Renovating your home is a significant endeavor and an outstanding achievement. However, organizing processes and ensuring that everything is in order may be daunting, and you may forget about your treasured green gems. The increased foot traffic, builders, and building equipment can damage your trees.
Construction trucks and equipment might cause harm to your trees, so it’s critical to preserve them. A damaged tree is vulnerable to decay and disease and may perish.
If you’re planning a significant home renovation project, add one more thing to your to-do list: a strategy for preserving your trees during that period. Your early preparation should include how to protect the roots, trunk, and branches. Learn what precautions you can take to safeguard your trees throughout your remodeling project.
Ensure You Care for Mature Trees That May Be Vulnerable When Construction Starts
It is critical to discuss with your builders and inform them that the trees surrounding your property are significant and should be conserved. Identify the mature trees and any trees in the way of the construction truck or are close to your home.
You may plan a path across your property that keeps them from getting too near the trees and damaging them. It will bring all construction workers together with a pre-planned approach, and you will protect your trees. Your contractor or project manager will stage this route during the building period.
Fertilize the trees and add mulch to the root zone. Also, be sure to water your trees regularly, both before and throughout the process. Ensure that no cement paint or chemicals are dumped near the trees during construction. If the soil absorbs this, it may damage the trees. If you want to modify the drainage system, keep an eye on the trees to see how it affects them and make adjustments with more or less watering as needed. Check your trees for burned leaves, dieback, unusual leaf loss, and wilting — these are all symptoms of tree stress.
Prune Your Trees
The easiest method to safeguard tree branches during construction on your property is to keep employees and equipment at a safe distance. If that isn’t possible, the next best option—assuming it won’t impair the tree’s health or appearance—is to cut any branches that may interfere with the work area. Any wound on a tree, like a tree trunk, provides an entry point for insects and illness. One method of safeguarding your tree is to reduce the chance of harm.
Examine the general structure of your tree to determine which branches should be pruned. Hire a professional who can teach you correct pruning procedures or perform the pruning for you if you are new to pruning. Here are some general guidelines:
Branches crossing and rubbing against one another might result in a wound in the bark. In general, remove the smaller branch to enable the larger and stronger branch to develop. Pruning trees with multiple stems may also open up and thin down their shape.
Remove branches that are dead or broken with a clean incision so that the tree may heal on its own. Leaving dead or damaged branches on the tree might result in rough gaps through which moisture and micro-organisms can enter and destroy the tree.
Low-hanging branches – You may trim your tree as needed to eliminate low branches. Removing low branches allows more light into the region underneath your tree and is mainly for aesthetic reasons. Remove any low branches that are vulnerable to harm, such as those near a roadway that might be hit by a car.
Protect the Tree Trunk
Tree trunks are remarkably fragile. A slight blow from a machine operator is all it takes to make a gash in the bark, which can be an invitation to illness and insects. If employees or equipment is near the trunk, consider installing a temporary barrier fence to help keep tree harm at bay.
Protect the Roots
Because the root system of a tree cannot be seen, it is easy to overlook its significance. While a root system may sustain a massive oak tree, it is also highly vulnerable to harm.
Construction and excavation should be maintained as far away from the tree’s roots as feasible. The roots usually extend to the boundary of the drip zone, which is the area covered by the tree’s canopy. It’s also critical to avoid running heavy machinery over the tree’s roots since compaction might damage it.
If the tree is in an area where the building will influence the root zone, you should see an arborist. An arborist can advise you on minimizing damage during construction and how to alleviate harm after that. These methods may include using an air spade to remove compaction, root trimming, and canopy thinning.
Check Local Ordinances Designed to Protect Trees During Construction
Some localities have strict regulations about signs and fences that can be used around trees. Others have no laws, and it is up to you to safeguard the trees. Remember that you must protect any trees close to your home or on a public right of way.
Local tree ordinances often protect street trees and trees on public easements. Please note mature tree sites that may come within your jurisdiction and the restrictions that apply to them.
Consult an Arborist
An arborist is a trained specialist who can assess your trees’ existing and prospective root zone, branch width, and trunk size. This will guarantee that your trees are preserved during the construction process. They will be able to forecast the possibility of tree roots damaging any structure or undesirable branches getting in the way.
Ensure that they inspect the tree once the project is completed to ensure that the trees are in good condition and that no harm was caused during the construction process. Boerne tree services are experts with experienced arborists who will advise you on how to preserve and protect your trees during renovation.
