Tree Health Tips

The MPRB Forestry Division is responsible for all trees on City property. The forestry staff currently cares for approximately 300,000 boulevard trees along with caring for the trees in 182 parks, 7 golf courses, and natural areas within the City. Each spring over 3,000 trees are planted in public locations City-wide. These are replacements for trees that have succumbed to Dutch Elm Disease, vandalism, storms and other threats. We need your help in keeping these new trees green and healthy. Here are some tips on taking care of small trees. Thanks for all your help!

Watering
Mulching
Maintenance

Watering

Each tree that the MPRB plants on boulevards receives two waterings. After the initial watering, it becomes the responsibility of each property owner.

Here's what you can do to see that a new tree continues to receive the water it needs:

Water newly planted trees thoroughly once every seven to ten days during dry periods in the spring, summer, and fall.
Trees less than five years old need at least eight five gallon buckets of water slowly poured its roots once every seven to ten days.
Another easy way to water your tree is to put a hose under the crown of the tree and run water gently for about an hour.
An inch of rainfall each week is what the tree requires. You do not need to water as often when rainfall has been adequate for your tree.

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Mulching

MPRB Forestry crews mulch newly planted trees each year for five years, as needed. Mulch is helpful to the tree by holding moisture, reducing weeds, and preventing damage from weed whips and lawn mowers. You can help preserve root health by applying mulch as a tree continues to grow.

It is best to maintain a 4" - 6" layer of mulch around your trees.
Shredded bark or wood chips are good mulch materials. The coarser the mulch, the better. Using finely shredded mulch can almost act as a soil layer and can bury your tree base, possibly causing death.
Do not heap the mulch around the tree trunk. Keep the mulch a few inches away from the trunk of the tree. This will help prevent damage to your tree from excessive moisture and rodent damage.
As the tree grows older, the mulched area should expand with the tree. On older trees, a mulched area with a diameter of 12 feet is effective and attractive.
Weeds can be unsightly and can compete with your tree for essential moisture. Remove weeds from the mulched area by hand, not with herbicide, and try to keep the mulch from mixing with the surrounding soil.

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Maintenance

Keep watch over City-owned trees on your property, to help prevent problems.

Check on your new tree once a week to look for any diseases or other problems.
Report any insect, fungal, or other noticeable damage to the MPRB Forestry Division and the tree will be inspected.

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