One of the most popular summer lawn care tips is aeration, or the process of creating tubular holes in your lawn to allow moisture and nutrients to penetrate grass roots more easily. But did you realize that trees can—and should—be aerated as well? Most people give their trees a wide berth while aerating, thinking that aeration will disrupt the root systems.
In fact, aerating near the base of your tree is a great way to promote growth and resilience in your lawn’s trees. If you aren’t already, make sure you implement aeration as one of your go-to methods for tree care in Baton Rouge.
Benefits of tree aeration
There are a number of important reasons to aerate your trees this year, including:
- Prevents soil from compacting: Over time, the soil directly below your tree will begin to settle and get packed down tight into the earth. This is especially common if you often have children or people walking and playing near the base of the tree. When this happens, your tree’s root system will become restricted, unable to shift or expand outwards. If the roots get too constrained, your tree can become structurally unstable and potentially even die. Aeration helps break up the soil around the roots so it is light and spacious for roots to grow.
- Improves nutrient absorption: Nutrients from leaves, twigs, fertilizer and other organic materials seep into the ground below your tree, where the roots suck them up. When the ground is compacted and firm, nutrients have a harder time reaching the roots. Once aeration breaks up the soil, nutrients have more direct access to the roots, which can lead to improvements in your tree’s health and appearance.
- Helps to water roots: Similar to nutrients, water has a tough time reaching your tree’s roots when the ground is hard. Trees can get dehydrated quickly, especially during times of drought. Aeration, followed by watering, allows water to penetrate deeply and give your tree the sustenance it needs to survive.
- Identify root problems: Your tree’s root system is typically concealed by all that dirt on top of it, but once you start digging into it, you might find that the roots aren’t as healthy as you thought! Aeration gives you the opportunity to check for root problems, since the soil will be loose and malleable, and then fix them as soon as possible to give your tree a chance at better health.
How to aerate your trees
While it is possible to aerate your trees on your own, you may not want to select this option if you are unfamiliar with your tree’s root system. Some people use a shovel to dig up the dirt or use a standard aerator, but without knowledge about the tree and the proximity of the roots to the soil, you might damage the roots, the equipment or both.
It’s much better to rely on a seasoned professional for tree care in Baton Rouge. Working with a team of expert arborists like those at Allan’s Tree Service will give you the best quality of tree care, no matter if you’re a residential homeowner or commercial or industrial business owner. Call today for a free estimate!
Categorised in: Tree Care
This post was written by Allan's