Trees serve several important functions on your property, from beautification and delineation of borders and boundaries to providing health benefits of cleaner air. Given these valuable benefits, most homeowners strive to take care of their trees. However, proper tree care involves knowing how to avoid common mistakes; here are a few you should know about. 

Common Tree Care Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

1. Staking Young Trees

If a sapling is particularly weak or spindly, a stake can help it thrive. However, home gardeners tend to overuse stakes on young trees—only the sickest and weakest saplings need them. All others should be given room to grow. Young trees must move in the wind to grow strong, secure roots, and achieve a stable trunk. Healthy saplings don't need a lot of help; just provide them the space, nourishment, and light they need to thrive.

2. Ignoring Danger Signs

A tree rarely falls, breaks, or suffers some other type of damage without first sending out clear distress signals that shouldn't be ignored. It's best practice to regularly walk around your property, checking the condition of your trees, looking out for extreme leaning, deep cracks or holes in the trunk, and branches that are weakened, broken, or starting to fall off. Any of these issues can result in damage to your property or the people who live there. If you spot any of the aforementioned signs, contact a tree care professional to explore possible solutions.

3. Over-Pruning

Pruning is about more than making a tree look pretty. It's about shaping the tree in such a way that it maintains optimal stability. Being overzealous with pruning jeopardizes the health and structural integrity of a tree. You should never trim more than 15 to 20 percent of the canopy at one time, as this can lead to weakened branches and make the tree more susceptible to disease and pest infestations.

Ensure your trees remain healthy and strong with services from Indiana Strong Tree Service in Zionsville, IN. Serving property owners throughout Boone County, they'll look out for the health, safety, and appearance of your trees, helping you avoid common tree care mistakes. They provide residential and commercial tree services, including pruning, trimming, stump removal, and land clearing. Visit them online for more information on their tree services, or call (317) 769-2213 to schedule a consultation.