Author Topic: General long term caretaking on trees for dummies  (Read 1021 times)

Tropheus76

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 923
    • East Orlando 9B
    • View Profile
General long term caretaking on trees for dummies
« on: November 03, 2017, 01:24:45 PM »
I have to go away for quite a few months over the summer months here in Florida and I have someone elderly who has volunteered to watch my trees for me. I have a large mix of trees, mangos, apples, annonas, citrus, you name it. I plan on hitting the mangos and citrus with a spinosad drench before I leave and leave some for use on select trees in July and Sept for the summer, mostly for mango and citrus. Aside from hitting everything with fertilizer before I leave what else can I do?
-I have auto sprinklers on all of them.
-I plan on heavily mulching everything with pine bark.
-I am spraying my sprinkers in florescent paint so whoever mows while I am gone hopefully misses them.
-What else can I do to put as little work on my guy as possible?

He knows a little about trees having a couple mangos himself and if my other neighbor across the street doesn't have another heart attack during this time he can ask him for advice too. He also has a tractor which is helpful to get around with. I do have 100+ trees in ground though.
 

skhan

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2274
    • United States, Florida, Coral Springs, 10b
    • View Profile
    • Videos of Garden
Re: General long term caretaking on trees for dummies
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2017, 03:26:27 PM »
My biggest concern would be landscapers killing the trees so I'd put something around the trunks to prevent damage from string trimmers.

Depending on how your trees are set up I'd get a load(s) of tree trimmer mulch and section off the areas with trees from the lawn.
You can have your friend maintain this through the summer by spraying round up and the mulch-grass barrier. With a $30 sprayer from the big box stores this is an easy task.

If your feeling up to it you can replace your sprinkler heads with pop-up one so mowing won't be a problem.

I personally wouldn't do the spinosad or even fertilize, it might not be ideal but i think the trees can get along fine for a year without.
If you have the time sure, but I'd be more concerning doing the above things first.

Tropheus76

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 923
    • East Orlando 9B
    • View Profile
Re: General long term caretaking on trees for dummies
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2017, 08:01:03 PM »
I guess it depends on the winter. We have had these warm winters the last couple years and those grey and orange weevils shred my mango trees and I am told have larva that destroy the roots too. Since they really only attack my citrus and especially mango I will have to have something or the trees will be dead when I get home.