Apply corn gluten meal in the spring and fall to control annual weeds. Pruning Don't overprune. If necessary, remove dead, diseased and conflicting limbs. Tree pruning is for your benefit, not the tree's. Don't make flush cuts and don't paint cuts.
Painting slows the natural healing process and harbors pathogens.
If you must paint cuts to be able to sleep nights, use natural shellac or better still, Lac Balsam. Soil Testing Have soil tested, by a lab that gives organic recommendations, to learn the total and available levels of organic matter, nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, phosphate, potassium, sodium, chloride, boron, iron, megnese, copper and zinc. Tissue sample tests are important to see what nutrients are being taken up by the plants. Check for life by counting the earthworms in a square foot of soil - should be at least ten.