April 2025
Trees serve an important and necessary purpose in our communities. Yet, urban and suburban environments are not the best for trees which evolved in forests without concrete, pollution and salt.
Trees are living organisms. Much like people, they are sensitive to irritants, health threats and other challenges. Protecting them from these threats is necessary to keep trees healthy and thriving.
Condo and high-rise communities fill their tree pits with mulch or peat moss, and plant annuals around them. These beautification efforts cut trees off from the water and oxygen they require, and are about the worst thing that can be done to preserve healthy trees.
Annuals and mulch absorb water. They rob trees of the moisture and nutrients required to survive unless trees are watered on a regular basis. Annuals planted around a tree can damage tree roots. That tree which is intended to survive decades gets damaged for flowers that survive no more than a couple of months. These flowers suffocate the base of the tree and damage the bark. Contractors that place mulch up against the trunk deprive a tree of the oxygen, nutrients and water it requires.
If trees are to survive, old mulch should be removed and new mulch added at least once a year. Old mulch can be left in the earth to decompose into the soil and provide nutrients, but not up against trees or their roots. This will suffocate a tree.
Knowledgeable and experienced tree professionals can advise on the best types of trees for a property, proper maintenance and care for them, and best practices to ensure they remain vibrant for future generations to enjoy.
