You take pride in your home—inside and out. Maybe you’re looking to spruce up your outdoor landscape by adding a feature like a birdhouse or some type of playhouse for your kids. Before you go putting holes into your tree with nails or screws, you need to put down the tools and make sure your tree is healthy enough to withstand this type of alteration. Your tree experts in Kingsport at Promier Tree have provided this guide to help you avoid damaging your trees.
There’s a right way—and lots of wrong ways—to make a hole in your tree
First, be aware of the type of nails or screws that you are using. Promier Tree recommends choosing stainless steel, aluminum, or another metal that won’t rust. Over time, a rusty nail or screw can do significant long-term damage.
Next, you should spend much more time finding the best locations for your nails or screws. The more holes you make, the more stress that’s going to create for your tree. A healthy tree will react to the placement of a hole or screw by beginning what’s known as compartmentalization. This process heals the area around the hole, while simultaneously protecting the rest of the tree from potential disease or infection.
Last, be aware that not all trees equally can withstand having holes made in them. Your tree’s overall health matters. If you have a tree that already is weakened or fighting an infection, inserting a nail, staple, or screw can do serious additional damage. The inserted hardware severs the layer of tree structure underneath the bark; this layer is vital to transmitting water and nutrients throughout the tree, and the damage to it will make it more difficult for your already weakened tree to regain its strength and health. Moreover, the hole created by the nail or screw becomes a new potential access point for infestation by pests. You also should avoid putting nails, staples, or screws in trees that are still young, as well as small trees or any type of tree with thin bark. A good rule of thumb is to only do this with healthy trees with a minimum diameter of 10 inches.
Tree health evaluations in Kingsport
You want your outdoor space to be just right, but not if it means potentially compromising the health of your trees. Before doing your work and possibly harming your tree, why not have one of the professional tree arborists at Promier Tree come out and conduct a health evaluation? Our arborists are all certified and possess a wealth of knowledge working with every type of tree native to the areas of Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol in Tennessee. A professional evaluation by an ISA-certified arborist can detect any damage due to injury, disease, or infestation that would be invisible to an untrained individual. Early detection and treatment can save your tree. Schedule a tree health evaluation with one of our arborists today by calling (423) 765-2626.