It Is Time to Think About Plant Health Care
Early spring is an unpredictable time in Denver. We get seventy-degree weather; then it snows several feet. Regardless, trees are working hard to prepare for the coming growing season and it time to talk about plant health care. Maples, Elms, and fruit trees are in full bloom. Their root systems are actively seeking water as they emerge from dormancy. What matters is the amount of precipitation the city gets in the spring. The graph below shows Denver is experiencing a dry early spring this year, with moisture down 28 percent from the norm. Prudent homeowners water their yard trees during periods of low precipitation to help leaf out and bud break in April and May. Click here to view Denver precipitation levels since 1995.
Homeowners aware of plant health care start watering their trees on warm days in the winter or early spring. Not doing so, needlessly stresses trees. Below is what can happen when trees do not get enough water in March.
- Delayed Leaf Out
Trees struggle to break dormancy, leading to delayed leafing out. Leaves emerge smaller or fail to develop, reducing the ability to photosynthesize to produce food during the growing season.
- Increased Vulnerability to Pests & Diseases
Stressed trees have weakened natural defenses, making them more susceptible to insect infestations and diseases.
- Branch Dieback
In extreme cases, parts of the tree may begin to die off to conserve water, leaving behind dead branches.
- Poor Flower Production
Crabapple, Pear, and other flowering trees produce fewer blossoms in the spring. The lack of flowers means less fruit production.
- Cracked or Splitting Bark
In extreme drought conditions, trees experience bark splitting due to fluctuations in moisture levels, which exposes them to disease.
Ross Tree’s General Manage discuss trees he and his arborists are seeing in the spring of 2025.
Keeping Trees and Lawns Green
Lawns can be replaced in a season, while mature trees take decades to regrow. So homeowners should contact a professional tree company, like Ross Tree, because of their tree expertise to make the right care decisions about all the plants in their yards. We keep landscapes green by creating a PHC plan for each yard we service. Most yards are a mix of trees, shrubs, and turf, where plants compete for water and nutrients with their intermingled root systems. Grass fertilizers and herbicides may impact trees. Conversely, tree pruning and insect control may affect the viability of yard grass. We create a unique plan for each landscape with a list of to-dos to keep yards green. Our Plant Health Care Services include:
Insect and Disease Control
Deep Root Watering and Feeding
Lawn Care
Structural Pruning
Get Your 5% Discount
PHC contracts included scheduled visits throughout the year based on a predetermined budget and the needs of the landscape. Homeowners gain peace of mind knowing their trees and lawn are constantly being evaluated and monitored. Their trees benefit because most disease and pest treatments are preventative and precisely timed with the weather and time of year. Ross Tree sent out its PHC annual contracts in January. Any customer who pre-pays for their PHC contract gets a five percent discount.
Fruit Tree Pruning
Fruit trees need pruning before they flower in the spring. Ross Tree recommends cold weather pruning to prevent the spreading of diseases like Fire Blight. Annual structural pruning of the trees will promote healthy growth. Healthy trees fight off infections and are more attractive. Homeowners have about three weeks to get their fruit trees pruned. Otherwise, the pruning will need to be postponed to next year.
Structural Pruning
Trees with good structure can withstand heavy snowstorms that come in the spring. Structural pruning creates a dominant leader with subordinate side branches and secondary limbs. Traditionally Denver gets the most snow in March and April. Unfortunately, Elms, Ash, and Maples have leafed out by that time, making them susceptible to mechanical breakage. After a heavy snowstorm, many homeowners wished they had hired a professional tree company for late winter tree pruning to avoid picking up all the broken branches and clearing down trees from their yards.
Homeowners interested in year around care for the trees and turf should contact Ross Tree. To make an appointment, call 303-871-9121 or click here to fill out a request service form.