medjool palm trees – West Coast Trees

Growing for the Summer Season

West Coast Trees — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 02:23:58 +0000

Planting in the summer may not be the best time for your trees and plants to grow, especially if it’s being planted in places that reach high temperatures. During the summer, when trees are releasing excess moisture, it’s harder to maintain a consistent dampness in the soil around the rootball of the tree. If you’re planning to plant in the summer, however, there are several tips that can help your trees whether the heat.

It’s important to remember to not let the soil go dry. Maintaing a moist soil around the tree and down below the rootball is the key to keeping your plant healthy and growing. Soaking the soil around 3-4 times a week through the summer is an ideal amount of water to keep your tree healthy. Be sure not to let the soil get soggy. Once winter is here, the rain will do most of the watering for you.

Additionally, using TreeGator bags can help slowly distribute the ideal amount of water to the roots.

The best time for planting trees is between September to the end of October and from April to May.

Growing for the Spring Season

West Coast Trees — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 02:18:32 +0000

Spring time is possibly the best time to plant, like the saying goes, April showers bring May flowers, or in this case, trees. Here are a few easy tips to help you get started with your spring planting.

Being able to plant trees at a correct depth is crucial for your tree’s development. The depth of the tree is significantly reliant upon the type of soil. When planting trees in muddy soil, make sure not to bury the root-ball too deep. You should be able to see the top 2 to 3 inches of the root-ball above ground. In sandy soil, however, the top of the root ball can be even with the ground.

Digging the holes wide is also beneficial for your trees because it’ll prevent overcrowding the roots within the soil.

Make sure to remove all plastic or metal containers and tear away any other materials that the root-ball is wrapped in after the tree has been placed in the hole.

Once the tree has been placed, refill the hole with one part compost to every two parts soil. Do not stomp the soil down once filled, instead, water the area around the tree and let it settle in. This will avoid compacting or possibly breaking the roots.

Your tree is now ready to flourish!

Some additional tips:

Do not overwater trees, especially newly planted trees. To check if your soil is not ready to be re-watered, dig 4-6 inches below the soil at the edge of where you planted the tree. If the soil is moist enough to form a ball when squeezed then you do not need to water it.

Do not over prune. Pruning is only for getting rid of broken or dead branches.

If you are planning to stake a tree, make sure to use flat and soft tree straps. Do not use a garden hose.

Growing for the Winter Season

West Coast Trees — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 02:06:02 +0000

Winter can be a harsh environment for newly planted trees, but it can be done with much success if the proper steps are taking to insure its survival. Overly fertilizing and amending the soil during the winter months may not be best for the tree. Avoid stimulating growth by fertilizer until spring time, instead, you can add a little compost to help stimulate root growth.

Being gentle with the plant during this time is another important step to take. Avoid pruning or rough-handling, especially at the roots.

Keeping the tree consistently watered during dry winters can help with tree growth. For extremely cold and harsh winters, avoiding cold damage is the key to keeping your tree alive. Cold damage usually desiccates the tree and dries it out. Watering it every 2 weeks before a heavy freeze can help the tree tremendously. During a heavy freeze, it’s also crucial to check that the tree is planted firmly.

Once your tree survives the winter and spring time arrives, you can prune away any damaged branches, fertilize, and begin to shape it.