Coniferous trees are the only trees that stay green throughout the winter months. They do not shed their needles or leaves in the fall. They also typically have cones that bear seeds, unlike deciduous trees. Evergreens are the most common coniferous tree and are able to grow into very tall trees. But you can also find smaller trees in this variety, along with ground covering plants. Our team at Five Star Tree Services is going to go over some things you need to keep in mind when you have any coniferous trees.
Conifer Types
Some popular conifer types include:
-Yew
-Gingko
In order for your conifer to grow and prosper, after you first plant it, it’s important to effectively care for them. Smaller conifers are easier to maintain than larger ones.
Proper Conifer Maintenance
Watering
When you first plant a conifer, you need to proceed with cautious watering. Once they are well established and fully developed, you usually don’t need to water them and they will be sustained with rain water on their own.
Fertilizing
Fertilizing is not necessarily an essential for conifers. You usually only need to fertilize them once a year in the early spring with about 50-100g/sqm.
Mulching
Just like other trees, coniferous trees benefit from mulching. It helps to prevent weeds, provides nutrients, and maintains soil moisture. You can add mulch in early spring, after your fertilizer. It will also help to contain moisture left over from the winter that will help kickstart root water absorption in the spring.
Pruning Conifers
Unlike most deciduous trees, you don’t necessarily need to prune your conifer. The only time you might need to is when branches appear with variegated foliage. You can only prune most conifers from spring to summer.
You can still manage the growth of your conifer; the trick is to make sure you don’t prune into the actual wood. Conifers have developing tips and when they are removed, they then make less upward development and from only a couple shoots. Most conifers aren’t able to regrow from old wood.
Yew Pruning
Yew’s can be pruned all the way into early fall. You can prune the Yew extensively and it will regrow nicely.
Propagating Coniferous Trees
Semi-ready to hardwood cuttings are how you typically propagate coniferous trees. But you can also try to raise them from seeds.
Concerns and Issues Associated with Planting Conifers
Even though these are amazing trees to have in your yard, they are prone to afflictions which can be concerning. You will need to watch out for things like growth damage, infections, and darkened or brown foliage.
For recently planted conifers, there are specific issues that can arise. They can be susceptible to infestations and infections such as root rot and organism infections.
If you want to prevent these problems, you should regularly check for irregularities. If you ever find anything abnormal, contact your local arborist to come and diagnose your plant and come up with a treatment plan.
How Five Star Tree Services Can Help
Coniferous trees are a great addition to any property. They are beautiful and live a long time. Before you plant one, make sure you do some proper research to see if this plant is right for your yard. If you ever need tree planting services in Richmond Hill, make sure to give our team at Five Star Tree Services a call at (416) 990-3355!