Are Your Parking Habits Killing Your Trees?

There are two main reasons why trees in your back yard are a good thing. Firstly, they provide shade to your home, and that shade keeps your property cooler during the hot summer days. Secondly, trees filter carbon dioxide from the air, and this makes the air around you more breathable. You have noticed recently that the trees close to your home don't seem to be thriving as well as they used to. But, is it possible your car parking habits are the cause of the problem? Here are two points to consider before you seek professional help to save your trees from dying.

Dense Soil

Many drivers are guilty of parking their car close to a tree because the shade stops the car turning into a heated sauna while they are away from the vehicle. However, the problem with parking your car too close to the tree is the weight of the vehicle compresses the soil it sits on.

When soil gets compressed by the weight of anything, it becomes dense. The denser the soil is, the harder it is for water to get through to the roots. Therefore, your car parking spot could be leading to a deprivation of water to the tree. This lack of vital nourishment causes the tree to die.

If you must park your tree on soil near a tree, then make sure you aerate the soil every six months. You do this by turning the dirt around the base of the tree over using a garden fork. It decompresses the soil, which allows water and oxygen to nourish the tree again.

Damaged Tree Roots

During the summer months, tree roots need protection from the heat of the sun. Mulch or grass are both agents needed around the base of a tree to keep the moisture in the soil feeding the roots. Without this protection, the precious moisture evaporates away. Parking a car too close to the tree scatters mulch and kills grass, so the tree roots lose water faster than is healthy.

Additionally, a car which is leaking oil or air conditioning coolant is contaminating the soil directly above the tree roots. If possible, you must find somewhere else to park your car where it won't damage the tree roots.

Get your local tree service to inspect your trees so you can receive a health report on each one. Dying trees past saving need removal before the summer storms arrive to stop them being a safety hazard, so contact a tree felling service if you think a tree is dying.

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