Summer tree care tips

As the warmer weather approaches, knowing how to prepare your trees for the high temperatures, low rainfall and sun exposure they face is a must to maintain their health.

Whether it’s large or small garden trees, there are some key things you can do to keep them looking beautiful.

Here are some of our top summer tree care tips to get you started.

Assess tree health

Summer is a great time to hire an arborist to come and assess the health of your trees. They can advise you about everything from when to prune trees to ways you can promote better growth, as there’s often a delicate balance of tree care tasks, depending on the season.

They’ll also identify if there are any problems brewing, such as decaying branches or dense crowns, which could benefit from thinning services.

Tree watering tips

Unfortunately, many property owners think lawn irrigation will also keep their trees happy, but the water often covers only a few inches of soil.

If you have young trees in your garden, regular watering can encourage healthy root growth from the start. You should also take action if you notice your tree’s health is starting to suffer in dry conditions, including the wilting or discolouration of leaves.

It’s much better to deeply water the area around the tree where feeder roots are located, and you may even want to consider removing grass from around its trunk base. Ask your tree surgeon to show you the best spot to water and how moist the soil should be left.

Conserve moisture via mulching

Once you’ve nailed your watering routine, one of the best ways to conserve moisture is to place mulch around your tree or replenish any already present. This extra layer will help protect the water that’s seeped into the ground below while stabilising soil temperatures.

Mulch should be laid in a several feet radius around the tree (in a doughnut shape), up to around five inches deep. However, try to leave a few inches free between the trunk and mulch to not encourage pests.

What about tree pruning in the summer?

Pruning should always take place at the best time of year to trim each plant, so it’s worth asking a tree surgeon when this should be. Pruning is often preferred during dormant seasons, but this doesn’t mean it shouldn’t take place in the summer if needed.

Conditions that warrant summer tree pruning include the removal of dead, damaged or diseased branches. This will help keep the tree safe and healthy. There are also some tree species that may require trimming once they’ve finished blooming in the earlier months of the summer.

Contact your local tree surgeon

If you’d like to keep your trees strong, healthy and looking good all year round, speak to Fair Oaks Tree Services. Our expert tree surgeons work across London and Surrey, including Leatherhead and Reigate.

For more information and advice, call now on 07780 445079 or email info@fairoakstreeservices.co.uk.

Choosing trees for small gardens

If you’re landscaping your garden, it’s important to choose wisely when it comes to filling the space you have available. If you have a small garden, that doesn’t mean avoiding tree planting altogether but making smart decisions about the varieties you select.

Here are some of the key points to consider when choosing trees for small gardens.

How do you choose trees for small gardens?

The key to getting it right when choosing trees for a small garden is to do your research. It’s not just about how large a tree is when you plant it but how its size may develop over time. For example, a slow-growing tree may work well for a few years, but it can easily become overgrown as time goes on, so this is something you’ll want to avoid.

For small gardens, pick trees that won’t grow too large, don’t block out existing light in the space and aren’t at risk of damaging property foundations with a long root system.

Luckily, there are plenty of options when it comes to small garden trees, including potted plants for your patio. This also allows you to move their position if needed, giving you more flexibility than gardens with large trees growing.

What are the best small trees?

There are lots of beautiful small trees to consider, and one of the most popular options is fruit trees, especially if you’re planting them in a large pot for your terrace, patio or decking area. Popular trees for this type of growth include apple, fig and cherry trees.

Other trees to think about include small acers, hawthorns, evergreens and cercis trees. You could even go for something a little different with a hardy palm tree that’s full of character and will survive in UK weather.

Alternatives to trees – shrubs, hedges & more

In small gardens, trees aren’t the only way to make an impact. An alternative to trees that some homeowners plant along a border is hedges. However, these will be denser than fencing and need to be well maintained so that they don’t infringe upon your outdoor space too much. Regular hedge trimming will manage growth.

You could also consider tall-growing shrubs to create a focal point to view throughout the year. Varieties like viburnums can add colour, depth and height to a garden, as well as providing space for wildlife to enjoy.

Where to get more advice about tree planting

If you’d like more advice about the right trees to plant in your garden, speak to a tree surgeon who also offers garden landscaping services. They’ll have a wealth of knowledge about the best tree varieties for the size of your garden, how the growth will develop over time and the maintenance requirements to keep the tree healthy.

Speak to a tree and garden landscaping expert today

For more advice about all things tree-related, speak to the Fair Oaks Tree Services team. We work across London and Surrey locations, offering tree care and landscaping services in Tadworth, Epsom and Worcester Park.

For free advice, call now on 07780 445079.

A guide to hedge trimming

Like trees, hedges require pruning and maintenance to ensure they look tidy and remain in good health. Hedge trimming should be an essential task in your garden plan, whether it’s a domestic residence or hedges on the grounds of a commercial or public building.

To get you started, here’s everything you need to know about hedge trimming.

What are the benefits of hedge trimming?

Without proper maintenance, hedges very quickly become overgrown or untidy if they take on an undesired shape. Dense hedges can also block out light from a garden, affecting both your property and the rest of the outdoor space.

A regular hedge pruning schedule is the best way to ensure their size, density and shape remain safe, healthy and aesthetically pleasing. Hedge trimming stops the boundary crossing into someone else’s land, keeps garden borders looking attractive and ensures the shrub doesn’t become too unruly for the space it’s occupying.

You can also produce healthier hedges with regular pruning, helping the foliage and branches to become stronger, improving the shrub’s lifespan and overall appearance. It will even promote healthy fruit growth in some hedge varieties.

When should you trim hedges?

Formative pruning refers to the process of shaping a hedge while it’s young, so this will need completing in the first few years after the shrub has been planted. This aids the hedge in taking on the desired form while it’s new, making it easier to manage and keeping it looking neat for many years.

After this time, hedge trimming will only need carrying out once a year (sometimes twice if the hedge is formal).

The best time of year for hedge pruning will depend on the variety. For example, new evergreen hedges such as conifers should be trimmed in the spring, whereas new deciduous hedges need pruning in the winter months. Maintenance pruning is often completed in the summer.

The timing of hedge trimming will also need to take account of factors such as bird nesting season.

How do you trim a hedge?

There are lots of different hedge pruning techniques, from using large hand-held hedge shears to powered trimmers. However, safety is paramount when undertaking this type of task, so you must consider the equipment required and the heights involved.

Never undertake hedge trimming if you’re unsure about what to do or don’t have the right protection equipment, such as gloves and safety goggles.

You’ll also need to know where to cut the foliage and branches to maintain the shape you want and ensure the growth of the branches doesn’t make the shrub too dense.

The easiest way to keep your hedges healthy is by asking a tree surgeon for help.

Get more hedge pruning advice

If you’d like more advice and help with hedge trimming solutions, speak to the team at Fair Oaks Tree Services. We operate across London and Surrey locations, including Kenley, Ewell and Kingswood. We also offer a wide range of tree surgery services for all your needs.

To contact us, please call 07780 445079 or email info@fairoakstreeservices.co.uk.

Top 3 questions to ask your tree surgeon

Tree surgeons are hired for a multitude of reasons, whether you’re worried about a dying tree or you need professional stump removal services. Whatever the reason for hiring a skilled arborist for help with tree care, it’s always best to go into the situation armed with questions to help you get the most out of the service.

Here are 3 of the top questions to ask your tree surgeon when hiring them for any services offered.

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Why it’s important to prune your trees properly

During autumn, trees are a beauty to behold. You can watch as the leaves change in colour, before finally falling to the ground, giving you the ideal opportunity to assess the bare branches and give your trees a prune before winter sets in.

However, when it comes to pruning (also known as trimming), you need to be careful not to damage the tree or leave it vulnerable to damp or disease. The purpose of pruning is to ensure a long, healthy lifespan for the tree and to remove any dead or diseased branches. By pruning in a certain way, you can cultivate the tree to withstand adverse weather, and also to flower with more vibrance when spring comes around again.

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When is the best time for trimming your trees

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Do You Need Professional Tree Stump Removal Services?

Where previous tree felling took place, you may have tree stumps left in your garden, but these can take up precious space for another use, whether you want to plant something new or create more outdoor seating areas. While leftover tree stumps can be a nuisance, professional tree surgeons offer solutions for this issue.

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