The stats are frightening. Did you know that about 900 million trees were being cut annually as of 2014? Unfortunately, the number is increasing, and deforestation is still doing quite some damage to the ecosystem. Thankfully, change begins with one person. That's why you, as a tree owner, need to take good care of your trees. However, tree work is not as easy as it seems. Apart from planting them, they could be quite a handful to maintain. Below are some few things a tree expert would have you know about tree maintenance. 

Take care of the fungi

Over time, you may spot some fungal growth on the lower parts your tree bark, and that could be a sign of a problem. The fungi can be mushrooms, smuts, mild dews, or even thick mould.  Since the fungi grow on the tree, it feeds from it and may deteriorate its overall health with time. When this happens, don't hesitate to consult a local tree specialist as soon as possible. However, if it's just a little growth, you can just carefully chop it off as you try not to wound the tree.

Prune that dead wood

Even though you don't have to prune your trees all the time, sometimes dead branches can get out of hand and make your trees look misshapen and unattractive. So, if you spot some long ones, you should probably cut them down. Bear in mind that pruning is not necessarily de-limbing. You just need to get rid of the dead or diseased part. Due to the tree's natural defence system, it usually forms a circle known as a collar between the dead and live part. This is where you should cut the branch.

Avoid fast-growing trees

In tree life, there exists a clear difference between growth and maturity. What you want are trees that mature faster, not those that grow faster. Fast growing trees tend to have a weaker wood structure. This makes their branches vulnerable to harsh weather conditions such as strong winds, hail storms, and snow. On the other hand, matured trees are slower in growth and are likely to endure through the seasons.

Create a tree testing schedule

It is important to periodically test your trees for decay, damages, diseases and also pests. Some of these tests are easy to carry out visually. For instance, you can routinely check for coloured spots, weird holes, withered leaves, and so on. This will help you maintain your trees by providing them with current and continuous remedies for their ongoing problems.