Do Staples, Screws, and Nails Damage Your Trees?

You may look to your tree as a starting point whenever you want to do an outdoor project. Perhaps you are planning a romantic plaque sitting center and front of the trunk, or perhaps you are planning to have a small birdhouse attached to your tree. 

However, can you drill safely a screw or nail to your tree? Well, several trees are durable enough to be drilled with a screw or nail. However, others will not be able to handle the damage.  

Should You Avoid Particular Trees? 

This is an excellent question. The short answer is yes. You should not poke a tree with screws, staples, or nails if it is already damaged from infection or weak. The hardware will drill into the layer under the tree bark. This layer is responsible for transporting nutrients and water across the tree. For those who don’t know, a tree that’s already weak will have a difficult time acquiring nutrients. It will need time to get its strength back. In addition to that, a new hole will produce an access point for deadly pests.  

To make things simple, do not further damage a weak tree. 

What’s The Best Location to Drill a Hole in the Tree? 

The truth is that the right area you drill into does not make a huge difference. You can drill holes anywhere you want. However, the tree’s health plays a huge role in your project’s stability.  

If your tree is healthy, then it is already hard. A tree will begin a process called compartmentalization whenever you drill a screw or nail into it. This means that they heal naturally the spot around the hole and protect the entire tree from possible infection. Thus, always pick a strong and healthy tree for ideal stability.  

What Nails or Screws Should You Use? 

You don’t want your screw or nail to rust over time. That is the number one thing you should consider. If you let the nails, screws, or staples to rust, you are allowing an infection to happen to your tree. Because of that, it is ideal to select aluminum, stainless steel, or any screws and nails for your project that are rust-proof. 

How to Hammer a Nail or Drill Into a Tree without Damaging It 

Well, the short answer is you can’t. In fact, hammering a nail or drilling a screw into your tree will leave a wound inevitably. However, you can prevent long-term and severe damage if the job is done properly on the right tree. 

If you want to keep your tree as safe as possible, here are several things you have to consider: 

  • Keep in mind that several trees are better candidates than others. 
  • Do not get happy with your hammer. You will stress out your tree more if you create more holes. 
  • Be wary about the type of screws or nails you utilize.  
  • If you’re having a hard time doing your project, you can always count on a professional Southlake Tree Service company to help you.  

How to Choose the Right Mulch

If you are reading this, possibilities are you have heard about the advantages of mulch. However, if you didn’t know yet, there are various types and colors of mulch. So, the question is “are there any differences between the types and colors of mulch?” “Are there advantages to using inorganic vs. organic, rocks instead of wood chips, or black instead of red?  

Inorganic vs. Organic Mulch 

The type of mulch really matters. The reason for this is that inorganic mulch does not dissolve. Thus, the quality of the soil will stay the same. On the other hand, organic mulch breaks down into the soil over time. This will add nutrients to the soil.  

Both forms of mulch have their own benefits. This could help you choose the ideal option.  

Here are several things you should know about inorganic mulch: 

  • This includes landscape fabric, gravel, or stones. 
  • Usually, they’re utilized for aesthetics because they do not help improve the quality of the soil.  
  • They’re excellent at deterring the growth of weed, unlike organic mulch. 
  • Rock mulch might raise soil temperature in summer.  
  • They could throw off the pH of the soil. Thus, before you go buy this mulch at a local Rowlett Tree Service company, you have to do a soil test.  
  • They’ve got the time and money-saving benefits because they hardly require replacement once they are set. 

Here are several things you should know about organic mulch: 

  • By lowering evaporation, they preserve water in the soil.  
  • They come with a time stamp. You have to replace them every year.  
  • They are excellent for perennial or yearly gardens, vegetable gardens, fruit gardens, shrubs, and trees.  
  • Help even out soil temperature and conserve soil moisture.  
  • Slowly convert into plant soil. It improves the quality of the soil over time.  

Red vs. Black vs. Brown Mulch 

There are a lot of various theories about the benefits of colored mulch. According to several individuals, black mulch is ideal at warming up the soil in winter. Some people also say that red mulch is ideal for particular fruits. There is even a study about it. According to the study, red mulch really did help make sweeter strawberries and grow more tomatoes compared to the black type.  

However, almost every individual out there pick the color of the mulch based on the theme of their landscape. Adding color to their landscape helps make trees and plants pop while still offering all the advantages that mulch provides.  

There are several things you have to know when it comes to picking colored mulch.  

  • Colors will fade. Thus, you will have to replace it more often compared to naturally-colored mulch.  
  • You have to apply this mulch with caution since the dye can easily transfer to your driveway, pets, clothes, or hands.  
  • As long as the product is certified by the Mulch and Soil Council, colored mulch is safe to utilize.  

When it comes to choosing the right mulch, it will all come down to your preferences. The good thing is that all of them provide benefits to your landscape.