminate the problem after significant damage has been done.
With emerald ash borer in our area, keep an eye out for any damage to your ash trees and contact us right away for treatment if you notice anything unusual.

Spring Is Finally Here: Check Now For Winter Tree Damage

Despite the continuing snow and cold weather, spring is here – at least in theory. Before you know it we will all be out enjoying our landscapes, gardening, playing with the kids and barbecuing.

So, with all this in mind, it’s time to make sure your landscape is safe after all that winter has thrown at us. With all the heavy snowfall, ice, bitter cold and winds this winter there are many hazardous situations that can result from winter tree damage.

We always tell clients to look up and assess your trees before the leaves come in so you can see potential hazards.

What types of winter tree damage can you expect to see?

A dangerous hanging branch, otherwise known as a “widowmaker”.

Common types of tree damage to look for include:

Dead branches
Hanging limbs
Bent limbs from excessive snow loads
Splits or cracks in limbs or branches
Deer or rodent damage on trunks

It’s not always easy to recognize some of these signs, especially in early spring before the leaves emerge. To help you identify potential tree risks, visit our page on Identifying Hazardous Trees. It includes details on various types of damage, as well as pictures of what to look for,

What should you do about it?

We find that homeowners don’t usually see a good portion of these potential hazards, even when they’re looking for them.

So here at Barts Tree Service we always offer a free risk assessment of your yard from a Certified Arborist. These trained professionals can point out any of these hazardous situations, describe the associated risks and explain all possible remedies to mitigate those risks.

Spring is the best time to address any tree damage before the tree leafs out and becomes even more unstable. It’s also easier for a skilled Arborist to identify and resolve issues before a full tree canopy obscures lines of sight and makes branches heavier.

Call us today at 203-240-1302 to set up your appointment for a free spring tree risk assessment.