Maintenance - trees and shrubs

The shaping of the bush crown is one of the seasonal maintenance duties, restoring trimming that is done every year. The Japanese spiraea, rock roses and other bushes, which flowers are developing on the one year sprouts, the pruning and shaping of the crown is required. When the shrubs are getting old, the blooming intensity and quality is reduced, so it is important to do a renewal trimming in February/March, by leaving the strongest 5-7 axis of the shrubs at a height of 15-30 cm above the ground. After cutting the shrubs, the soil requires fertilization with mulch and compost.

The shaping of the fruit tree crown must be done regularly every year, improving the production of fruits, and to make the crown stable and provide a balanced harvest. The new fruit trees are recommended to be trimmed in June, July together with the balanced harvesting. The crowns of the fruit trees are shaped in special crown forms such as cordons, espaliers, fan etc. It is important for fruit trees to be protected from rabbits and deer, by installing the one piece 3.5 m high fence or wrapping each tree trunk and lower branches up to 1.5 m high.

The shaping of the tree crown can help to maintain the crown of the tree in the right proportions, to regulate its size and enabling the tree pruning.

First time after planting the crown of the broad leaved trees will shape in two years, unless it has been already shaped in the tree nurseries.

The further maintenance of the tree depends on its growing speed and whether we want to keep specific shape of the crown (hedge, street planting etc.), in this case crown requires maintenance care every year, sometimes several times in the season. Separately planted trees require maintenance care 1 time in 5 years, avoiding the growth of unwanted large branches. Preforming the tree pruning requires precaution, the diameter of cut off branches should not be more than 6 cm, because big wounds on the tree are difficult to treat and in the cutting the lining of the tree gets infected with rot, and becomes dangerous within the time that can cause tree chopping.

According to the tree specialists the wounds are not necessary to be treated with paint or any other liquids. The new trees that have regular crown shapes are advised to have maintenance care during the summer from, June till September. The telescopic hand tools and ladder with safety rope are used for the maintenance of the trees that are up to 6 m long, bigger trees are maintained using the hoist, in some cases when the work can't be done using the hoist, the rope technique is used as an alternative method for getting better access to the tree crown.

Winter is an appropriate time for cutting off the big tree branches and trees. During the winter period, due to the low season, gardening companies can collaborate with more professional gardeners and tree specialists, during the summer they are fully booked due to the high season. During this period of time it is advisable to do the delayed maintenance work for big trees, that require crown and trunk fastening, cutting off the skeletal branches or crown reduction. For example, the old fruit gardens, old trees next to the buildings and places where they can endanger lives or damage the surroundings. It is also important to remember that any kind of maintenance work shouldn't be done in the temperature that is above -8 degree Celsius.

The fertilization of the tree and soil loosening in the root area. Especially in the city areas, where the soil is scarce or it is too compressed, the trees become weak from the lack of oxygen and nutrition, which are vital for the roots. As the result, the branches of visually healthy trees start to dry out, the further growth of branches stops and the tree gradually starts to die. In order to avoid this lethal outcome the soil of the tree requires loosening and fertilization.