Cultivate the Soil. Mixing a 2 inch layer of humus into the soil enriches the soil. It also loosens the soil to allow water to freely drain into the soil and down to the roots.
A thin layer of compost (1/2 inch) applied on top of the soil in the tree after it is cultivated will improve the soil and supply nutrients to the tree. Do not let the compost touch the trunk.
Mulch the soil. Mulch conserves water and prevents compaction, moderates soil temperature and soaks up dog excrement. Mulch is any material placed on the soil to cover and protect it. We recommend using wood chips or bark mulch sold in garden centers. These organic mulches decompose and increase soil fertility and improve the soil structure.
Prune the Tree. Beginning one year after planting, pruning improves the health, appearance and longevity of a tree. You must be a certified Citizen Pruner to prune street trees.
Install Tree Guards. A protective tree guard prevents feet from compacting the soil, hinders car door-bashing and deters dog visits.
Respect Street Trees. Cutting into the bark, bashing the trunk with car doors and bumpers and breaking off branches all injure a tree. Trees do not "heal" their injuries.
Curb Your Dog. Dog urine kills trees. Consider this: A street tree may get visited by dogs dozens of times each day, thereby inundating it. Please curb you dog.
Do not staple, nail or tape signs to trees. Staples and nails create wounds that can cause problems later and taping signs to trees can hold water behind the tape and damage the bark.
Remove banners and posters that are secured with tape on tree trunks and branches.
Chain bikes to a bike rack/ tree guard. Heavy chains and bicycles leaning against the tree will damage the bark. Chaining bikes to trees is a major source of tree damage. You can request that the Department of Transportation install a free bike rack through the Cityracks program. Call 311 for more information.
Do not raise the level of soil in tree pits. Do not add more than 1/2 inch soil to a tree pit. Extra soil or mulch mounded against the base of a tree can cause the bark to rot and provide an entry for pests or diseases. Rotten bark all around the tree will destroy the cambium and the tree will die. Extra weight of added soil will cause compaction. This additional stress will cause a decline in health and vigor, reducing the tree’s ability to withstand pests and diseases.
Water the trees. The most important factor in the survival of NYC’s street trees is water. If there has not been an inch of rain during the last week, please water the trees! Many newly planted trees now have treegators (green plastic bags) at their base. Fill the treegators with water which will drain slowly down to the roots where it is needed. If there are no treegators, give the tree about 20 gallons of water per week. Place a hose at the base of the tree and water slowly for 15-20 minutes.
Washing sidewalks can harm trees by detergents leaking into the tree bed. If you are washing the sidewalk, use only water and encourage others to do the same. Steam cleaning the sidewalk can also result in hot water running into the tree pit which can damage roots.
A doorman can be a tree’s best friend. Their duties place them where they can keep an eye on the trees to protect against dogs, careless truck drives, bikes and other harms. Encourage your doorman to keep an eye out for the trees in front of your building
Try to avoid stepping on the soil in a tree bed unless you have to. This causes compaction.
Ask your building superintendent not to place garbage bags for sanitation pick up in the tree pit.
If you see a tree damaged by a sidewalk scaffold, call 311 to report it.
Parents, teach your children to appreciate and care for trees.
Sidewalks are angled to let water drain towards the gutter, so the water can run into tree pits too. But the soil in the tree pit will not be able to absorb water if it is compacted, so be sure to lightly cultivate the soil. The worst of the compaction is on top, so you only need to go cultivate to about 2 inches deep. Runoff that is able to enter the soil also prevents runoff which can lead to sewage overflows and water pollution.
Plant your spring bulbs before the first frost. In NYC frost is likely usually occurs by mid-November. Smaller bulbs like Muscari and Crocus are a good choice. They are planted in the top 2 to 3 inches of soil and do not disturb the tree roots. Bulbs planted in the fall will be a welcome sign of spring in late March/early April.
Water the Tree. Give young trees 15-20 gallons a week in late spring through summer. This is critical to the tree's survival, especially during hot, dry and/or windy weather. Allow the water to slowly soak into the soil.
April showers do not mean trees are getting enough water. This is the time that more water is necessary to wash leftover salt from the winter down below the level of the roots.
Plant annual flowers in the tree bed! Beautify your neighborhood and help your trees by planting annuals flowers such as impatiens, coleus, begonias or geraniums. TNY recommends you only plant annuals because perennials (plants that live for many years) have extensive root systems and will compete with newly planted trees for water. Plant perennials (such as ivy or hosta) only when the tree is well established, at least 6 inches in diameter, measured 4.5 feet above ground. Don’t raise the soil level in tree pit to plant flowers or other plants. This holds moisture against the trunk which damages the bark.
Choose flowers that have smaller bulbs so that you do not have to disturb as many roots to plant them. Examples include Crocus, the smaller daffodils, snakeshead, and “wild” tulips which has smaller bulbs than the hybrids that are commonly seen.
In the fall, add a layer of mulch about 2.5 inches deep. Mulch will keep the soil warm and encourage root growth to help the tree get established. After the holidays, cut 6-8 inch branches from discarded trees and use as mulch. The branches prevent soil compaction, conserve moisture, moderate soil temperature and soak up salt residue and dog excrement. Remove branches in late March and flush the tree pit with water to remove salt residue.
Plant your spring bulbs before the first frost (mid/late November). Smaller bulbs like Muscari and Crocus are a good choice because they are planted in the top 2-3” of soil and do not disturb the tree roots. Bulbs planted in the fall will be a welcome sign of spring in late March/early April.
When you are ready to dispose of your Christmas tree, cut the branches into 6” lengths and place them on your street tree beds. The branches prevent soil compaction, conserve moisture, moderate soil temperature and soak up salt residue and dog excrement. Remove branches in late March and flush the tree bed with water to remove any salt residue.
NYCLeaves: Project LeafDrop helps redirect some of the 20,000 tons of residential leaves that are destined for landfills to sites throughout the City that will compost them. Go to nycleaves.org to get involved.
For icy sidewalks, do not use rock salt (sodium chloride) or deicing mixes that contain rock salt because rock salt reduces the ability of a tree’s fine roots to absorb water, nutrients or oxygen - all necessary for healthy growth. Rock salt also causes cracks in concrete sidewalks. Instead, use calcium, potassium or magnesium chloride.
If you plan to install seasonal lights on a tree or shrub, learn about NYC’s Tree Light Policy.
Bring your holiday tree to a designated city park to be recycled into mulch that will nourish plantings across the city, join the Mulchfest!
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