How to Care for a Linden Tree

Linden trees, also known as lime trees or basewood, are very popular in urban landscapes, because of their hardiness, resistance to pests and tolerance of alkaline soils. They also keep their shape very well and seldom need pruning. There are many different varieties of Linden tree, perhaps the most popular being "American Linden," and they all produce little, round, attractive fruits, with fragrant flowers and deep green leaves. Most linden trees can grow very high (over 60 feet); they make excellent shade trees, and usually live around 20 to 30 years.

Things You'll Need

• Hose
• Fertilizer
• Pruning shears
• Mild soap
• Pruning sealant spray

Instructions

1. Keep soil well-watered and drained. During the rainy months, these trees won't need to be hand-watered, but if the weather gets dry, take a hose to your linden about once a week. Water the surrounding soil so that it's always moist, but never quite muddy.

2. Fertilize your linden in mid-autumn. If your linden is a fairly young tree, meaning one to ten years old, it will benefit and grow faster from being fertilized once a year, around November. Because every brand of fertilizer is different, it's important to follow the directions on your fertilizer bottle.

3. Treat your linden for pests. Use a mild spray-insecticide, and follow the directions on the bottle. Unfortunately, linden trees often fall prey to Japanese beetles and aphids. Neither of these pests do much actual harm to the tree, but the aphids often attract bees and wasps. Insecticide is the most effective way to deal with aphids, but if beetles are your problem, and you don't want to use chemicals, you can also use a stick or shovel to knock them off the bark into a pot of boiling water.

4. Prune sparingly. One reason the linden is so popular, is that it retains its pyramid shape very well on its own. But to keep it neat, clip off the tips of stray branches with large pruning shears during the summer. Linden tress also work well as hedges. If you plan to use linden trees for hedges, you'll want to prune deeper and more often.

5. Check the bark for rot or disease once per season. When linden trees age, they are prone to bark rot. If you see rot on a specific area of the bark, try spraying it with a pruning sealant spray, according to the bottle's directions. Linden trees are susceptible to cottony maple scale, which does not cause the tree much harm, but looks very unsightly. If you find an infestation of this sort, treat it with "soft insecticides," meaning, wash the area gently with a mild soap.

References

• Tree Help
• Plant Talk