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1. How Can I Help My Tree Stay Healthy?

THE THREE ‘P’ METHOD TO SUCCESSFUL TREE ESTABLISHMENT

PLENTY OF WATER

• Water 10-15 gallons every week for the first growing season.
• Watch for signs of drought stress: curling, wilting, or browning of leaves.
• Check soil moisture once a week. Soil should be moist but not over-saturated.

PROTECT

• Weeds and grass compete with a tree’s root system for water and nutrients
• Keep the tree pit free of weeds and grass so that newly planted tree can establish.
• Avoid any contact with mowers or string trimmers.
  • Damage to the cambium layer of a tree, especially to a young tree, will hinder its ability to transport water and nutrients. This damage will cause permanent and lasting effects.

PROVIDE MULCH

• Proper mulching of a tree bed improves the quality of a tree’s living space by,
• Provides nutrients to the roots as the mulch decomposes
• Impedes weed and grass growth that compete with tree roots
• Protects from mowers and string trimmers
• Conserves soil moisture

2. How do I properly Mulch around a tree?

AVOID OVER-MULCHING

• Over-mulching is a common occurrence. Commonly known as the ‘volcano’ method, over mulching can have severe consequences to a tree’s development
  • Oxygen and root suffocation. Over-mulching impedes a tree’s ability to breath.
  • Pest and disease. Over-mulching creates produces a perpetually moist area are the lower trunk of the tree. This condition is an open invite to fungal and insect activity.
  • Girdling roots. Over-mulching inhibits natural root development. Poor mulch application will cause roots to girdle making the tree more prone to failure during weather events.

PROPER MULCH APPLICATION

• Organic mulch or aged wood chips are great choices for tree pits.
  • Organic mulch is free to residents at our municipal services facility!
    • 85 Old Northport Road, Kings Park, 11754
    • 631-269-6600
• While mulch can be applied any time of year its recommended to apply mulch at two specific times in the year.
  • Mid-spring as temperatures begin to rise.
  • Mid-fall as temperatures lower but before freezing.
• Provide 2-4 inches within the tree’s dripline (extent of the canopy or tree branches).
• Do not make contact with the tree trunk. Proper mulching should resemble a ‘donut’ appearance.

Other Tips

• Past seasons mulch can be recycled by breaking up the material by hand or rake.
• Check the depth! Adding new mulch over old mulch is the same as over-mulching.
• Go for distance not height! Wider spread mulch is essential for proper root development.
• Proper mulching can help avoid surface roots in the future!
• Give us a call and one of the town’s arborists can provide advice for proper street tree mulching (631-360-7514)

3. What do I do if I suspect an Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestation?

The emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis) is an invasive beetle from Asia that infests and kills North American ash species (Fraxinus sp.) including green, white, black and blue ash. All of New York’s native ash trees are susceptible to EAB.

If you believe that there is an Ash street tree in your neighborhood please report it to the Department of Environment & Waterways (DEW) by calling 631-360-7514 or email DEW@smithtownny.gov. D.E.W is actively inspecting, monitoring, and managing existing EAB infestations. If you believe that you have a private Ash on your property you can send pictures to Town of Smithtown - D.E.W and a town arborist can confirm if it is an Ash and give a limited assessment of any possible infestation.