You want your trees to stay healthy and beautiful. In order to ensure that they do, you probably spend plenty of time caring for them. But the wrong care can be worse than no care at all. Here's a look at three common mistakes that well-meaning homeowners often make – and that may threaten your tree's health in the long run.

Pruning At the Wrong Time

Many homeowners make the mistake of pruning their trees in the fall. They make it a part of their fall cleanup, figuring they're saving themselves time when spring comes. However, this is really bad for the tree. In the fall, infectious fungi spread their spores, so pruning your tree at this time leaves it with wounds that are prone to fungal infection. The best time to prune most trees is in the late winter to early spring when the tree is still dormant. This leads to a burst of new growth during the spring and minimizes exposure to fungal spores.

Piling Mulch Against the Tree's Trunk

If you live in an area where rainfall is limited or if your tree is planted in a dry area, mulching around it can certainly be helpful. The mulch traps moisture in the soil. But piling mulch all of the way up to and around the trunk of the tree will do more harm than good. This practice actually traps moisture against the tree's trunk and may cause the trunk to rot. Start your mulch a few inches from the tree's trunk for better results.

Damaging the Tree Trunk With Trimmers or Mowers

It is important to keep the weeds and plants around your tree trimmed back. Otherwise, they provide a hiding place for insects and pests that may feed on the tree's bark. And, like mulch, weeds around the tree trunk can trap moisture and lead to rotting. When you're trimming around your tree trunk, however, you need to be very careful not to knick or slice it with the trimmer or mower. The base of a tree's trunk is a very sensitive area since so many vascular tissues run through it. One serious knick or slice could mean the end of your tree's life.

If you're not sure whether or not something you're doing to care for your tree is safe and effective, speak with a tree care specialist in your area. It's important to ensure your tree care actions are not causing more harm than good. To get more information, reach out to a company like Corner Landscaping & Tree Service.