We all get excited for summer to start but, are also relieved when it finally begins to cool down to a bearable temperature. With school starting, football on Friday nights, and pumpkin spice lattes, we are all ready for fall. There are a few things you need to know about your trees before it begins.
Planting Trees
Believe it or not, fall is the best time to plant new trees! When the hottest days of the summer are done it is the perfect environment for fostering tree growth. The cool, but not cold, weather allows new trees to plant their roots into the ground and get a good foundation before the cold winter months hit. It is important to give them enough time to grow because they will soon become dormant in the winter months and rely on the roots they were able to grow through the Fall.
Mulching
While it is a good idea to mulch your trees, there are a few ways you can do it incorrectly. If you happen to plant new trees, it important to pay attention to the trunk. The goal of planting your tree in the fall is to get the roots to grow, therefore you do not want to overcrowd the base of your tree with too much mulch. While mulch is good for things like preventing weed growth around your tree, therefore eliminating competition for water, it can also be harmful. If there is too much mulch around the base of your trees it could potentially take away some from the water that your new roots really need. So, while we do advise mulching, always remember that less is more!
Watering
Watering your trees in the fall becomes a little more complex than in the summer. They are now trying to prepare for the long, hard Winter months when they will be dormant, or have the normal physical functions of growing stop for a long period of time. When the leaves begin to fall, it is time for you to stop watering. This is not the most simple rule if you have an Evergreen tree, that has needles and not leaves. It is good to assume that when the leaves fall you should stop watering all of your trees. This is because more watering could foster new growth, that unlike the rest of the tree, won’t have time to prepare itself for dormancy.
What NOT To Do In The Fall
While knowing what to do is important, knowing what not to do is just as important, or more so. Don’t ignore your tree problems. At times, we all have things that we would like to simply look the other way from. However, dead or dying trees isn’t one of them. If you have a tree that looks like it is in need of help, take action. Just because summer storms are gone, doesn’t mean your tree won’t do serious damage to your yard or home if it falls or breaks.
Need help with any of these items? Give us a call today!