CEDARS; PLANT HEALTH CARE AND MAINTENANCE
RECOMMENDED PREVENTION AND CARE;
- Keep Cedars well watered throughout the growing season to be as healthy as possible during the winter months.
- Proper pruning is essential to healthy and beautiful Cedar hedges. Cedar hedges do not usually require pruning more than once a year. Cedars and other random-branched species should be pruned in late June, once most of the current year's growth is complete. They can be pruned anytime until early September, except during extremely hot or dry spells. When it comes to trimming hedges, keep in mind, it's all about the sunlight. Avoid shaping Cedars in a straight or box-like formation. Instead, prune them so that the top is thinner than the base. That way, sunlight can reach the entire hedge, keeping your cedars healthy and green. Hire qualified arborists to prune your Cedars properly and regularly to train and/or to improve their form.
- Protect trees from damage caused by snow and ice by wrapping cedars in burlap. This is a good idea for some cedar types. Placing your trees or shrubs in a burlap covering will prevent wind burn and will also prevent ice and snow from damaging the foliage. This type of winter tree care can be applied to most evergreen trees and shrubs. This is especially important on the sides of trees facing the most wind and sun exposure, meaning they'll be hit hardest by winter storms. Clearing snow from branches can be dangerous and can damage the tree. It is best to let snow melt and fall off trees naturally.
- Use Soft tie or vinyl tie, or a similar pliable stretch material to move and/or support branches by redirecting and securing them to other branches within the tree. Larger sections of Cedars would require small steel cables to help support them, installed by qualified arborists.
- Inspect your Cedars regularly for health and maintenance issues. Identify branch, trunk and root defects that may weaken a tree and recommend ways to manage them.
While it is impossible to prevent all environmental and storm-related damage to trees, an ISA Certified Arborist from Shady Lane Expert Tree Care can help identify potential areas of concern and help prepare your trees for inclement weather and recommend treatments where necessary.
