Autumn Arborist: Fall Tree Care
As the vibrant remnants of autumn leaves gently cascade to the ground, it’s time to prepare your trees for the cooler months ahead. Deciduous trees survive the winter months by going dormant, much like hibernation. Before your newly planted or established deciduous trees go dormant, learn about the important steps to take to ensure they will happily leaf out in the spring. While evergreen trees do keep their color, they will also benefit from some fall TLC. Here are five fall tree care tips to prepare your well-loved trees for a fruitful winter sleep.
Water Your Trees
It may have snowed already, but the ground has not completely frozen yet. Even if you have turned off your hose for the season it is important to keep your trees properly hydrated until the soil is fully frozen. Trees love a weekly gulp of water from a five-gallon bucket, poured evenly around the inside of their mulch rings, until there is a full freeze. Adequate water provides much-needed hydration to maintain healthy trees in the fall.
Fertilize Your Trees
Urban trees thrive with extra nutrients provided by slow-release fertilizers. Trees growing in forests have a nutrient-rich forest floor including natural organic decomposition. City trees, however, face the challenge of environmental hazards like pollution and salt. By simply adding fertilizer to the base of your trees, you can make sure they have the fuel needed to safely sleep through a Minnesota winter. Fall is the perfect time to fertilize your trees.
Freshen Up Your Mulch Donut
Mulch donuts are the trees’ best friends. A layer of mulch protects the tree trunk from excess moisture and eventually breaks down into compost, providing essential nutrients for the tree to grow. This fall, take inventory of each mulch donut and make sure it is three inches deep, three inches wide, and three inches away from the base of the tree. If your mulch rings need more volume, please add an extra layer of high-quality organic mulch or wood chips. Come spring, your trees will thank you.
Rake Away Leaves
Wet leaves piling up at the base of your tree can cause mold or fungal disease, which leads to unhealthy conditions for your tree. Leaves do eventually turn into nutrient-rich compost. This process does not happen overnight, however, and it is best to rake all the leaves away from the base of your trees. There are many other delightful options for leaves, like adding them to an established compost pile or raking a large pile for personal recreation.
Take Visual Inventory
Autumn offers a perfect time for a visual inspection. Check your trees for any dead branches or animal damage. Look for pests or inconsistencies in the bark. A visual inspection helps catch any potential ailments before they become major problems. Tree Trust’s professional arborists recommend pruning for most trees in the winter months. Autumn is a great time to schedule any needed winter tree maintenance. Call our Landscape Services team to schedule an appointment with an expert arborist if you discover any concerning issues with your trees.
Taking these important steps will help ensure your trees have a healthy winter season. If you are a proud owner of a Tree Trust tree from one of our municipal tree sales, please reach out on social media using #TreeTrustTree to share pictures of your new tree. We can’t wait to see how your new tree is doing in its forever home. Thanks for helping Tree Trust transform lives and landscapes by taking great care of your trees.
