Seasonal Care:

 

In the spring weeds and grasses begin to emerge and to take over the seedlings. This competing vegetation can rob the little trees of valuable sunlight and ground moisture. As the trees mature they are subject to disease and infestation of spider mites, aphids, and other pests. Constant surveillance helps control these problems. The sooner you can identify a problem the easier it is to resolve it. Spring is also the time for fertilization. When the rain is coming, fertilizer is applied to the base of the older trees. This additional nitrogen promotes dark color and inspires growth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the summer the trees must be sheared. Every spring a tree “buds out” new growth. These soft limber branches grow outward and upward to help fill out the tree. As we know the trees in our homes are a nice tight conical shape. In order to obtain this shape, these trees are hand sheared every year starting around year 3 or 4. It is necessary to trim off the excess new growth every summer because by late fall the branches will become mature and hardened off. This makes the trees much more difficult to prune.