Many trees look very beautiful in the fall, when their leaves offer a lot of color. But in addition to love, it's time to do a little maintenance.
From pruning tips to things to consider, the following fall gardening tips will ensure your trees are ready for the cooler months ahead.
Add these activities to your garden list this season; They are not too difficult and certainly not worth the effort.
1. Cover your tree
Blake Watkins, a certified tree specialist and operating partner at Monster Tree Services, recommends starting fall tree treatments in the bud. This helps the soil retain moisture, he explained.
"Definitely start with the blush," agrees Rebecca Johnson, a certified referee. He recommends removing and shaking out the old compost, then placing it on top of the tree, adding more if it's less than two inches deep. "Ideally, the sorghum should be up to the tree point line [branch tips]," he says. Keep it three inches from the trunk, notes Blake.
Blake added that fertilizing the tree in late summer or early fall will help provide the nutrients it needs to stay strong through the winter. He says tree foods or humic acids might be a good idea this year. Gro Humax Safe Liquid Humic acid has great reviews from Amazon.
Tip: You can collect fallen leaves to make them rot, an excellent harvest for next year.
2. Check your tree for disease, pests and fungus.
"As your yard transitions from summer to fall, it's important to start checking your trees for disease or pest infestation," says Blake.
"Pests or diseases are not serious until they affect 20-30% of their leaves. The sooner you identify your tree's problem, the better you can work with local gardeners to address the problem and prevent further damage in the future. . . ."
It is recommended to clean the leaves before they fall from the tree. Look for holes, mold spots and chewed edges, and look for leaf-sucking insects.
Now is also a good time to look for mushrooms around your yard's trees, suggests horticulturist Ned Cromack.
“Most tree fungus comes out in the fall, so take the time to check the roots and base of the tree to make sure there aren't any serious problems. The best time to observe is when you are collecting fallen leaves. .
Ned continues, “Parasitic fungi such as honey fungus can be devastating in the garden. "Honey fungus produces lots of light, cream-colored fungus in the root zone of tree plants. If there is, it may be time to seek professional advice from a local horticulturist. And it has spread, causing damage to trees and shrubs. others on your property.
"Then there are saprophytes that generally don't penetrate living tissue," Ned continues. However, the presence of these species can be a good indicator that any part of the tree is dead or has a serious decay problem. Again, a qualified arborist can give you the best idea of how this affects your tree and what needs to be done (if needed).
"It is important to remember that the presence of fungus does not guarantee that your tree will die or fall in the near future; some trees can live with a fungal colony for centuries," he added.
3. Check the structure
After the leaves fall from the branches, you can check if the tree needs structural pruning, Rebecca.
"There are different opinions about cutting in the fall," he said. Some consider pruning a mistake, because the tree must be dormant so that it does not quickly repair the wound.
It's probably best to wait until the end of winter, Rebecca continued, because the trees will soon "wake up" but haven't yet started to put energy into the buds they'll pull. After all, fall is a good time to make an appointment with a certified gardener.
However, if you notice any dead or diseased branches, it is best to have them checked as soon as possible. Removing them can help reduce the risk of falling during a severe storm or other inclement weather, Blake said.
4. Protect the tree from the coming winter weather
"Plants with thin bark, such as maples, willows or hemlocks, are more susceptible to sunburn or frost in winter," says Fern Berg, founder of Tree Vitalize. "You can protect these trees by wrapping the trunks with burlap or commercial tree wrap. Make sure they are wrapped tightly, but not too tightly.
"This helps protect the tree from hungry creatures such as rabbits or mice that can touch the bark during the cold season," he added. "If you don't need to protect your tree from sunburn or frost, you can use plastic, mesh or metal tree covers to keep the crackers out."
5. Plant a new tree
"Autumn is the best time to plant trees," says Rebecca. One reason, he explains, is because trees release root-stimulating hormones during winter dormancy. For this reason, Texas celebrates Pastor's Day on the first Friday of November.
Hilliard Knapp, botanist at Perfect Plants, agrees. "Increasing cool air temperatures during this season facilitates healthy growth because plants are less likely to burn in the sun or lack of water, which promotes their growth," he said.
"If you planted the tree last fall, now is the time to troubleshoot," adds Rebecca. "If it doesn't go away, there are fundamental problems that cannot be fixed," he said. Contact a local gardener to take a look and help.
General question
How to care for a tree in a pot in autumn?
Late summer or early fall is a good time to prune container trees, says Blake Watkins, Monster Tree Service operating partner and certified arborist, and to test potting soil and adjust as needed.
"If the container plant's roots fill the pot all summer, consider pruning it in the fall to give it more room to grow." Add: Be sure to move a non-chill container tree indoors before the first frost for winter protection.
In addition to tree care, remember that there are other seasonal tasks in the coming months, such as fall garden care and bulb planting. You'll have a well-organized outdoor space that will bloom again when warmer weather returns.
