How to properly care for trees in late summer and early fall

If you take pride in your landscaping, chances are you’ve invested a lot of time and energy into  caring for your trees. It is not difficult to keep trees and fields healthy and ready for the next season.  With a little effort, you can keep your trees beautiful and healthy all year round. 

Late summer or early fall is the perfect time to inspect your tree for potential problems. There are  several obvious warning signs to look for when checking for tree problems. 

Leaves change color too early 

A premature color change can be a sign of stress. Believe it or not, stress affects trees just as it  affects people. Stress weakens trees and makes them more susceptible to disease or parasites. 

Heat and drought can stress the tree and cause premature color change. However, if you notice that  only one or two leaves are changing, your tree may have a disease. Dark spots or severe  discoloration of the leaves can also be signs of disease. 

You’re much more likely to see a premature change in the color of the entire tree. This is usually a  sign of stressed tree roots or root problems. 

When you realize your tree is stressed, your best bet is to figure out what kind of tree you are  dealing with. Each species of tree exhibits specific symptoms depending on the problem it is  experiencing. 

Check your bile 

Bile may appear as small brown lumps, light or dark colored balls, or as a more complex substance  on the leaves or branches of trees or shrubs. These lumpy growths are usually caused by mites,  wasps, or other creepy crawling or flying pests. 

These growths aren’t just cosmetic. Usually worms live in it. Depending on the time of year,  residents may find bile still inside, or the tree’s unwelcome guest may have already left. 

Bile is usually not a big problem. However, if the tree has bumps, it may indicate that the tree is  infested. 

Leaving the bile undisturbed is usually not a problem. However, if your tree is in poor health or  you want to remove it for cosmetic reasons, you have a few options. Infected leaves or branches  can be removed by selective pruning. If that doesn’t work, there are several chemical sprays and/or  injections that can help control and mitigate an insect infestation or disease.  

These options should only be considered if it is possible to keep the tree healthy. Spraying and  injecting stressed trees can be a waste of money. We recommend that you hire an experienced  certified arborist to evaluate and evaluate your tree before making a decision on treatment  application. 

Fall gummy bugs are another pest to watch out for. When a spider bug fully matures, it turns into  a moth. These pesky critters are best known for their larval stages. As the name suggests, they  build their nests by spinning webs on tree branches.

Spider beetles and their nests can cause leaf loss on affected limbs, but are rarely fatal to trees. In  addition, spider bugs also have natural enemies that help control their populations. 

Simply pruning affected branches is the best way to get rid of webworms. If this is not a practical  option, you can try applying dormant oil to spider eggs in the spring to get rid of pests. 

Help trees prepare for cold weather 

When the weather turns cold, we pull our sweaters and coats out of the basement to prepare for  the colder months ahead. It seems as if the trees also need a little help preparing for the winter  weather. 

Harsh weather in the cold months can put a lot of stress on trees. As a responsible nature lover,  your job is to do your best to keep your plants ready for the changing seasons. 

Use mulch or compost 

Place mulch or compost around tree stumps in late fall or early winter. Compost or mulch provides  an insulating layer that helps keep the roots warm even in extremely cold temperatures. It also  retains water which helps plants stay hydrated. 

Don’t forget to water it even in winter 

Winter drought can be as damaging as summer drought. Keep your tree well-watered throughout  the winter. Be careful not to water when the ground is in danger of freezing. 

Beware of mechanical injuries 

Snow and ice tend to accumulate on tree branches during fall and winter. This extra weight can  break branches or even cause trees to fall. Do your best to remove snow and ice quickly so it  doesn’t lead to line damage. 

Fall is a good time for pruning. During the colder months, the tree is dormant and the lack of leaves  makes it easy to see where to cut it. But I want to be careful. Each type of tree is different. Do your  homework to determine if fall is the ideal time to prune.