Fall is an important time for Louisville tree care. You want to set your trees up for success as we head into the winter months. Trees have natural defense mechanisms for the winter but they can still use extra support and care in order to continue to maintain optimal health.
People don’t always give trees the thought and attention they deserve but keeping your trees healthy does require some effort. You don’t want to wait until something is wrong with your tree to take action.
Different seasons can require different tasks. In this article, we will discuss how to care for trees in the fall.
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Trees in the fall season are already going through some important changes. As summer comes to a close, temperatures will slightly cool and your deciduous trees may begin their changes in colors (and eventually start to lose leaves). This is beginning the process of dormancy for the winter months. That’s because deciduous trees shed their leaves to prevent winter freeze damage.
Trees will also begin storing up nutrients. Some of this will come from the leaves before they fall. Trees will reabsorb those nutrients before shedding the leaves.
Of course, trees in the suburban residential setting often struggle to get all of the nutrients that would be available to them in a forest. For this reason, fall fertilization becomes a valuable fall service that we’ll talk about as we discuss fall tree care.
It’s also worth mentioning that fall can be an excellent time to plant trees. The best time to plant a tree is in the fall, after leaf drop, or in the early spring (before budding takes place). This is the time when a tree is still dormant and the weather is milder.
While we don’t offer tree installation, we do want to see trees get installed properly. October is an excellent month for tree planting. The weather is mild and the ground is soft.
If installing trees in the fall, keep in mind that it is safe to plant a tree until the ground is frozen. Once the ground freezes it’s not only going to be difficult to dig, but it’s going to be very hard for the tree’s roots to become established in the cold, hard soil. If you’ve missed the fall planting window, wait until the spring.
Taking care of trees in the fall season involves a few important tasks. Here are some things you ought to know.
Tree fertilization is important in the fall as this is a time to prepare your trees for the coming winter. Your trees will benefit from that boost of nutrients as they head into the harsh winter season.
By the fall, your trees have become very depleted of nutrients.
That’s why we’re applying more phosphorus and potassium in our fall fertilization service to focus on root growth and set the tree up for maximum success as we head into the dormant season.
We know that most people choose to prune their trees May through September because they are outside and can see the results of the pruning. Pruning when the leaves are present is also great for the climber, as they can easily see what needs to be removed.
However, there are certainly some benefits to pruning in the fall. For one, the cost of pruning your tree is reduced in the offseason (October - April) because of standard seasonal discounts. This is appealing to many people for the savings.
And there are also some benefits to dormant pruning, when the tree is under less stress because it’s in a dormant state.
While trees do still need water in the fall, most of the time, Mother Nature is supplying that through rainfall. That means you can probably back off on supplemental watering (unless we’re having very dry days). On top of that, most days, trees aren’t dealing with the intense heat that they are in the summer.
Of course, if you have newly planted trees, you’ll need to pay closer attention to watering. We mentioned that fall is a great time for tree planting. Newly installed trees do require ample water.
Mulching trees in the fall can be a beneficial practice, particularly when preparing trees for winter.
Mulching in the fall helps to insulate roots from extreme temperature variations, which is important heading into the winter months. Mulch also helps to retain water. Ideally, you want to add a mulch ring before the ground freezes in order to gain all of the benefits during the winter season.
Of course, mulch rings can be beneficial in other seasons as well. In the spring and summer, a mulch ring helps to insulate roots for extreme heat and suppress weed growth.
While we always want to do everything that we can to protect trees, sometimes removal is the best (and safest) course of action. It can make sense to do this ahead of the winter, when potential winter storms could make trees more unsafe.
Some of the potential signs that you may want to remove a tree include:
If your tree has any of these signs (or other issues), it’s worth bringing in a professional for an evaluation. Do not take tree removal into your own hands.
Tree removal is intense and complicated work and can even pose some risks. But a qualified company that takes all of the necessary safety precautions will ensure that risks are mitigated and your tree is removed safely.
Trees obviously have very specific needs in the fall (and during each of the other seasons). But at the end of the day, you don’t just want a fall tree service. You want a tree care company that can partner with you for your trees’ needs year-round.
With the right company, you’ll ensure your trees are getting the proper care all year long.
We know that you have a lot of choices in tree care services, but we’d love for you to consider Limbwalker.
At Limbwalker, we are committed to preserving the health and beauty of trees here in Kentucky. We got into this industry because we truly love trees. We know that they serve many valuable purposes and we want to do what we can to help homeowners enjoy them for many years to come.
We believe that you deserve to enjoy your Louisville property to the fullest. Having healthy trees is the key to ensuring that happens.
If you’d like to learn more about tree services for your Louisville home, get in touch, get your quote, and get back to enjoying your yard.
