Taking Care of Trees Before the Cold Weather Arrives

Fall is a time to prepare for back to school, raking leaves and enjoying the cooler temperatures. How do your trees feel about the change in temperature? Whether you’ve just planted a row of new trees or you’re caring for elderly trees on your property, find out what cool-weather tree care involves. Explore the benefits of working with a local arborist or tree removal service for healthy trees and a safe yard.

Cut Out Your Watering Routine

If you’ve been watering your trees all summer, it’s time to halt this routine. Watering helps trees stay hydrated as they continue to grow their root systems, but watering in cool weather can affect the transition phase. Trees need to prepare for winter, and cutting out any watering can help.

A new tree that continues to be watered into autumn may not survive the winter. This is typically caused by frost on the roots. Moist roots and soil around the tree allow frost to penetrate deep into the root system of a young tree, causing permanent damage.

In winter weeks that do not go below freezing, you can consider lightly watering your trees, but make sure there won’t be a frost in the night. Use mulch to retain the moisture and prevent you from accidentally overwatering the trees.

Rake Your Leaves

Piles of leaves may be fun to run through in the autumn, but they can affect the health of your lawn and trees. Piles of leaves soak up water and prevent proper airflow. Over time, this can create dead patches in your lawn and choke out your tree. Raking leaves is also a great way to prepare for mulching.

Leaf piles can also trap moisture through the winter. A layer of leaves around your tree can create a moisture pocket which is prone to freezing or growing fungus. It’s important for your tree to drop its leaves as it prepares for winter and saves its energy, so keep it healthy by removing leaves from the surrounding area.

Consider Mulching Your Trees

Mulch helps insulate the base of a tree and help absorb excess moisture. This is particularly important for new trees that haven’t been exposed to winter in your area. Be sure to use organic compost mulch to promote healthy soil and airflow. Mulch also helps with water prevention if you have a dry winter. You can mulch leaves and turn them into organic compost, so simply remove them to a local leaf collection area to get use out of these fallen leaves instead of just throwing them away.

Work With an Arborist To Prune and Inspect Your Trees

Pruning a tree is an important step in preparing for winter. When you prune a tree, you can adjust its structure and help it conserve energy. Unnatural growth or too many limbs can prevent the tree from truly thriving.

Large, well-established trees need pruning to protect your family. Older trees may have died off, where limbs die while the tree remains healthy. These dead limbs can fall without notice and weigh a considerable amount, injuring anyone in the area underneath your tree. Ask a professional to inspect your trees and point out any limbs that need to be removed for a safe backyard.

At Martin’s Tree Service, we can assist you in maintaining your trees of all ages. Our pruning services cover everything from young saplings to hundred-year-old trees. We carefully inspect your tree and use our expert knowledge to keep your trees healthy and your property safe. Contact us to schedule an inspection and find out how our team can prune your trees and offer any advice on potential tree diseases affecting your property.