Pine trees are wonderful staples in any landscape. While they remain beautiful year-round, they become especially picturesque during the wintertime. Their symbolic attachment to the holidays and wintery charm make them favorites among many Missouri homeowners. Whether you’ve taken up planting pine trees or you’re lucky enough to already have them on your property, it’s important to know how to best care for them.
While pine trees are part of the evergreen family, which tend to be hardy and low maintenance, they are not indestructible and can still become sick due to disease or poor care. You should keep an eye on your pine trees and be able to recognize when they need maintenance. Explore our guide to learn more about proper tree care for the treasured pines on your property.
If you want to add beautiful evergreen pines to your landscape, it’s easy to understand why! These natural beauties stay green all year long and are incredibly versatile.
As you will learn, picking out a species of pine tree and deciding where it should be planted goes hand in hand. Setting your tree up with the right conditions from the start will result in less issues and maintenance down the road.
For instance, the eastern white pine tree thrives with partial sun and soil that is at least moist, if not wet. This option makes for a great windbreak and can even prevent soil erosion on your property. On the other hand, the jack pine requires more sun exposure, but can grow in several different soil conditions. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, the jack pine does best when planted north of the Missouri river, making it a great candidate for Columbia, Mo!
As you can see, it’s important to do your homework and carefully consider where to plant different species of pine trees. If you’re interested in getting these beautiful evergreens on your property, consult certified arborists in Columbia, Mo to learn more about their proper care.
First thing’s first, you will likely be pruning your pine trees instead of trimming them. Pruning should be reserved for tending to pine trees that are experiencing abnormal growth, disease or storm damage. Trimming is not always the answer. It’s important to call on a certified arborist to ensure your pine trees are not improperly pruned, which can lead to fungi growth.
It’s always best to trim or prune your trees in their dormant season. Definitely avoid interfering with your tree’s growth in the summer and fall months. Typically, in Missouri, dormant season occurs during winter or early spring. Learn more about the appropriate time to trim and prune your pine trees by calling our certified arborists in Columbia, Mo.
Diseases can affect both the physical appearance and health of your trees. There are a handful of common pine tree diseases to watch out for.
Needlecast is caused by fungi and leaves discoloration on individual pine needles, eventually causing sections of your pine tree to look brown or yellow.
Pine wilt can cause tree death fairly rapidly. Signs usually begin with tree discoloration and decay at the top of the tree, which then works its way down.
Sphaeropsis tip blight is a destructive fungal disease of pine trees. The most obvious symptom is brown, stunted needles that are retained on the tree. This can occur when pines don’t have the proper soil conditions or during dry spells.
Look out for signs of discoloration in your pines and try to catch anything amiss early. This will allow you to intervene early and prevent having to cut down your trees. However, if you must remove a tree, rely on the professionals for safe tree removal in Columbia, Mo.
