Fall tree care is essential in keeping your trees healthy throughout the cold season and beyond. Whether you are a new homeowner or have owned a home for years, fall tree care should always be on your list of home maintenance.
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Follow these five dos’ and don’ts of fall tree care:
Do Prune Your Trees
Do prune your trees in the fall to remove dead and unhealthy branches. Healthy pruning techniques include:
- Deadwooding
- Crown lifting
- Crown reduction
Always hire a certified, insured, ISA-arborist to prune your trees. This will keep your trees and your property safe.
Don’t Plant Trees Too Close Together
When planting new trees in the fall, avoid planting them too close together. Trees that are too close will see less air circulation, will battle for nutrients and sunlight, and spread infestations and disease to each other.
The Arbor Day Foundation has a tree spacing guide to help figure out how much space is needed by their expected height, crown spread, and root space.
Do Get Pest & Disease Management
Call your local tree care company for pest and disease management. An ISA-certified arborist will inspect your trees and treat with preventative treatments to nip winter pests and diseases in the bud. This not only stops them early but means fewer treatments come spring.
Don’t Overfertilize
Fertilizing your trees in the fall is a great way to give them an extra boost of nutrients. Always test your soil before fertilization to determine if your trees need it. Overfertilization can lead to unhealthy growth, burning, brown, or rotting roots.
Do Apply Mulch
Mulch is an essential part of tree care in that it helps preserves soil moisture, insulates roots, and suppresses weeds. Pick the right mulch, like Hansen’s 100% organic mulch, get the right amount for your project, and don’t spread it too thick. If you have mulch from last year, rake it around to aerate it and check the depth. If the depth is approximately 2-4 inches deep, you may not even need it.