How to Water Trees Properly During a Drought: A Complete Guide for Homeowners, Gardeners, and Landscape Designers

June 2, 2025 by Sofiia Protasova

Why Trees Need Special Care During a Drought

When there’s no rain for several weeks and temperatures rise above 30°C (86°F), the soil dries out quickly. Trees — especially young ones — often can’t absorb enough moisture to maintain healthy growth. This can lead to:

Plant stress
Reduced photosynthesis
Stunted growth
Leaf drop
Root death

Even mature trees with well-developed root systems can lose branches or become vulnerable to pests and diseases.

How to Water Trees Effectively in the Heat

Water Deeply
Target the root zone, which for most trees lies 12–24 inches (30–60 cm) underground. Surface watering only moistens the top 2–4 inches and doesn’t benefit the tree.

Where to Water
Do not water at the base of the trunk. Instead, water along the “drip line” — the area under the edge of the tree’s canopy where active roots are located.

Watering Frequency

Tree Type	Age	Frequency
Saplings	Up to 2 yrs	2–3 times per week
Young Trees	2–5 yrs	1–2 times per week
Mature Trees	5+ yrs	Every 10–14 days

Note: Sandy soils drain faster and require more frequent watering.

Amount of Water
General rule: 2.5 gallons (10 liters) per inch of trunk diameter. For example, a tree with a 4-inch trunk needs about 10–15 gallons (40–60 liters) per watering.

Best Time to Water Trees

Water early in the morning (before 9:00 AM) or in the evening (after 6:00 PM). Avoid watering in the midday heat when most water evaporates. Midday leaf watering can cause leaf burns due to the lens effect of water droplets.

Should You Water Tree Leaves?

This is a controversial topic:

When it’s helpful:

In the early morning or evening to remove dust and cool young saplings
In greenhouses or containers with controlled humidity

When to avoid:

During midday heat — risk of leaf burn
When humidity is high — can cause fungal diseases
For mature trees — not effective for hydration

Conclusion: Leaf misting is optional and mostly aesthetic. True hydration must come through root watering.

Mulching: The Secret to Moisture Retention

Benefits of mulch around trees:

Retains moisture
Prevents root overheating
Reduces weed competition
Improves soil structure

Best mulch materials:

Wood chips
Straw
Leaves
Compost

How to apply: Lay mulch 2–4 inches (5–10 cm) deep. Leave a 4–6 inch (10–15 cm) gap around the trunk to prevent bark rot.

Most Common Watering Mistakes

Watering at midday when evaporation is highest
Frequent shallow watering that promotes weak roots
No mulch or mulch touching the trunk
Watering visually without checking soil moisture
Spraying leaves during heat of the day

Expert Tips from Advanced Tree Care

Customize a watering schedule for your specific trees
Check your soil type — sandy, clay, or loam
Don’t delay mulching — do it early in summer
Monitor tree health and soil moisture regularly
Use drip systems or slow soaker hoses whenever possible

Need Help? Advanced Tree Care is here for you. We offer expert advice, diagnosis, pruning, tree protection, and full-service tree care — done with love.

Spring Tree Care in Illinois: Expert Tips

April 28, 2025 by Sofiia Protasova

As spring is already in Illinois, it’s the perfect time to take care of your trees after a harsh winter. Snow, ice, and strong winds can cause significant damage to trees. That’s why it’s important to give them the right care so they can recover and be ready for the warmer months.

At Advanced Tree Care, we want to share some tips for spring tree care to keep your trees healthy, beautiful, and strong. Let’s take a look at why it’s important to care for your trees this spring.

Why is Spring Pruning Important for Trees?

Spring is the best time for pruning trees. Here’s why:

Tree Health: Pruning helps remove dead or damaged branches, allowing the tree to focus its energy on healthy growth.
Preparing for Summer: Thinning and pruning allow the tree to grow strong and beautiful during the warmer months.
Disease Prevention: Pruning lowers the risk of diseases because infected parts of the tree are removed, allowing air to circulate more freely.

Spring is the perfect time for sanitary and shaping pruning, especially for trees that have suffered winter damage or storm damage.

*Before and after tree trimming pictures*

How to Care for Trees in Different North Shore Cities and Northwest Suburbs?

Tree care can differ depending on the area. Here are some tips for various North Shore cities:

Evanston: In this area, old oaks and elms require special attention. If you have older trees, it’s a good idea to reach out to a local arborist in Evanston to ensure proper pruning.
Winnetka and Wilmette: These areas feature a lot of ornamental trees that often require more care in terms of shaping and form. Taking care of these trees will help preserve their aesthetic appearance.
Highland Park and Lake Forest: In these regions, large trees are common and can suffer from wind damage during the winter. Pruning and checking for damage will help ensure the safety and health of your trees.

Northwest Suburbs

Schaumburg: Many fast-growing species benefit from crown thinning and selective pruning to prevent overcrowding.
Round Lake: Trees near lakes and open fields may experience wind damage — regular spring inspection is essential.
McHenry: This area has a mix of old-growth trees and new landscaping — both benefit from fertilization and pruning to ensure longevity.

Our local arborists work with each client individually to determine the best tree care strategy.

Types of Spring Tree Care You Should Perform

Here are some of the main tree care services that need to be done in spring:

Trimming & Pruning: This process removes extra branches so that the tree can grow evenly and beautifully. Proper pruning helps maintain the structure of the tree and encourages healthy growth.

Removing Dead Branches: Damaged branches can become a safety hazard, so it’s important to remove them to prevent them from falling. This is crucial for keeping your yard and property safe.

Checking for Diseases and Pests: Inspect your tree for signs of fungi, pests, or diseases that could damage it. Early detection can help prevent further issues and keep your tree healthy.

Fertilizing: Spring is the perfect time to fertilize your trees, especially if they need extra nutrients to encourage healthy growth after winter.

Branch Cabling: If your tree has weak or poorly structured branches, cabling can provide extra support to prevent them from breaking during storms or high winds.

Tree Removal: In some cases, a tree may be too damaged or diseased to be saved. If a tree is posing a danger to your property or nearby structures, removal might be necessary. Professional tree removal ensures safety and prevents any potential risks.

Examples of Our Work

Check out our photos and videos to see how we help trees recover and look great.

Here’s how our team performed tree pruning in Buffalo Grove.

Buffalo Grove Tree Cleanup | Advanced Tree Care Crew in Action!
🌳 Keeping Buffalo Grove Clean & Safe! 🌳 After trimming trees for the Village of Buffalo Grove, our cleanup team—Joseph, Florencio, and Oliver—works hard to ensure every last branch and leaf is cleared away. Their dedication keeps properties looking great and streets safe! Why cleanup matters: – Prevents leftover branches from causing hazards – Keeps yards, sidewalks, and streets neat – Ensures a polished, professional finish A huge thank you to Joseph, Florencio, and Oliver for their hard work and attention to detail! 👏 Your efforts make a real difference in keeping our community safe and beautiful. 📞 Need professional tree care? Call us at 847-587-8500—we’re happy to help! #AdvancedTreeCare #BuffaloGrove #TreeTrimming #TreeService #ProfessionalCare #SafeAndClean #IllinoisTrees #TreeCare #Arborist #TreeRemoval #TreePruning #CleanUpCrew #ProfessionalService #HealthyTrees #UrbanForestry #EcoFriendly #SafetyFirstPosted by Advanced Tree Care on Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Why It’s Important to Hire Certified Arborists

A professional arborist is someone with the experience and knowledge to properly care for your trees. Here’s why you should hire a pro:

Safety: Pruning trees without the proper skills can lead to safety hazards for you and your property. Professionals work safely.
Tree Health Assessment: Only a certified arborist can accurately assess the condition of your tree and determine whether it needs additional care.

Preserving Tree Health: Professional care ensures that your tree remains healthy and beautiful, without harm.

Contact Us for a Free Consultation

Ready to take care of your trees this spring? Advanced Tree Care offers free consultations for residents of Evanston, Glenview, Highland Park, Northbrook and other North Shore cities and Northwest suburbs. Our experts can help with pruning, trimming, fertilizing, treating diseases and pests, tree removal and other services to keep your trees healthy.

Call us at 847-587-8500 or fill out the form on our website to schedule your free consultation. Let’s work together to ensure the health of your trees!

How to Care for Your Trees During the Holiday Season

December 16, 2024 by admin

It’s the holiday season, your home is decorated inside and out, you have plans with family and friends, and the winter weather makes that cup of hot chocolate feel extra special. As wonderful as this time of year is, it comes with stress. Guests, events, shopping, and even decorating can take its toll on you.

Do you know who else can be stressed during this season? Your trees. Yes, the holidays can put stress on your trees as well. From ice and snow to being weighed down with lights to road salt, your trees are feeling the stress of the holidays just like you are.

Here’s how to care for your trees so they can also be merry and bright:

#1: Protect your tree from road salt

Road salt is a necessity in winter, but it can also be harmful to your tree if it gets into the soil near the tree roots. Road salt can cause soil contamination, water stress, leaf and bud damage, and root damage.

The holidays bring increased traffic into neighborhoods and even your driveway, where your guests will park. You may have to shovel your driveway or sidewalks (often covered in road salt) and the salty snow can end up on your tree roots without you knowing.

To protect your trees, try shoveling your snow into piles that are further away from your trees. Also consider where your guests need to park and try to clear the snow away for them ahead of time, so your trees have as much distance as possible from salty snow spray.

You can also insulate your trees by mulching them, which provides a protective layer to keep the roots warm and moist and creates more of a barrier between the road salt and your tree roots.

#2: Christmas lights

One of the greatest joys this time of year is to drive down snow-lined streets looking at sparkling light displays in people’s front yards. When choosing lights for your outdoor trees, make sure you use outdoor-rated lights. These lights are created for outdoor weather conditions like snow, rain, and extreme cold.

LED lights are a good option for your trees as they stay cool to the touch and are significantly more energy efficient. They are less of a fire hazard and therefore safer for your trees. Inspect your lights before you put them on the tree, checking for frayed or damaged wires, broken bulbs, and faulty lights.

Use only outdoor extension cords rated for outdoor use, and make sure all your cord connections are tight.

Attach your lights firmly to the tree with hooks or clips instead of staples or nails that can be damaging to the lights and the tree.

#3: Extra traffic

The holidays come with a lot of traffic, extra vehicles parked in your driveway or on the street, carolers, guests, or kids playing in the snow, your trees will not be left to themselves.

Keep your trees safer by clearing and marking out pathways for your guests to walk on. Maintain sidewalks clear from snow and ice so your guests don’t go trampling through your yard. Give instructions to guests on where to park and help spot them if they need to park near your trees.

The most wonderful time of year should be enjoyed by everyone, including your trees. Take care of them during this holiday season, and they will return the gift by blooming healthy and strong in the spring.

From everyone at Advanced Tree Care: Happy holidays!

Need expert advice on protecting your trees during the holiday season? We can help. Advanced Tree Care combines top-notch equipment, cutting-edge technology, and well-trained staff to provide emergency tree removal and tree maintenance services. With a presence in nine counties and two states, we work daily to provide unparalleled customer service, safety, and efficiency—as well as the expertise to beautify your landscaping and community. Advanced Tree Care isn’t just our name—it’s also our purpose!

Tree Removal Near Residential Areas: What You Need to Know

October 16, 2024 by admin

“Timber!” could be a rather alarming call to hear in the middle of your neighborhood. Trees are beautiful but can also be dangerous if they are not removed when they have become diseased or damaged beyond repair. Property, people, and pets can all be at risk if a tree is not removed safely.

In this article, we will cover the reasons you might require tree removal, and what to look for when hiring a tree care company.

Reasons to remove your tree

Excellent tree care and maintenance will help your tree live a long and healthy life, but life is unpredictable, and your trees can still become damaged or diseased. At this point, your tree can become a danger to your home, family, and other trees, and you need to remove the tree as quickly as possible.

#1: A dead tree

Dead trees will stand out from the rest of your healthy trees. Lack of foliage, large portions of missing bark, big cracks or splits, evidence of fungal growth on the tree, and sudden leaning of your tree are all signs that your tree is dead and needs to be removed.

#2: Severe tree disease

Some trees can be saved from disease and infestation, while others are too far gone. Signs of trees that are too far gone include weakened branches and foliage, hollowed-out trunks, and lack of healthy new leaf growth.

#3: Damage

Strong winds, storms, or lightning strikes can damage otherwise healthy trees, turning them into a hazard that needs to be addressed. Large splits, peeling, broken branches, burnt bark, and evidence of the tree dying such as dead leaves and lack of new growth are all signs you need to pay attention to.

In addition to these reasons, you may need to remove a tree if it is growing too close to your home or driveway, the roots can cause damage to your foundation, driveway, sidewalks, or sewer and plumbing lines. Additionally, trees too close to power lines or other trees need to be removed to avoid future problems.

What to consider when hiring a tree removal company

Tree removal is not something to be taken lightly. The safety of your home, family, and neighbors depends on choosing the right company. Here is what you need to look for.

#1: Licensing and certification

Look for a tree removal company that is licensed and certified by organizations like the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA). These organizations set standards and expectations for quality, professionalism, and safety that are vital to safe tree removal.

#2: Insurances

Sometimes things still go wrong (again, life is unpredictable). If something does go wrong, and property is damaged or even worse, someone is hurt, who is going to pay for it? You need to verify that the tree care company you hire has proper insurance in place, so you are protected from damage and injuries.

#3: Expertise

Many people will say they can remove a tree, but you don’t want just anyone heading into your yard right next to your home with a bunch of power tools. Look for a company that has proven its experience, and expertise, and has a track record of satisfied customers.

#4: Standards

Safety is the top priority for tree removal. A tree care company with professionalism and expertise will follow the industry safety standards and use the proper gear and equipment to protect its workers and you.

#5: Estimates

Look for a company that will give you a detailed estimate for the entire project. Make sure you understand the setup, removal, and cleanup process and what exactly you are paying for.

Tree removal is sometimes a necessity, especially in residential areas where homes and people are easily at risk from falling trees. Do your research and find an expert tree care company that is licensed, uses the proper equipment, is insured, and will list the exact scope of the project when removing your tree.

Looking for expert advice and help on when and how to remove your trees? We can help. Advanced Tree Care combines top-notch equipment, cutting-edge technology, and well-trained staff to provide emergency tree removal and tree maintenance services. With a presence in nine counties and two states, we work daily to provide unparalleled customer service, safety, and efficiency—as well as the expertise to beautify your landscaping and community. Advanced Tree Care isn’t just our name — it’s also our purpose!

Five Reasons September is the Ideal Month to Plant New Trees

September 22, 2024 by admin

You’ve made it through the worst of summer’s heat. Kids are back in school, people start planning for the fall holidays, and the last few mornings were cool enough that you enjoyed the warmth of your coffee just a bit more.

It’s September, a time for changing seasons, putting up the fall decor, and planting trees! That’s right, September is an ideal month for planting new trees.

In this article, we will cover why September is a good month for planting trees and give you a few tips on how to get your trees started.

Five reasons to plant in September

1: Warm soil

Fall does not officially arrive until September 22, so there’s still quite a bit of summer warmth in the soil. Warmer soil promotes root growth, helping your new tree’s roots get firmly established before the cold of winter arrives.

2: Fall rain

Newly planted trees need extra water to help them get established. The frequent fall rains will help your tree stay hydrated and spread its root system quickly.

3: Cool air

During the spring and summer, your deciduous trees produce leaves to generate energy through photosynthesis (taking sunlight and converting it into energy). The leaves produce more energy than they use, but when the shorter days of fall arrive and less sunlight is available, the leaves become an energy drain on the tree, and the tree begins to drop them.

The cooler fall temps mean less stress on your tree, and fewer leaves, which will enable your newly planted tree to expend more energy on establishing its root system.

4: Less competition

Spring and summer are the intense growing seasons for many plants, including those pesky weeds and other competing plants that try to choke out your garden and landscaping. Many of those plants have already died or gone dormant by September, leaving the growing space and soil nutrients available for your tree.

5: Extra growing season

Trees planted in September get a few extra months of growing season to become established before they face the harsh elements of drought and heat in summer. The overall strength of your tree can be vastly different if it gets the advantage of this extra growing time.

Three ways to help your tree succeed

1. Dig a proper hole

Trees that are newly planted are usually begun at a nursery, and then pulled up and transplanted in your yard. During the digging-up process, a tree can lose the majority of its root system. You want to make sure the hole you dig for your tree is deep enough to support it, but also close enough to the surface that your tree can spread its new roots and easily access the water, nutrients, and heat that are closer to the surface of the soil.

2. Mulch

Newly planted trees are vulnerable to pests and disease, and their roots are still fragile. Placing mulch around the base of your tree is a great way to help the roots stay warm, maintain moisture in the soil, and keep pests from nibbling on your tree.

3. Water

All trees need water, but new trees often need extra water to help them quickly re-establish their root system and grow strong. Research how much water your tree will need based on its type, age, and your growing zone, and create a watering schedule. Consult a certified arborist if you want expert advice.

September brings the ideal conditions of “not too hot” and “not too cold” but just right. Good rain, less crowded growing spaces, and extra growing time make it the ideal month for planting new trees.

Looking for expert advice for planting your trees? We can help. Advanced Tree Care combines top-notch equipment, cutting-edge technology, and well-trained staff to provide emergency tree removal and tree maintenance services. With a presence in nine counties and two states, we work daily to provide unparalleled customer service, safety, and efficiency—as well as the expertise to beautify your landscaping and community. Advanced Tree Care isn’t just our name—it’s also our purpose!