Preparing your Trees for Autumn

Preparing your Trees for Autumn

Autumn is a magical season for nature lovers, especially for those who are lucky enough to have a garden full of trees that will soon begin to change the color of their foliage. But how much do you know about autumn tree care? The following article will help you keep your trees beautiful all year round. Preparing your trees for autumn protects them from too much stress brought on by the changing season. Ready? Let’s review.

Dormancy

Most deciduous trees survive colder months by entering a period of dormancy that’s similar to hibernation. Obviously, they can’t migrate like birds, so they developed a different strategy. During this time, certain trees spend less energy on growth and may even stop producing food.

Typically, evergreens don’t go completely dormant, and they don’t shed their foliage like deciduous species, but they also undergo changes.

Winter Drought

Summer is not the only time of year when a tree can get thirsty. Extreme winter temperatures and freezing winds cause trees to dry out. Remember, droughts can occur in winter, too. Occasional watering can make a difference, especially for younger trees.

Add Mulch

Composted organic mulch acts as a blanket of extra insulation for a tree’s roots during cold months. Place a layer of mulch under the tree during the fall to protect it from freezing temperatures. Another benefit of mulch is that it helps your tree retain water.

Avoid Broken Branches

Most of us don’t need to worry about snow in California, but extreme weather can cause branches to break. This is important to prevent, both for the health of your trees, as well as the safety of your home. Branches are heavier than they look and they can cause injury or property damage, particularly in high winds.

One option is to wrap young trees in metal hardware cloth, or a plastic guard. This helps to both secure and warm them.

Pruning

Pruning is an important part of autumn tree care. In fact, pruning promotes healthy growth in trees, and autumn is the perfect time for a little trim. Although, remember that each tree is different, so pruning should be adapted to the needs and specific structure of each tree. A professional arborist can prune your trees without injuring them.

The Best Time to Plant

Many people believe that autumn is a bad time to plant new trees because it’s the season when leaves fall and growth stagnates, but it’s just the opposite. Your new tree’s roots will have time to get established before the spring rains. It’s especially ideal for balled-and-burlapped trees.

Professional Autumn Tree Care

If you’re located in the Alamo area and need professional autumn tree care services, contact Sexy Trees at (925) 233-6877, or visit us online at getjobber.com to fill out a request form. Tell us about your availability and we will do our absolute best to accommodate. 

Planting Trees in the Fall

Tree Service Danville

Fall is a great time to plant trees. You can take benefits of sales at your local nursery and add a few dimensions to your yard’s landscape. You can even offer your new plants a jump start for next spring with suitable preparation.

 

A lot of experts claim that planting trees in fall is better. In fall, the tree can build new roots without having to nourish the leaves. Water necessities are much lower without the leaves on the tree. To us, it feels cool in autumn, but that is the finest temperature for root growth. Roots grow up best in cool soil.

 

There is probably less range in fall, but good quality nurseries do have many plants available because fall planting is becoming trendier. The other possible benefit is that there are good sales in the fall. A lower price may or may not be a good thing. If the plant is in fine condition, it is a good time to purchase. However, in fall you also discover trees that have been sitting in the garden center all summer and suffering due to the hot climate. These badly treated trees are not as good a deal. Make sure you check the plant’s leaves and soil before purchasing.

 

Right Plant, Right Place

 

Planting trees in fall season varies a little from spring procedures. The most important thing is to pick the right plant for the right location. This will involve research before heading to the nursery to pick out the plant. Consider the height and shape of the plant that is desirable in the landscape. Always plan for the grown-up size of the plant, not what you spot in a nursery pot. This stops plants from overtaking the selected space and decreases maintenance such as pruning.

 

Water to Keep the Roots Moist

 

Once the tree or shrub is planted, keep it properly watered. During winter, the soil does not dry up as rapidly as summer so there’s no need to water as often as the summer months. Test the moisture level and water as required throughout the entire winter. When watering, soak the soil and let it dry completely before the next watering.

 

Why it’s better to plant trees in the fall season

 

  1. Transpiration is low

Transpiration is the progression of water movement through a plant. Low transpiration in the cooler months of fall allows plants to conserve more water than in warmer months.

 

  1. Root generation is high

There is a high potential for roots growing in fall so plants can anchor into the ground and soak up water from the soil easier.

 

  1. More time to establish roots

Planting in the fall provides plants three seasons to develop their roots before the hot summer comes along. A fall planting allows the tree to develop and strengthen roots in fall and again in early spring before leaves develop. This gives the tree a superior chance to lay down a good set of roots before they need to gather water and nutrients for the leaves.

 

If you have questions about how to plant trees, contact Sexy Trees, certified arborist.

Autumn Tree Care

Tree Service Concord

Autumn is not only a beautiful season but also a brilliant time to plant many trees, along with preparing your trees for the winter season. Extensive periods of intense heat can weaken trees, making them more vulnerable to infestations. Helping your trees start to recover from the hot circumstances as they head into winter is significant to care for their long-term health, which also makes them less at risk to storms. Autumn tree care is a must for your trees.

 

Here are special instructions for outside tree care as the season changes:

 

Watering

At the start of autumn, make sure your trees are getting enough water while the weather changes from hot to cold. Water your trees until the soil freezes. Avoid watering after this point so as not to over-water the ground.  This will assure your trees have enough water to live during the winter.

 

Fertilization

As the leaves begin to change color and fall, look for signs that might point out your trees have a nutrient problem and may require fertilization. Keep in mind, fertilization can encourage rapid new growth, which could be injured in the winter, therefore, fertilize in the spring instead if possible. To conclude if your trees need fertilization, some of the things you can look for:

  • Leaves varying colors and falling earlier than usual.
  • Reduced development in branches and leaves.

 

Pruning

Make certain to remove any dead, unhealthy or spoiled branches. They all serve as points where illness or pests could enter that can cause further damage. And also, removing the dead, diseased and spoiled branches will make your trees look better. You can also trim branches that aren’t growing the way you would like.

 

Planting

Numerous trees can be planted during the autumn. Check with your local nursery to see which ones are good for autumn planting. Trees have a better chance to get their roots established because of the cold temperatures. Another benefit to planting trees during the autumn season is that many nurseries discount their plant supply.

 

Prevent  injuries

Branch breakage can be caused by frost and snow gathering or chewing and rubbing by animals. You may stop problems with young trees by covering their base in a hard or plastic guard. Wrapping trees with burlap or plastic cloth also can avoid temperature harm. However, it is essential to remember to remove the wraps and guards in the spring to avoid damage when the tree begins to grow. Damage to branches and trunks from plow blades or a sharp shovel can be harmful to trees.

 

Care for Young Trees

Since the autumn season is a perfect time to plant new trees, it is essential to consider that young trees are typically not developed enough to survive the constant freezing and thawing that might occur and young trees are especially susceptible to extreme temperature changes that come with winter, especially in colder areas. One thing you can do as a preventive measure is to place a wide layer of mulch around the base of the tree.

If you have questions about managing autumn tree care, contact Sexy Trees today!