As a property owner, you know that there are some tree care related jobs that you might have to do – things that you don’t genuinely need to call a tree care service for, but you do need to do for the health and wellness of your trees. We understand this and know that there are some chores you want to handle on your own – but we also know that you can only do that if you have the correct tools in your hands. That is why we compiled this list, to make it possible for you to see what you should have in your garage or tool shed.
You do have to make sure of a few things: you know how to use the tools, they are high quality, and you only take care of what you can handle. If you have any problems, it is better to err on the side of caution.
So what do you really need? Let’s take a look:
4. Irrigation Systems
- Helps with standard watering
- Useful in all times of the year
- Invest in a timed system for more desirable results
Dry summers are the largest risk to healthy, happy trees. You want to have a landscape that is nurtured and irrigated all over, not just near your trees. When your yard looks a little crispy or crunchy, you might have to invest in an irrigation system, landscape sprinkler, or at least a garden hose. While you do have to be aware of the amount of water that you use, you should have something help water your trees – even if it is recycled water.
The Home Depot has a superb resource for buying a garden hose that will work with your yard and all legal codes on using water. Make sure to put it to good use – this doesn’t have to be a huge expenditure.
3. Rakes
- Helps in all seasons
- Spread mulch or new soil
- Expose roots
One of the most helpful tools for all parts of your yard is the normal yard rake. Many people have exchanged in the manual labor of the rake for a leaf blower, but that doesn’t have to be the situation at all. Other than being great training, a basic rake can do so much more.
According to The Seattle Times, ” Among landscaping rakes, metal bow rakes are used for moving soil around the garden, mounding dirt to create raised beds, picking up garden debris and tamping the soil. The sharp steel points can dig too deeply into a lawn, however, and, when used to rake leaves, those same points spear the leaves and get clogged easily.”
You can use a rake at any point of the year to tidy up your gardens, which will certainly keep your tree healthy. Of course, you want to be thorough that you aren’t too tough or do too much devastation. For this reason why, you want to use a quality rake that won’t cause marks to the roots.
2. Short Pruners
- Be judicious when using
- Do not cut into blisters
- Always clean properly
This one is a more problematic tool suggest because you do have to be extremely careful when you use them. Still, it is a required part of any yard management plan. However, we recommend hand pruners because they can not do any of the substantial cutting that can be really dangerous to your trees. You should still take care not to cut too much and never cut with polluted or rusty pruners.
You won’t be able to radically change your trees, but you can make some maintenance prunes that will help with some of the added fluff to your trees.
Per Garden Products Review, “Pruners (also called clippers, pruning shears, or secateurs) are used to trim and shape plants, deadhead, prune out dead or damaged foliage and small branches, and cut back perennials. They’re one of the most-used gardening tools so it’s important to get a pair that works best for you.”
Once again – do not go overboard with this or you will do more damage than good.
1. Cart
- Lasts a lifetime
- Always useful
- Helps with all projects.
Another tool that people have disowned too soon is the cart. It is something that we all need, even if we don’t’ want to accept it. They will really help you to do a duty that you might not want to do because it seems like too much exertion. While there is still work with a wheelbarrow, you are able to do merely a little bit less.
Whether you are cleaning up after a violent storm or moving some landscaping items, it makes your job just a little easier. Even though they aren’t high tech or cutting edge, wheelbarrows are a good expenditure because they are always going to be useful and we can’t genuinely see a way to improve upon them too much. In fact, according to the analysis by the University of Houston, the first wheelbarrows may have had sails, and they have been around for a very, very long time.
Invest in a higher quality cart and it will last you a long time.
It does not matter what type of trees, shrubs, or plant life that you have in your yard or garden, you want to contact a professional before you do any type of planting, maintenance, or pruning. Your soil can only do so much, and then you will need some help to back you up. Contact Arbortec Tree Service for all of your tree care needs in the Denver, CO area – we can help you at any stage of the tree care process, from planting your trees when they are young and taking care of your tree as it grows to pruning and cutting it down later on in life. Call us today at (303) 466-3175 for all of your tree care needs – we offer free estimates.
Header photo courtesy of Jo Guldi on Flickr!