With such a mild winter coming to a close, spring has arrived a lot faster than expected. To help you prepare for spring, and recover from winter, we came up with four key action points:
Water: Lack of snow = lack of water. It is likely your trees are dehydrated from the lack of snow we received this year. Be sure to give them a little extra water this spring!
Protect: The mild winter can also mean disease-carrying insects, such as oak wilt and Dutch elm disease, will be on the move much sooner than normal. Stop pruning any oaks and elms immediately. Remember, by the time you see disease damage on your tree, it's already too late!
Assess: Rabbits and voles searching for somewhere to dine during the winter could have taken advantage of your trees without you knowing it. If you see bite marks 18-20 inches up the trunk of your tree, you may have rabbits. If you see bite marks below that, plus little trails throughout your yard, you may have voles. To know for sure, ask a First Choice Tree Care expert to come out and assess the damage for you.
Flush: Now that the snow is melting, be sure to flush out salt from the soil around your trees and shrubs to prevent lasting damage.
Vole damage
Rabbit damage