The Homeowner’s Guide to Healthy, Safe Trees in South Africa

Your trees are part of your home. They shape your garden, give shade, add value, and create the kind of space you actually want to live in.

But trees also need care, and knowing what to do (and when to call a professional) can save you money, prevent damage, and keep your property safe.

This guide covers the essentials every South African homeowner should know about planting, caring for, and removing trees safely.

1. Planting Trees: How to Choose the Right Tree for Your Property

Planting a tree is a long-term decision. The right choice will thrive for decades. The wrong one can damage foundations, crowd your garden, or become a safety risk later.

How to choose the right tree

Look for a tree that suits:

• Your climate: South Africa’s heat, wind, and coastal conditions can be tough.

• Your soil: sandy, clay, or loam all behave differently.

• Your space: consider root spread, full-grown height, and canopy size.

Good tree choices for South African homes

Common favourites that perform well:

• Wild Olive

• Waterberry

• Waterpear

• Coastal Silver Oak

These trees are hardy and adapt well to local conditions.

How to plant a tree properly

A healthy tree starts with a healthy planting:

1. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep.

2. Place the tree at the same height it stood in the nursery.

3. Backfill with soil, not compost (compost belongs on top, not underneath).

4. Water deeply after planting.

5. Add mulch to keep moisture in and weeds out.

Proper planting prevents early stress and gives your tree the best possible start.

2. Tree Maintenance: Watering, Pruning, Fertilising

Healthy trees require consistent but simple care.

How often should you water your trees?

• Young trees: Once a week.

• Established trees: Every 2–3 weeks, depending on rainfall.

The soil should be moist, not muddy. Overwatering is just as harmful as underwatering.

Pruning: When and why it matters

Pruning isn’t about shaping trees for looks. It’s about safety, structure, and long-term health.

Good pruning removes:

• Dead or diseased branches

• Branches rubbing or crossing

• Weight that causes dangerous leaning

• Overgrowth that threatens roofs, walls, or power lines

For most species, the best time to prune is late winter to early spring, before active growth begins.

Important: Incorrect pruning (especially topping) can cause decay, weak regrowth, and long-term hazards. A professional arborist always prunes with the tree’s biology in mind.

Should you fertilise your trees?

Most established trees don’t need frequent fertiliser, they need healthy soil.

But young or stressed trees benefit from:

• A slow-release, tree-appropriate fertiliser in spring

• A second, lighter application in autumn

A soil test is the best way to know what your tree actually needs.

3. Tree Removal: When It’s Necessary and When It Isn’t

Removing a tree is never the first option, but sometimes it’s the right one.

When is removal necessary?

You should consider removal if your tree is:

• Dead or dying

• Leaning dangerously

• Dropping heavy limbs

• Damaged by wind or pests

• Threatening foundations, walls, plumbing, or roofs

• Blocking planned construction or access

A professional inspection can tell you if removal is required or if pruning can solve the problem.

Why removal is not a DIY job

Tree removals involve:

• Rope systems

• Climbing gear

• Controlled rigging

• Crew communication

• Load management

Improper removal can damage roofs, cars, walls, pools, and even neighbouring properties. A professional arborist ensures the job is safe, controlled, and clean, exactly how we define our work at Overberg Arborists.

4. How Homeowners Can Keep Their Trees Safe All Year

A quick annual check can prevent most problems:

• Look for cracks, cavities, or decaying wood

• Check that branches aren’t resting on roofs

• Watch for sudden leaning

• Look at the soil after storms, lifting roots are a red flag

• Keep mulch around the base but away from the trunk

• Ensure irrigation isn’t soaking the trunk

Early detection is much cheaper than emergency work.

5. When to Call a Professional Arborist

Call a professional arborist when you notice:

• Large dead branches

• Storm damage

• Trees close to power lines

• Visible root problems

• Fungus growth on the trunk

• A tree that suddenly looks unstable

Or, if you’re unsure, call anyway. A quick consultation can save time, money, and stress.

Overberg Arborists specialises in pruning, reductions, hazard work, and safe removals, always guided by what’s healthiest and safest for the tree and your property.